Backcourt chaos…what’s next?

[Skybox]

We have six viable guards, not even counting Franz- who has been effective, in limited spots, at “Point Whatever”

Fultz. Suggs. Anthony. Harris. Black. Howard

Something’s got to give…soon, imo. They all have various trade value, various skill sets, various compatibility with others, etc NONE of them are clear cut starters on a contender (yet?). They’re all very good or could be. Good problem, I guess, unless you sit on it too long, bury the wrong guys on the bench, draft guys without a clear path, etc. Evaluation is fine, but it becomes DE-valuation if you wait too damn long to pick your aces and prioritize them, even if they’re not fully-formed. I expect we’ll be competitive, but that’s not the same as contending…so I really hope Mose is encouraged (permitted?) to give minutes to the guys that are the long-term vision…even if they’re not the “best” guys today.

I think we’re close to the point of addition by subtraction. I’m not saying “giving up on a guy”… just starting to establish a limited number of guys getting big rotation minutes. You just can’t play six guards, who are all, arguably, starter- level.

If we drafted Anthony Black with the 6th pick in a strong draft…there’d better be a f**king vision for his role. Same with Jett, who fills a role that is universally acknowledged as our glaring need. Gary Harris shouldn’t be playing ahead of Suggs and Jett, even if he’s better today.

How would you makeover our backcourt rotation/ lineup to win long-term?

[Skybox]

*im not hoarding depth for possible injuries, as a reason for keeping everyone…that’s what the Kevons of the world are for
*lots of interesting combos but the one glaring combo that CANT work is Fultz/Black, imo
*Fultz, imo, is not an NBA starting PG UNLESS he’s got a big scorer at SG (Jett?)(Herro?)…same for Black-it appears
*Suggs is not an NBA starting SG UNLESS he’s got a big scorer at PG next to him. Suggs can have big nights- but not likely every night
*Cole Anthony might be destined for greatness with a defensive- minded guy like Suggs next to him…but what is his true ceiling?
*we’ll never know what Black and Howard can do, just by observing practice. They’re too valuable to sit on
*Gary Harris is a solid guy, but he’s sitting there waiting to lose his job (and can’t seem to do it )

[Skybox]

What I’d do…

1. Move off Fultz…he’s played well, value at an all-time high, expiring deal, still way too many questions in his game
2. Move out Harris…valued vet for a playoff rotation, expiring, too good to sit, just in the way here, Kevon is a 5th guard- not Harris
3. Commit to Black as the long-term PG (or admit it was a stupid pick), start Cole for now, but give Black real mins.
4. If you can turn Fultz, Harris, and picks into a guy like Herro or Simons-do it! He and Black or, even Suggs could be a strong lineup for years.
5. Really consider what the role of Cole Anthony will be BEFORE you pay him…will he be content as a super 6th man?
6. Play Howard in the Herro role, shoot a LOT, initiate some offense…get a real feel for his scoring upside & fit with Franz/PB

*don’t settle in for guys that are just good…consolidate or even just move guys out of the way for picks or better frontcourt depth/ upside.

[SOUL]

This discussion has been had all offseason, not sure what new discussion can be really had lol. Seen similar discourse on Detroit forum, Utah, Houston, etc. "Where's Hendricks/Cam/Amen/Ausar playing right now?!"

All similar problems - lots of young guys, depth chart that doesn't make sense right now, unclear roles for specific young guys.

Fans need to realize that this team (coach, players, even FO, but to a lesser degree) wants to be good without skipping steps - we're not gifting rookies minutes right away anymore (said from Weltman). It's not sustainable to give rookies a bunch of minutes immediately and kicking the can for another year. It also doesn't mean you have to move them right away just because you want to be good. It doesn't mean all of these trades people want the team to make were available or were the asking price of teams. Maybe they wanted an extra young guy and it wasn't worth it at all.

Young dudes are cost controlled. The plan can be to ramp their minutes up the entire season slowly which is fine.

Don't let the chicken littles of the forum scare y'all. People can quote me all they want if the opposite of what I say happens - but they aren't going into next season with Harris/Cole/Fultz/Suggs/Black/Jett. Most likely 2 are gone, possibly 3. May not be the combination people want, but that's an entirely different story. Things will make a lot more sense over the course of this season/trade deadline/etc. Also, if we're sure certain guys deserve to be the future PG, SG, etc - it will be proven on the court and in practice.

The fact that so many posters have so many differing opinions on Fultz, Suggs, Cole, Black, etc shows that there is enough risk in trading any of them right this second just to "fix the roster" as if we're 2009 Orlando needing just the right ingredients to make the finals. Makes perfect sense in my eyes to evaluate up until the trade deadline and see just how badly injuries want to **** us this year before we're subjected to big-time 3rd stringer minutes for the first month again.

[Skybox]

This discussion has been had all offseason, not sure what new discussion can be really had lol. Seen similar discourse on Detroit forum, Utah, Houston, etc. "Where's Hendricks/Cam/Amen/Ausar playing right now?!"

All similar problems - lots of young guys, depth chart that doesn't make sense right now, unclear roles for specific young guys.

Fans need to realize that this team (coach, players, even FO, but to a lesser degree) wants to be good without skipping steps - we're not gifting rookies minutes right away anymore (said from Weltman). It's not sustainable to give rookies a bunch of minutes immediately and kicking the can for another year. It also doesn't mean you have to move them right away just because you want to be good. It doesn't mean all of these trades people want the team to make were available or were the asking price of teams. Maybe they wanted an extra young guy and it wasn't worth it at all.

Young dudes are cost controlled. The plan can be to ramp their minutes up the entire season slowly which is fine.

Don't let the chicken littles of the forum scare y'all. People can quote me all they want if the opposite of what I say happens - but they aren't going into next season with Harris/Cole/Fultz/Suggs/Black/Jett. Most likely 2 are gone, possibly 3. May not be the combination people want, but that's an entirely different story. Things will make a lot more sense over the course of this season/trade deadline/etc. Also, if we're sure certain guys deserve to be the future PG, SG, etc - it will be proven on the court and in practice.

The fact that so many posters have so many differing opinions on Fultz, Suggs, Cole, Black, etc shows that there is enough risk in trading any of them right this second just to "fix the roster" as if we're 2009 Orlando needing just the right ingredients to make the finals. Makes perfect sense in my eyes to evaluate up until the trade deadline and see just how badly injuries want to **** us this year before we're subjected to big-time 3rd stringer minutes for the first month again.

Sounds exciting…the question was “Who would you move?”

* might be even more risk in extending or not extending a pending FA too soon/ not soon enough. Patience is generally nice but can look a lot like lack of decisiveness or lack of a vision when you’ve got 6+ young guards. “Hoard & shed” isn’t really what NBA GM’s get paid millions to do…ideally, they see true outcomes very early in their analysis and act swiftly. A good example of that WOULD have been seeing where Bamba’s mindset was EARLY and selling high- even at risk of guessing wrong on occasion and seeing a guy do better elsewhere…grabbing 8 young guards and holding tryouts is not NBA level stuff.

[Skybox]

Reality of a functional guard rotation is 96 mins and two guys should grab 60 of them…it’s a finite thing to be managed and a guy we love should be flipped if he’s not one of THE guys.

[eyriq]

My perspective hasn't changed. Last year we were among the NBA's bottom teams. Our front court outperformed the back court, and right now, winning isn't our immediate goal. We're focused on developing and evaluating young talent, prioritizing future prospects over present success. Recognizing our back court's shortcomings, we chose two guards in the lottery. With our attention on nurturing future stars instead of immediate victories, we'll be allocating more playing time to the young talents like Suggs, Black, and Jett. This might mean less time on the court for veterans such as Fultz and Harris, or known quantities like Cole.

[RichCollab]

We have six viable guards, not even counting Franz- who has been effective, in limited spots, at “Point Whatever”

Fultz. Suggs. Anthony. Harris. Black. Howard

Something’s got to give…soon, imo. They all have various trade value, various skill sets, various compatibility with others, etc NONE of them are clear cut starters on a contender (yet?). They’re all very good or could be. Good problem, I guess, unless you sit on it too long, bury the wrong guys on the bench, draft guys without a clear path, etc. Evaluation is fine, but it becomes DE-valuation if you wait too damn long to pick your aces and prioritize them, even if they’re not fully-formed. I expect we’ll be competitive, but that’s not the same as contending…so I really hope Mose is encouraged (permitted?) to give minutes to the guys that are the long-term vision…even if they’re not the “best” guys today.

I think we’re close to the point of addition by subtraction. I’m not saying “giving up on a guy”… just starting to establish a limited number of guys getting big rotation minutes. You just can’t play six guards, who are all, arguably, starter- level.

If we drafted Anthony Black with the 6th pick in a strong draft…there’d better be a f**king vision for his role. Same with Jett, who fills a role that is universally acknowledged as our glaring need. Gary Harris shouldn’t be playing ahead of Suggs and Jett, even if he’s better today.

How would you makeover our backcourt rotation/ lineup to win long-term?

Franz honestly needs zero minutes at guard.

[RichCollab]

Fultz, Cole, Black
Suggs, Harris
Franz, Ingles, Jet

Injuries will create playing time for rooks.

[Skybox]

Fultz, Cole, Black
Suggs, Harris
Franz, Ingles, Jet

Injuries will create playing time for rooks.

Very easy thing to throw out there...that's 8 guys

I don't want two high-potential lottery picks depending on fultz stubbing his toe to get into the NBA

[RichCollab]

Fultz, Cole, Black
Suggs, Harris
Franz, Ingles, Jet

Injuries will create playing time for rooks.

Very easy thing to throw out there...that's 8 guys

I don't want two high-potential lottery picks depending on fultz stubbing his toe to get into the NBA

Rookies having to earn their playing time is a great place to be. I will take this every season.

[cedric76]

Ibtl

[fendilim]

Not really a problem with Howard and Black since both can play the 3 and 2. And both of them wont really play heavy minutes next year.

I have a feeling GH will move to veteran role this year. So he will play less, eventually move will be made between Cole, Suggs, and Fultz.

My feeling is Suggs stays, Fultz and Cole move.

Suggs has a developing outside shot. You’ll need that if management sees Black as the future PG. And every successful starting five has an elite defender in the lineup.

Fultz is a person with disability.

And Cole will be too expensive to pay for the 6th man role.

Also, both Cole and Fultz were brought in prior to management decided to rebuild. Usually management moves on from those players. So next to go MIGHT be JI, Fultz, Okeke, Cole.

[Residual-Heat]

Fultz for Malcolm Brogdon? No doubt a better fit for the Magic, but Brogdon is injury prone as well. Magic will likely need to add an incentive for the Celtics. 39% career 3 pt shooter, and he can play with Suggs, Black and even Cole.

[fendilim]

Fultz for Malcolm Brogdon? No doubt a better fit for the Magic, but Brogdon is injury prone as well. Magic will likely need to add an incentive for the Celtics. 39% career 3 pt shooter, and he can play with Suggs, Black and even Cole.

If you were the Celtics, even if you could have Fultz for free, would you play Fultz over Brogdon?

[Residual-Heat]

Fultz for Malcolm Brogdon? No doubt a better fit for the Magic, but Brogdon is injury prone as well. Magic will likely need to add an incentive for the Celtics. 39% career 3 pt shooter, and he can play with Suggs, Black and even Cole.

If you were the Celtics, even if you could have Fultz for free, would you play Fultz over Brogdon?

Like i said the Magic would need to add some incentive, but Fultz is a solid player off the bench. I mean they almost traded him for Amir Coffey and the 30th pick.
https://www.ocregister.com/2023/06/21/report-clippers-working-to-acquire-malcolm-brogdon-from-celtics-in-3-team-trade/

Ofcourse the Magic would have to see how his recovery is looking.

[fendilim]

Fultz for Malcolm Brogdon? No doubt a better fit for the Magic, but Brogdon is injury prone as well. Magic will likely need to add an incentive for the Celtics. 39% career 3 pt shooter, and he can play with Suggs, Black and even Cole.

If you were the Celtics, even if you could have Fultz for free, would you play Fultz over Brogdon?

Like i said the Magic would need to add some incentive, but Fultz is a solid player off the bench. I mean they almost traded him for Amir Coffey and the 30th pick.
https://www.ocregister.com/2023/06/21/report-clippers-working-to-acquire-malcolm-brogdon-from-celtics-in-3-team-trade/

Ofcourse the Magic would have to see how his recovery is looking.

All I’m asking is would you play Brogdon over Fultz.

[Residual-Heat]

If you were the Celtics, even if you could have Fultz for free, would you play Fultz over Brogdon?

Like i said the Magic would need to add some incentive, but Fultz is a solid player off the bench. I mean they almost traded him for Amir Coffey and the 30th pick.
https://www.ocregister.com/2023/06/21/report-clippers-working-to-acquire-malcolm-brogdon-from-celtics-in-3-team-trade/

Ofcourse the Magic would have to see how his recovery is looking.

All I’m asking is would you play Brogdon over Fultz.

Most of the time, sure, but its not that simple. Contracts matter, incentives matter. The Celtics also have a tendency to take too many 3s at times and Fultz off the bench can help them in that regard.

[Viper1500]

I think it'll be between Fultz and Cole, whoever plays better will be the one who stays. Also, Suggs obviously needs to show major improvement in ballhandling and shooting but he's not going anywhere unless its apart of a bigger deal.

[J the Drafter]

The Magic play two big playmakers together and see how well teams defend the backcourt size and passing.