Re: [Celtics' Stuff ] Re: Free agents

[PScottman@xxxxxxx]

"You keep Pierce and Walker on the floor like last year, you make the playoffs regardless. You'll still do it with Brown and Banks getting 20-25 mpg instead of Blount, Baker, or Williams doing it. That is NOT tanking. (I can't believe I'm having to explain this.) By doing this, you find out what you have, while still having the tools to win and 
not teaching that losing is acceptable by tossing guys out there knowing they can't do the job."

AS I said you keep PP and AW on the floor like last year and they're just about guaranteed for a major injury - we've skirted it too long. Second, you're entitled to think that all those guys (Banks, Perkins, Hunter) getting major minutes (20-25mpg is MAJOR minutes) will get us to the playoffs - I think it will get us a lottery pick (high lotto maybe if AW and PP stay healthy, and produce to the same level or better then last year, but lotto nonetheless).  

Lack of depth is death in the NBA. We've gone from 9 deep two years ago, to 7 deep last year, and we've gained nothing but rookies or moved up people from the end of the bench to replace them.  

I'm sorry but that's the very definition of tanking because it's WILLFULLY not signing PROVEN talent to tide you over until those rookies are either proven or traded/released/end their contracts. You bring up Robinson sitting - that's exactly the same as not signing free agents - it's keeping proven talent off your team either way by way of conscious decision.

I'm not arguing your theorem of getting the rookies playing time - I agree. I'm arguing the extent of that playing time and the expectations associated with it. Blount and Williams were major contributors last year - in pressure situations and usually pretty consistent with their contributions. Those are KNOWN quantities. The rookies are all unknown quantities. You have no idea how they'll react. Will they be consistent night in night out? How will they handle the playoffs? What's their injury history - have they shown they can take an NBA pounding? I could go on forever with the unknowns that are mitigated by taking on short term NBA vets.  

Basically you're saying "play the rookies and see what happens" - I have no problem with that, but you're also saying "that's not tanking" is a misdirection. We have the capability to get proven non-rookie players, but have chosen not to. I think your definition of tanking is purposefully trying to lose while mine is purposefully making decisions not to get better.