Texas Chuck wrote:Now I'm not saying panic because despite a disappointing season and some terrible losses, they are only half a game out of a home court spot in the struggling Eastern Conference. They will be a solid playoff team though not a team that feels like they have a run in them.
But beyond the mediocre record its clear something just isn't right. Do they just miss Marcus Smart that much and when he comes back they will look like Boston again? Is Kemba not being Kemba dragging them down? Is it the we have a bunch of guys we play at center, but don't really have a center?
Is it time to think the unthinkable and consider a change with Danny or Brad?
They have that big TPE and all their picks and some young players of varying worth so they can definitely add a significant piece without giving anything up--just have to watch the hard cap. But is it time to do something more drastic yet?
They feel a lot like Dallas to me in that yeah they should come around a bit to more what we thought, but also that something just isn't right with the current mixes. That a major change is needed.
So talk me down on Boston or tell me what they should do.
They need a big and they need depth. Looking at potential trades it really stands out how they no longer have a warchests of first yet also dont have much of a bench. It is one thing not to land stars or draft stars to pair with Tatum/Brown but with all those picks you would think they would actually have some depth.
If there is anyway to rekindle talks on Turner, thats the move they need to make. another big who can defend while also spacing the floor a bit. dont need to keep experimenting with Timelord or asking Theis to continue to play better then he is.
Beyond that, im not sure how they fix the bench. Maybe be active with their TPE on likely buyout candidates? McGee? Cousins? Maye kick the tires on RHJ who is a FA to help patch some of what smart gave them while he is out? I look at that bench and just dont see that 6th and 7th man you can play every night and say most nights he will look like an NBA player.
I would agree on Ainge/Stevens. I think one needs to go. you can probably have Ainge fade into a Front office "advisory role" and bring in similar thinking new blood at GM.... but something to me has always stunk there with Stevens:
Kyrie leaves.... ok fine. he is a nutcase, bad leader, bad teammate. fine....
but then Horford opts out and leaves, didn't seem to consider staying
But then Heyward opts out and leaves, didn't consider staying
Morris i believe bounced before all of them.
That's 4 high level/starting vets who basically left you for nothing, declined options, and went elsewhere, when your teams was making the ECF. To me, if your coaching is kosher, that doesn't happen. I think Stevens is a great coach for young guys but coming from college and not being a former NBA player i think his "rah-rah, get better everyday" thing works better with young guys then it does with the Vets. I think their young guys are good kids, hard workers, winning types. but i think they got a bit to big for their birtches after that ECF run and brad didnt really address it well. not with the vets, not with the kids. You dont have the successful a team all bounce over 2 years in a weak east unless there are some major issue at the top with coaching.
I think Ainge needed to see that and choose a direction instead of letting the direction choose him (kids). IF he said, its about the kids, he likely could have gotten something from the nets for kyrie, something from philly for al. and should ahve had turner here for heyward as is. And I think you keep Terry too or at least turn terry into picks instead of a 30 year old....
way too much hedging from ainge. he needed to pick a lane and accelrate.
