The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest, V14 #157

[Michael Gooen]

Ravi asked:

<<Steve, 

Do you believe this team as currently constituted including the seventh 
pick in this draft can win a championship in the next three to five years?
 
If not, what do you think Boston should do to accomplish that goal?>> 

Assuming that you're looking for $0.02 from other list members, my answers
are:

-- no
-- HIRE A BETTER COACH - and maybe get new owners who are neither
luxury-tax averse nor criminally insane a la the Cablevision Dolans.

If the Cs can find the next Avery Johnson/Mike D'Antoni, then I think it
is a matter of matching together some very attractive pieces.  I am as
optimistic about West and Perkins as anyone, and I'm willing to see what
Al, Green (perhaps their theme song should be "Let's Stay Together"?),
Allen, and Gomes bring to the table in the next year or so.

I'm not totally averse to a Pierce trade - I would do a Pierce & #7 trade
for Hinrich + cap filler + this year's #2 (Tyrus Thomas, or most
attractive offer from another trade partner) + next year's Knicks pick,
but I very much doubt the Bulls would do that.  There is no one in this
draft who is as good as Paul Pierce.  Call me crazy, but I'm not sure
there is anyone in last year's draft who is as good as Paul Pierce (and
no, I haven't forgotten about CP3 - I'm just not sold yet, whatever the
espn.com statheads might say).

In any event, I have no problem keeping Pierce or giving him a better
contract than he could get on the open market, although I certainly don't
want Danny to go all Scott Layden on us.  I don't blame Pierce for this
team's failures and I have no problem building around him for the next 5
years or so.  Unless this team can jettison Raef and Wally and make some
hard choices about its youngsters, I don't see Pierce's extension as a cap
issue, but as a luxury tax issue - hence my comment above.

Hoping Tyrus Thomas slips to the C's anyway, otherwise hoping for Shelden
Williams,

Michael Gooen

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