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[kgainez]

On a per-minute basis, Pierce is averaging 24% more points than Green, 37% more rebounds, three times more assists, and 56% more steals.  That's with Pierce playing with a pinched nerve.

I think the "Green is better" argument is pretty premature.

And that's Green, who spent the first month of the season getting back into game shape after heart surgery. You can spin this either way.

Let's all settle this nice and simple.

How many 40 point games has Green had this season?

How many triple doubles has Green had this season?

How many times has Green led the Celtics in scoring, rebounding or assists during a single game?

Now compare those numbers to Pierce, then come back to me.

]

the comparison game is getting old
when will you all understand that Pierce is being asked to be THAT guy and Jeff is NOT?

Let's revisit this comment when Jeff is asked to be THAT guy minus a Rondo.

Also, I love the way we bring up a pinched nerve in a NECK like that's more serious than surgery...you know...in a heart.

[mkogav]

I don't understand why people are arguing about who is better, PP or Green. The argument is basically irrelevant. IMO, whether PP and/or KG are traded has much less to do with player evals and everything to do with Rondo's ACL and the new CBA.

This time it's different.

The 2007-2013 run is over. There's no getting around it. As currently constituted, there is no title shot this season nor next. Yes, Rondo will play next season, but at diminished capacity. PP, KG, and Terry will all be a year older. The Cs will be worse, not better.

Rondo's ACL tear couldn't come at a worse time. Next season, PP will be in his contract year and Rondo is missing some of his prime years. This season is lost for Rondo and next season he will still be recovering.  By the time Rondo is back at 100% for the 14/15 season, he will be 28/29 and in the last year of his contract. KG;s contract year to.

If Rondo recovers to the expected 100% then he will rightly demand/deserve a max deal, 16-20 million a year for 5 years. Do Danny and Wyc want to pony up $110 million to Rondo? Does Danny believe that Rondo will be a max-deserving playing at 32, 33, or 34 y/o? These are the issue that the Cs front office are dealing with. What happens to PP & KG will be a result of their decision on how to deal with Rondo.

Add to the this that the new CBA is very restrictive to over-the-cap teams and VERY harshly penalizing to over the tax teams. The Cs have to be very careful on who they spend their $$$ on. For Example, the Cs somehow do a s&t for Josh Smith and extend Rondo at the max, roughly 50% of the tax threshold. The Cs will have little latitude to do anything if either of those player fail to play to their expected levels.

For these reasons, I believe everyone on the Cs roster is fair game to be traded and probably will be traded.

If Danny & Wyc don't believe Rondo is a max player, he may be moved this summer or by next. Keeping PP & KG around for that doesn't make much sense... except to sell tickets to a 35-40 win team.

Perhaps, without PP & KG, Danny will tell Rondo to not rush back, tanking the season in an effort to land Wiggins or Parker.

The only ways that I can see both PP & KG sticking around is if one of these 3 happen:

1 - There are no legit deals for either of them. Even in this case, KG may retire or PP is bought out of his contract for whatever reason.

2 - Danny trades Rondo for some immediate help, e.g. Rondo for Cousins and Thomas. Danny wants to keep PP & KG around to keep Cousins in-line and show him what it takes to win.

3 - Danny fleas another GM out of a prime asset for very little, e.g. Kahn trading Big Al to Utah for next to nothing or Morey netting TRob for spare parts and $$$. This is of course the dream. Rondo, PP, KG, and a shiny new player. This is however, the least likely of the three.

Mk

[chambers]

Now I remember why I don't visit the Forums very often: any place where people are seriously saying that Jeff Green is as good as Pierce is not a place where serious arguments are going on.

Was thinking the exact same thing. Pierce is still top 5 SF in the nba.
Paul George and dengs stats weren't as good as pierces and he was robbed of an all star spot.

[CelticsFanNC]

Eventually this team need to move on.  I think it is 50/50 whether or not KG retires this off season or decides to play.

They aren't a title contender this season. 

If not this off season then when?

  They are looking more and more like the early 90's Bird era Celtic's.  Dragging it out gets more and more painful to watch each season you hang onto the past.

[pearljammer10]

To rely on Jeff green over pierce next year would be extremely silly. Pierce is the better player by a long shot and will be next year as well whether he retires or not.

[guava_wrench]

I don't understand why people are arguing about who is better, PP or Green. The argument is basically irrelevant.

Agreed.

1 - ... PP is bought out of his contract for whatever reason.

Isn't next season a team option? No need for buy out if the contract is over.

3 - Danny fleas another GM

That would be a blessing in the skies. 

[mkogav]

1 - ... PP is bought out of his contract for whatever reason.

Isn't next season a team option? No need for buy out if the contract is over.

PP has a partially guaranteed ($5 million) contract for next season. Bad language on my part, but the Cs can cut Paul and only pay him $5 million. This would save the team $10.3 million in cash and cap room. It's not a *real* buyout, but serves the same purpose.

Also, PP has a Player Option for next season. Theoretically, he could opt out and sign a longer term contract somewhere else. The cascading effect would be that KG would either retire or request a trade, forcing a rebuild on the Cs.

The scenario would be awful for the Cs. The Cs may not get anything in return for PP. Plus, Danny would loose most of his KG trade leverage. A Bledsoe, Jordan, and a pick type package would be long gone.

Mk

[Evantime34]

I wouldn't be surprised if both players decided to retire before the draft but didn't fill out their paperwork.

The Celtics would then trade them on draft night to teams that want to create cap space. In return we would take on salary but also get draft picks or young players.

[mkogav]

I wouldn't be surprised if both players decided to retire before the draft but didn't fill out their paperwork.

The Celtics would then trade them on draft night to teams that want to create cap space. In return we would take on salary but also get draft picks or young players.

That's an interesting thought. I would be a little surprised in PP retired though. To me, he seems like the kind of player who has so much fun playing the game and hanging with his teammates that he would keep playing as long as he was able to.

KG on the other hand, is a different kind of person. Even though he played really well this season and should be productive next season and beyond, I could see him retiring this off-season and never looking back.

Mk

[Evantime34]

I wouldn't be surprised if both players decided to retire before the draft but didn't fill out their paperwork.

The Celtics would then trade them on draft night to teams that want to create cap space. In return we would take on salary but also get draft picks or young players.

That's an interesting thought. I would be a little surprised in PP retired though. To me, he seems like the kind of player who has so much fun playing the game and hanging with his teammates that he would keep playing as long as he was able to.

KG on the other hand, is a different kind of person. Even though he played really well this season and should be productive next season and beyond, I could see him retiring this off-season and never looking back.

Mk

I think this pinched nerve in his neck situation, that won't go away until the offseason could be a good reason for him to hang it up permanently. I have a friend who has been unable to play sports for about a year due to a pinched nerve in his neck, he's 25 and a good athlete (number one singles player on the uconn tennis team a few years ago)