Too Many Bigs
A few weeks back I asked the question: “Do we have too many bigs?” Many fans would say heck no! They have been saying that since Kevin Garnett packed his bags. I was making an argument that the lack of bigs was not the issue with the Celtics. Coach Stevens has been here 8 years, and by now, we should have learned a little about his game-plan. Brad Stevens is a pace and space coach. He likes a line-up with many versatile, interchangeable pieces. He wants his guys to play tough D and get out and run. But is this team built to do that?
I think we can all agree that the J’s (Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown) thrive in that kind of offense. Since those two guys are our young core and likely to be multiple-time all-stars, it would seem we are trending in good position going forward. So, what is going on with our mediocre results? Well, Kemba’s season just started, Marcus Smart is injured, Tatum had a COVID run in, and Robert Williams has missed significant time. Oh, and don’t forget the two veterans we brought in: Jeff Teague and Triston Thompson, never mind I don’t even want to go there.
Practice Time
The Celtics are dealing with many of the same issues that many teams are dealing with. The COVID impact is real. We didn’t have a training camp, and there is very little time for practice. Just pick your excuse and make your case. I picked my excuse, and it may be a bit of a cop-out. I’m going with all the above and at the heart of it is a lack of depth. To be more specific, lack of wing depth.
I’m still hearing the steady beat of the “real center” argument, but Daniel Theis took us to the ECF last year and he has been our best big on the roster. I know, he is only 6’8” but as I opened with, this is a Brad Stevens’ offense. I also like the progress Robert Williams has made, but we need him to stay healthy. We are respectable in the middle. We are at our best when we are wing heavy. The void left by Gordon Hayward has not bee filled yet. We have been attempting to put bigs into wing roles, with predictable results. All this brings me to the Traded Player Exception (TPE).
There has been plenty of speculation about the TPE and I have heard many names thrown around. I’m not Danny Ainge, I’m just another fan hoping to see glory days return to Boston. I feel our biggest need is a solid two-way wing. I have heard many names mentioned in the discussion of the TPE. My personal favorite, so far, has been Harrison Barnes. I’m not sure if he will become available but he would be the ceiling of what can be nabbed with the TPE.
Who do you want the #celtics to get with the TPE? Are there any other moves you want them to make?
Thanks for reading !
Jim Dickie
