Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
From a financial standpoint, buying out Williams was a no-brainer. From a basketball perspective, however, the loss of Williams could be costly. Though Brooklyn is banking on better locker-room chemistry without the moody Williams, the Nets are left with one of the league’s weakest point guard rotations. Brooklyn was outscored by 6.8 points per 100 possessions with likely starter Jack at point guard last season, per NBA.com/Stats.
The Nets’ 17-13 finish to 2014-15 overstated how good they truly were down the stretch. Brooklyn was outscored after the All-Star break, going 6-2 in games decided by five points or fewer. As effective as the Lopez-Young combination was offensively, it’s not imposing defensively, and the Nets ranked 23rd in defensive rating after the trade.
Add in the dubious track record of Brooklyn’s newcomers — of the veterans likely to make the roster, only Ellington projects better than replacement level byESPN’s real plus-minus — and the Nets look a lot like a lottery team that would have to watch the Boston Celtics reap the benefit of the ensuing top-10 pick thanks to the Garnett/Pierce trade.
ESPN.com – Brooklyn Nets: 2015-16 Forecast
Back in 2013 when the season ended in a 4-2 series loss to the New York Knicks, nobody was aware that New York would be exchanging gifts with the Celtics. Technically, the deal came from Brooklyn not Manhattan. The Celtics made a spirited comeback from being down 0-3, including a wild rally at the end of Game 6 at the TD Garden. The run fell short, and as KG and Pierce exited the game, it would be for the last time as Celtics. In a way, that season ended when Rondo tore his ACL. Remember, there were rumors KG being dealt to the Clippers for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan during the trade deadline. Instead, Ainge held out and struck gold in Brooklyn. The Nets were thinking that Pierce and KG would be the final pieces to a Deron Williams/Joe Johnson/Brook Lopez championship puzzle. So in return, they sent Ainge a boatload of unprotected picks.
Now, as the Insider article above points out, the Nets are likely headed for the lottery. They’re essentially banking on the health of Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson’s interest in these games. Lionel Hollins is a solid coach, but I don’t see them making the playoffs this year. The Celtics could possibly score big time from the Nets this season, and while Ainge anticipated that the Nets could be bad, I doubt he thought it would be like this. This has the chance to be an Auerbachian trade.
So I raise this question: If the Nets made the same offer, or even a larger one, to the Lakers for say Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in 2013, do the Lakers take it? If the Nets did the same to Mark Cuban and the Mavs for Dirk and some other combo, do the Mavs take it? I say no to both and I’d say both teams would be making a mistake. The point here is this: sure it’s painful to see our beloved Paul Pierce finishing out his career in uniforms that don’t fit him, but the long term rebuilding would hurt even more without those assets to have in the arsenal. Look, I get the whole legacy thing and how it means something to see your favorite player stay on your team for his entire career. But more often than not, it’s a mistake and it could be a costly one. Cuban is foolishly chasing titles thinking Dirk is still that same player. Mitch Kupchak is foolishly obeying the laws of Hollywood and keeping Kobe around for entertainment purposes (meanwhile, he got nothing for Pau Gasol, watching him sign with the Chicago Bulls as a free agent). Will it ultimately work out in the end? We don’t know yet, but Ainge has armed himself with a lot more ammo than most other teams.
On Page 2: Could Isaiah Thomas be an all-star?
Thomas is no lock, but besides Wall and Lowry—who’s spent the preseason looking like a three-point shooting Allen Iverson—neither is anybody else. And in a crowded landscape, coaches tend to reward players on winning teams. All the better if he’s on a winner that exceeds expectations; it’s oh so clear that Thomas makes his team better.
Last year, Boston’s offense averaged 109.2 points per 100 possessions with Thomas on the floor (including a hysterical 117.5 in 138 fourth quarter minutes—both team highs) and just 98.8 when he sat. It’s the difference between the third and 27th best offenses in the league, per NBA.com/Stats. (Similar reverberations were felt by the Phoenix Suns; they scored 108.8 points per 100 possessions with Thomas and 100.5 without him last season.)
The opportunity to ravage opposing bench units combined with an impotent Celtics starting lineup partially explains this disparity. But Thomas’ impact was still greatly appreciated.
According to Nylon Calculus, only two players in the league logged a higher True Usage percentage last season. (True Usage percentage is defined as an “estimate of the percentage of offensive plays on which a player contributes to the end result while he is on the floor; ‘contributing’ is defined as a scoring attempt, turnover or potential assist.”) Only seven players boasted a higher Scoring Usage percentage—again, described by Nylon Calculus as a “percentage of plays used by the player in terms of scoring attempts whether FGA or trips to the foul line.” All seven ahead of Thomas were All-Stars last season.
RealGM – Why Isaiah Thomas Could Become An All-Star
When you scan this Celtics roster do you see an all-star? Could IT be that lone representative? It’s a solid argument made in the link above, but typically all-star games tend to defy logic in some shape or another. Fans make crazy vote-ins as starters, and sometimes you shake your head at reserves. For Isaiah, or anyone on this team for that matter to make the team, the Celtics would have to continue their incredible run at the end of last year. They would also likely have to go off the Brad Stevens script as well. Isaiah would have to freelance a bit more and look to create more. Either way, he’s the closest thing they have to an all-star. He has a chance, but I still think there are too many PG’s in the east ahead of him to make it.
And, finally: AB is gunning for MIP
Avery Bradley would like to make one of the All-Defensive teams this season, and has now altered his sights to consider a new honor: the Most Improved Player award.
“For sure making the All-Defensive team,” he told MassLive.com Wednesday in New York. “I would even love to get Most Improved if I continue to work and keep getting better, and prove what I can do on the offensive end. I think a lot of people kind of push that to the side, but I feel like the last few years – obviously I could have been better – but I feel like I’ve had a pretty consistent couple of years. If I can keep it going and even take it to another level, I feel like I can be in the talk for that as well.”
MassLive – Boston Celtics’ Avery Bradley hopes to put himself in discussion for Most Improved Player
It’s always good to see players making goals for themselves. Coach Stevens only has one goal and that’s to win a title. Along the way there’s nothing wrong with having smaller goals to keep the fire burning. AB has a chance to be Most Improved Player, and for the sake of the Celtics and their fans that would be a great thing.
The rest of the links:
ESPN Boston – Revisiting Boston’s top training camp storylines
Boston Globe – Celtics have an emerging leader in Jae Crowder
Boston Herald – Celtics want more from Kelly Olynyk
CSNNE – Celtics showcase ball movement early in preseason | Lee sees Warrior-like potential with C’s team defense
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