Danny's Plan (idea)

[CFAN38]

My guess is that the plan for next season is to basically repeat this year. I foresee the Cs resigning everyone who is willing to sign 1 year deals. (Bass, Pietrus may want long) I hope J Green is willing to sign 1 year to prove he is healthy. While sticking with the 1 year plan I would expect that we watch ever decent young to middle aged center sign to other teams for more $$ then they are worth. Then Danny will fill the rest of the team with the left over vets/guys who wanted long team deals and no one would commit (ex K Humphires last off season) and 3 rookies.

2012
Center: KG,Wilcox,Steimsma,
PF      J Green, JJJ, Rookie
SF      Pierce,Rookie
SG      Ray, Avery
PG      Rondo,Rookie

I would hope to see Avery push ahead of Ray to be the starting SG, JJJ prove to be a capable 8th man, and one of our rookies show the potential to be at least a solid starter in the next 3 years.

Then Danny will plan on being an aggressive player in 2013 free agency. This may very well include move Pierce at next years trade deadline.

2013 Free Agents (better list of unrestricted then 2012)

http://www.hoopsworld.com/2013-nba-free-agents

[gpap]

My guess is that the plan for next season is to basically repeat this year. I foresee the Cs resigning everyone who is willing to sign 1 year deals. (Bass, Pietrus may want long) I hope J Green is willing to sign 1 year to prove he is healthy. While sticking with the 1 year plan I would expect that we watch ever decent young to middle aged center sign to other teams for more $$ then they are worth. Then Danny will fill the rest of the team with the left over vets/guys who wanted long team deals and no one would commit (ex K Humphires last off season) and 3 rookies.

2012
Center: KG,Wilcox,Steimsma,
PF      J Green, JJJ, Rookie
SF      Pierce,Rookie
SG      Ray, Avery
PG      Rondo,Rookie

I would hope to see Avery push ahead of Ray to be the starting SG, JJJ prove to be a capable 8th man, and one of our rookies show the potential to be at least a solid starter in the next 3 years.

Then Danny will plan on being an aggressive player in 2013 free agency. This may very well include move Pierce at next years trade deadline.

2013 Free Agents (better list of unrestricted then 2012)

http://www.hoopsworld.com/2013-nba-free-agents

If this is the plan (which I don't doubt) then that's a horrible plan and even more of a reason why Danny should've made a trade yesterday.

The Celtics are just BARELY a playoff team now. How on earth are they going to compete next year? As for 2013 free agents, whose to say most of them won't already be off the market before then.

 

[SHAQATTACK]

his plan better include figuring out how to draft about 4-6 BIGS from around the world.

Even the worst teams have a center than can take the court.  

Since he traded away Perkins , the center situation looks worse everyday.  Bad as everybody talksa bout Perk , he sure would come in handy about now.

playing KG out of postion is not the answer.

[Chris]

I think this has always been plan B for next year, but when Howard and Paul decided to not exercise their ETO, I think it became plan 1A.

Danny will still do whatever he can to turn the cap space into some stars (at this point, it would more likely be via trade), but if/when that fails, I do think he will try to carry over the cap space to the next summer.  He might try to sign one or two guys to smaller long-term deals, and will certainly go after a couple additions on one year contracts, but overall, I expect the core to be very close to the same next year as it was this.

[MosheP]

If that's Ainge's plan, then he should join the Bucks. Senator Kohl has been forcing every GM to follow that philosophy since he bought the team and hired Del Harris as his GM. The results are well known.

Ainge blown up Jim O'Brien's team because it was an ageing non-contending playoff team - a team that wouldn't win a championship or get high draft picks.

Why would his philosophy change?

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games? 

[Chris]

If that's Ainge's plan, then he should join the Bucks. Senator Kohl has been forcing every GM to follow that philosophy since he bought the team and hired Del Harris as his GM. The results are well known.

Ainge blown up Jim O'Brien's team because it was an ageing non-contending playoff team - a team that wouldn't win a championship or get high draft picks.

Why would his philosophy change?

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games? 

This is not a change in philosophy at all (and I am not sure what you are talking about the Bucks...they are the opposite, and keep giving terrible contracts to marginal players).  It is just about being patient and waiting for the right opportunity to use his resources, as he collects more.

Danny has two beliefs when it comes to building a team.  First, you need assets and flexibility, and second, you need to be careful to not waste those assets and flexibility on pieces that won't put you over the top.

Basically, the whole idea here is that he will maintain those assets and flexibility for as long as possible until the right move presents itself.  If it doesn't present itself, by far the best way to maintain is by signing back the veteran players to 1 year deals.

[Lucky17]

If that's Ainge's plan, then he should join the Bucks. Senator Kohl has been forcing every GM to follow that philosophy since he bought the team and hired Del Harris as his GM. The results are well known.

Ainge blown up Jim O'Brien's team because it was an ageing non-contending playoff team - a team that wouldn't win a championship or get high draft picks.

Why would his philosophy change?

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games?  

Kohl's operating budget is Wyc's pocket change. Celtics just signed a lucrative long-term television deal as well.

There's no reason to believe that the team will suddenly operate like some cash-strapped bottom-tier franchise. Wyc has shown he'll spend to compete for a title, and I have no reason to believe he'll stop doing so.

Edit: To Chris' point, it's also about spending/cashing in at the right time.

[MBunge]

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games? 

This is one of the worst fan attitudes of modern times.  Either win the championship or suck!

Mike

[MosheP]

If that's Ainge's plan, then he should join the Bucks. Senator Kohl has been forcing every GM to follow that philosophy since he bought the team and hired Del Harris as his GM. The results are well known.

Ainge blown up Jim O'Brien's team because it was an ageing non-contending playoff team - a team that wouldn't win a championship or get high draft picks.

Why would his philosophy change?

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games? 

This is not a change in philosophy at all (and I am not sure what you are talking about the Bucks...they are the opposite, and keep giving terrible contracts to marginal players).  It is just about being patient and waiting for the right opportunity to use his resources, as he collects more.

Danny has two beliefs when it comes to building a team.  First, you need assets and flexibility, and second, you need to be careful to not waste those assets and flexibility on pieces that won't put you over the top.

Basically, the whole idea here is that he will maintain those assets and flexibility for as long as possible until the right move presents itself.  If it doesn't present itself, by far the best way to maintain is by signing back the veteran players to 1 year deals.

It's a radical change in philosophy. It's fielding a team that will be a fringe top-10 team.

[MosheP]

If that's Ainge's plan, then he should join the Bucks. Senator Kohl has been forcing every GM to follow that philosophy since he bought the team and hired Del Harris as his GM. The results are well known.

Ainge blown up Jim O'Brien's team because it was an ageing non-contending playoff team - a team that wouldn't win a championship or get high draft picks.

Why would his philosophy change?

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games?  

Kohl's operating budget is Wyc's pocket change. Celtics just signed a lucrative long-term television deal as well.

There's no reason to believe that the team will suddenly operate like some cash-strapped bottom-tier franchise. Wyc has shown he'll spend to compete for a title, and I have no reason to believe he'll stop doing so.

Edit: To Chris' point, it's also about spending/cashing in at the right time.

I have no idea why is the money issue relevant.

The point is that you either believe this core is championship material and you go all in or you don't believe this core is championship material anymore and in that case you blow it up and try to acquire talent via the draft lottery instead of fighting for the 5th seed another year.

[Chris]

If that's Ainge's plan, then he should join the Bucks. Senator Kohl has been forcing every GM to follow that philosophy since he bought the team and hired Del Harris as his GM. The results are well known.

Ainge blown up Jim O'Brien's team because it was an ageing non-contending playoff team - a team that wouldn't win a championship or get high draft picks.

Why would his philosophy change?

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games? 

This is not a change in philosophy at all (and I am not sure what you are talking about the Bucks...they are the opposite, and keep giving terrible contracts to marginal players).  It is just about being patient and waiting for the right opportunity to use his resources, as he collects more.

Danny has two beliefs when it comes to building a team.  First, you need assets and flexibility, and second, you need to be careful to not waste those assets and flexibility on pieces that won't put you over the top.

Basically, the whole idea here is that he will maintain those assets and flexibility for as long as possible until the right move presents itself.  If it doesn't present itself, by far the best way to maintain is by signing back the veteran players to 1 year deals.

It's a radical change in philosophy. It's fielding a team that will be a fringe top-10 team.

Its a radical change in performance, not in philosophy.

I think it would be a radical change in philosophy if he went out and spent the cap space by overpaying mediocre players on longterm deals.  And that is likely the other option to rolling it back for another year.

[MosheP]

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games? 

This is one of the worst fan attitudes of modern times.  Either win the championship or suck!

Mike

Fans? Modern times? Front offices have had that philosophy for decades.

Ainge himself decided he wanted the team to suck instead of being a solid playoff team just a few years ago.

[Chris]

If that's Ainge's plan, then he should join the Bucks. Senator Kohl has been forcing every GM to follow that philosophy since he bought the team and hired Del Harris as his GM. The results are well known.

Ainge blown up Jim O'Brien's team because it was an ageing non-contending playoff team - a team that wouldn't win a championship or get high draft picks.

Why would his philosophy change?

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games?  

Kohl's operating budget is Wyc's pocket change. Celtics just signed a lucrative long-term television deal as well.

There's no reason to believe that the team will suddenly operate like some cash-strapped bottom-tier franchise. Wyc has shown he'll spend to compete for a title, and I have no reason to believe he'll stop doing so.

Edit: To Chris' point, it's also about spending/cashing in at the right time.

I have no idea why is the money issue relevant.

The point is that you either believe this core is championship material and you go all in or you don't believe this core is championship material anymore and in that case you blow it up and try to acquire talent via the draft lottery instead of fighting for the 5th seed another year.

Danny has only tried to go for lottery position one time, and that was after their two best players at the time (Pierce and Tony Allen) went out with close to season ending injuries, which made the decision for him.  He has never gone into the season trying to play for draft position. 

Even going back to when they were on the verge of the lottery a few years back, instead of tanking it for better draft position, he traded for Antoine Walker.

That just is not Danny's style, because he knows it is much easier to build with assets and flexibility than it is by hoping to win the lottery.

[Lucky17]

If that's Ainge's plan, then he should join the Bucks. Senator Kohl has been forcing every GM to follow that philosophy since he bought the team and hired Del Harris as his GM. The results are well known.

Ainge blown up Jim O'Brien's team because it was an ageing non-contending playoff team - a team that wouldn't win a championship or get high draft picks.

Why would his philosophy change?

There's no point in repeating this year next season. What would be the goal? Try to win 45-50 games?  

Kohl's operating budget is Wyc's pocket change. Celtics just signed a lucrative long-term television deal as well.

There's no reason to believe that the team will suddenly operate like some cash-strapped bottom-tier franchise. Wyc has shown he'll spend to compete for a title, and I have no reason to believe he'll stop doing so.

Edit: To Chris' point, it's also about spending/cashing in at the right time.

I have no idea why is the money issue relevant.

The point is that you either believe this core is championship material and you go all in or you don't believe this core is championship material anymore and in that case you blow it up and try to acquire talent via the draft lottery instead of fighting for the 5th seed another year.

You were the one who brought up the Bucks, whose spending has been curtailed by Kohl up until recent memory. I thought that's what you were referencing. If not, what exactly were you talking about?

I believe the core is championship material. It seems Ainge does too.

By the way, could someone post the Big Four's averages for the last few years? I suspect that, despite the brutal condensed schedule (which will lighten up next year), none of the four have experienced a significant decline in terms of efficiency/productivity.

[Mr October]

The only free agent class I am excited about is in 2014. It is LOADED. James, Wade, Anthony, Bosh, Gay etc have early termination options. There is a strong class of restricted free agents (including big guys Cousins and Monroe). Plus there is Bogut, Deng, Granger, Gortat, etc as UFA.

Until then I'd like to see the Celtics bottom out (holding Rondo and Pierce), and start acquiring upside guys through the draft and smart free agent contracts.

After the big three's final stand this spring, its time to move on.