Just Run It Back

[celticfan42487]

Brad’s presscon:

I mean what do people expect ? Either Brad wants to run it back and then he has no reason to lie or he wants to shake things up and he has to pretend to be ok with running it back so he can keep his leverage during trade negociations. Either way he has to say the same thing. He was never going to step up to the mic and say: "Brown sucked in the ECF, anybody wanna trade their franchise player for him so we don't have give him the supermax ?"

But to your overall point, words from a presscon mean very little.

Can wait until eve of training camp before I let out my rage for lack of change and seeming lack of urgency.

Yeah I still have to hope there is some improvements to the roster, but I looked at available free agents...

it's not easy to add a free agent to help the team outside of a Drummond or at best Westbrook (but why would he leave a starting role for the Clippers when he just dominated in the playoffs?)

So the only roster shakeup really would be a JB trade OR a Smart/White trade. Those are hard to do, the only easy change would be a coaching change.

The fact he's saying Joe is sticking around... that's the easy upgrade just being let go of.

It's going to be really hard to support the GM's decisions going into another season where we have an offense that can break down non clutch time regular season defense with fake offense of Smart PG and JB ISOs when we all know in the playoffs neither can do ****. Or even just in the clutch of the regular season those two ISO ball neither can do ****.

And yet we all know like Tatum if they had a playmaker they're all excellent shot makers in the clutch. They thrive when someone else sets them up...

Like legit Stevens is just banking on Jaylen Brown at 27 (which is what he'll be in Oct) developing a handle and playmaking skills out of nowhere? That's the grand strategy?

Not even a coaching change or offensive system change... bank everything on Jaylen Brown at 27 going from nothing to Tatum levels of playmaking.

That's just not trying.

How many more times does he think we're going to face MIL, Philly, Heat with their players injured in the 2nd round and ECF? Is the plan that for the 2nd round, ECF, and Finals the best player of our opponent will be injured in every series and that's how we'll win?

I'm sorry it really feels like gross negligence to me if the goal was to win a championship and personally BOTH Tatum and Brown deserve better support in their careers than this.

I understand though if his job from the Owners is to keep the cheapest possible coaching contract on the books with the cheapest staff, and not to win another title but merely keep making the 2nd round every year for playoff ticket revenue until Tatum asks out and then they sell their asset for value. That's the only way this doesn't feel like Stevens isn't doing his job here.

[djFan71]

The Blow It All Up crowd was told to disperse and go home.

[Garbanzo]

If you run it back next year, i’m pretty sure we’d have the same problems come playoff time. No post up option. No mid range scorers. No shot blockers. No cutters. Same old same old 3pt chuckfest. I won’t even care what they do in the regular season. Losing 3 home games to the orlando magic should have been a major red flag, but green teammers credit it to being bored in the regular season and playing down to opponent lol. Stevens should have gotten a legit big man to man the middle. Rob is good at help defense, and Horf is inconsistent defending the block. Those guys are really undersized against regular bigs. That’s why we got problems defending against cutters, and even small guys get offensive boards against us.

They are not too small
Both are 6'9, Tatum is 6'8-6'9
Except for the Lakers, Philly and Denver, who all have a generational talent big (Davis, Jokic and Embiid).. let's have a look at the league

The Celtics just lost to the heat, who had a starting line up of Bam (6'9) and Butler (6'7). Love was a non factor (and is 6'8)
Golden State won last year with Looney (6'9) and Wiggins (6'7)/Green (6'6)

The issue with the Celtics is guard defense, and defensive and offensive philosophy
It's about effort, bending knees, lulling the opponent into traps

It's about having a plan, not overthinking things on offense
That is why they look too rigid, and not loose and flowing
Both on offense and defense
You watch the Miami-Celtics

We blocked a lot of shots by the way..
We do have Tatum, Brown and Smart and Horford that can play in the post
Tatum and Brown are great midrange shooters

The fact is that you don't see it often not because they can't, but because they don't want to

Rob is 6’8, and Horf is 6’9 actually. I agree Bam is also at 6’9, but the guy plays in the post and have a decent jump shot. Rob can’t score on his own. Horf would rather take 3’s. The guy won’t even look at the basket at times. Plus guys like butler attacks them inside to draw fouls. We need a legit big to man the middle and bother shots and get those defensive rebounds

Rob was listed at 6'8,but now he is listed as 6'9
It's very difficult to find such a big man, and not a necessity apparently (though it helps)
I'd flip Brown into one, but that ship has sailed after he gets maxed

[Bar Fight]

Wyc/Steve's "All about 18" campaign turned out to be a massive scam . These dude's don't give a **** about winning a title

[zoyathedestroya]

Wyc/Steve's "All about 18" campaign turned out to be a massive scam . These dude's don't give a **** about winning a title

Getting close to (all about) 18 years without another title. Lol.

[sprash9802]

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting things will work out. That is your Boston Celtics. Redefining the definition of treadmill.

[djFan71]

Perhaps the Unfinished Business shirts were a bad idea. They didn't specify that we intended to actually finish things this time. Ended up being more of a motto than a call to action.

[Hal14]

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting things will work out. That is your Boston Celtics. Redefining the definition of treadmill.

A treadmill team is when you're consistently year in and year out, too good to get a top 10 draft pick, but not good enough to be a contender.

We absolutely were a contender this season. #1 net rating in the league, #2 record in the league, only team that was top 5 in both offense and defense (we were top 3 in both) and favorites to win the title, after MIL was eliminated in the 1st round. Were in game 7 of the conference finals.

And we were in the finals last year, so were absolutely a contender then.

Nice try.

[Tyakack]

So it's confirmed Joe is coming back... Now all we have to do is keep the core and everyone else and I can mentally check out of next season before it even starts. Thanks for saving me a season's long worth of headaches boys.

I'll make sure to check the box scores whenever I remember or care to after most games.

[sprash9802]

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting things will work out. That is your Boston Celtics. Redefining the definition of treadmill.

A treadmill team is when you're consistently year in and year out, too good to get a top 10 draft pick, but not good enough to be a contender.

We absolutely were a contender this season. #1 net rating in the league, #2 record in the league, only team that was top 5 in both offense and defense (we were top 3 in both) and favorites to win the title, after MIL was eliminated in the 1st round.

And we were in the finals last year, so were absolutely a contender then.

Nice try.

Learn to read. This is the new treadmill. Ooh we got to the ECF thrice in 4 years!! But it doesn't mean squat when you get embarassed year in year out deeper in the playoffs. And being favorites doesn't mean **** if you don't win. Nice try though!

[Hal14]

So it's confirmed Joe is coming back... Now all we have to do is keep the core and everyone else and I can mentally check out of next season before it even starts. Thanks for saving me a season's long worth of headaches boys.

I'll make sure to check that box scores whenever I remember or care to after most games.

Sounds a bit harsh and dramatic.

Sounds like this is the plan:

-Mazzulla does a better job with a year of experience under his belt, with a full offseason to prepare
-plus the coaching can be better with Brad adding some quality, veteran assistants
-we run it back with mostly the same roster but some minor tweaks/improvements around the edges
-we bring back a healthy Gallinari

If some of those things happen, we could certainly win banner 18 in 2024, imo.

[Johnny Tomala]

Owners are happy with making play-offs, there is no championship pressure. If Stevens runs it back, we will make play-offs and lose again. This core was done with Game 4 loss last year to the Warriors.

[Bar Fight]

So it's confirmed Joe is coming back... Now all we have to do is keep the core and everyone else and I can mentally check out of next season before it even starts. Thanks for saving me a season's long worth of headaches boys.

I'll make sure to check that box scores whenever I remember or care to after most games.

Sounds a bit harsh and dramatic.

Is it really that farfetched that Mazzulla does a better job with a year of experience under his belt, with a full offseason to prepare, plus the coaching can be better with Brad adding some quality, veteran assistants and we run it back with mostly the same roster but some minor tweaks/improvements around the edges, we bring back a healthy Gallinari and we take home banner 18 in 2024?

Yes.

[tfmiii]

So it's confirmed Joe is coming back... Now all we have to do is keep the core and everyone else and I can mentally check out of next season before it even starts. Thanks for saving me a season's long worth of headaches boys.

I'll make sure to check that box scores whenever I remember or care to after most games.

Sounds a bit harsh and dramatic.

Sounds like this is the plan:

-Mazzulla does a better job with a year of experience under his belt, with a full offseason to prepare
-plus the coaching can be better with Brad adding some quality, veteran assistants
-we run it back with mostly the same roster but some minor tweaks/improvements around the edges
-we bring back a healthy Gallinari

If some of those things happen, we could certainly win banner 18 in 2024, imo.

https://youtu.be/89dGC8de0CA

[flintsky21]

Running it back means another year of Big Al (who will be 37 but looks 40 every other game) as the main big, backed up by Rob, who's guaranteed to miss at least a third of the season, and who the coach doesn't trust enough to play more than 20 minutes in the postseason.
Running it back means another year of paying starting money to 3 guards who are all best with the ball while forcing 2 of them to play off the ball position half the time.
Running it back means yet another year of the Jays trying to be the wing version of the Splash Brothers, while both shooting <35% from three.
Is this really the best the franchise can do at this point?

[fallguy]

they're not going to run it back.

[BRUNiNHO91]

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting things will work out. That is your Boston Celtics. Redefining the definition of treadmill.

If Miami loses the finals would the same apply to them? That would be 4 Jimmy seasons, two finals L’s, a first round sweep and a ECF L to us.

Only difference is their best player is 33 and ours is 25.

[Fierce1]

they're not going to run it back.

According to reports, Brad basically said they're running it back.

[Fierce1]

Running it back with some tweaks is the best way to go.

For example, getting Olynyk to bolster the frontcourt is a good start.

[cl2117]

100% run it back. It really shouldn't be that complicated. 

Two wins short of a championship last year, one win short of the Finals this year. Our two best players in the prime of their careers at 25 and 26 years old respectively. We've got the ability to bring almost the entire roster back including every single one of the guys who were in or on the fringe of the playoff rotation. Chances to get even better in the margins by stacking firsts to upgrade roleplayers. 

Joe is an obvious question mark/issue. If there was any place to shake things up this would be it, but it sounds like Brad is already committing to keeping him around. If you're going to do that then add high quality veteran coaches to his bench, give him as much support as possible. For all his shortcomings in his first season I think it's fair to expect a jump in terms of quality heading into his second year with a full off season to plan/re-group. Hopefully that's enough.

Do we supermax Jaylen? Hell f*cking yes we do. 

There is going to be an unprecedented amount of star player movement over the next couple years, don't let a 2nd team all-NBA guy walk in his prime just because you're going to have to overpay him (especially not with an impending cap increase that's going to help the cause). There are going to be plenty of teams that don't have any supermax players that are desperate to add talent and will be willing to take him on if worse comes to worst. We get the opportunity to continue to let the Jay duo run its course at least another season and then get into that mix if the time comes. Letting him walk takes that away from us and gives us absolutely nothing in return. At 27 years old going into next season he's not going to end up being an albatross on that supermax deal (kicking in when he's 28). You might have to add value to him to be getting a better or comparable but cheaper player, but he's not going to end up as an anchor around our necks. And there is still a very real possibility that we get over the hump and now have locked in an, albeit very expensive, dynamic championship duo for the next 6 years. 

Do we match Grant Williams? Hell f*cking yes we do. 

Everyone is banging on about the new CBA and the issues that it gives us in terms of roster building because of the penalties like losing the taxpayer MLE, well that's exactly why we need to retain salary slots like Grant's. Even overpaid, he's a useful player who can find his way into our playoff rotation. Teams will take that on if worse comes to worst. Alternatively he gives us all kinds of insurance for Al and Rob with all the risks those two pose in terms of longevity. 

I can understand letting him walk at $20m, but anything between $12-18m we should be matching. At the lower end of that range he actually has a role for this team. At the higher end he becomes the trade ballast that we stack picks on to try and improve. 

Yes it means we go into next season with an incredibly expensive roster, but come the trade-deadline we'll know whether it can be a championship contender and if not we have all sorts of ammo to shake things up (which could just be dumping salary if need be).

Biggest question mark is how do you maximize Pritchard in terms of trade value to get something of value back. He wants out, we don't have minutes, but he's more valuable as an insurance guard than it would be to get anything later than an early 30's 2nd round pick. Attach him to Gallo and add a first and get what? 

Everything else is relatively straight forward. Keep the core, keep tweaking. Don't make major moves until the present themselves (e.g. wait for the next disgruntled star and hope it's a good fit to swap JB for).