The Boston Celtics caused quite a stir in the summer.Both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward came to Boston.Fan darling Isaiah Thomas was turned in.Did the Celtics close the gap with Cleveland rivalry?The off-season in analysis.
The Celtics were probably the most active team of the off-season.Even before the draft, General Manager Danny Ainge opened the first deal.The first pick was exchanged for the third pick of the Philadelphia 76ers and another first round pick (2018 or 2019).The Philly-Pick was then used in the draft to draw Jayson Tatum.
In the second round, Celtics also secured the rights to Semi Olejeye (#37), Kadeem Allen (#53) and Jabari Bird (#56).The latter were equipped with two-way-contracts, Olejeye got a four-year contract, of which the first two seasons are guaranteed.It will first run up in the G-League.
In the Free Agency, Ainge then lured Gordon Hayward (4 years, 128 million dollars) to Beantown.The courted Paul George (Indiana) and Jimmy Butler (Chicago) were sent to Oklahoma City and Oklahoma City respectively.Minnesota.Instead, Boston was otherwise active.Avery Bradley and a second round pick were sent to Detroit, in return Marcus Morris is wearing the green jersey.
But all this was just a preliminaries for the ultimate blockbuster.Fan darling Isaiah Thomas was sent to Cleveland with Jae Crowder, Center Ante Zizic, the Brooklyn Pick of 2018 and a second round pick in 2020 to land the star with Kyrie Irving.
In addition, some smaller Free Agents were brought in.Aron Baynes (1 year, 4.3 million) and Daniel Theis (2 years, 2.2 million) are supposed to provide depth in the big positions, and Shane Larkin (1 year, 1.5 million) is an old acquaintance returning to the league.The first-round pick from 2016, Guerschon Yabusele, is now also in the squad.
No longer part of Celtics are Amir Johnson (Philly), Tyler Zeller (Nets), Kelly Olynyk (Heat), Jonas Jerebko (Utah), Jordan Mickey (Miami), Demetrius Jackson (Rockets), James Young (Milwaukee) and Gerald Green (Bucks).
Only four players from last season’s squad are now available: Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford and Terry Rozier.
After countless years of waiting, Ainge has now actually turned most of his assets into a star and has turned almost the entire squad to the left.As a reminder: The Celtics were the top seed in the east, but in the playoffs the Cleveland Cavaliers around LeBron James clearly showed them the limits.
With Irving, Hayward and Horford the record champion now has his own Big Three.The hope is to cheat around the cavs somehow, not least because there was a lot of rumbling around the Kyrie-Trade.
Due to the numerous postponements, Ainge has also clarified some important questions.Thomas, Bradley and Smart would have become 2018 free agents.All three could not have been held due to the cap situation.Proactive action has been taken, and there is also a chance that Irving will extend its contract, which runs until 2019, in the long term.The core of the future Celtics team is thus in place.Only Baynes and Larkin have expiring contracts.
Obviously, the team is still lacking in practicality.Only Horford was a fixed part of the Starting Five last season.It will take some time for the newly formed team to develop its full strength.But this is certainly something that is accepted in New England.
However, there was one major weakness that could not be eliminated: rebounding.Under the boards Celtics were inferior in almost every game (place 26).Bradley was the second best rebounder with 6.1 boards.Hopes are therefore pinned on Marcus Morris, who has more than decent access under the boards as a grand piano.In Detroit he showed it too rarely (only 4.6 rebounds per game in 2016/17).
However, an increase is necessary because the front court is still very poorly staffed.So it is quite possible that Baynes will see many minutes, although this one in Detroit acted exclusively as a backup of Andre Drummond.
It is also questionable how Boston will compensate for Bradley’s loss in the defense.Smart is a similarly good defender, but is also a few centimeters smaller.His litter is in attack, but mostly not (29.1 percent of downtown in three years).
nearby
The eagerly awaited star has arrived.Kyrie Irving is the new face of the franchise – exactly what the Point Guard wanted after three years in the shadow of LeBron James.Now all eyes will be on the 25-year-old.He has to show that he can lead a team without an MVP at his side.In Cleveland this was often not possible.
However, it is likely that Irving will flourish in Brad Stevens’ creative offense.There will be no static offensive like in Cleveland.Here Kyrie has to adapt and prove that he is more than just a scorer.If Irving can use his fellow players to determine the rhythm of the Celtics, then he is really a superstar.
And even if Irving doesn’t exude the absolute dominance that some people expect from him, the Celtics now have a Gordon Hayward in their backhand.
IT’s trade in Boston caused a stir, it seemed very cold and ungrateful.Looking at it soberly, however, it was the right decision, also because Thomas’s state of health is still unclear.Irving is now the desired superstar in his own ranks, whose potential does not yet seem to be fully exploited.
By the way, it is almost forgotten that Hayward could also be a potential franchisee and will serve the team with his calm manner.It’s almost forgotten that the Celtics in poker were down by PG-13 or Jimmy Butler.
It remains to be said that Boston has taken a big step in the right direction.The gap to the cavs has been closed.The record champion can be expected again – and probably for many years.
The grade: 1-
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