Bill & Jalen's Celtics Preview

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Not very informative - these guys are talking about us being disappointing as if we were thinking about being a contender in the East this year. That's a complete lack of context. I think we'll also be better than they think (I think, if all goes right, we might contend for a playoff spot, ultimately falling short, but being a competitive team - hell, we were competitive last year, losing a ton of close games). But...its odd to take such a negative tone for a team that is trying to develop young guys with talent (Sully, KO, Smart, Young, etc.). Also, the FA discussion was idiotic, b/c we had no cap space. Finally...yeah, Simmons doesn't know anything. If Danny trades Rondo for that pile of garbage from the Knicks, he should be fired immediately. I'm okay w/ trading Rondo, but only for a fair package, not expiring contracts and 1st round picks in future years from a team that will then have Rondo (making those picks not terribly good ones).

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Watched it. Grantland makes the most entertaining sports stuff.

On the topic on hand, other than Stevens leaving (i doubt) and Rondo being traded to the Knicks (didnt like that package), I think they were spot on. They were right with Green, about the young guys and right that we're still not a good team, but we have pieces we can move to make our team better. 

BTW, a little off topic, I also watched the other four videos, LOL at Philly and that Onnerfanz dude. I literally laughed out loud on that.

[aingeforthree]

The Stevens will leave after year 2 reference was completely thrown from the rafters.  Hail Marry.  They lost all credibility early on in that segment, but it was completely out the window after the Stevens comment.

[Tr1boy]

Watched it. Grantland makes the most entertaining sports stuff.

On the topic on hand, other than Stevens leaving (i doubt) and Rondo being traded to the Knicks (didnt like that package), I think they were spot on. They were right with Green, about the young guys and right that we're still not a good team, but we have pieces we can move to make our team better. 

BTW, a little off topic, I also watched the other four videos, LOL at Philly and that Onnerfanz dude. I literally laughed out loud on that.

Why did they predict stevens was going to leave?

What was the deal for rondo?

[LarBrd33]

The Stevens will leave after year 2 reference was completely thrown from the rafters.  Hail Marry.  They lost all credibility early on in that segment, but it was completely out the window after the Stevens comment.

He's a college guy... They are suggesting that when the team tanks again and a prestige college opportunity comes along, he might bail instead of letting the Celtic stink ruin his reputation.  I do think he's probably here for the long-term, though... it was pretty expected this team would be in the dumps for 3-5 years.  Hence his 6 year contract.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Watched it. Grantland makes the most entertaining sports stuff.

On the topic on hand, other than Stevens leaving (i doubt) and Rondo being traded to the Knicks (didnt like that package), I think they were spot on. They were right with Green, about the young guys and right that we're still not a good team, but we have pieces we can move to make our team better. 

BTW, a little off topic, I also watched the other four videos, LOL at Philly and that Onnerfanz dude. I literally laughed out loud on that.

Why did they predict stevens was going to leave?

What was the deal for rondo?

They said Stevens will be too competitive to stay in a mediocre situation. As for Rondo, Bill proposed a Rondo, Wallace for Amare, Shumpert, 2018 first and a pick swap with Boston. So basically give away our best player and make them swallow Wallace's money to New York for a winger (which we have plenty), a big expiring and a pick.

[nickagneta]

When I first read the thread title I thought:

"Who the hell are Bill and Jalen, a couple of hack bloggers or podcast idiots?"

Then I saw that the OP meant Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose. So I guess I was right.

[chambers]

Only thing I didn't agree with was Stevens leaving because I think it's going pretty well with his system starting to take hold of the team.
I guess their Stevens bailing scenario is based on us not getting Love and thus Rondo leaving eventually.

Pretty much everything else they said was about right to me.

We sorely lack rebounding outside of Sullinger and we don't have a defensive identity in the paint.

The Rondo to NY trade is one of only a few I can see Rondo agreeing to re-sign on. NY, Houston, maybe Dallas?
I mean they'll have a situation in New York where they have two top 20 NBA players with Melo and Rondo and that will essentially be what Rondo was hoping would happen with Kevin Love.
Big market, big money and Phil Jackson is in charge now. Just wait for cap room- it's not like luxury tax will be an issue for the Knicks.

People are saying it's a crappy package but if there's nothing else out there what choice does Danny have? Hopefully we'd get Hardaway, a pick and a pick swap but he's expiring and below-par because of his injury. He'd better have an amazing first 6 months back to hope for anything more in a trade.

I'd personally just hold on to him and see what Danny can create with other free agents next off season- and I think this is the route we will take- but what they're saying isn't outrageous or crazy as some are making out.

[nostar]

It's garbage, but you gotta figure the Knicks are one of the few teams that would actually bother making an offer for Rondo + are a destination for Rondo in free agency.   If nothing better comes up and we're on our way to 25 wins, Boston might reluctantly use the trade as an opportunity to dump Wallace and get a future 1st.  Rondo is going to dictate where he's traded, because there's only a couple teams he'll re-sign with.  Sounds like New York is a team he'd commit to long term.

Seriously... who are the other Rondo destinations?  Rockets, maybe?... but who would they even include at this point.    Lakers, maybe?    Knicks are a likely destination if Rondo hits free agency... so if we can dump Wallace on them and pick up a couple chips in the process, we might be best off doing that before Rondo flees.

I agree we might take that trade around the deadline. I also think the Lakers would be happy to trade Randle/1st for Rondo. To be honest I'd rather have Rondo.

[ThaPreacher]

The Stevens will leave after year 2 reference was completely thrown from the rafters.  Hail Marry.  They lost all credibility early on in that segment, but it was completely out the window after the Stevens comment.

They only asked the question.  Speculation.  However, they did only cite a few places that he might leave for-which are somewhat credible. 


I thought some of the talk was "spot" on.  The Rondo trade stuff was interesting, only a few teams are actual landing places for Rondo,-NY being one of them.  Didn't seem like a good return for Rondo. 

Pre-season predictions are like handicapping horses- it doesn't matter to the horses when they race, they just run. 

The top teams usually are known, its the dark horses that are always a surprise....

[D.o.s.]

When I first read the thread title I thought:

"Who the hell are Bill and Jalen, a couple of hack bloggers or podcast idiots?"

Then I saw that the OP meant Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose. So I guess I was right.

Gonna need to mail them some aloe for that burn.

[mctyson]

No particular insight from either of them.  I don't like Simmons but Jalen Rose provides zero value.

Celtics are going to be a competitive, hard-working, young team.  Like they were for the first half of last year, except younger and with more talent.

No way Rondo goes to NY.

[Fred Roberts]

Simmons is usually very entertaining in my opinion but this celtics preview didn't do much for me.

Hopefully Bill is about as accurate as he was about the Tampa Bay Bucs being a sick sleeper team this year.

The C's, in Simmons words, were all about hard fought losses last year (aka non blatant tank job). I agreed. I think you can turn hard fought losses into wins when you're more talented, deeper and no longer trying to lose.

I also think Brad Stevens is all in on this rebuild. He's no dummy. The C's are sitting pretty with young talent and tons of draft picks and future cap space.

[sofutomygaha]

The C's, in Simmons words, were all about hard fought losses last year (aka non blatant tank job). I agreed. I think you can turn hard fought losses into wins when you're more talented, deeper and no longer trying to lose.

There's no real difference; I'm kind of surprised by this position. You can have a blatant tank job with hard-fought losses-- in fact that's probably the most constructive way to to do it. That was definitely the goal last year. The coach and players on the floor did their best, but the game plan and the personnel were designed to fail. That is also true this year.

[Snakehead]

The C's, in Simmons words, were all about hard fought losses last year (aka non blatant tank job). I agreed. I think you can turn hard fought losses into wins when you're more talented, deeper and no longer trying to lose.

There's no real difference; I'm kind of surprised by this position. You can have a blatant tank job with hard-fought losses-- in fact that's probably the most constructive way to to do it. That was definitely the goal last year. The coach and players on the floor did their best, but the game plan and the personnel were designed to fail. That is also true this year.

I disagree the game plan and personnell are designed to fail.  Especially now.  The team has multiple young players that I think have pretty high potential (Sullinger, Olynyk, Smart, Young).  It's just a young team.  It needs some more too, but either way I'm not sure what you mean.  That worse players have been playing over better ones?  I haven't seen that occur last year or so far from what I've seen this season.

Even last season, Humphries played a lot when I think it was in our interests to play Olynyk and Sullinger as much as possible to develop them.  Humphries was given minutes and to his credit played well, better with his minutes overall I'm sure.

And the game plan has all been Stevens working with what he has been given.  And he has done pretty well.  I think this year he has gotten and developed more shooting that will really help him execute the kind of spacing and fast pace he wants.  It makes sense because this roster has some more scorers but not really enough.   It does have shooting from the big positions, from Avery and from Green though so I think it should encourage us to play at a fast pace and shoot a lot of threes.

I really haven't seen the Celtics as tanking.   They did take on some bad contracts but got picks in return.  And they went from there.  Despite Wallace still being well paid they have young cheap players that will play a lot more this year.