Beantown Ballin' (1/26 - 2/1)

Photo Courtesy of ESPN

In a three game week, the Celtics had a hard time finding success and ended up with three tough losses.

Brooklyn Nets

In Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce's return to Boston, the scrappy Boston squad could not pull out a win against the two future Hall of Famers and their team. The final score ended up being 85-79. Garnett could only manage six points along with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Pierce also had 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Luckily, the fans in the Garden gave the pair a well deserved standing ovation and the buzz surrounding Boston was magnificent. Brandon Bass played his heart out in the loss with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Rajon Rondo had a great game with 13 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds.

For game highlights, click here

New York Knicks

Facing off against the other New York team, the results were not better. In a blowout 114-88 loss, almost everyone on the Celtics contributed, but it was still not enough. Jeff Green led the Celtics with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. Off the bench, Chris Johnson and Kris Humphries had 12 points apiece. Jerryd Bayless contributed 10 points and 4 assists in 27 minutes of action. Boston's downfall this game was their shooting. Shooting 39% from the field and 27% from behind the arc is not going to win you many games.

For game highlights, click here

Philadelphia 76ers.

This game was the definition of a heartbreaker... The Celtics looked like they had this game in the bag, but Evan Turner had other ideas and dropped in the game winner. One factor that could have made a huge impact on this game is that Rajon Rondo was sitting out for rest. Jared Sullinger had an amazing performance in the PG's absence and poured in 24 points, 17 rebounds and 2 assists. Jeff Green had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists while playing shooting guard for the majority of the game. Off the bench, Kris Humphries had a near double-double with 13 points and 9 rebounds. This game left the Celtics with an abysmal 15-33 record on the season.

For game highlights, click here 

Potential Celtics Trades (January, 2013)

This is the third installment of "Potential Trades" done by Posts from the Parquet. The first two were written by Ankit Mehra; you can read those here and here. 

The Celtics are in unofficial full tanking mode, so Danny Ainge probably isn't looking to improve Boston through trades. In other words, the only trades he would possibly make are for future assets like picks or expiring contracts. Here are some trades that may fit that description. Thank you to ESPN's NBA Trade Machine. 

Although this trade makes the Celtics substantially worse for this season, it can be monumental for the future. Danny Granger's 14 million dollar expiring contract would clear loads of cap space for the Celtics who are looking to rebuild through free agency and the draft. The cap space would give them the type of flexibility that Danny Ainge would want to have. Additionally, the Celtics would demand a draft pick of some sort from Indiana. 

The trade makes sense for the Pacers because they have been publicly known to be unhappy with Granger, and Bass helps them get better now. The Pacers are trying to win the title this year, so they would probably be willing to take Wallace if they also get Bass to help them on the road to the Finals. 

This trade is very good for the Celtics because it both improves them for this season and the future. Thaddeus Young as expressed that he wants out of Philly, so the 76ers would ship him and Hawes to Boston for Jeff Green. Hawes is the key to this transaction because he would provide a true center to Boston and he's a nice expiring contract. Young can be a complimentary piece to a Boston team that likes to run. He can play both small and power forward and defend both positions relatively well. 

Philly would like Green's athleticism and perimeter shooting to go along with MCW, Evan Turner, and the crew. He would fit well into their young system.

Three team trades get a bit hectic on the Trade Machine, but this one is interesting. The Celtics acquire Austin Rivers, a young, athletic guard with loads of potential, who the Pelicans don't use. They also receive Asik from the Rockets, who has been riding the bench for the whole season because of Dwight Howard. The Celtics would then have a true center who can be a presence down low on defense and can grab 15 boards per game. They are getting rid of Avery Bradley, who is going to leave in free agency anyway, Jeff Green, and Brandon Bass. Boston would also probably make sure they get some sort of draft pick from either team. 

This trade works for Houston because even though they are happy with Terrence Jones' improvement at the four position, they would love to reunite Ryan Anderson with Dwight Howard. They were teammates in Orlando and made a run together all the way to the Finals in 2009. That Magic team played through Dwight in the post and surrounded him with excellent perimeter shooters. If the Rockets can replicate that with superior players like James Harden, they would have a fighter's chance at making a run at the title. They would also greatly benefit from the perimeter defense of Avery Bradley. 

This trade works only works if the Pelicans are involved. They give up Rivers and Anderson for Jeff Green and Brandon Bass. The Pelicans would improve because they would be happy with the perimeter shooting of Jeff Green, but more importantly, need a physical big man to play with Anthony Davis. Brandon Bass is just that. Bass has proved to be Mr Consistent in Boston, 11 and 6 this year for Boston. He would be a big upgrade to playing Anthony Davis at the power forward position and starting Greg Stiemsma. Bass and Green both provide playoff experience to a very young New Orleans team that is VERY guard-heavy. 

There has been a common theme with these trades; the Celtics are either trying to get a true center or future assets. In this case, they could get both. Okafor would solidify the center position for Boston while also having a Danny Granger-like contract. The Celtics are dying to get rid of Wallace because of his menacing 3 year-10 million dollar contract, and they would do just that in this trade. 

This trade is unlikely to go through because I doubt the Suns would trade away his contract because of their cap situation. But, the Suns are very confident and comfortable with their current front court status even without Okafor. They love both Morris brothers and have gotten excellent production from Len and Plumlee. They also are looking to improve their small forward depth because after a Gerald Green in permanent eff you mode because of all the teams that released or traded him, they don't have much. It's even worse now that Eric Bledsoe is hurt because Green is forced to play shooting guard and PJ Tucker starts at the 3. 

...................................................................................................................................................................

If you have any trades that you would like to see the Celtics make, or if you have a problem with any of the potential trades above, please contact us! Thank you.

Email: postsfromtheparquet@gmail.com

Twitter: @ParquetPosts

Who is Phil Pressey?

Pressey contorts his body to make a spectacular pass against the Knicks
Photo courtesy of csnbayarea.com

Just a few months ago….

Phil Pressey went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft. He wouldn't have imagined that just a few months later-he would be playing for arguably the best franchise in all of sports, the Boston Celtics. The former Missouri PG who looked like he had no future in the NBA now looks like he could become a solid NBA back-up, possibly a starting PG if he gives it his very best. He certainly has the work ethic to accomplish that.

Phil Pressey was born February 17, 1991 in Dallas to Elizabeth and Paul Pressey. He has basketball background in his family as his father, Paul, played for the Bucks, Warriors, and Spurs in his 11 year career, while averaging over 10.5 PPG, 5 APG, and 3.5 RPG. Paul Pressey was also an assistant coach on the Celtics from 2004-2006. He had some words to say about his son's future in the NBA, 

"Him being around basketball all his life, this is second nature to him. The biggest thing for him is making the adjustment to what the NBA is all about. The game is full of more talent. You're not the fastest. You're not the only one that's skilled. Everybody on the floor has skill. They got speed, they got size. So you have to make adjustments, too. He's smart enough to figure that out. It's just gonna take time on the floor at this level to figure it out."

Phil Pressey played college ball at the University of Missouri. He led the Big 12 in assists and steals during his sophomore year. He was also successful in his junior year; leading the conference in assists. 

He decided to fore go his senior year at Missouri to enter the NBA draft. Although he had a solid season at Missouri, ESPN projected him to go in the late 2nd-round...He went undrafted. Pressey later signed with Boston to play in the Summer League. His play rewarded him with a 3 year deal worth the league minimum for a rookie, which is around 490k. Pressey did not earn much playing time during the first months of the season, but he has recently played legitimate minutes. In his first career NBA start on Jan. 15, Pressey had 10 assists and 0 turnovers (something he struggled to do in college).

With Avery Bradley, Jerryd Bayless, and Rajon Rondo all out on the 22nd against the Wizards, Pressey had another chance to shine. He finished with a career high 20 points on 7/10 shooting and 4 assists before fouling out in his second ever career start.

Pressey has looked like a steal all season long in the sense that Boston got a reliable and productive option for basically nothing. He has put up averages of 2.3 PPG, 1 RPG, and 2.6 APG; not star numbers, but effective in limited minutes. Additionally, Pressey is only 5"11, which gives him a physical disadvantage, but a mental advantage because of the chip on his shoulder. 

Those performances mentioned earlier are impressive for a player like Pressey. If he can continue to keep his turnovers down and shoot consistently on a daily-basis then Pressey has a chance at becoming a future starting PG, probably not for Boston. All in all, Pressey has shown flashes of brilliance in his rookie season, but for now, I can only see him as solid back-up point guard.

Will The Truth Return for Good?

via sportsinreview.com

Paul Pierce, The Truth, who spent his first 15 seasons in the NBA in Celtic green, will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2013-2014 year. The Truth matured as a person and player as he played in Boston. He went through ultimate low times in his life, like getting stabbed 11 times in a night club, and all-time highs like winning the 17th Boston Celtics NBA Championship. Paul Pierce means so much to the city of Boston, and that was apparent during his return to the Boston Garden, when the Celtics played his tribute video and the crowd reacted extremely emotionally.

Along with Pierce meaning a lot to the city of Boston, Paul Pierce resonates with me on a personal level too. Pierce, who is my favorite player ever, left Boston for Brooklyn in the off season with his best friend, Kevin Garnett. KG and Pierce will always be in my heart because they brought the only championship banner to Boston 21st Century and the only one in my lifetime. 

The feelings between Pierce and the fans is mutual, he said this after his return to the Garden. "I just wanna give a special thank you [to the fans]," Pierce said. "Through my bad times, through my immature times, through my growing up and becoming a man in this city, to winning a championship and everybody sticking with me and standing behind me, I'd just like to tell them thank you."

I'm convinced that Pierce, in his heart, will forever be a Celtic. As soon as he retires, '34' will be hung up in the rafters right next to the Big Ticket's '5'. Even though Pierce will always be in the Celtics' building, will he have the opportunity to retire in Boston?

The Boston Celtics, who have been labelled as a rebuilding team, would probably not sign Pierce to a legitimate contract. With that said, Danny Ainge is an unbelievable general manager, who has the reputation for making unbelievable moves in both free agency and on the trading block. If The Truth decides to not hang it all up, it is likely that his destination of choice would be the beloved Boston. 

Danny Ainge, who stuck with Pierce through the thick and thins of the early and immature parts of his career, probably has a little sweet spot in his heart for Paul, just like the whole city of Boston. I wouldn't be surprised if Pierce agrees with the Celtics to sign either a 10 day contract or a 1 year, 1 million dollar deal. Both of those deals would make sense because Pierce would be ecstatic to play for the team where his heart is, and the Celtics P-R department would blow up and they would sell a crazy amount of tickets. TV ratings for 10 games would be through the roof, and the The Truth could retire after a game in the Garden and give the Boston Faithful one of his signature bows. 

Even if Pierce retires after this season with Brooklyn, he and the Celtics organization has expressed interest in Pierce joining Boston as a coach or in management. After he was traded to Brooklyn, Pierce made a quick remark about his possible future role in the organization. "I may be working for Wyc Grousbeck or Danny Ainge".  It's also well documented that Pierce wants to at the very least open up a sports bar in Boston because he "still has relationships" in the city. 

So don't be surprised if Paul Pierce returns to the Celtics organization eventually as a player, coach, or in management. And at the very least, you can find him at his own sports bar in downtown Boston in 2015. 

#GoodinGreen: Part 2

In Part One of the #GoodinGreen series, I gave a scouting report on future lottery pick, Dante Exum, the combo guard from Australia. In this post, I will breakdown Jabari Parker, the highly touted swingman from Duke.

Parker, who grew up in Chicago, was named the "Best high school basketball player since Lebron James" in a 2012 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine. But the title was stripped of his name like a WWE belt because Parker sat out his last season in high school due to injury. Andrew Wiggins, another coveted young star, overtook the #1 high school recruit.

Right now it's clear that Parker is a better player than Wiggins, for he's more developed offensively and physically. Parker is a natural small forward with outstanding athleticism and his post game is very impressive, so he can play small ball four in the NBA. Parker is the most NBA-ready prospect in the NCAA, but he probably doesn't have as much "upside" potential as Wiggins or Joel Embiid.

Any NBA team would be ecstatic to have Jabari Parker on their roster, but only one team can draft him. And that team might be the Celtics.

If the Celtics have a pick and Parker is still on the board, Danny Ainge would be quick to pull the trigger on the Duke star.

Jabari Parker and the Boston Celtics would go together like salt and pepper; their offense would thrive, Parker's game would further develop under great coaching, and Boston would return as playoff contenders if they make a free agent signing.

With Jeff Green being extremely inconsistent offensively and the current center situation being a mess, Parker could either play over Green or with him at the four position.

If the Celtics are fortunate enough to get the second or third pick and Parker is still available, the Celtics' rebuilding process would immediately be over. He has enough raw talent and athleticism to singlehandedly return success to TitleTown. 

Jabari Parker would definitely look #GoodinGreen. 

Reviewing the Tribute Videos

Big Ticket and The Truth gaze at the JumboTron
 via espn.go.com

Everyone in America has seen the videos, or at least some of them, but not everyone knows how a die-hard Celtics fan feels about them. My favorite basketball player of all time, Paul Pierce, returned to the Garden last night (My second favorite player is Garnett). I'm not going to lie, I almost cried during the KG video and I actually cried during the Pierce. I wasn't bawling or anything, but there was a tear or two running down my cheek. I wasn't the only one; former Celtic Kendrick Perkins shared some feelings with me.

Watching this Celtic game and I almost felt a tear come done my face. Watching Ticket and Paul get that well deserved home welcoming.
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 27, 2014

Let's start with the reviews, shall we?

THE KG VIDEO TRIBUTE: 




This video wasn't as sad as Pierce's, for KG played for just 6 seasons and didn't quite resonate as much on a personal level with all the fans. Everyone loved him, but they weren't as attached to him as The Truth. With that said, I thought this video was done beautifully. It captured KG's intense nature and his role in the 2008 Championship. The music wasn't great, but it was still a wonderful tribute that definitely did its job.
B+

Paul Pierce Tribute Video:



Like I mentioned earlier, Paul Pierce is my favorite basketball player ever, with KG a step behind him. I was so sad to see him go to Brooklyn, and I was so sad to see him play against Boston last night. But when this video played again, I fell in love all over again with him. This man was stabbed in a club 11 times and didn't miss a game!!! He plays with so much heart and passion and he gave the city of Boston its only NBA championship in the 21st century. The video was excellent and the reaction from Pierce and the crowd was even better. He did a little bow just like the one after he hit the buzzer beater over Al Harrington after yelling at him for 15 seconds.  This was amazing and it make me think about if it's possible for The Truth to come back, which I will probably write about this Friday, so remember to check it out! I know how hard the video guys for the Celtics worked on these two videos from reading various stories on them, so I would like to personally say thank you to everyone behind the scenes who put together the montages. Anyways, the video was perfect,
A+

For some additional fantastic articles about the tribute videos, click here and here.

This is the post game press conference for Paul and Kevin....

Game Recap: Brooklyn @ Boston

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce returned to Boston on Sunday, but that didn't seem to bother Brooklyn as they still won 85-79.

Pierce and KG each had 6 points. Pierce struggled from the field as he missed 8 of his 10 shots. Garnett had 3 rebounds including a steal from Rajon Rondo with 20 sec left that led to a uncontested bucket to close out the game.

Also returning to Boston was Jason Terry a.k.a JET. The sharpshooter spent 1 year in Boston. He finished with 3 points 33% shooting.

The Celtics have now lost 17 out of their last 20. They were led by Brandon Bass and Rajon Rondo. Bass had 17 pts and 8 rebounds while Rondo had 13 pts and 8 assists.

Game Leaders:

Pts: Brandon Bass- 17 Andray Blatche- 17

Rebs: 2 tied with 8 Linvingston- 8

Asts: Rondo- 8 Williams-7

Boston will take on the Knicks next on Tuesday.

Preview: Brooklyn @ Boston

Sunday will be an emotional day in Boston as it will mark Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce's return to Boston for the first time since the blockbuster trade that sent them to Brooklyn. In these 2 teams last meeting, Brooklyn came out victorious as they won 106-94.

 Starting Lineups: Boston/ PG- Phil Pressey SG- Gerald Wallace SF- Jeff Green PF- Jared Sullinger C- Kris Humphries

Brooklyn/ PG- Deron Williams SG- Joe Johnson SF- Alan Anderson PF- Paul Pierce C- Kevin Garnett

Brooklyn has been on fire as of late. They have won 4 out of their last 5 games and 9 out of 10. They are turning their season around. As for the Celtics, it looks as if their struggles will never end. They have lost 4 out of their last 5 including a 101-83 L to a Durant-less OKC on Friday. The return of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett will be the most signifacant headline of the game, as the Nets will likely close out the C's for their 5th win in their last 6 games.

Predicted Final Score:
Brooklyn- 106
Boston- 92

Welcome Home! #CelticsForever

Top 10 KG and Pierce Moments

KG and Pierce Return to the Garden

via thenosebleeds.com

For the first time this season, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will return to Beantown, the city where they both won their one and only blue chip. The two teams will square off in the Garden at 6:30 PM eastern time. For Pierce, it will be the first time ever that he will play in the Boston Garden while not wearing Celtics green. It will likely be an emotional night in the Garden. The Truth and KG will undoubtably get a long, loud standing ovation from the Boston Faithful.

Rondo spoke about the topic with ESPN's Chris Forsberg...

"Just like I played against [Oklahoma City's Kendrick Perkins on Friday] night," said Rondo. "There might be a lot of [expletive]-talking, but it’ll be fun. They are competitors, they compete. And I’ll do the same." 

It was announced that there will be two separate pre-game video tributes; one for Pierce and one for Garnett.

Thank you for everything you two have done for the Celtics organization and the city of Boston. Here is a tribute to the veterans careers as Celtics: 

Beantown Ballin' (1/20 - 1/26)

Photo Courtesy of ESPN

In a four game week, the Celtics struggled again only managing one win.  Although it was a widely negative week, a few positives can be drawn from this fairly negative week.

Orlando Magic

It was 19 days into January, and the Magic had still not won a game in the new calendar year.  Thankfully for the Magic, they were facing off against a suffering Celtics squad, and grabbed their first win of 2014.  The Magic can thank Arron Afflalo for their two point victory.  Afflalo had 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists.  Kris Humphries continued his string of successful games with a 18 point, 12 rebounds, and 2 block performance. Rajon Rondo struggled mightily this game only registering 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists on putrid 3-10 shooting from the field.  Jeff Green was a pure scorer this game going off for 22 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds. A heart breaking loss for the Celtics, but they simply could not contain Arron Afflalo. 

For game highlights, click here. 

Miami Heat

It is always tough to play the Miami Heat, and it is even tougher when you are playing in Miami.  The Celtics felt the wrath of LeBron James and co. in a 93-86 defeat. LeBron James dropped 29 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.  Again, Kris Humphries was the star of the Celtics recording another double double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Rajon Rondo struggled mightily this game, only putting up 1 point, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds.  Off the bench, Brandon bass led the Celtics in scoring with 15 points. The Celtics allowed the Heat to shoot over 50% from the field which is the biggest reason on why the Celtics got the L.

For game highlights, click here.

Washington Wizards

The Celtics were able to come away with a win in overtime over the Washington Wizards even though they were extremely undermanned.  In the 113-111 OT victory, the Celtics resorted to signing Vander Blue to a 10 day contract because they were so depleted.  Blue played for four minutes and tallied up 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist.  The real star of the game was Jeff Green who had his best performance of the season with 39 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals. Phil Pressey also had his best game to date with 20 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals.  This win took a little of grit and heart for the Celtics, but it was all worth it in the end.

For game highlights, click here.

Oklahoma City Thunder

This game was simply embarrassing, the Thunder were playing without Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, and the Celtics could still not manage a win.  Serge Ibaka led the way with 21 points and 7 rebounds for the Thunder with Reggie Jackson and Perry Jones starting in place of the injured stars.  Rajon Rondo found his passing ways again tallying 8 assists, but still struggled scoring the basketball.  Gerald Wallace was the Celtics top performer with 13 points 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.  That is how bad the Celtics played.  This team has no excuses to lose a game like this, and they need to pump up their energy for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce's much anticipated return to Boston. 

For game highlights, click here.

Project Boston: The Center Situation

(http://images.kpopstarz.com/data/images/full/136745/joel-embiid-monster-block.jpg)

Kelly Olynyk, Vitor Faverani, Joel Anthony, the Boston Celtics...What do those four have in common? The players all play on the Celtics as of right now. That needs to change. The first step to rebuilding is too get a strong big man who can create havoc.

Look back through history and you'll see faces such as Wilt Chamberlin, Willis Reed, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Moses Malone, Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and the Celtics very own Bill Russell. Taking a walk through history gives us the idea that big man change the game, though many had sidekicks such as Ewing - Starks, Reed - Frazier, Shaq - Bryant, etc big men can change the complexion of a franchise and that is where Danny Ainge and the Celtics need to start in order to reshape the franchise.

Through free agency not many young faces arise, but one player who may not live up to the superstar potential of a Patrick Ewing or Hakeem Olajuwon, but could be a viable starter is Greg Monroe. Monroe, currently a Detroit Piston, is currently averaging 14.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg, and 2.0 apg as the fourth scoring option in Detroit. Monroe is currently only 23, and would play a bigger role in Boston, but whether or not he could live up to some of the greats who have been forces in the interior is a stretch, especially when considering his lackadaisical low post defense.

The better rout for the Celtics would be to go through the draft. This years draft is expected to be one of the more star studded ones, and after the semi disastrous 2013 draft that has produced more busts than breakout rookies, I think not only do the fans, but the GM's deserve it.

This years draft will feature names such as Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Marcus Smart, and Julius Randle, but the there are only two players the Celtics should look into getting in Joel Embiid, and Noah Vonleh. Embiid, who many consider to be a "project player", has been a surprise to the NCAAM world as he has averaged a solid 11.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.8 bpg, and 1.3 apg while converting on a 67% clip from the field. He could be the big body who looks down the interior and plays the role of big body that the Celtics have lacked this season upon the departure of Kevin Garnett.

The other option for Boston is to go after the underrated big man out of Indiana in Noah Vonleh. Vonleh is a stretch five for the Celtics and possesses a strong three point shooting stroke as he is converting at a 55.6% clip from behind the arc while almost averaging a double double with his 12.4 ppg, and 9.4 rpg to go alongside his 1.3 bpg. Not only is he a big body on defense, but he can provide an offensive spark and in a fast flowing offensive system that Brad Stevens runs, Vonleh could thrive, potentially developing into Paul Gasol type of player.

The Celtics need to start the rebuilding process and depending on their long term goals, the decision on whether or not to get a center through the draft or free agency will differ, but there are ample options this offseason, and the first place to start for Boston is at the five. 

What will the Celtics Future Look Like?

via masslive.com

"I like to stick to the script. I don't like change much. I wouldn't mind staying here for the rest of my career. Things don’t always seem to go that way, but like I said before, it’s just a business. I wouldn't mind extending another 10 years in Boston." 

Those are the words that star point guard Rajon Rondo told reporters when asked about his future with the organization. Rondo and Ainge have expressed mutual interest to sign a contract extension for either two or three additional years. The point guard deserves and will get superstar money.

We all know that Danny Ainge (shown above), is open to any trade or free agent options, for he has traded young, talented players, transcendent, veteran players, and everyone in between. This year, he has traded away Courtney Lee, Marshon Brooks, and most importantly, leading scorer Jordan Crawford. In return, the Celtics received inferior players like Jerryd Bayless and Joel Anthony and potentially gold-value draft picks.

It seems like the Celtics have a few more trades in them before the February 20 NBA trade deadline. Ainge is probably looking to deal Gerald Wallace and Avery Bradley for various reasons. I truly believe that ultimately anyone on the roster besides Rondo and maybe Sullinger is on the trading block and Ainge would be willing to pull the trigger if the deal is favorable for the future.

Who will be the next Celtics player to go? It seems like nobody is safe besides Rondo and Sully, so I predict that either Gerald Wallace, Avery Bradley, Kris Humphries, Brandon Bass, or Jeff Green will be the next to go. They are all actually playing particularly well, which drives their trade value up tremendously.

Kris Humphries' contract expires after this season, so the Celtics are desperate to trade his 12M contract for practically anything. He's playing well, so maybe, just maybe, it's possible to get rid of him for more picks. Ainge really, really believes in rebuilding through the draft.

Avery Bradley declined the Celtics offseason contract extension and will become a free agent after this season. Rather than just watch him go for free, Ainge will likely try to trade him and get a pick out of him, just like Hump.

The Celtics, who will have loads of cap space for the 2014 free agent class if they make one or two more favorable trades, could shoot for a big name in the market. Names like Gordon Hayward, Greg Monroe, Paul Pierce, and maybe even my favorite player in the NBA, Lance Stephenson, who is restricted and will likely sign back with the Pacers. For more free agent options for the Celtics, click here, and for trade options, click here and here

The Celtics have two first round picks and a second round pick in the 2014 draft, due to the Nets and Joel Anthony trades. They will have one in the lottery and one outside of the top 14, but nonetheless are two very valuable assets. The Celtics will probably have around the fifth pick, so players like Dante Exum, Julius Randle, or Aaron Gordon could still be around for the taking.

In the next five years, the Celtics could possibly have over 9 picks because of various trades, the biggest one being with the Nets. The Celtics received four first round picks from the Nets in the KG and Pierce deal, a trade that proved Danny Ainge knows what he's doing to say the least.

Here is an estimate of what the Celtics 15 man roster will look like next year:

• Rajon Rondo
• Jared Sullinger
• Kelly Olynyk
• Joel Anthony
• Jerryd Bayless (Resigned)
• Vitor Faverani
• Phil Pressey
• Gerald Wallace (Sadly)
• Chris Johnson
• Draft Picks A, B, and C
• Free Agent A, B, and C

It may be hard to imagine because of my stupid letter system, but if you replace the A's and B's with some players that were mentioned earlier or in the links, that is definitely a playoff team.

Brad Stevens, the coach of the Boston Celtics, has proved that it doesn't truly matter how much talent is on the floor; he can win with anyone. He has been winning games with guys named Vander Blue and Chris Johnson contributing legitimate minutes. He turned Jordan Crawford, a notorious ball-hog into a near 20 point scorer and eventually a bunch of draft picks. All coach Stevens does is win, even when the Celtics aren't trying to win. And that can be scary if he's suddenly surrounded by a ton of talent through the draft and free agency. The Celtics rebuilding process may not be so much of a process after all; maybe just a quick turnaround rebuilding season.

Preview: Boston @ Washington

via bostonherald.com

After an emotional loss to the Miami Heat the Celtics suffered last night, they hope to bounce back tonight against the Washington Wizards. They will have to do so with limited back court depth; here is the injury report for tonight's game:

Celtics:

Rajon Rondo, PG (Knee)

Avery Bradley, SG (Ankle)

Jerryd Bayless, PG/SG (Toe)

Wizards:

Al Harrington, PF (Knee)

Trevor Booker, PF (Ankle)

Without Rondo, Bradley, and Bayless, players like Phil Pressey, Chris Johnson, and Vander Blue will have to carry the load offensively, which isn't very promising. The Celtics are in a very tough position right now at the guard positions due to injuries and the Jordan Crawford trade, so this game is kind of like an experiment to see how good all these über young players are.

Washington, who has won 4 out of their last 5 games, are very strong in the back court with Bradley Beal and John Wall. Look for them to score in bunches against the Celtics without Rondo and Bradley. The Wizards are fifth in the Eastern Conference and they recently beat the Heat; everything seems to be coming together with them because of the acquisition for big man Marcin Gortat, who anchors the defense and is solid offensively.

This game will be a tough one for the Celtics to win because it's on a back-to-back, they have a ton of injuries, and the Wizards are playing very good basketball right now. With that said, Brad Stevens and the Celtics will make it a scrappy, low scoring game which will give them a chance to win in the end. But their lack of depth and running out of steam late in the game is inevitable for this group, something we witnessed last night in Boston.

Predicted Final Score:
WAS: 96
BOS: 88

#GoodinGreen: Part 1

via craveonline.com

"With the fifth pick in the 2014 NBA draft, the Boston Celtics select.....DANTE EXUM!!!!"

I'm going to start off by saying that any doubters of Dante Exum have the same criticism of him and it truly isn't a valid point. That criticism is that the competition of play that he is up against in Australia, where he plays, is no match for the NCAA and NBA. While this is true, you can't downgrade Exum for being amazing in Australia, when he would be just as good playing in America. Just look what he did to the best NCAA players in his class in the Nike Hoops Summit: 

This 18 year old man led a team with Sergey Karasov, Andrew Wiggins, and Dennis Schroder to a dominating victory over Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon, Noah Vonleh, Andrew Harrison, and Julius Randle. Exum ended the game with 16 points on 6-8 field goal shooting. This man was an explosive rim attacker, relentless defender, and smart play maker. 

The 6'6 combo guard is still improving and could easily fit on any team in the NBA, but he hasn't quite decided yet whether or not he will be going to college or the NBA next year. With that said, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that Exum recently met with "eight powerhouse player representation agencies and left them a strong impression that he plans to enter the June NBA draft."

If Exum decides to declare for the NBA and the Celtics drafted him with an early pick, many fans would be skeptical. But Exum is a prime prospect that would fit into the Celtics rotation beautifully with Avery Bradley likely not being on the roster next year one way or another. 

Who would you rather have if you're the Celtics? With the fifth pick in the draft, let's say that Embiid, Parker, Randle, and Wiggins are off the board, who do you take over Exum. Nobody. Not Marcus Smart, Aaron Gordon, Noah Vonleh. Nobody. 

Chad Ford, ESPN's NBA Draft expert has Exum exactly where I do: #5 on the big board right after the Mount Rushmore of Embiid, Parker, Randle, and Wiggins in that order. 

If the Celtics don't turn it around this season and they end up with a high lottery pick like it looks like now, Dante Exum would be a splendid choice by Danny Ainge and the talent scouts of the Boston Celtics organization because of Exum's raw talent/athleticism and massive potential. 

Dante Exum would look #GoodinGreen

UPDATE: EXUM HAS DECLARED FOR THE 2014 NBA DRAFT

Who is Vander Blue?

Photo courtesy of tk.reddit.com

Vander Blue, the physically gifted guard out of Marquette University was just signed to a 10 day contract by the Boston Celtics.

He will probably play a game or two in the D-League, where he is averaging 19 points per game. Ever since high school, Blue has been a more than capable scorer, one thing that the Celtics could use a little more of. Last week, Blue scored 35 in a D-League game so maybe Danny Ainge is just riding the hot hand.

Blue has bounced around from the Houston Rockets organization to the Memphis Grizzlies to the Philadelphia 76ers and then even to the Isreali Super league to play for Maccabi. From Maccabi, he was acquired by the Delaware 87ers of the D-League, where he averaged 19 points and earned a shot at the big leagues.

In college, this guy scored in bunches. He had range, he could drive and finish over bigger defenders, and he was the best defender on his team. He has a knack for absorbing contact in the lane and making spectacular AND-1s. Here is his draft day mixtape from Fox Sports:

 

It seems like Blue is a pretty good guy, for he has stayed out of trouble for all of his years playing basketball at a high level. It would appear that Blue has the potential to be a good teammate in the locker room and if he plays well like Chris Johnson just did, can earn a contract longer than 10 days. This is what Blue posted on Twitter after he knew the Celtics intended to sign him:

God is amazing! I'm speechless right now....all It took was patience....
— Vander Blue (@veezy_SQ) January 22, 2014

The signing is not official yet, but it's most likely going to happen because of what Yahoo Sports! reported and according to ESPNBoston.com's Chris Forsberg.

Recap: BOS @ MIA: 93-86 L

Photo courtesy of nbablogstalk.blogspot.com

The Celtics lost a nail-biter the the kind-of-hated rivals, Miami Heat. As Rondo said before the game, "It's not a rivalry. But I still don't like those guys." It was clear that the two teams still don't like each other, but the Celtics just don't have the fire power skill-wise to compete with the best of the best. 

The Celtics were down 4 with 44.4 seconds left and Rajon Rondo at the line. Rondo missed the pair and the game was essentially over from there. After coming back from as much as 18 points, Rondo couldn't lead his team to the victory because of poor execution down the stretch. 

The devastating loss was definitely not ideal for the resilient Boston Celtics, but even though they lost the game and Avery Bradley, they may have found a hidden gem in Chris Johsnon, who was really, really hidden. 

Johnson, who was acquired by the Celtics from Memphis in the Courtney Lee deal, had averaged just 10.2 points in the D-League! He was only activated because of the injuries to back court teammate Jerryd Bayless and the limited minutes of Rajon Rondo. Johnsons' first NBA shot, a three from the corner, was true and that really gave him the confidence to have quite a nice Celtics' debut. His offensive rebounding and playmaking ability were key for the Celtics' comeback against Miami. 

Chris Johnson, who is signed to just a 10 day contract, ended the game with 11 points, 3 rebounds (2 offensive), and a key assist to Kris Humphries. He played very well for 25 minutes, but he wasn't the only Celtics player who had an outstanding performance tonight. Here are some standout players for the Green:

• Kris Humphries -14 points, 13 rebounds; his second double-double in a row
• Jared Sullinger - 12 points, 11 rebounds
• Brandon Bass - 15 points

They lost the game, but gained a player. And with the impending signing of explosive offensive player Vander Blue, out of Marquette University, the Celtics may gain some more young, offensive talent. Blue dropped 35 points in a recent D-League game, which must have caught the attention of the Celtics' talent scouts, who are scouring for backcourt players with the injuries to Bayless and Bradley. 

The C's go on the road now to Washington, where they will play John Wall and the Wizards at 7:00 ET. 

Vander Blue photo courtesy of  host.madison.com

Breaking News: Avery Bradley Sprains Ankle

Photo courtesy of NESN.com

About 3 minutes into the second quarter, on the same play in which Gerald Wallace became hobbled, Avery Bradley took a fall at mid court while guarding the Heat point guard.

It was just announced that Avery sprained his right ankle and will not return to the game.

This is a low blow for a team that struggles offensively and especially from the shooting guard position. But it's not a huge deal because losing isn't a huge deal. The trainers better make sure Bradley is all healed before he comes back, for the longer he's out the less of a chance the Celtics have at winning games.

The injury will test the Boston Celtics' depth in the backcourt, for Jerryd Bayless is also dealing with an injury of his own. When Bradley went out, Chris Johnson went in and shot his first shot of his career. A three from the corner, got it! The Celtics will be forced to dig deeper into their D-League team, the Maine Red Claws, and possibly promote Chris Babb to the roster.

In the meantime, feel better Avery, but take your time coming back!

Preview: Miami @ Boston

Photo courtesy of celticslife.com

Rajon Rondo is back.

That name should ring a bell for the Miami Heat as Rondo has had some amazing performances against them in the regular season and playoffs. He is truly a Miami Assassin. The Heat will look to shut him down tonight as they will host the Celtics in Miami.

These 2 teams last met on November 9, 2013. Boston had the upper-hand as they won 111-100 on a last second 3 point shot by Jeff Green. Miami will look for payback tonight. This game also marks Joel Anthony's return to Miami. He was traded to Boston on Wednesday in a 3-team trade also involving the Warriors. Anthony played 6 seasons in Miami, while starting over 100 games. 

"The thing I already know about him is he is a great person to have on our team, " Stevens told the Celtics offical website. " I am thrilled that he's here. Practice wise in the locker room, personality. Clearly he's a person that trains and works the right way."

The Heat and Celtics are both struggling right now. Miami has lost 3 out of their last 5, while Boston has lost 9 straight on the road. The Heat, who are just 5-5 (.500) in 2014, lost to the Hawks, 114-121 on Monday. Their defense was the problem all game long.

"We scored enough points to win, so obviously it was defense," James said. "Especially in the first half."

Lebron had 30 points along with 6 assists and 4 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Boston has lost 9 straight on the road. They are 5-16 on the road overall. They will have to play nice competive basketball if they want to end that streak. This time around, they will have arugabally the best PG in the league back. Rondo came back on Friday against the Lakers. He scored 8 points and dished out 4 assists. Rondo will look to have a big game tonight as he has publically said that he hates the Heat, and would never play for them. This game will be hard fought, but I think Boston will come out strong in the end.

Predicted Final Score:

BOS: 104

MIA: 99