The Celtics VS The Cavaliers
What should the Celtics even do at this point? Fuck if I know. I watched games 1 and 2; if you could call them games. I think the only thing that could stop the Cavs is a LeBron injury. Don't worry, I'm not going to jinx it, LeBron doesn't get hurt anyway. He's not human.
So many questions loom over this series. The LeBron MJ comparisons, the historic implications of consecutive sweeps to play the Warriors whom might have consecutive sweeps as well. Let's look at the Celtics and their future.
Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Kelly Olynyk and Al Horford is not enough. It's not even close to enough. It was enough to earn the Celtics the 1 seed. Only to be swept under the rug by the Cavs.
The Celtics have big questions to answer. Extend Isaiah Thomas with a maximum salary? Pay a 5'8 (if that) scoring point guard 179 million dollars over 5 years. That would take Thomas to age 33. Can you imagine paying a 33 yeard old Thomas 35.8 million a year? Do you know how bad he'll be defensively? Thomas is a great offensive player, he's a leader, he will sell jerseys, kids love him, casual fans love him, but he's not the answer. He can't be the only option on a team looking to consistently make deep playoff runs. The Celtics will need to pick a road. At least the roads are enticing.
The Celtics organization specifically General Manager Danny Ainge, and Owner Wyc Grousbeck will have to decide, do we go down the money making road? Resign Thomas, bring back as many players as possible, develop Jaylen Brown, Markelle Fultz (most likely #1 draft pick overall) and walk a tightrope between an aging Thomas and Horford. This is a nice team, a 50 win team that could make the playoffs and get swept. But hey, you make the playoffs, develop a couple young promising guys, consistently make playoff money, and we're all happy-ish. (Ask Toronto fans).
The next option is taking a big swing. Trade Fultz, next year's Nets pick, a combination of Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, or whatever else, and attempt to keep Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Davis, or sign Gordon Hayward in free agency.
Hayward is solid. He's 27, an almost all NBA player, versatile, has a nice 2 way game, shoots well, and figures to age nicely. He's still developing his game and has a positive relationship with Brad Stevens. Is he enough to take Boston to the promised land? Beat the Cavs? No. Beat the Warriors? No.
The only realistic shot the Celtics have to take down the Cavs or Golden State is signing Hayward, and trading for either Jimmy Butler or Paul George. The starting lineup would look something like Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley. Jimmy Butler, Gordon Hayward, and Al Horford. (If Boston can keep Bradley. They'll have to trade a mix of Bradley, Crowder, and Marcus Smart.) That's a lineup that could compete with LeBron. Could they win? Maybe, but probably not. Which begs the question.
To what degree does Boston, or anyone else in the East attempt to compete with the Cavs? Do we all wait and hope LeBron starts aging? He hasn't yet, and even if his game drops off 10% he's still the best player in the East, in the league, and when he wants to turn it on defensively, he'll still be a beast. What is everyone supposed to do, wait 5 years? Half a decade? Isaiah Thomas will be 33. Al Horford will be 35. The team will be completely different.
And LeBron will still be the same. Everyone wants to play with him. He shares the ball, elevates the game of others, and is an excellent help defender. Kevin Love is 28. Kyrie Irving is 25. Those guys are in their prime(s). The Cavs aren't going anywhere. Neither are the Celtics.
The last option is blow it up. Just because you can't compete with LeBron doesn't mean you should blow it up. But it's an option. The Celtics could trade Isaiah, Crowder, and Bradley (Not sure about Horford, although the playoffs are boosting his value) They would get solid assets in return, and could hand the team over to Fultz, Brown, and whomever the Nets pick turns into next year. While this option is interesting, it sucks. Going to the Eastern Conference Finals is cool. Ask Clipper fans (if they exist) if they'd like to see their team in the Western Conference Finals. Ask Detroit Pistons fans if they'd like to sniff the playoffs.
The Celtics, or anyone else, it's their job to compete. What is the entire league supposed to do, lay down while the Cavs and Warriors duke it out for the next 5 years while LeBron is in his prime and Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson run the league? No other teams have to compete. The Rockets were interesting. The Jazz were scrappy. The Bucks were fun as hell to watch. It's about entertainment. Winning is entertaining, but so is rooting for your team.
