Celtics outlook; Homestretch
The trade deadline has come and gone, and yet again Danny Angie sat on his hands (and his draft picks) and didn't make a move. It seems as if there is no trade rumor the Celtics aren't in, weather it be at the deadline, the offseason, or draft night, as well as if it includes "superstar" talent or rotational depth. After using the first good Brooklyn pick on Jaylen Brown, the Celtics are running out of time to trade this picks before they need to be cashed in for a college freshman, and by that time the value may have dropped too much for a superstar to be had. Did Angie do the right thing in holding on to these picks (for now), or did he condemn the Celtics into a tailspin of mediocrity.
Sometimes being a good GM is not being bending to pressure, not selling the future of the team for a short window of small sized playoff runs. Brooklyn has given Danny Angie a golden ticket, they have given him the power to be a top seed in the eastern conference, as well as high valued draft picks to do what he pleases over the next couple years. This could be seen as a blessing and a curse, because every team in the Association knows the Celtics have the best trade package, so the asking price will be a lot higher. Danny Angie has the assets, but in a lot of ways the other teams have the leverage. During the deadline Sportscenter hosts and NBA insiders where talking about how, "if Boston makes a trade they might be able to catch Cleveland for the top seed". But beating the injury riddled Cavs to the top seed in the east doesn't make them better than the Cavs (especially now that they picked up D-Will, and Bogut). The 2014-2015 Hawks team is the perfect example, they ripped through the Eastern Conference enroot to a 60 win season, only to get annihilated by Cleveland in the Conference Finals 4-0. Even if Boston can snag the top seed, the Cavs are still favorites, and LeBron is still LeBron.
The Celtics are clearly team with the most "assets" but what if Boston's best way to a championship is not by trading the Brooklyn Picks but by trading Isaiah Thomas. If you haven't clicked off the page, thank you, now let me explain my reasoning. The Celtics are years ahead of schedule on there rebuild, and right around the same time as that was starting, a team out west (which shall remain nameless) was building a dynasty. Then on top of an already stellar team added another top 5 player to the squad. Not saying that this team (I wont say it) is unbeatable but the Celtics even if they add a proven superstar are going to have a hard time with them in a seven game series, let alone the Cavs I the east. I'm not saying trade all your vets and tank, but maybe don't pay a player a max deal when you know you cant win now. If you go in the route you would try to hang on to players like Smart and brown and build around those guys while getting the Nets picks for the next 2 years, while also still being a playoff team. It may be frustrating watching the same two teams in the finals every year, but do you know who its not frustrating for, those teams fan bases. And that is what a team should be building for, being a perennial contender, having sustainable success, and winning freckin rings.
