No Tristan, please. In terms of talent, fine, but I'd expect him to be a malcontent.Aside from Bryant, I could hope for Trez falling to the Celtics. In the end I’d be okay with a fungible guy like old friend Tristan Thompson. Don’t really want the third big to be an injury prone guy.
I wouldn't mind Tristan as a third big, I just hated him as a starter.No Tristan, please. In terms of talent, fine, but I'd expect him to be a malcontent.
The member of last year’s starting five whose role was most similar would be Al Horford, and he’s considered a big.I don't see why we're calling Gallo a big. Yeah, he's tall, but he doesn't do big things. If he guards Embiid or Jokic once this season, it's one time too many. Definitely Embiid.
This ignores my argument completely, which wasn’t about what Thompson can do on the floor.I wouldn't mind Tristan as a third big, I just hated him as a starter.
Regardless, I think Brad does what he did with Schroder last offseason: see who's left.
Horford can actually play post defense & blocks about 6x as many shots as Gallo.The member of last year’s starting five whose role was most similar would be Al Horford, and he’s considered a big.
Position breakdown makes sense when you're doing it in terms of there being 5 players on the floor at once.Horford can actually play post defense & blocks about 6x as many shots as Gallo.
There's no real analogue in the Celtics starting lineup last year because the Celtics didn't start a 4.
In terms of minutes breakdown if everyone healthy, no one is resting & no new additions I see something like this in the regular season...
5 - TL 28, Horford 20
4 - Horford 8, Gallo 16, Grant 15, Tatum 9
3 - Tatum 25, Brown 14, Brogdon 9
2 - Brown 20, Brogdon 19, White 9
1 - Smart 32, White 11, PP 5
Tatum 34
Brown 34
Smart 32
TL 28
Horford 28
Brogdon 28
White 20
Gallo 16
Grant 15
PP 5
The position stuff is a bit nebulous but I think this makes sense...
I'm not sure you really made an argument, per se. You just said you were worried he'd be a "malcontent." What exactly are you worried about? That he's going to break our glass jaw?This ignores my argument completely, which wasn’t about what Thompson can do on the floor.
If they don't get a competent 3rd center, they don't have a choice but to abandon 2 bigs for more than a small portion of the game (the 8 Horford minutes at PF which would probably include the first 4 or so).Position breakdown makes sense when you're doing it in terms of there being 5 players on the floor at once.
Nice breakdown; this is about how I'd expect it to go if the Celtics have abandoned 2 bigs, which I think may be the case based on roster construction. If they stay with it, I bet Horford or TL gets subbed very early most of the time.
He wasn't a great fit here in his first go round and I wouldn't want him playing 10-15 minutes a game.I'm not sure you really made an argument, per se. You just said you were worried he'd be a "malcontent." What exactly are you worried about? That he's going to break our glass jaw?
The guy is in the twilight of his career and accepted minor roles last season. Tristan on 10-15 minutes a game, with his rebounding and effort, will do just fine.
I'd like someone bigger, but if we go into this season with Horford-TL and basically any fungible big who can play some defense, I'll be happy.
I agree with the first half of your sentence, but my sense is that's because he was miscast as a starting center next to Daniel Theis. We had two bigs out there for the first half of the season who couldn't credibly guard the perimeter and offered very little on offense.He wasn't a great fit here in his first go round and I wouldn't want him playing 10-15 minutes a game.
He’s poison.No Tristan, please. In terms of talent, fine, but I'd expect him to be a malcontent.
Brad will know firsthand if he is poison/malcontent. PBS won't disturb team chemistry to roster TT.I agree with the first half of your sentence, but my sense is that's because he was miscast as a starting center next to Daniel Theis. We had two bigs out there for the first half of the season who couldn't credibly guard the perimeter and offered very little on offense.
I don't like TT's game much, and don't love the fit, but I would be fine with him for a third big. The pickings are pretty slim.
He needs to go to the Lakers with Kyrie. Get the band back together for a mediocre reunion tour.He’s poison.
What? Can we provide like, legible proof, before making broad declarations about people?He’s poison.
Brad knows, better than most.I don’t know if TT is poison or not, but Brad Stevens does, so if he decides to sign him, I will trust his judgement. You might take a chance on a turd with an all star, but not the 3rd string center.
Hood at 6’8” would be my first choice out of those three.Still some vet min wing options out there in guys like Hood/Bazemore/McLemore. Nothing special but they are NBA bodies.
I'd take Bazemore. He actually competes on defense & has a much better chance of defending wings than Hood, regardless of height.Hood at 6’8” would be my first choice out of those three.
I meant that offensively Gallinari will be deployed most similarly to Horford.Horford can actually play post defense & blocks about 6x as many shots as Gallo.
Is he? I remember being surprised seeing him on the court seeing him on the court in the Bucks series (I had completely forgotten about him), he played a total of 3 minutes in that 7 game series. Granted Ibaka was functionally the 4th center for the Bucks (and he'd be our 3rd), but still. Maybe he's better than Kornet (honestly I don't see that as a given at this point), but I'd hope for someone better as a 3rd center and 3rd big off the bench.Serge Ibaka is largely cooked as a primary guy , but he’s a nice fit as third big and seems likely to take a ring-chaser spot with someone
The wing depth we need? I'm skeptical.
The Celtics' wing depth is fine. All the guards except PP can play up, and Grant can play down.The wing depth we need? I'm skeptical.
Bryant is target #1Serge Ibaka is largely cooked as a primary guy , but he’s a nice fit as third big and seems likely to take a ring-chaser spot with someone
I think the pitch to Bryant is basically, "Al Horford is 36, but we have a good thing going here that will last beyond him."Bryant is target #1
#2 option: I'd rather have them add Hassan Whiteside on the vet min over Ibaka.
Whiteside played well on an organized Utah team as a backup to Gobert
Hassan has been decent defensively, outside the Kings season, which can be somewhat excused
They could live with Whiteside as the 3rd BIG until the buyout market develops
Yep, that's the pitch to BryantI think the pitch to Bryant is basically, "Al Horford is 36, but we have a good thing going here that will last beyond him."
No thanks on Whiteside.
No one is but the list of what is available is less than inspiring. It's Bryant or it's a retread in his mid 30s who has already been on 8 NBA teams.Not a Whiteside believer
His stats are pretty good (outside of SAC), w/ Boston he's a body to put on Embiid for 4 mins.Yeah Whiteside on the minimum wouldn't be bad at all, he's not bad for a bench big, he goes to the rim and finishes he's acceptable on D
And there is long-term role upside with TL’s injury history and Horford’s age.Given Horford's age/need for rest and Time Lord's fragility, Boston's No. 3 center is likely to play more than most, if not all, of his counterparts in the NBA. Plus, he would stand a good shot at earning a ring. You'd like to think somebody decent would find that combination appealing.
If they were that decent, they could probably get more minutes as a back up. I'm hoping it's Bryant but if he's smart, he shouldn't sign here. He should go for guaranteed minutes.Given Horford's age/need for rest and Time Lord's fragility, Boston's No. 3 center is likely to play more than most, if not all, of his counterparts in the NBA. Plus, he would stand a good shot at earning a ring. You'd like to think somebody decent would find that combination appealing.
Right. But how many of the options left actually care about long term upside? Most of the options aren't much younger than Horford and are looking for a pay check and/or a ring to finish out their careers.And there is long-term role upside with TL’s injury history and Horford’s age.
Mostly just Howard. But it’s good that the Celtics basically check off all the boxes.Right. But how many of the options left actually care about long term upside? Most of the options aren't much younger than Horford and are looking for a pay check and/or a ring to finish out their careers.
I don't actually agree with this. Yes TL has some injury issues, yes Horford is old... BUT you have to be assuming that Ime would play the 3rd big a lot instead of just going to more 1 big or semi-big. Given the team's depth at 1-4 (Tatum, Brown, Smart, Brogdon, White, Williams, Gallo) you're now talkign about fighting for 10th man when the team is healthy, and having to convince Ime it's better to have you out there than Gallo or Williams, when 1 big is out. The Celtics are a very deep team. Look at someone like the Lakers. They MIGHT go with AD at C and Bron at PF... if they do the 3rd big is competing with Damian Jones for backup minutes at both positions... where one guys is old and has had injuries recently, and the other is as oft injured at TL. AND AD doesn't really like playing C, so there is a chance that everyone slides down (especially is LeBron is out) and you get to start at C. Last year the "3rd big" role for the Lakers started 46 times... Freedom and Theis combined for 7.Given Horford's age/need for rest and Time Lord's fragility, Boston's No. 3 center is likely to play more than most, if not all, of his counterparts in the NBA. Plus, he would stand a good shot at earning a ring. You'd like to think somebody decent would find that combination appealing.
Thought DeMarcus Cousins was available. If so, he'd be an interesting sign.Barring that, Hassan would be a shot-blocking/placeholder playing ahead of Luke Kornet. At the moment, you have your choice of Trez Harrell(felony drug charges pending), Ibaka, Howard, Dieng, Moses Brown, Fernando or Whiteside
Gallo Brogdon and Cousins would be the ultimate “guys linked to the Celtics for years” offseason.Thought DeMarcus Cousins was available. If so, he'd be an interesting sign.
Last I saw Cousins he looked super-washed, he'd put up a big scoring game against opposing benches once every few games but he couldn't move. Whiteside has a lot more left.Thought DeMarcus Cousins was available. If so, he'd be an interesting sign.