a couple Celtic tweets from hoopshype today

https://hoopshype.com/team/boston-celtics/


Chris Forsberg: Danny Ainge on Boston’s summer: “I like this group of guys. We’re not looking to make changes other than just small tweaks here and there to our roster. We really do like this core group of guys that we’ve had all year.” 16 hours ago – via Twitter ESPNForsberg



Scott Souza: #Celtics Danny Ainge on Marcus Smart as free agent: Our ownership group is fantastic. They have been willing to pay for a team that has a chance. 19 hours ago – via Twitter Scott_Souza


Scott Souza: #Celtics Aron Baynes: I enjoyed the hell out of this season … It’s over a lot sooner than I wanted … I would love to be a part of it in the future. 19 hours ago – via Twitter Scott_Souza



I think Most Celtic fans would be just fine with "keeping the band together", so we can see what a full / healthy squad can do.


My ideas:

Resign Smart and Baynes

Draft BPA at #27

replace Monroe with Okafor for vet minimum

get everyone healthy.

kdp59 wrote:https://hoopshype.com/team/boston-celtics/


Chris Forsberg: Danny Ainge on Boston’s summer: “I like this group of guys. We’re not looking to make changes other than just small tweaks here and there to our roster. We really do like this core group of guys that we’ve had all year.” 16 hours ago – via Twitter ESPNForsberg



Scott Souza: #Celtics Danny Ainge on Marcus Smart as free agent: Our ownership group is fantastic. They have been willing to pay for a team that has a chance. 19 hours ago – via Twitter Scott_Souza


Scott Souza: #Celtics Aron Baynes: I enjoyed the hell out of this season … It’s over a lot sooner than I wanted … I would love to be a part of it in the future. 19 hours ago – via Twitter Scott_Souza



I think Most Celtic fans would be just fine with "keeping the band together", so we can see what a full / healthy squad can do.


My ideas:

Resign Smart and Baynes

Draft BPA at #27

replace Monroe with Okafor for vet minimum

get everyone healthy.

That is pretty much where I am except instead of BPA at #27, we do a draft and stash and bring back Larkin for another season. There is too much uncertainty that late in the first round and Larkin is a known quantity.

Okafor would be my main target for a free agent reclamation project. I believe defense can be taught and if he is not "the main guy", he may be able to give a better effort on that end.

Let Brad spread out the minutes to keep everyone fresh and healthy going into the playoffs.

gyso

Okafor probably can't be a worse defender than Monroe.

Okafor was not quite a decent defender when in Philly even when in close proximity to the hoop. I saw him often as they are kind of the local team here in Delaware and get on local TV quite often. He may be able to learn some defense, but never could break into any playing time in NY with the Nets either so he still must leave a lot to be desired at the defensive end.

I was pretty surprised by Monroe's inability to play defense any better than he was able to show in Boston, and it did not seem to flow from any unwillingness to try. He just cannot move his feet quickly enough in today's game unless he is covering a similar style center on the low post.

Guys like Monroe may find their way back into the game at some point, but right now there appears to be very limited spots for them in today's NBA. He may get another spot, or even a spot with the Cs, for next year, but it will likely be at an even further discounted rate as 5 M is just too much cap space for what he can (can't?) do.

With that said, I appreciated his efforts when on the court while in a Cs uniform and also his professionalism about not complaining about playing time.

Monroe displayed a very positive spirit, but his lack of quick feet doomed him to being a defensive liability. I do wonder what Brad could do with Okafor. Most of all, I wonder what fantastic, imaginative tweak Danny could come up with this summer? He will somehow surprise us, that's for sure.

KyleCleric wrote:Okafor probably can't be a worse defender than Monroe.

On offense, Monroe seemed to fumble the ball and has lost his ability to get over the rim. He shot at the hoop rather than in the hoop, lots of shots rolled over and resulted in no points made. Maybe a younger Okafor still has his hops and the results would be more of a plus overall.

Gyso

Regarding your comment about stashing #27 so Larkin is in the mix.

What if Boston drafts one of the Villanova kids, Brunson or Donte DiVincenzo?

This is a very deep draft and even at 27 the Celtics could add a player that can help immediately.

Also I think Okafor would be a viable replacement for Monroe unless the Celtics were able to draft a center. Okafor is still only 22 years old, a Duke product and has not been coached up by Brown in Philly nor the Nets Kenny Atkinson.

He was a victim of a numbers game in Philly.

I would love to see Boston give him a shot.

dboss,

If there is a player at #27 that is better (and taller) than Larkin, by all means take him and let Larkin walk.  We just have not had much success drafting late in the first round.

The one and done guys are so hard to predict.  The guys that stay multiple years in college usually are more polished, but their trajectories tend to be flat.

Monroe was a trooper and never complained, but I think Okafor is better in the long run.  I think we agree on that choice.

gyso