Brad Stevens Thread – Finding The Way

[zoyathedestroya]

We used to have this for Danny didnt we ?

Yes. I can slap any name on that. I take requests.

[Theocy]

We used to have this for Danny didnt we ?

Yes. I can slap any name on that. I take requests.

Feels like i want one with Al Horford too

[Smart2Nesmith43]

I think the celtics were just focused on getting horford and dumping kemba in that trade. they may have not even known who Micic was. Brad was only like a week into his new job as PBO.

Now that Brad has been in the role for a year, maybe now he sees enough of a need and it's been another year if Micic dominating the euroleague so maybe now a move is made.

OKC is a rebuilding team - Micic doesn't really make sense for them, at age 28. Micic is a good fit for a playoff team - as a piece that could allow that playoff team to take a leap.

Either Brad can try to make a trade with OKC to acquire Micic's rights, or perhaps OKC relinquishes his rights, which would make him a free agent.

You never know..

The reports coming out of europe right now are that Micic will be looking to make the jump this summer. Now the interesting part is that he wants to have a decent number of on ball opportunities because that's where he makes the most impact and he's not looking to leave his current situation for an end of bench role. With Giddey, SGA and #2 coming in, that's not necessarily something OKC wants to pursue so they are apparently looking to accomodate a deal. Your wish is getting closer.

[zoyathedestroya]

This could be posted in the Horford or pinned Postseason thread as well. Some good quotes from our former GM praising the moves Brad and co. made throughout the year.

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[165bows]

Make it happen, Brad! Best player in all of europe, for the 2nd year in a row.

Micic could be the final piece we need:

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/267065/NBA-Teams-Have-Interest-In-Vasilije-Micic-For-Next-Season

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OKC holds Micic's draft rights though (from when the Sixers salary dumped Horford). If the Celtics were really interested I guess they would have figured some way to include him in the Horford trade. He's been good enough to make the jump to the NBA for a while, so I'm not even sure he is that interested in leaving Efes. So I think it's unlikely we'll see him in green next year which is a shame because he can ball.

Even within a year or two ago, this guy seems like he was an absolute turnover machine. Has good size and shooting. Not super explosive looking but some good skilled finishes as well. Wonder how his defense is.

[London2Boston]

Shout out to Brad. Was nice seeing him on the court getting hugs from the players during the celebrations.

[playa-hater]

Though some/many are giving Brad his due.. I still think he has been a bit underappreciated for Boston's turnaround..

[lon3lytoaster]

Really interested to see how this offseason plays outs. We have some needs, and I'd love an off ball scorer to compliment the Jays. Albeit, does that beg the question of us having to slide Jayson Tatum back up to the 4 or run an additional swing off the bench?

Should be a very curious off-season and have no idea what direction we'll take.

[hugepatsfan]

My guess is they keep all of our 7 main playoff rotation contributors (Smart/Brown/Tatum/Horford/RWilliams and then GWilliams/White). I don't see a shakeup there. Pritchard and Theis have seen bounced between decent minutes and DNP-Coach's decision. I'd expect that continue with Theis if he's brought back - if there's injury or foul trouble with the 3 main bigs then he plays some. Otherwise, he's a DNP for the playoffs. And if Theis isn't back, then someone else will be in this role.

I do think they will replace Pritchard's role with a legitimate, full time 8th man for the playoff rotation though. Not saying Pritchard off the roster, but pushed out of the playoff rotation. The new guy can be a guard or a wing. Pritchard has played 13 minutes per game for the playoffs. This new guy starts with that role, and then you give him a minute or two each from Tatum/Brown so they can stay fresher with the workload they carry. Give him a minute or two each from Smart/White for more shooting. Now bam, you're up to an 18-20 minute player for the playoff rotation.

[Smart2Nesmith43]

Really interested to see how this offseason plays outs. We have some needs, and I'd love an off ball scorer to compliment the Jays. Albeit, does that beg the question of us having to slide Jayson Tatum back up to the 4 or run an additional swing off the bench?

Should be a very curious off-season and have no idea what direction we'll take.

I think Ime and the rest of the organization are pretty committed to Tatum at the 3. They seem to really love the length and defensive versatility of those lineups. During the regular season when Timelord/Horford were missing, he went out of his way to start Grant and/or Theis to keep Tatum at the 3. Hell in preseason they even tried Juancho at the 4 as starter rather than sliding Tatum over (those were good times). Yeah I know preseason doesn't matter but it does fit with a pretty clear pattern from the rest of the year. Now the great thing with Udoka is that he is not stubborn and he has been willing to play Tatum at the 4 in certain matchups (especially Milwaukee) but that's more playoff adjustements than their base strategy.

As long as the Celtics bigs are skilled enough to not completely grind the offense to a halt when two of them play at the same time I don't think Boston is going back to Tatum at the 4.

[165bows]

My guess is they keep all of our 7 main playoff rotation contributors (Smart/Brown/Tatum/Horford/RWilliams and then GWilliams/White). I don't see a shakeup there. Pritchard and Theis have seen bounced between decent minutes and DNP-Coach's decision. I'd expect that continue with Theis if he's brought back - if there's injury or foul trouble with the 3 main bigs then he plays some. Otherwise, he's a DNP for the playoffs. And if Theis isn't back, then someone else will be in this role.

I do think they will replace Pritchard's role with a legitimate, full time 8th man for the playoff rotation though. Not saying Pritchard off the roster, but pushed out of the playoff rotation. The new guy can be a guard or a wing. Pritchard has played 13 minutes per game for the playoffs. This new guy starts with that role, and then you give him a minute or two each from Tatum/Brown so they can stay fresher with the workload they carry. Give him a minute or two each from Smart/White for more shooting. Now bam, you're up to an 18-20 minute player for the playoff rotation.

Same. I think Smart plays so damn hard that it's best if he doesn't get overworked. My fav for this is Delon Wright for the MLE, averaged an efficient 8/5/3 in 18 minutes against Miami in the playoffs. Pretty good on/off numbers for the regular season. Maybe a one year plus team option. Hopefully with this deep playoff run they can draw better players for these MLE spots compared to last year.

Just not sure where they land that versatile bigger 4/5, it's a tough ask.

[Ed Pinkney]

My guess is they keep all of our 7 main playoff rotation contributors (Smart/Brown/Tatum/Horford/RWilliams and then GWilliams/White). I don't see a shakeup there. Pritchard and Theis have seen bounced between decent minutes and DNP-Coach's decision. I'd expect that continue with Theis if he's brought back - if there's injury or foul trouble with the 3 main bigs then he plays some. Otherwise, he's a DNP for the playoffs. And if Theis isn't back, then someone else will be in this role.

I do think they will replace Pritchard's role with a legitimate, full time 8th man for the playoff rotation though. Not saying Pritchard off the roster, but pushed out of the playoff rotation. The new guy can be a guard or a wing. Pritchard has played 13 minutes per game for the playoffs. This new guy starts with that role, and then you give him a minute or two each from Tatum/Brown so they can stay fresher with the workload they carry. Give him a minute or two each from Smart/White for more shooting. Now bam, you're up to an 18-20 minute player for the playoff rotation.

Same. I think Smart plays so damn hard that it's best if he doesn't get overworked. My fav for this is Delon Wright for the MLE, averaged an efficient 8/5/3 in 18 minutes against Miami in the playoffs. Pretty good on/off numbers for the regular season. Maybe a one year plus team option. Hopefully with this deep playoff run they can draw better players for these MLE spots compared to last year.

Just not sure where they land that versatile bigger 4/5, it's a tough ask.

I think it is the backup wing that is the biggest need if Nesmith is not going to grab that opportunity. I think Horford, Williams X2 and Theis has shown they are a good front court rotation, same for Smart, White and Pritchard in the back court. At the moment, there is no one reliable behind Tatum and Brown.

No idea who they could get or who would be a good fit at the moment, but assuming everyone above is coming back next season then that seems like their biggest need at the moment. Especially someone who can at least get them a few buckets off the bench consistently.

[Fencer reregistered]

Brad, of course, has substantially the same personnel department Danny did in the latter part of his reign. And I just realized something: Almost all the recent "bargain" successes have been among bigs. (Really, all except Pritchard.)

Pritchard aside -- and he's not fully in the playoff rotation -- the perimeter players came through 3 high lottery picks (none of them all THAT recent) and an expensive trade. The bigs, however, are:
-- 2 Williamses who came through later picks.
-- Horford, who came once as an expensive FA and then again for cheap in a trade (a single pick, much of whose value can be allocated to salary reduction).
-- (General backup) Theis, who came once as a UDFA and was reacquired for cheap.

Look back at impressive cheap finds who've come and gone, and you might start with Morris Sr. and Baynes.

Earlier in Danny's career, things were more balanced. He picked Rondo and Tony Allen and Delonte West and Avery Bradley just as he did Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins and Leon Powe. But more recently there's been an imbalance.

Likely, the imbalance has a lot to do with the Celtics indeed having had a lot of expensive perimeter wing players, drafted and FA alike. As always, luck was surely involved too. But I thought I'd mention it anyway.

And by the way, one consequence is that our bigs, while good, are a bit shaky, lacking in health or height or whatever, so that yet more investment in the area may be needed.

[zoyathedestroya]

Unless said big is an all-timer type (Embiid, Jokic), it's more prudent to put your money/assets into all-star/all-NBA type wings. The new NBA dictates it. When's the last time a true big has led his team to a title? Have to go back to Tim Duncan and Shaq before him. All-timers.

Even spending the full MLE on Thompson was a mistake. Taking on Theis' current salary is kinda as well unless he's being used as trade ballast in near future. Or maybe Brad just liked having the gang back together. Bargain FA bigs can reliably fill the 4th big void. Our case is just a bit different since Rob can't stay upright and Horford is up there in age.

[3D Chess]

Even spending the full MLE on Thompson was a mistake.

Even at the time that TT deal felt like Danny mending fences with Klutch.

[ThumbsUpBaby]

Though some/many are giving Brad his due.. I still think he has been a bit underappreciated for Boston's turnaround..

Still many Ainge lovers roaming around giving credit to him for building this team. Admittingly, I'm one of them. But I also acknowledge Brad playing a huge part in turning this team around. Furthemore, this is his first year and I expect him to build the Celtics his own way, and by his own methods. Two different type of GMs, and two people I'll always appreciate.

[zoyathedestroya]

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[playa-hater]

My guess is they keep all of our 7 main playoff rotation contributors (Smart/Brown/Tatum/Horford/RWilliams and then GWilliams/White). I don't see a shakeup there. Pritchard and Theis have seen bounced between decent minutes and DNP-Coach's decision. I'd expect that continue with Theis if he's brought back - if there's injury or foul trouble with the 3 main bigs then he plays some. Otherwise, he's a DNP for the playoffs. And if Theis isn't back, then someone else will be in this role.

I do think they will replace Pritchard's role with a legitimate, full time 8th man for the playoff rotation though. Not saying Pritchard off the roster, but pushed out of the playoff rotation. The new guy can be a guard or a wing. Pritchard has played 13 minutes per game for the playoffs. This new guy starts with that role, and then you give him a minute or two each from Tatum/Brown so they can stay fresher with the workload they carry. Give him a minute or two each from Smart/White for more shooting. Now bam, you're up to an 18-20 minute player for the playoff rotation.

Same. I think Smart plays so damn hard that it's best if he doesn't get overworked. My fav for this is Delon Wright for the MLE, averaged an efficient 8/5/3 in 18 minutes against Miami in the playoffs. Pretty good on/off numbers for the regular season. Maybe a one year plus team option. Hopefully with this deep playoff run they can draw better players for these MLE spots compared to last year.

Just not sure where they land that versatile bigger 4/5, it's a tough ask.

I like Isaiah Hartenstein if the price is right.. the bigger and better version of Theis IMO. a good insurance policy for old Al and injury concern in RW

[165bows]

My guess is they keep all of our 7 main playoff rotation contributors (Smart/Brown/Tatum/Horford/RWilliams and then GWilliams/White). I don't see a shakeup there. Pritchard and Theis have seen bounced between decent minutes and DNP-Coach's decision. I'd expect that continue with Theis if he's brought back - if there's injury or foul trouble with the 3 main bigs then he plays some. Otherwise, he's a DNP for the playoffs. And if Theis isn't back, then someone else will be in this role.

I do think they will replace Pritchard's role with a legitimate, full time 8th man for the playoff rotation though. Not saying Pritchard off the roster, but pushed out of the playoff rotation. The new guy can be a guard or a wing. Pritchard has played 13 minutes per game for the playoffs. This new guy starts with that role, and then you give him a minute or two each from Tatum/Brown so they can stay fresher with the workload they carry. Give him a minute or two each from Smart/White for more shooting. Now bam, you're up to an 18-20 minute player for the playoff rotation.

Same. I think Smart plays so damn hard that it's best if he doesn't get overworked. My fav for this is Delon Wright for the MLE, averaged an efficient 8/5/3 in 18 minutes against Miami in the playoffs. Pretty good on/off numbers for the regular season. Maybe a one year plus team option. Hopefully with this deep playoff run they can draw better players for these MLE spots compared to last year.

Just not sure where they land that versatile bigger 4/5, it's a tough ask.

I think it is the backup wing that is the biggest need if Nesmith is not going to grab that opportunity. I think Horford, Williams X2 and Theis has shown they are a good front court rotation, same for Smart, White and Pritchard in the back court. At the moment, there is no one reliable behind Tatum and Brown.

No idea who they could get or who would be a good fit at the moment, but assuming everyone above is coming back next season then that seems like their biggest need at the moment. Especially someone who can at least get them a few buckets off the bench consistently.

I agree to some extent but there is the issue of 1.) where do they need their weak spot filled the most, and 2.) how do they get the most value out of a small number of FA signings/TPE trade acquisitions.

I see what people are saying about needing wing backups and more scoring. Imo, the biggest weaknesses were front court rebounding/rim protection, and ball handling/playmaking in the back court that killed the offense with turnovers.

The front court bit is kind of obvious, they need one more guy there. For the other, I think a big back court guy that can both play the 1 and back up Brown at the 2 (allowing him to even more effectively be the backup three) solves their other biggest need. To me, wing scoring is one of the two biggest strengths (along with overall defense). So I see Wright as a way to have your cake and eat it too.

I think shooting their biggest wad on backups for the Js means they get the least use out of it - ie, those guys will play the most and minimize the improvement from spending off season capital there.

Tl;dr I get what people are saying about wing scoring backup, but for me it doesn't maximize what they can get out of their offseason additions.

[BK_2020]

I see what people are saying about needing wing backups and more scoring. Imo, the biggest weaknesses were front court rebounding/rim protection, and ball handling/playmaking in the back court that killed the offense with turnovers.

The front court bit is kind of obvious, they need one more guy there. For the other, I think a big back court guy that can both play the 1 and back up Brown at the 2 (allowing him to even more effectively be the backup three) solves their other biggest need. To me, wing scoring is one of the two biggest strengths (along with overall defense). So I see Wright as a way to have your cake and eat it too.

I think shooting their biggest wad on backups for the Js means they get the least use out of it - ie, those guys will play the most and minimize the improvement from spending off season capital there.

Tl;dr I get what people are saying about wing scoring backup, but for me it doesn't maximize what they can get out of their offseason additions.

I tend to agree with this. Tatum and Jaylen can and should play 42-44 minutes in the playoffs, so using our TPE on someone to pick up the 10 minutes they don't play seems like a poor allocation of resources. If Tatum is out we are cooked anyway no matter who's backing him up.