what is the teams biggest off-season need?

as we get closer to the off-season now, I was wondering what others thought was our main off -season need to improve the team.

I feel a defensive minded center is priority one.

second for me is a wing who is a top level three point shooter.

third, IF Crowder leaves then a defensive minded small forward.


anyone else?

kdp,

No quarrel with your priorities.  But I think Crowder's value is far more than defensive. He led all Celtics guards in two-point field goal percentage this past season, and a LOT of those points were slashes to the hoop off broken plays or in lieu of desperation three point heaves with time running out.  And, once he headed for the hoop, he was close to unstoppable.

I'm not a fan of his three-point shooting, but (1) I hope he can improve on that this coming season—at least returning to the 34% he shot with Dallas last season, and (2) he seems to heat up from the arc as games progress.  I do agree that what most distinguishes him is his disruptive an inspiring defense, and it would be difficult to picture him as a volume scorer.  But that slashing instinct contributes mightily to meeting a Celtics need and (hopefully) helping to keep them from becoming too dependent on threes.

Sam

I certainly hope that Ainge does not let Crowder get away, but if some of the numbers already being thrown out there about how much Crowder will get in his next contract are even close to true then I can see Ainge looking somewhere else.

Crowder made a little over a million this past season and was very much worth that to the Cs alone even for half a season of games played. However, giving this guy any more than 3.5 M per season for any more than three years at this point is not a good move when considering the other needs on the team.

Getting a nice contract for a 350% pay raise is pretty nice, but good for Crowder if he can find a team to pay him 6, 7 or 8 M per year but I do not think that it will be with the Cs.

I think our biggest needs can be filled outside one single position.

Our rebounding and interior defense/rim protection needs can be filled by either a PF or center.

Our scoring need can be filled at either SF, PF, or PG, or center, though Zeller showed major progress as an offensive force and KO is an efficient offensive center as well.

Bradley, Turner, Sully, and Zeller are all upgradeable in our starting lineup, and our bench would only get better if one, two, three, or four of those guys were demoted to the bench.

Zeller is good enough overall that a Tristan Thompson type power forward would give us much of the rebounding and defensive upgrade that our frontcourt needs, while Zeller continues to develop as a real offensive weapon.

Getting a big scoring upgrade at the Avery Bradley guard spot would allow us to play a more defense oriented SF, perhaps even Crowder.

Or, getting a scoring upgrade at SF would allow us to keep Bradley in the starting lineup.

Getting a defensive stud at PF might even allow Isaiah Thomas to get into the starting lineup, as would the alternative of adding a defensive stud at center.

I think we can actually upgrade two, and possibly three of those four starting spots with our picks at 16, 28, and 33.

At 16, Upshaw would upgrade center, RHJefferson would upgrade small forward, Portis or Harrell would slightly upgrade PF, and Cameron Payne would probably upgrade over Avery Bradley as a much better all around offensive player.

At 28, Upshaw if still there would upgrade starting center, Terry Rozier may very well be an upgrade over Bradley, and Cliff Alexander, Jordan Mickey, or Rakeem Christmas may very well be better than Sully as defense and rim protecting power forwards who compliment Zeller better. And Dakari Johnson may very well upgrade over Zeller if we somehow land somebody like Portis at 16, a guy who can stretch the floor and move his feet defensively a lot better than Sully.

At 33, one or two of Alexander, Christmas, or Mickey will still be there, as could Dakari.

Making one, two, or even three slight upgrades to our starting lineup, while making our bench even better, would be a major improvement for this team, and no big fireworks would be necessary.

In fact, three top 33 picks in a very deep draft is fireworks in itself.

Power forward is the deepest position in this draft, and there are several defense and rebounding specialists that will be available at 28 and 33, and that's pretty exciting. And I wouldn't be upset if Danny drafted any of those four positions at 16, even another point guard to start over Bradley next to Smart.

I'd be fine with Crowder getting a deal in the 4 yr/ $20m .

I know thats $5M average, but I think thast more than fair, especially with the increased TV money hitting in 2016. by the end of that contract $5M could be just a bit over the Minimum contracts.

Rambone,

the only thing I wuld disagree with you on is being able to upgrade TWO spots form the draft (with where se sit now).

I think maybe one ...and I am not sure the first year we can count on that.

todays younger rookies typically need a year or more to be ready to compete as a starter in the NBA, if they are not a top 5 pick or so.

KDP, sometimes a lateral move in overall quality but a better fit with the rest of the starting unit can be an upgrade, and an upgrade to the bench as well.

Like, Terry Rozier probably isn't a better overall player than Bradley, but he's a much better ball handler and dribble driver, while being just as athletic. He might be a downgrade defensively and with his 3 point %, but his ability to handle the ball, pass better than Bradley, and get into the lane at will would make our starting unit better overall. And Rozier is like 21 years old, with a lot of big game experience.

The only young guy I listed was Cliff Alexander, everybody else is at least a sophomore or older. Christmas is 23, Upshaw 21, and Mickey is 20 or 21.

If Upshaw joined the team, he'd be ready to start for us in a role player role. All of these guys would be role players, even as starters.

Here's a few starting lineup scenarios, just because I'm bored:

Cameron Payne (16)
Smart
Crowder
KO
Upshaw (28)
Alexander (33) off the bench at PF and center

Rozier (28)
Smart
Crowder
KO
Upshaw (16)
Alexander (33) off the bench at PF and center

Bradley
Smart
RHJefferson (16)
Christmas (28)
Zeller
Dakari (33) off the bench


Bradley
Smart
Turner
Portis (16)
Upshaw (28)
Andrew Harrison (33) off the bench

IT4
Smart
RHJefferson (16)
Christmas (28)
Dakari (33)

Just a few possible examples, and none of the rookies would likely start game one of the regular season, but depending on fit, we could easily get two or even three rookie year starters out of this draft.