Ah, remember when? Well, treasure that moment. It’s not coming back anytime soon.
Let’s recap.
Following the lockout there were two schools of thought. The first being that a shortened scheduled would help an aging team like the Celtics. I was originally in this camp.
Then there was the camp of with the league trying to cram all these games into the schedule, it’d wreak havoc on an aging team like the Celtics with all the back to back games. I came over to this camp after the season’s schedule was released.
As the Celtics limped out of the gate, I wrote their eulogy. There was no way this team would last. They are just too old, and won’t have any legs come the playoffs.
Well, today’s headline comes on the heals of the team dropping their fourth straight. And the injuries are starting to stack up. Injuries and Rondo getting suspended for being a dumbass.
So now, I let you into the GM’s office. You get to be Danny Ainge for a day, heck, we’ll say a week. What are you going to do? Your only true assets are your point guard and your aging captain. Neither of which you’d want to move. So then what?
Moving Garnett and or Allen presents its own annoyance. Sure you clean salary off the books but the only teams looking for those guys would be trying to clear payroll for next season’s free agency class. Couldn’t Danny keep them and do the same thing?
The bottom line for me is this, don’t be buyers. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’re a contender. You’re not. Come the trading deadline, if you get a decent offer that gets you younger and you’re not giving up a ton (anyone want Gentle Jermaine, please take him) go for it. I’m not even saying be sellers, just don’t do another Troy Murphy, Carlos Arroyo etc additions for a run.
Your team is fading and doesn’t have another run left in them. Another good losing streak and you’re right in the mix of the draft lottery. Remember what happened last time Danny was there? Exactly. Let’s keep hoping that they keep falling so we’re not another decade without competitive basketball in Boston.
The tight schedule has certainly made it harder for the Celtics to play at a 100 percent.