Every Monday David Aldridge of NBA.com publishes his “Morning Tip” column on the league’s official website. Aldridge has long been one of the best and most informed writers within NBA circles. So when he has tidbits of news relating to the Celtics, it’s always worth your time to read it (it’s actually always worth your time to read it). In today’s column, the Rajon Rondo trade, and how it impacts both the Celtics and Mavericks, is highlighted right at the top. He delves into it thoroughly but the way he ends it jumped out at me the most:
The Celtics now will give the ball to Smart, and play him and Bradley together in an athletic backcourt with great defensive potential — while Ainge still has more than $20 million in expiring contracts (Brandon Bass, Marcus Thornton, Wright and Will Bynum) he could still deal before the trade deadline.
Boston tried to make a mega-deal last summer, but couldn’t find any takers. It is unlikely Ainge will be a bystander again next summer. The Celtics are poised to be a major player in all aspects of player acquisition — Draft, trades, free agency — going forward.
After all that losing in Boston, it’s time.
The Morning Tip, David Aldridge NBA.com – History lets Mavericks, Celtics take gamble with Rondo trade
A lot of C’s fans (and rightfully so) question just how valuable all of these “assets” are. After all, the pile of picks, trade exceptions and current, young talent (Sullinger, Olynyk) weren’t enough to even get Flip Saunders to answer the phone for Kevin Love last summer. Sure they have Brooklyn’s picks for about the next decade, but as of now, the Nets are just as good as the Celtics, officially anyway. And that’s not exactly a good place to be for high drafts picks. Now, 3-4 years from now? Sure they could go into the abyss but that’s a long time to wait.
But Aldridge isn’t implying it will be a long time. He’s about as plugged in to the league as much as anyone so his words at least feel like they are more powerful. In reality though, we are dealing with mid-late round picks in the forms of the C’s own, and the ones they are due from non-Brooklyn teams (the Doc/Clippers pick for example).
We also question (or most likely sneer) when cap space is mentioned. While it is true the Celtics have never really signed a big name free agent in their prime, A) it rarely happens in the NBA when such a player doesn’t re-sign with his own team and B) for all the hype the Lakers get as a free agent destination, the only one they have ever signed was Shaq.
At the end of the day, all we as fans can do it wait… simply until Ainge is able to build a roster of players that makes this team relevant again. Relevant in the sense that they are contenders. Not a “fun team to watch that moves the ball” or a solid playoff team. No, not after the storied history this team and its fandom is based upon. No, especially not after the incredible but fleeting 4-6 years that Pierce, KG, Ray, Rondo, Perk and Doc gave us.
Yes, we’ll all remain fans and watch if they’re good or not. But it just won’t be the same until they’re Celtics again.
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