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I'm pretty shocked by Marcus Smart being shipped out Memphis. He was the one player on the Celtics who was gritty, diving for balls, throwing himself around out there. Though as someone who doesn't like the Celtics it'll be nice not having him on that team. Dude flopped whenever someone drove in the pain or near him.
I thought it'd be Jaylen Brown if anyone who was traded. So who is their starting PG now? Derrick White? Brogdon?
Porzingis, I'm curious what his role will be with that team. Pick n rolls with Tatum & Brown? Replace Horford minutes as a starter?
The problem for Smart is that he was born in the wrong era. He would be perfect in the 90s which was full of gritty, tough guards who could play defense but usually couldnt shoot to save their lives. Guys like Eric Snow for example. Today's league is a shooter's league. All about offense. Look at the fact that Rudy Gobert, 4 time defensive player of the year, is not even considered a top 20 player today, and probably never was. Defense just doesn't matter like it used to. Smart had always been a very good defender, but even Boston knew that offensively he wasnt elite which is why they went and got Brogdon in the first place. White stepping up means that Smart is expendable. The only confusing thing to me was why did they first try to trade Brogdon the first time when they knew deep down that they needed him more than Smart?
The problem for Smart is that he was born in the wrong era. He would be perfect in the 90s which was full of gritty, tough guards who could play defense but usually couldnt shoot to save their lives. Guys like Eric Snow for example. Today's league is a shooter's league. All about offense. Look at the fact that Rudy Gobert, 4 time defensive player of the year, is not even considered a top 20 player today, and probably never was. Defense just doesn't matter like it used to. Smart had always been a very good defender, but even Boston knew that offensively he wasnt elite which is why they went and got Brogdon in the first place. White stepping up means that Smart is expendable. The only confusing thing to me was why did they first try to trade Brogdon the first time when they knew deep down that they needed him more than Smart?
You nailed Smart last year in the Finals, good player, wrong era, not really good enough as a primary ball handler to run the point at the level needed to win it all, IIRC
Boston seems to need another strong PG option, considering Brogdon is injury-prone and Derrick White has not spent much time running the offense on his own. Peyton Pritchard is the backup. Right now, the players who seem tradable are Brogdon, Pritchard and Grant Williams. Who can Boston get at PG? I have to plead ignorance on salary cap space and current player contracts, but... Fred VanVleet? SGA??
We need VanVleet or Dejounte. I think only VanVleet is possible. Id love to have Bruce Brown btw.
Sad to see Marcus the guy go, not sad to see Marcus the player Go- Ive been calling for him to be traded while he's still young for a few years.
Really we need a Dejounte guy to push the tempo and pace and open lanes for JB in transition. He would open up a new dimension entirely for this team due to his fluidity in the open court and ability to get in passing laens with ease.
VanVleet would take care of the primary ball handler down the stretch and provide more experience than Dejounte, and less of a toxic type attitude. Very capable ball-handler, not a great shooter but decent enough- now that we have krsitaps that matters less to me. We dont need to be 3 happy anyway.
I think VanVleet would be plug & play, but he would be expensive and there are other teams who really want him. I was checking out this site on free agents and it looks like Coby White (Bulls) could be a good pick-up who is young enough to continue developing. The price tag would make it an easier deal to pull off.
I knew I wasn't alone in my frustration that Porzingis is going to be playing for Latvia this summer. Wasn't the Gallinari injury (missing the entire season, never playing before being traded) enough to teach the Celtics about doing this with a new trade?
That is a very good starting 5. But what about their bench?
Admittedly looking weaker than last year.
- Al Horford (C) has usually been a starter, is solid defensively, has been a 3pt threat (percentage dropped at end of last season, though) and he's 37.
- Sam Hauser (SG) had a lot of minutes and some streaky quality scoring last season, but sometimes perceived as a weak link defensively.
- Luke Kornet (C) has played some minutes ... nothing remarkable but he is at least not a huge liability.
- Payton Pritchard (PG) is quick, decent from 3pt, but 6'1" -- he will play hard when he gets on the floor though, good for shaking the game up.
- Svi Mykhailiuk (SG), I have no idea what to expect but he's supposed to be a reliable 3pt sharpshooter
- Jay Scrubb (PG/SG), looked good in G-league, don't know how that will translate
- Neemias Queta (C), don't know what to expect, but he's 7'0" and 248 lbs
- The other guys: Jordan Walsh, Oshae Brissett, Dalano Banton, Lamar Stevens, DJ Steward, JD Davison. I don't know their games well... Jordan Walsh looks promising (he's 19). JD Davison needs to work seriously on his turnovers if he's going to be usable.
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