Author Topic: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?  (Read 1130 times)

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How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« on: November 30, 2015, 01:32:04 PM »

Offline PhoSita

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Crowder's comments following the loss to the Magic have me thinking today about what the Celts might be like if they added just a couple of above average starters to their core group and limited the rotation to just 8 or 9 guys.


Way I figure it, the best players on the Celts right now are Bradley, Thomas, and Sullinger, with Crowder, Smart, and Olynyk as versatile supporting players who occasionally have a big game.

So let's say the Celts added two above average starters next summer in free agency, one on the wing and one down low. 

How about: Nic Batum and Hassan Whiteside.


So your starting lineup is:

Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Nic Batum, Jared Sullinger, and Hassan Whiteside.

Your bench is Smart, Crowder, Olynyk

Then you've probably got a few young guys like Hunter, Rozier, and Mickey to give you spot minutes.


How good could that team be?


I think it's an interesting question, because it's not so implausible that Ainge could acquire just a couple of good but not stupendous pieces. 

If those pieces are the right ones -- guys that shore up the major weaknesses in the rotation without creating new ones -- it could crystallize the gameplan for this team somewhat.  But would it be worth it?  Or is it all just re-arranging deck chairs until the next big star comes to town?
You値l have to excuse my lengthiness葉he reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.
- Mark Twain

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2015, 01:45:36 PM »

Offline Celtics18

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Crowder's comments following the loss to the Magic have me thinking today about what the Celts might be like if they added just a couple of above average starters to their core group and limited the rotation to just 8 or 9 guys.


Way I figure it, the best players on the Celts right now are Bradley, Thomas, and Sullinger, with Crowder, Smart, and Olynyk as versatile supporting players who occasionally have a big game.

So let's say the Celts added two above average starters next summer in free agency, one on the wing and one down low. 

How about: Nic Batum and Hassan Whiteside.


So your starting lineup is:

Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Nic Batum, Jared Sullinger, and Hassan Whiteside.

Your bench is Smart, Crowder, Olynyk

Then you've probably got a few young guys like Hunter, Rozier, and Mickey to give you spot minutes.


How good could that team be?


I think it's an interesting question, because it's not so implausible that Ainge could acquire just a couple of good but not stupendous pieces. 

If those pieces are the right ones -- guys that shore up the major weaknesses in the rotation without creating new ones -- it could crystallize the gameplan for this team somewhat.  But would it be worth it?  Or is it all just re-arranging deck chairs until the next big star comes to town?

TP, Pho.

Good stuff.  I like the names mentioned.  Think they would both be great additions to this team. 
DKC Seventy-Sixers:

PG: G. Hill/D. Schroder
SG: C. Lee/B. Hield/T. Luwawu
SF:  Giannis/J. Lamb/M. Kuzminskas
PF:  E. Ilyasova/J. Jerebko/R. Christmas
C:    N. Vucevic/K. Olynyk/E. Davis/C. Jefferson

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2015, 01:58:58 PM »

Online Moranis

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Depth is fine in the regular season, but you don't win playoff series with depth, you win it with top end talent and even adding guys like Batum and Whiteside aren't the missing pieces for a title team, though that team is probably a second round team and is clearly better than the current group.
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Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2015, 02:01:13 PM »

Offline BudweiserCeltic

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I don't see Simmons anywhere in the post.

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2015, 02:04:08 PM »

Offline Neurotic Guy

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Not sure if that's progress.  Probably is, but maybe not enough to satisfy.   I am good with this year's team and there is definitely movement in the right direction.  But I think I'll be pining for an alpha-dog next year (or at least a potential one).   I think there are some keepers on the current team (Smart, Bradley, Sully, IT), some solid contributers/ rotation guys (Crowder, AJ, Lee), and some unknowns (KO, the rookies, Young). I don't see Batum and Whiteside as big quality upgrades (but I don't see them play often enough to have conviction).   

I want a top 15-20 player on this team by next season to add to a solid core-- either by trade, draft (top 15 potential), or FA.  I don't see any of the aforementioned as a top 20 player.   

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2015, 02:30:36 PM »

Offline wiley

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A minor quibble.  Smart is more valuable to the Celtics than IT or KO, imo.

And with all the offense in your starting lineup you'd definitely want IT back to his usual bench role.

Smart, Bradley, Batum, Sully, Whiteside
IT, Crowder, KO

ECF loss to Cleveland

Question:  what draft pick would you add to that team between 5-8 (Nets pick) and between 10-12 (Dallas and boston pick combined to move up to 10-12)

I'd love to add Jamal Murray if here were still there, and then Chelck Diallo.
If Murray turned out well you could eventually have

Murray
Smart, Bradley

and could trade IT


Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2015, 02:33:20 PM »

Offline PhoSita

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I don't see Simmons anywhere in the post.

I'm striving not to torture myself, not gonna tell myself a story about the Celts ending up with him.

In this scenario, the Celts draft a couple guys who fall into that 9-15 area alongside the likes of RJ Hunter, Terry Rozier, Jordan Mickey, and James Young.
You値l have to excuse my lengthiness葉he reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.
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Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2015, 02:38:16 PM »

Offline Who

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50 win team, 2nd round and out playoff team.

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2015, 05:20:44 PM »

Offline PhoSita

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50 win team, 2nd round and out playoff team.

Basically, the kind of team many people were suggesting the Celts would be this year without any improvement.

That's kind of my feeling on this, too.  The Celts are a couple players away from being one major star away from being a contender.

:P
You値l have to excuse my lengthiness葉he reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.
- Mark Twain

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2015, 05:28:30 PM »

Offline Celtics18

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50 win team, 2nd round and out playoff team.

Basically, the kind of team many people were suggesting the Celts would be this year without any improvement.

That's kind of my feeling on this, too.  The Celts are a couple players away from being one major star away from being a contender.

:P

I don't think we are out of the running for being that kind of team this year. 
DKC Seventy-Sixers:

PG: G. Hill/D. Schroder
SG: C. Lee/B. Hield/T. Luwawu
SF:  Giannis/J. Lamb/M. Kuzminskas
PF:  E. Ilyasova/J. Jerebko/R. Christmas
C:    N. Vucevic/K. Olynyk/E. Davis/C. Jefferson

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2015, 05:45:21 PM »

Offline PhoSita

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50 win team, 2nd round and out playoff team.

Basically, the kind of team many people were suggesting the Celts would be this year without any improvement.

That's kind of my feeling on this, too.  The Celts are a couple players away from being one major star away from being a contender.

:P

I don't think we are out of the running for being that kind of team this year.

We certainly aren't out of the running.  The season is young.  We don't know what kind of moves Danny might make.  Even if he doesn't make any moves, the Celts might reach those heights with this current roster.

My feeling is that without changes they will continue to stick around .500 with frequent ups and downs due to a lack of reliable scorers and a dependence on forcing turnovers to succeed defensively.  I don't really see how their prospects in a post-season matchup with one of the top teams in the conference would be any better this year than last. 

Not a surprise to you, I'm sure.
You値l have to excuse my lengthiness葉he reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.
- Mark Twain

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2015, 05:50:26 PM »

Offline Celtics18

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50 win team, 2nd round and out playoff team.

Basically, the kind of team many people were suggesting the Celts would be this year without any improvement.

That's kind of my feeling on this, too.  The Celts are a couple players away from being one major star away from being a contender.

:P

I don't think we are out of the running for being that kind of team this year.

We certainly aren't out of the running.  The season is young.  We don't know what kind of moves Danny might make.  Even if he doesn't make any moves, the Celts might reach those heights with this current roster.

My feeling is that without changes they will continue to stick around .500 with frequent ups and downs due to a lack of reliable scorers and a dependence on forcing turnovers to succeed defensively.  I don't really see how their prospects in a post-season matchup with one of the top teams in the conference would be any better this year than last. 

Not a surprise to you, I'm sure.

Realistically, I've always thought 50 was a stretch.  I am sticking with hoping for the team to get somewhere above 45 for the season. 

47 wins sounds like a good number to me. 
DKC Seventy-Sixers:

PG: G. Hill/D. Schroder
SG: C. Lee/B. Hield/T. Luwawu
SF:  Giannis/J. Lamb/M. Kuzminskas
PF:  E. Ilyasova/J. Jerebko/R. Christmas
C:    N. Vucevic/K. Olynyk/E. Davis/C. Jefferson

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2015, 05:54:16 PM »

Online Moranis

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50 win team, 2nd round and out playoff team.

Basically, the kind of team many people were suggesting the Celts would be this year without any improvement.

That's kind of my feeling on this, too.  The Celts are a couple players away from being one major star away from being a contender.

:P

I don't think we are out of the running for being that kind of team this year.

We certainly aren't out of the running.  The season is young.  We don't know what kind of moves Danny might make.  Even if he doesn't make any moves, the Celts might reach those heights with this current roster.

My feeling is that without changes they will continue to stick around .500 with frequent ups and downs due to a lack of reliable scorers and a dependence on forcing turnovers to succeed defensively.  I don't really see how their prospects in a post-season matchup with one of the top teams in the conference would be any better this year than last. 

Not a surprise to you, I'm sure.

Realistically, I've always thought 50 was a stretch.  I am sticking with hoping for the team to get somewhere above 45 for the season. 

47 wins sounds like a good number to me.
you guys and your lime koolaid. 
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2015, 06:10:35 PM »

Offline DefenseWinsChamps

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I like both basketball players. Batum is solid and we have an offense that fits his game, but I think he is a role player, and we have a lot of role players. He might be the best on our team, but I'm not convinced that we don't have guys that could be like him with some more seasoning.

Whiteside is tantalizing, isn't he? If Ainge and Stevens felt like they could keep his work ethic up and continue to develop his maturity, then it's worth taking a chance on Whiteside. I'm just not convinced he is ready to be a max player. He is still really lazy sometimes and it was only last year that he couldn't stay on the court because of suspensions.

Even if we got Whiteside, I'm not sure he is an All-star player or a cornerstone. These two guys might add 4-5 wins, but that doesn't make us contenders. For that reason, I'd rather keep the money and continue to develop through the draft or try to make a big trade for a legit superstar.

Re: How Good Would the Celts Be With A Solid Top 8?
« Reply #14 on: November 30, 2015, 06:43:36 PM »

Offline Csfan1984

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Give me Smart, AB, Turner, AJ and Sully as the starters.
IT, Crowder, KO and Zeller as the bench.

 So that is my 9 man rotation
But for guys on the block, I would trade anyone but Mickey, Smart, AB, Hunter and Crowder. Everyone else I'd try to sell ASAP. 3 for 1 upgrade deal is what this team needs even if it's for a 25-35 top player range guy. Use the some picks already to help make it happen.