Celtics '21'22 - The Jay's Team

[tlance]

The nba salary cap would like a word…

Easy fix.

Just include Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart.

Problem solved!

 

[Gman]

In their loss tonight at home to an also undermanned Clippers teams, the Celtics shot 4 for 42 from 3 pt range.

 

[Gman]

At the beginning of the new years, here are my postives, negatives and in-betweens for the Celtics season:

Positives:

• Grant Williams - I think many of us were starting to write Husky Grant off as a player who had topped out as a lackluster rotation option. But Grant has worked hard on his game and is currently shooting 51% from the field, 45% from 3 pt range and 89% from the FT line. All that efficiency plus versatility on defense.
• Josh Richardson - In a small way, Richardson has rehabbed his value as a decent role player by shooting 47% from the field and 39% from 3 pt range. His main value to our team long term is as a viable trade asset, so this is a modestly good development.
• Robert Williams III - RWIII has more than justified the contract he received this past offseason. He is perhaps the premier lop threat in the NBA, his defense has improved every season, and he adds value as a surprisingly good passer.

In-Between:

• The Other Young Guys - This season has seen both limited opportunity and muted results for developmental players like Aaron Nesmith, Romeo Langford and Payton Pritchard. New coach Ime Udoka has often leaned away from this group when making rotational decisions. We'll have to see if more opportunities open in 2022 for these guys.
• Dennis Schroder - Schroder has shown that he can still score in spurts, although his efficiency leaves a lot to be desired. I think the endgame here is to trade him this season to another playoff contender that could use some instant offense off the bench.
• Al Horford - Even at this stage in his career, Big Al still has good value as an anchor piece for a team defense. But his shot has been off (29% from 3 pt range) and he has missed a good handful of games.

Negatives:

• Team Shooting - Simply put, this team does not shoot the ball well enough. The Celtics are currently shooting 44% from the field and 33% from 3 pt range... that just doesn't cut it.
• Overall Offensive Flow and Clutch Performance - When it counts the most, Boston has been an objectively bad team that struggles mightily to generate bread-and-butter offense. Over the course of the last year (2021 in total) the C's are 21-38 in clutch games. That's scary bad. There are some legitimate excuses involving roster flux and player availability, but the eye-ball test doesn't lie and Boston continues to look clunky on offense way too often.
• The Prestige of the Tatum/Brown Pairing - Again, there are legitimate excuses on this front with Brown (especially) dealing with extended missed time, but critics who question the long-term viability of this combo as a headliner on a champioship roster have certainly not been silenced by the on-court product we're witnessing.

 

[Gman]

^ All of that being said, we appear to be getting healthier again and I could easily see the Celtics bounce back with solid play in the '22 half of this season... gravitating to more of a mid-seed in the playoffs.

But that's only "ok", and ok isn't the goal.

So let's move some pieces at the trade deadline this season... definitely a Schroder and maybe like a Kanter and/or a Richardson... (of course any of the end-of-roster guys are expendible too)... not only will we get under the tax line this year, but we'll...

... open up more opportunites for the young guys on our roster... we need the trio of Nesmith, Langford and Pritchard to get their value up and improve our outside shooting as a team.

Then this offseason we can really start thinking hard about adding a 3rd star to our roster and becoming a serious contender.

 

[Gman]

A season-saving, OT victory vs Orlando tonight...

... it's not a paticularly good win, but it would have been a horrendous loss... and the C's were down double-digits with less than 5 minutes to go.

 

[The Q]

A season-saving, OT victory vs Orlando tonight...

... it's not a paticularly good win, but it would have been a horrendous loss... and the C's were down double-digits with less than 5 minutes to go.

This is tough. A loss tonight mightve finally made everyone realize this is not a title team as constructed

They need to either go all in and use their exceptions and blow through this tax. Or do the exact opposite and reload for the next 2-3 years

 

[Gman]

This is tough. A loss tonight mightve finally made everyone realize this is not a title team as constructed

They need to either go all in and use their exceptions and blow through this tax. Or do the exact opposite and reload for the next 2-3 years

In fairness, the C's were missing Tatum and RWIII tonight.

I'd love to see our core group get a real, extended string of games together.

Other than that, I would agree that we should limbo under the tax line this year.

 

[The Q]

In fairness, the C's were missing Tatum and RWIII tonight.

I'd love to see our core group get a real, extended string of games together.

Other than that, I would agree that we should limbo under the tax line this year.

Or us all the exceptions and go nuts.

But this team is a fluke comeback against Orlando from the top 10.

The reality is there just don’t much left to sell. Schroeder gets you a second or a developmental prospect (like a bassey from Philly, who I’ve loved since the draft)

Romeo has made enough progress to keep.

Basically can you move those 2 and get under the tax line after accounting for replacements on the roster

But I want Derrick white from the spurs with that big tpe this summer.

The smaller one you’re looking more at like a monte Morris type player

 

[Gman]

Or us all the exceptions and go nuts.

But this team is a fluke comeback against Orlando from the top 10.

The reality is there just don’t much left to sell. Schroeder gets you a second or a developmental prospect (like a bassey from Philly, who I’ve loved since the draft)

Romeo has made enough progress to keep.

Basically can you move those 2 and get under the tax line after accounting for replacements on the roster

But I want Derrick white from the spurs with that big tpe this summer.

The smaller one you’re looking more at like a monte Morris type player

We're playing like trash... I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.

When games are in the balance, this team wilts.

 

[The Q]

We're playing like trash... I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.

When games are in the balance, this team wilts.

It’s a frustrating team.

I want to get better but don’t want the ownership blaming the tax in a year or two becuase they didn’t get under in a year it could be avoided

 

[Gman]

What's that?

The C's are above .500?

(Seems like its been awhile)

Yes, the C's have been feasting on weak competition... but earlier in the season they couldn't even do that. Baby steps.

Not peeing their pants in the 4th quarter against anybody is a step forward for this team.

 

[The Q]

What's that?

The C's are above .500?

(Seems like its been awhile)

Yes, the C's have been feasting on weak competition... but earlier in the season they couldn't even do that. Baby steps.

Not peeing their pants in the 4th quarter against anybody is a step forward for this team.

Dump Schroeder for a second or two

But I’m not sure what else this team can buy

 

[Gman]

Dump Schroeder for a second or two

Yep... the German Streussel-Maker gave a little boost to his trade value today.

 

[Gman]

 

[BigKen]

One of the three, most likely Denver, had anotherdeal on the back burner and has to move some bodies to create space for what they really want to do. Which of these two new C's will be moving to Portland, ME? Or will both??

 

[The Q]

Gets them close to ducking the tax.

And now can take a little salary back in a Schroeder deal if they want

It wouldn’t shock me if both these guys were on the 22/23 roster as well

 

[The Q]

Losing to Portland without dame or nance

Trade Schroeder

Get some draft capital

That smaller tpe this summer I have my eye on nance himself for like 3 seconds

I’m not sure who to focus on for the big tpe, maybe Jonathan issac or Derek white. Costing firsts

Then you have the new hernan one to probably recoup capital form a team who wants to lower its tax bill or duck the tax entirely.

Ideally a guy who you can at least put on the floor though, like the kris Dunn move last summer. He at least could’ve been out on the floor a bit

 

[Wamu]

Another damn loss for the C's. What da hell's going on this season? Is first year HC Udoka in over his head? Would they be any better if Stevens was the HC?

 

[The Q]

Another damn loss for the C's. What da hell's going on this season? Is first year HC Udoka in over his head? Would they be any better if Stevens was the HC?

They don’t listen to either

At this point I’m not sure it’s the coach

 

[Wamu]

They don’t listen to either

At this point I’m not sure it’s the coach

I think it's inevitable that some moves will be made. This current roster isn't going anywhere.