My take on building "around" Pierce (was: 2nd rounders)

[mark at 10thumbs.org]

FWIW -- here's my take on it Mark.

I would like to add a guy like Gasol or J. O'Neal and take a stab at it
this year.  I *do* think that one move like that gives us a chance to make
it out of the East (maybe the kool-aid is too strong i'm drinkin' -- other
"just one moves" would not get us closer). Once you get to the finals you
take a shot. You never know what happens.

Adding a guy like that means too that if it doesn't work, we can still
move Pierce after this year. "Yeah but he'll be more exposed" one might
say, but I think his window is still 2-3 years. Having J.O'Neal left
behind w/ Jefferson makes me feel like we'd have a better shot moving
forward.

IMO -- and i think we differ -- the problem isn't that you *can't* win
with Pierce, it's that we haven't in a while.  I'm not any more convinced
that if we swap Pierce for (say) Gordon, Thomas, and Noah that we're any
closer to winning now OR in the future.

If this was the team that Ainge took over in 2003, OK.... but IMO the task
is for Ainge to package/trade up some of the many assets he's (skillfuly)
gathered.

Will i set myself on fire if Pierce is dealt? No. But i think we still can
have him contribute to the next great Celtic team. I think he saw that the
kids can be soemthing damn good.  You add a Gasol, Camby, Odom, J. O'Neal
to the mix and we roll....

just my 2cents
(the other) mark

---------------
That's just the problem -- we haven't been rebuilding. We keep trying to
convince ourselves that we're really a playoff team and we're one more
away from being a contender and the East sucks and blah, blah, blah ...

Would one move even put us anywhere near the playoffs in the West? Do
they give trophies for making the playoffs in the East? Is that our
goal?

I'm tired of this fantasy of building a contender around Pierce. You
think his value is going to be higher the older he gets? The more
expensive he gets?

This is a good draft. Get a good player and a good draft pick and let's
get around to building a TEAM that can compete for big things rather
than chasing mediocrity around Pierce and hoping we can win a playoff
series before he becomes an aging albatross.

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: celtics-bounces at igtc.com [mailto:celtics-bounces at igtc.com] On
Behalf Of Ryan W
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 4:20 PM
To: The Boston Celtics Mailing List
Subject: RE: 2nd rounders

Mark,

That's a crap trade if there ever was.  You never
trade your best player coming off an injury plagued
year.  Maybe the time will come, but let it come after
a good, injury-free season where we can recover an
equal return.  And I'll repeat it again until everyone
believes: this is a playoff team if everyone's
healthy.  If Ainge can manage to get a
Garnett/JOneal/Gasol in here for 5th pick, West, Theo,
and Green, then we're borderline championship finals
material (given the pathetic state of the Eastern
Conference).  There's no reason to freak out and
rebuild--we've been freaky rebuilding for 2 years, we
just need to wait it out and see what happens.

Ryan
--- "Berry, Mark  S" <berrym at BATTELLE.ORG> wrote:

> The Swift thing was real. Danny wanted him badly. It
> just reinforces the
> point that the Celtics haven't been great at hiding
> their draft
> intentions. Now, that has gotten better since the
> Chris Paul debacle. It
> seems he has put a lid on the leaks for the most
> part. So maybe this is
> a smokescreen. Maybe ...
>
> As for Pierce trades ... I just think it's time to
> admit where we are
> and rebuild. No more straddling the fence. We're far
> from one trade away
> from being anything more than mediocre, so it's time
> to go the other
> direction -- trade Pierce for a younger player who
> can play and a decent
> draft pick. Gordon and 9 from Chicago, or something
> along those lines. I
> know you're not a Gordon fan, and I'm not wild for
> him or anything, but
> he can play. Anyway, I'd think along those lines.
>
> Mark