Every morning we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump
I heard Wyc Grousbeck on “Felger and Mazz” this past week and the Celtics owner delivered a true and frightening answer when he was asked about the future of his team.
“If we can’t do something transformative or exciting for a veteran this summer, and we’ll certainly be looking . . .’’ started Grousbeck. “Obviously, we’re going to start playing the kids. That’s what we did from 2003-07 and it wasn’t easy to do along the way and people stuck with us. We’re basically on that same path.’’
Ouch. In the words of Rob Schneider in “The Waterboy,’’ “Oh, no! We suck again!”
Celtics Might Be Irrelevant For A While-Boston Globe
Whether you like him or hate him, the Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy definitely has a valid point. What if the big move for Kevin Love doesn’t happen? What if Ainge holds on to the 6th & 17th picks in this year’s draft and brings a couple of youngsters on board? It’s not something Celtics fans want to hear, but unfortunately, it’s a reality. Granted, Danny Ainge has been the purveyor of some pretty big deals in the past, (see Garnett, Kevin) but there will be other teams with very tempting offers for Minnesota and Kevin Love. And, there’s always the off chance that he decides to stay put in Minny-although I personally think that’s a long shot. But as C’s fans, we have to face the ugly fact that it’s definitely possible this team’s rebuilding process may last another one or even two seasons.
I listened to Wyc’s appearance on Felger & Mazz, and although he did make that statement about “playing the kids“, he also had quite a few optimistic quotes as well. Most notably, about starting PG and captain Rajon Rondo. Rondo has been on both sides of the spectrum during his time in Boston. He was here for some of the leanest years ever for the franchise, and was also here for it’s return to glory. And Wyc says that #9 wants very much to help this team get back to it’s winning ways. via CBSBoston:
“He was in the building this morning working out hard, and he looks great. He’s killing it. He looks like the old days before the knee” [injury].
“Rajon and I had a brief talk … and it’s just positive. He loves being a Celtic. I think he wants to take this team back to where he had it before.”
With that said, it’s pretty clear that Danny needs to trade these picks, lest the Celtics suffer through another season of futility. If you add two first-rounders to the current roster, you’ll get exactly what you got last season-which is not much. As the old saying goes, “if nothing changes, nothing changes.” It would be an awful shame to see Rajon’s talent wasted here over another futile season. Danny surrounded him with talent before, albeit in a different situation, but he needs to do it again. I am a Rondo fan, and want nothing more than for him to be this team’s point guard for a long time, but he wants to win-he’s a fierce competitor and I can envision him leaving if some help is not brought in soon.
Sorry, Wyc, but you are irrelevant if you give us a 57-loss team featuring the likes of Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, and the sixth-best 20-year-old from the NCAA. No, thanks.
Picks 6 and 17 are not going to change the Celtics. The Celtics will still be losers with these new young players. They will not be worth watching. Trade the picks. Ainge needs to do something “transformative or exciting,’’ or risk watching his team wade into the abyss of irrelevance.
Our friend Chris Forsberg has his own opinion on a quick fix as opposed to another year or so of “rebuild” over at ESPN Boston.
Let us know what you think Ainge should do with the picks in the poll below…
[polldaddy poll=8073982]
What should Ainge do with picks 6 & 17?
On Page 2, Walter Brown Was The Anti-Sterling
WBUR contributor Thomas Whalen reminds us that the Celtics once had their own extremely controversial owner. Back in 1950, Walter Brown gained national notoriety for taking a huge step towards breaking the color barrier in the NBA:
In 1950 Walter Brown shocked the professional sporting world when his Boston Celtics became the first team in NBA history to draft an African-American, 6-foot-6 All-American forward Chuck Cooper from Duquesne. Brown did this despite being condescendingly reminded by a fellow basketball mogul that Cooper was “a Negro” and therefore ineligible for consideration due to the league’s longstanding bar against athletes of color. In response, Brown famously maintained that he would have selected Cooper even if the latter had sprouted polka dots. “All I know is the kid can play basketball and we want him on the Boston Celtics,” he explained. For this strong vote of confidence, Cooper was eternally grateful. “THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO OFFER ME A CHANCE IN PRO BASKETBALL,” he telegrammed Brown upon hearing the news. “I HOPE I’LL NEVER GIVE YOU CAUSE TO REGRET IT.”
Walter Brown put every bit of his heart and soul into the Boston Celtics. From taking out a second mortgage on his home to keep the franchise afloat, to giving emotional speeches to his team in the locker room, he was extremely passionate about his C’s. And he treated each and every one of his employees and players like they were family. The great Red Auerbach said about Brown, “He never gave a damn about a person’s color, religion, nationality or anything else. He simply cared about the man.” Check out Whalen’s piece for more about the late, great Walter A. Brown.
The rest of the links:
CSNNE: Lue Expected To Interview For Cavs Coaching Job | Herald: Celtics Could Make Smart Decision | NESN: Celtics Still Have Solid Options For 6th Pick In Draft | NBA.com: Ibaka May Yet Play Against Spurs
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
