Saturday, September 14, 2013

My contributions to Celtics Blog's "Summer Boredcast" series (Part 2)

After Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston asked a number of local Celtics writers to help out with his "Summer Forecast" series, the folks at SB Nation's Celtics Blog decided to do the same thing. It's called "Summer Boredcast" (as in bored with nothing better to write about in the NBA offseason), and here is the second half of what I contributed (with links to each article):

Would you rather be the owner, GM, or coach?
Owner by a mile. One, I'm crazy rich and can sit anywhere I want at every game. Two, I can pick whatever role I want to have with the team. I can involve myself whenever I feel like it, or take a 3 month vacation to Costa Rica on a whim and leave Danny in charge. I can hang out with Mark Cuban and Mikhail Prokhorov in Vegas, and lose a quarter mil and the rights to Kris Humphries expiring contract in a poker game. I could also lobby Adam Silver for the league to start crediting assists on made free throws (and half an assist on 1 for 2).

2013-2014 LVP Gerald Wallace (left)
Since we already covered the MVP in the Summer Forecast, who do you think will be the team's LVP (least valuable player)?
Gerald Wallace. He suddenly got old two years ago, even though he's still only 31. I see him getting 15-20 mpg at first, but slowly having his minutes dwindle in favor of younger more eager players (Green, Olynyk, Sullinger). I envision Stevens coaxing this team to more victories than people expect just by getting his guys to hustle and play hard on D, and I don't think Wallace is up for that. By the end of the season he'll just be a $10 million weight on the end of the bench.

What's the best possible trade you can think of that the Celtics could realistically make right now? 
Bradley, Sullinger, Bass, and Lee to Portland for LaMarcus Aldridge.
It works in the ESPN Trade Machine.  Also this was written before Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, and MarShon Brooks became trade eligible on Thursday.


Where will this team be 3 years from now?
There's not a single player on the Celtics roster who will still be under their current contract in the summer of 2016 (Olynyk does have a team option for that year). It's quite possible there will be 100% turnover by that time. My guess is that out of the current "core 5" (Rondo, Bradley, Green, Sullinger, Olynyk), 2-3 of them will still be around; however I have no idea which ones. I expect that Ainge and Stevens will be good enough at there jobs to have the C's continuously in the playoff picture, probably around a win total in the high 40's. I do not see them as serious contenders though. I think we spoiled Boston fans forget how hard it is to get to that level; most NBA teams are out of contention most of the time. Even if Ainge/Stevens make every possible right move, it will still take a lot of luck to return to greatness.

What made you become a fan of the Boston Celtics?
I've always been a fan from growing up just outside of Boston in the 1980's. But the transcending moment for me came on a ferry boat ride to Martha's Vineyard in the summer of 2007. In an attempt to regain fans after a dismal '06-'07 season, the Celtics were offering season tickets for 50% off. My buddy and I spent the 45 minute trip debating whether or not it was worth it. They had just traded for Ray Allen, and we figured that a squad featuring Ray, Pierce, and "Big Al" Jefferson would be good enough to make the playoffs. We decided to plunk down $1,500 each in order to get a pair of great seats in the lower level; just $35 per game. A few days later they traded for Garnett, and the rest is history.

In case you missed it, click here for Part 1.

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