What a Difference a Year Makes

http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-difference-year-makes.html




Think back to January 2013.  The Green Team was staggering through another lackluster regular season with far too little help added to allow their aging stars to ease their tread-worn tires back into supporting roles.  Their most promising up-and-comer was Avery Bradley who was coming back (again) from off-season surgery, this time on both shoulders.  The new hopes were Jared Sullinger, whose chronic back problems had red-flagged him into the last third of the first round of the draft, and Fab Melo, a long-term development project who would likely not contribute until Pierce and Garnett were collecting retirement pay, not to mention that his greatest skills seemed to be of the comedic variety—walking into door frames and sitting on collapsing chairs.  We fans watched games with bated breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop (or key player to go down with a season/career-ending injury).

And we didn’t have long to wait!
First Sullinger, and the Rondo, limped from the hardwood to the trainer’s room, and then on into the operating room and lengthy rehabilitations.  The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune were flying fast and furious; and we could all feel the New Big Three window slamming shut.  With five years of picking up aging vets for supporting roles, the bench (and cupboard) was filled with flotsam and jetsam rather than developing youth.  The future looked bleak and I (for one) shuddered to think that I might live out my remaining years before the Phoenix could again rise from the ashes to allow the Shamrock Green to once again ride high.

Fast forward to January 2014.  In a July heist (that I think will long stand as an apocryphal tale of impatience and greed) of near-Biblical proportions, Danny fleeced a Russian billionaire and his minions out of a half-decade’s worth of first-round picks for(?)/while dumping his three oldest players and most burdensome contracts.  True, he did have to take on Wallace’s ugly three-year over-payment but all the rest of the salary matching fodder was cut-able, expiring, flip-able, or perhaps even useful.  Exit the sage veteran coach (for yet another first round pick!) and enter an relative unknown –this time a college coach with a track record of making silk purses out of sow’s ears who got an unprecedented 6-year contract to grow-with, while building, the next iteration of the Green Banner Raisers.

Notice I have said nothing about the current losing streak.  I watched, and rooted for, each of the Celtic’s efforts in these unsuccessful outings.  Notice also that I did not call them failures.  Playing hard, growing, improving, playing better today than yesterday—these are the metrics of success this rebuilding season.  Removing the “I” from “team,” culling the chaff from the wheat, and returning to the “Celtic Way” are the measures by which I judge the progress this year.  The players play hard (and improve), the coach coaches hard (and improves), and the general manager maneuvers for the future (disregarding, or perhaps even undercutting the present record—or as I think of it, “paying it forward” in the executive suite).

This may well be our “season of discontent” but I am finding the difference in my (the C’s ?) outlook positively scintillating.  For six months I have waited anxiously for the next phase in the rebuilding to begin.  I’ve thought, and written, of Danny Ainge’s patience at the NBA’s on-going GM poker tournament where the chips are players, contracts, cap-management, picks, and traded-player exceptions.  The cruel reality, though, is that I’ve been as antsy as any of you about the next moves.  This week has provided fodder for my little grey cells, buoyed my spirits, and refreshed my enthusiasm.

Courtney Lee traded for Jerryd Bayless?  I admit that I knew little about Bayless, and that I was a fan of Lee.  But I also knew that Lee was a Fading-Stars supporting role player rather than an emerging building block.  Do I think Jerryd Bayless is that emerging building block?  No, but I do think his combo-guard skills playing the point has made the team look more like an actual basketball team in one week than Jordan Crawford managed in three months.  And now today we find Jordan Crawford (acquired for an expiring and out-for-the-season Barbosa and now out of the league Collins) and Marshon Brooks (Brooklyn heist throw-in) flipped for under-sized and under-skilled big man Joel Anthony (meh) and more draft picks.  The Wizards dumped Crawford for nothing (and breathed a sigh of thanks); Danny got picks for the discard—HUGE WIN!  Not to mention that Bayless is an able, WILLING, and eager quality backup at two of our positions with the strongest starters.

I think the next move is Bass.  If so then Kelly Olynyk gets more time, Vitor Faverani gets meaningful minutes, and Anthony becomes a semi-adequate fifth big man.  This year’s team grows weaker and the future grows stronger.  The youth plays more, the players play strong, the coach coaches strong, and Danny plays the futures commodities market.  None of this week’s moves were on my radar (or I should say my nighttime ritual—some people count sheep, this year I rummage through the other 31 teams’ starters, rosters, and injured lists for possible trades) but all fit perfectly within my big picture.  The green is dead, long live the Green, all is well with the rebuild.



bob


.

bobheckler wrote:http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-difference-year-makes.html




Think back to January 2013.  The Green Team was staggering through another lackluster regular season with far too little help added to allow their aging stars to ease their tread-worn tires back into supporting roles.  Their most promising up-and-comer was Avery Bradley who was coming back (again) from off-season surgery, this time on both shoulders.  The new hopes were Jared Sullinger, whose chronic back problems had red-flagged him into the last third of the first round of the draft, and Fab Melo, a long-term development project who would likely not contribute until Pierce and Garnett were collecting retirement pay, not to mention that his greatest skills seemed to be of the comedic variety—walking into door frames and sitting on collapsing chairs.  We fans watched games with bated breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop (or key player to go down with a season/career-ending injury).

And we didn’t have long to wait!
First Sullinger, and the Rondo, limped from the hardwood to the trainer’s room, and then on into the operating room and lengthy rehabilitations.  The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune were flying fast and furious; and we could all feel the New Big Three window slamming shut.  With five years of picking up aging vets for supporting roles, the bench (and cupboard) was filled with flotsam and jetsam rather than developing youth.  The future looked bleak and I (for one) shuddered to think that I might live out my remaining years before the Phoenix could again rise from the ashes to allow the Shamrock Green to once again ride high.

Fast forward to January 2014.  In a July heist (that I think will long stand as an apocryphal tale of impatience and greed) of near-Biblical proportions, Danny fleeced a Russian billionaire and his minions out of a half-decade’s worth of first-round picks for(?)/while dumping his three oldest players and most burdensome contracts.  True, he did have to take on Wallace’s ugly three-year over-payment but all the rest of the salary matching fodder was cut-able, expiring, flip-able, or perhaps even useful.  Exit the sage veteran coach (for yet another first round pick!) and enter an relative unknown –this time a college coach with a track record of making silk purses out of sow’s ears who got an unprecedented 6-year contract to grow-with, while building, the next iteration of the Green Banner Raisers.

Notice I have said nothing about the current losing streak.  I watched, and rooted for, each of the Celtic’s efforts in these unsuccessful outings.  Notice also that I did not call them failures.  Playing hard, growing, improving, playing better today than yesterday—these are the metrics of success this rebuilding season.  Removing the “I” from “team,” culling the chaff from the wheat, and returning to the “Celtic Way” are the measures by which I judge the progress this year.  The players play hard (and improve), the coach coaches hard (and improves), and the general manager maneuvers for the future (disregarding, or perhaps even undercutting the present record—or as I think of it, “paying it forward” in the executive suite).

This may well be our “season of discontent” but I am finding the difference in my (the C’s ?) outlook positively scintillating.  For six months I have waited anxiously for the next phase in the rebuilding to begin.  I’ve thought, and written, of Danny Ainge’s patience at the NBA’s on-going GM poker tournament where the chips are players, contracts, cap-management, picks, and traded-player exceptions.  The cruel reality, though, is that I’ve been as antsy as any of you about the next moves.  This week has provided fodder for my little grey cells, buoyed my spirits, and refreshed my enthusiasm.

Courtney Lee traded for Jerryd Bayless?  I admit that I knew little about Bayless, and that I was a fan of Lee.  But I also knew that Lee was a Fading-Stars supporting role player rather than an emerging building block.  Do I think Jerryd Bayless is that emerging building block?  No, but I do think his combo-guard skills playing the point has made the team look more like an actual basketball team in one week than Jordan Crawford managed in three months.  And now today we find Jordan Crawford (acquired for an expiring and out-for-the-season Barbosa and now out of the league Collins) and Marshon Brooks (Brooklyn heist throw-in) flipped for under-sized and under-skilled big man Joel Anthony (meh) and more draft picks.  The Wizards dumped Crawford for nothing (and breathed a sigh of thanks); Danny got picks for the discard—HUGE WIN!  Not to mention that Bayless is an able, WILLING, and eager quality backup at two of our positions with the strongest starters.

I think the next move is Bass.  If so then Kelly Olynyk gets more time, Vitor Faverani gets meaningful minutes, and Anthony becomes a semi-adequate fifth big man.  This year’s team grows weaker and the future grows stronger.  The youth plays more, the players play strong, the coach coaches strong, and Danny plays the futures commodities market.  None of this week’s moves were on my radar (or I should say my nighttime ritual—some people count sheep, this year I rummage through the other 31 teams’ starters, rosters, and injured lists for possible trades) but all fit perfectly within my big picture.  The green is dead, long live the Green, all is well with the rebuild.



bob


.

Somebody should tell this Celtics blogger that there are 30 teams in the NBA and not 32...

tjmakz wrote:

bobheckler wrote:http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-difference-year-makes.html




Think back to January 2013.  The Green Team was staggering through another lackluster regular season with far too little help added to allow their aging stars to ease their tread-worn tires back into supporting roles.  Their most promising up-and-comer was Avery Bradley who was coming back (again) from off-season surgery, this time on both shoulders.  The new hopes were Jared Sullinger, whose chronic back problems had red-flagged him into the last third of the first round of the draft, and Fab Melo, a long-term development project who would likely not contribute until Pierce and Garnett were collecting retirement pay, not to mention that his greatest skills seemed to be of the comedic variety—walking into door frames and sitting on collapsing chairs.  We fans watched games with bated breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop (or key player to go down with a season/career-ending injury).

And we didn’t have long to wait!
First Sullinger, and the Rondo, limped from the hardwood to the trainer’s room, and then on into the operating room and lengthy rehabilitations.  The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune were flying fast and furious; and we could all feel the New Big Three window slamming shut.  With five years of picking up aging vets for supporting roles, the bench (and cupboard) was filled with flotsam and jetsam rather than developing youth.  The future looked bleak and I (for one) shuddered to think that I might live out my remaining years before the Phoenix could again rise from the ashes to allow the Shamrock Green to once again ride high.

Fast forward to January 2014.  In a July heist (that I think will long stand as an apocryphal tale of impatience and greed) of near-Biblical proportions, Danny fleeced a Russian billionaire and his minions out of a half-decade’s worth of first-round picks for(?)/while dumping his three oldest players and most burdensome contracts.  True, he did have to take on Wallace’s ugly three-year over-payment but all the rest of the salary matching fodder was cut-able, expiring, flip-able, or perhaps even useful.  Exit the sage veteran coach (for yet another first round pick!) and enter an relative unknown –this time a college coach with a track record of making silk purses out of sow’s ears who got an unprecedented 6-year contract to grow-with, while building, the next iteration of the Green Banner Raisers.

Notice I have said nothing about the current losing streak.  I watched, and rooted for, each of the Celtic’s efforts in these unsuccessful outings.  Notice also that I did not call them failures.  Playing hard, growing, improving, playing better today than yesterday—these are the metrics of success this rebuilding season.  Removing the “I” from “team,” culling the chaff from the wheat, and returning to the “Celtic Way” are the measures by which I judge the progress this year.  The players play hard (and improve), the coach coaches hard (and improves), and the general manager maneuvers for the future (disregarding, or perhaps even undercutting the present record—or as I think of it, “paying it forward” in the executive suite).

This may well be our “season of discontent” but I am finding the difference in my (the C’s ?) outlook positively scintillating.  For six months I have waited anxiously for the next phase in the rebuilding to begin.  I’ve thought, and written, of Danny Ainge’s patience at the NBA’s on-going GM poker tournament where the chips are players, contracts, cap-management, picks, and traded-player exceptions.  The cruel reality, though, is that I’ve been as antsy as any of you about the next moves.  This week has provided fodder for my little grey cells, buoyed my spirits, and refreshed my enthusiasm.

Courtney Lee traded for Jerryd Bayless?  I admit that I knew little about Bayless, and that I was a fan of Lee.  But I also knew that Lee was a Fading-Stars supporting role player rather than an emerging building block.  Do I think Jerryd Bayless is that emerging building block?  No, but I do think his combo-guard skills playing the point has made the team look more like an actual basketball team in one week than Jordan Crawford managed in three months.  And now today we find Jordan Crawford (acquired for an expiring and out-for-the-season Barbosa and now out of the league Collins) and Marshon Brooks (Brooklyn heist throw-in) flipped for under-sized and under-skilled big man Joel Anthony (meh) and more draft picks.  The Wizards dumped Crawford for nothing (and breathed a sigh of thanks); Danny got picks for the discard—HUGE WIN!  Not to mention that Bayless is an able, WILLING, and eager quality backup at two of our positions with the strongest starters.

I think the next move is Bass.  If so then Kelly Olynyk gets more time, Vitor Faverani gets meaningful minutes, and Anthony becomes a semi-adequate fifth big man.  This year’s team grows weaker and the future grows stronger.  The youth plays more, the players play strong, the coach coaches strong, and Danny plays the futures commodities market.  None of this week’s moves were on my radar (or I should say my nighttime ritual—some people count sheep, this year I rummage through the other 31 teams’ starters, rosters, and injured lists for possible trades) but all fit perfectly within my big picture.  The green is dead, long live the Green, all is well with the rebuild.



bob


.

Somebody should tell this Celtics blogger that there are 30 teams in the NBA and not 32...

TJ,

Other than that immaterial error, what do you think of the piece.


bob


.

This is pure gold:

"Fast forward to January 2014. In a July heist (that I think will long stand as an apocryphal tale of impatience and greed) of near-Biblical proportions, Danny fleeced a Russian billionaire and his minions out of a half-decade’s worth of first-round picks for(?)/while dumping his three oldest players and most burdensome contracts."

Couldn't have said it better myself.



KJ

Bob,

I think the story is fair and accurate.
It's not an over the top Celtics praise story that are sometimes posted.

I do think Danny is doing a very good job.
What will the result be in 2 or 3 years? We don't know.
I'm not convinced the extra 5 first round draft picks are as important as some Celtics fans think they are.
The only team that has built a championship contender through the draft in recent years is OKC and that is because they had 3 straight years of having a top 4 pick. Durant at 2, Westbrook at 4 and Harden at 3. They also got lucky with Ibaka in the draft.

Will Rondo want to re-sign in a year and a half if Boston is still a non-contender? Will Boston pay Avery Bradley if another team offers him a 4 year $40m contract? By the time Boston is good again in a couple of years, what will they have to pay Sullinger?

Overall, Celtics fans should be excited about the future.
They have a good gm and coach and a few solid young players to build around.

TJ,

I think having the extra draft picks actually is as valuable as people think. It gives them additional flexibility when making trades and they are sure to pick up some good talent with the ones that aren't traded. It's a win-win situation.

You make a good point about the respective contracts of Rondo, Bradley, and Sullinger. I think Bradley and Rondo will be retained, and I have faith Sulliger will be, too. Of course, we'll all see how things pan out.


KJ

tjmakz wrote:Bob,

I think the story is fair and accurate.
It's not an over the top Celtics praise story that are sometimes posted.

I do think Danny is doing a very good job.
What will the result be in 2 or 3 years? We don't know.
I'm not convinced the extra 5 first round draft picks are as important as some Celtics fans think they are.
The only team that has built a championship contender through the draft in recent years is OKC and that is because they had 3 straight years of having a top 4 pick. Durant at 2, Westbrook at 4 and Harden at 3. They also got lucky with Ibaka in the draft.

Will Rondo want to re-sign in a year and a half if Boston is still a non-contender? Will Boston pay Avery Bradley if another team offers him a 4 year $40m contract? By the time Boston is good again in a couple of years, what will they have to pay Sullinger?

Overall, Celtics fans should be excited about the future.
They have a good gm and coach and a few solid young players to build around.

TJ,


I don't know anybody who thinks those 5 draft picks will all play for the Celtics. I wouldn't be surprised if only 2 of them do. That's not the only value of draft picks especially under this CBA.

Will Danny offer Bradley $10M per year? Maybe not, but he's a restricted free agent and we own his Bird Rights, so we'll get value for him.

As far as Sully goes, packaging those draft picks to trade for high quality players is intended to shorten the rebuild time. And if Sully is worth the money in that market, then he's worth the money to somebody, probably us but if not we'll get value for him too. Danny has "the eye" for talent.


bob


.

k_j_88 wrote:TJ,

I think having the extra draft picks actually is as valuable as people think. It gives them additional flexibility when making trades and they are sure to pick up some good talent with the ones that aren't traded. It's a win-win situation.

You make a good point about the respective contracts of Rondo, Bradley, and Sullinger. I think Bradley and Rondo will be retained, and I have faith Sulliger will be, too. Of course, we'll all see how things pan out.


KJ

KJ,

Draft picks could be busts or great, you never know.
Danny burned 2 second round picks just to move up 3 spots to draft Olynyck. Ugh.
Boston will need to determine how to pick up stars or superstars using their current players and draft picks.
Teams just aren't going to trade their Lebrons, Durants, Paul George's, etc.
Will Boston be an attractive destination for free agents?
This is where I think Rondo is critical. He needs to re-sign in order for stars to want to play for Boston.

bobheckler wrote:

tjmakz wrote:Bob,

I think the story is fair and accurate.
It's not an over the top Celtics praise story that are sometimes posted.

I do think Danny is doing a very good job.
What will the result be in 2 or 3 years? We don't know.
I'm not convinced the extra 5 first round draft picks are as important as some Celtics fans think they are.
The only team that has built a championship contender through the draft in recent years is OKC and that is because they had 3 straight years of having a top 4 pick. Durant at 2, Westbrook at 4 and Harden at 3. They also got lucky with Ibaka in the draft.

Will Rondo want to re-sign in a year and a half if Boston is still a non-contender? Will Boston pay Avery Bradley if another team offers him a 4 year $40m contract? By the time Boston is good again in a couple of years, what will they have to pay Sullinger?

Overall, Celtics fans should be excited about the future.
They have a good gm and coach and a few solid young players to build around.

TJ,


I don't know anybody who thinks those 5 draft picks will all play for the Celtics.  I wouldn't be surprised if only 2 of them do.  That's not the only value of draft picks especially under this CBA.

Will Danny offer Bradley $10M per year?  Maybe not, but he's a restricted free agent and we own his Bird Rights, so we'll get value for him.

As far as Sully goes, packaging those draft picks to trade for high quality players is intended to shorten the rebuild time.  And if Sully is worth the money in that market, then he's worth the money to somebody, probably us but if not we'll get value for him too.  Danny has "the eye" for talent.


bob


.

Bob,

How will Boston get value for Avery if they choose not to match another teams offer?
There are more and more teams now that have significant cap room.
I don't know if Danny has the eye for talent more than anyone else.
We could go team by team to determine that.
Danny took a chance with Melo and Sullinger.
Melo was an obvious bust and Sullinger is now working out nicely after needing surgery as a rookie.
I am no expert but I never liked Olynyks game as to how it would convert on the pro level.
I could be wrong. Time will tell.

I wish I felt as bullish about Faverani and Olynyk as many Celtics fans do. I usually look for the silver linings in all things Celtics.

But a while ago there was a thread about charges taken and charges committed, and it turns out Faverani was far in the cellar in terms of the gap between charges committed and charges taken. I think that's symptomatic of the fact that he's pretty much a bull in a china shop. I'm not knocking Danny for giving him a try because that was about the best Danny could expect with the resources at his disposal. But I can't get excited about the future (even as a career backup) of an allegedly tough center whose two signature moves are (1) an occasional three-pointer and (2) his utter refusal to touch any opponent when he (Vitor) "sets" a pick.

And, though I believe Olynyk is making some strides and is giving it his all, it seems to me he's pretty much destined to be a finesse player without a whole lot of finesse. Let's say they did get Asik (excuse me, I just hyperventilated). I would see Asik (with some minutes from Sully) at center and some combination of Sully, Bass and/or Humphries (whoever was not traded) at PF. Olynyk would continue to get some minutes because the Celtics are determined to give him a chance, but—in the best of worlds—there's every chance the team would be improving to the point where it inevitably passes Kelly by as he has nothing impactful to offer that is not present have among his teammates.

Sam

Vitor may not even be on the team next year, as his contract is expiring. He was supposed to be an inside physical presence, but unfortunately his progress has been minimal. I think the C's will look to part ways with him and shave off some payroll.

Olynyk on the other hand stands a chance of staying around. I would even venture to say that he has advanced much faster than Vitor, likely due to his overall feel and knowledge of the game (he also plays more). But Olynyk will never become a physical presence in the post. In terms of the C's needs, Kelly unfortunately doesn't fill any of them. His offense hasn't been great, although not abysmal, either. Unless he becomes a more viable offensive weapon in lieu of a lack of defensive ability, he doesn't bring much worth to the team.

I'm thinking the best case scenario is perhaps Olynyk can continue developing his game and therefore become a suitable asset for a future trade.



KJ

tjmakz wrote:Bob,

I think the story is fair and accurate.
It's not an over the top Celtics praise story that are sometimes posted.

I do think Danny is doing a very good job.
What will the result be in 2 or 3 years? We don't know.
I'm not convinced the extra 5 first round draft picks are as important as some Celtics fans think they are.
The only team that has built a championship contender through the draft in recent years is OKC and that is because they had 3 straight years of having a top 4 pick. Durant at 2, Westbrook at 4 and Harden at 3. They also got lucky with Ibaka in the draft.

Will Rondo want to re-sign in a year and a half if Boston is still a non-contender? Will Boston pay Avery Bradley if another team offers him a 4 year $40m contract? By the time Boston is good again in a couple of years, what will they have to pay Sullinger?

Overall, Celtics fans should be excited about the future.
They have a good gm and coach and a few solid young players to build around.

were in alot better shape than the Lakers, but I will give them credit because with that team as is they will definitely be in lottery and once there anything is possible.