ESPN writer examines trade hypothetical involving Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe

Outside

Here are some numbers to show how the inside game has changed since the Bird - Magic years.
in 1985-86 there were 20 centers on only 23 teams that took 8 or more 2pt field goal attempts per game.
In 2015 that number is down to 10 on 30 teams. I only charted players with at least 1800 minutes played in 1985-85 and for 2015-16 I used 900 minutes (half the season). Those minutes will for the most part single out the starters. The focus on the low post game has sure diminished greatly over the years.

swish

The game has changed to more of an outside shooting league, but a rim protector is still very important for a couple of reasons. And, staying with the topic of the thread (Monroe), I do not think that he is the rim protector that the Cs need.

The rim protector makes the less brave NBA players shy away from driving to the hoop which does two things. First, it forces these guys to take more jump shots off the dribble (which most players do not do as well as when they can spot up and shoot their jumper) and second it makes for longer rebounds which usually make "put backs" less likely.

The rim protector also forces even the braver drivers in the league to alter their shots which helps force more missed attempts. The Cs have not had good rim protection since Perkins and Garnett were hanging in the paint and have given up lots of lay ups since that a better rim protector than even Johnson may have prevented.

Deterring the driver from shooting lay ups should also allow the rim protector to gather more defensive rebounds for his team. Not having to leave your feet while trying to contest shots by guys that are not your primary defensive responsibility theoretically should allow for much better box outs.

Again, Monroe is a pretty good scoring center but is not the rim protector we need

What the Celtics DON'T need is another player who is only good on the defensive side of the court. A rim protector will only have value to this team if he is also an offensive threat. There are very, very few of those.

Outside wrote:What the Celtics DON'T need is another player who is only good on the defensive side of the court. A rim protector will only have value to this team if he is also an offensive threat. There are very, very few of those.

Outside,

As far as those possibly/likely to become available:  Boogie, Noah (of no use this year) withwith Whiteside a very distant third. That's about it.  Everone else is/will be unavailable or is decidedly inferior on one end of the court or another (e.g. Monroe).


bob


.

as I watched the game last night, thinking about us being a 45-50 win team right now as we are built.

I was thinking about what Free agent could help take us to the next level. one name came to me, that I hadn't thought about.

he fills your need Bob, as a big man that plays both ends of the floor.

Pau Gasol.

now I know he is 35YO this year. But he is showing no signs of slowing down this year. Check his stats and remember how his size gave us fits against the Bulls a few games ago?

he would fit in with Stevens system nicely, IMO.

Use Lee's $15M expiring deal and cut Jerebko and his $5M in the off-season and sign Gasol for a two year $20m per year deal.

no one could say that Gasol isn't a BIG upgrade over Lee and Jerebko.

use the Nets pick on the best SF left on the board. (Simmons, Brown, Ingram).

use the second first on the best Big man left. ( Diamond Stone, Damian Jones)

Trade the third first and most of our seconds for FUTURE picks (we have no space for them).

re-sign Sully for a deal ay $8per or LESS. (if not look at Jordan Hill or maybe Noah on a short term below his market deal).

roster in my drunken late game thoughts:

Gasol
Kelly
Amir
Sully
Crowder
Jaylen Brown ( top draft pick)
Bradley
Smart
Thomas
Hunter

deep bench and youth
Mickey
Rozier
Young
Diamond Stone( first round)
SG/ Wing- first pick in second round of draft.


a top 4 team in the east for the next two years (or better) and still have our young players and plenty of draft picks coming.

hmmmm?