I just don't get our current roster, not one bit. Here's a few issues I continue to have with this roster alignment... Why have so much overall talent and overall depth, yet we only have one superstar caliber player in our starting roster? Why go 2-3 deep at almost ever postion, but continue to boast a starting lineup that's NBDL quality, at best, without Paul Pierce inserted? Obviously a Memphis type strategy hasn't worked out thus far, going 10 deep isn't getting us Wins and I think it's time to shy away from such a gameplan. So the question arises, where's the moves? Can we not go out and aquire a point guard? Can we not go out and aquire a Small Foward? What's the wait? This team isn't going deep into the playoffs, we're over stocked at most postions, we have an abundance of draft picks, and we're sitting on our hands and just letting things unfold. Pull The Trigger, here's a few suggestions. Who's your starters? Stop playing talent out of their postions, Paul Pierce, Jiri Welsch, Tony Allen, and Ricky Davis are all Shooting Guards. No more playing them at Foward, I don't care if that places more talent on the floor, it's creating instability and making players uncomfortable. Here's a solution, make a trade. Bye Paul Pierce. Start Ricky Davis, he's averaged 20 PPG when being allowed starting minutes by Cleveland, I'm certain he could do it again. The only previous knock on his game was his attitude, but it's seemingly disappeared since his arrival in Boston. No doubt Pierce has value, and No Doubt talent like Ricky doesn't deserve to be sitting on the bench. Quick Solution, move Pierce and address your obvious issues at the center and point postions. Here's a suggestion... Boston Trades Paul Pierce to Utah Utah Trades Carlos Boozer to The Lakers Utah Trades Gordan Giricek to Boston Utah Trades a 1st Round Selection to Boston The Lakers Trade Lamar Odom to Boston The Lakers Trade Luke Walton to Boston Here's the benefits, Boston gets an URI alumni who is more than capable of being a superstar at the small foward postion. They would also aquire Gordan Giricek who would become a solid reserve at the swingman postion not to mention a 1st round selection. Utah would aquire a superstar offensive talent. Put Pierce alonside Okur, Harpring, and Ak47. Your looking at some problems in The West. The Lakers would move Odom, a player who thrives on touches, and aquire Boozer who is easily a better fit for The Lakers franchise. Kobe would be able to control the ball at all times without regret and he'd have an allstar caliber player at the power foward who is a hussle player with great rebounding skills. His game clearly fits alongside Kobe much better than Odom's. Now, get a point guard. Here's another suggestion: Boston Trades TWO 1st round selection Boston Trades Mark Blount Boston Trades Gary Payton Boston Trades Jiri Welsch Boston Receives Andre Miller Boston Receives Marcus Camby Reasons? Denver needs a shooting guard after losing Voshon Lenard to injury. Andre Miller clearly hasn't fit into Denver this season, the trade would allow the option of starting a veteran or giving the postion to the fastbreak machine Earl Boykins. Denver would also aquire 2 First Round Draft Picks, something Denver lacks after sending quite a few selections to New Jersey for Kenyon Martin's contract. This move would also allow room at the center postion for the potential ridden Nene, Blount could certainly contribute off the bench. Now look at the Roster... PG: Andre Miller (Delonte West, Marcus Banks) SG: Ricky Davis (Tony Allen; Luke Walton ) SF: Lamar Odom (Gordan Girieck; Justin Reed) PF: AL Jefferson (Raef LaFrentz; Tom Gugliotta) C: Marcus Camby (Kendrick Perkins; Michael Stewart) I'll take that over our current roster anyday of the week. These trades come a dime a dozen, our franchise has so many draft selections that are valued around the league, so much potential in young players that would be shown interest if available, and so much depth that isn't needed. Not enough stars on our starting roster, so lets make the moves. You could come up with so many options yourself, why hasn't Ainge?
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Stop playing talent out of their postions, Paul Pierce, Jiri Welsch, Tony Allen, and Ricky Davis are all Shooting Guards. No more playing them at Foward.</div> I won't fight you about the others, but Paul Pierce can easily fit into the SF position. His great post up game and size makes that possible. Also, you want to put this teams future in Ricky Davis' hands? I like the guy, and his attitude has improved, but no way. Not to mention that there's no leader coming in the trades you've proposed. Lamar Odom? Luke Walton? Come on, there's no leadership there. I don't care for the ebbs and flow of Blounts game, but Camby's not the answer. The guys injured more than Vince Carter. To me the bulk of the suggestions here seem to be in ther train of thought that because we're not going to win a championship this season, we should basically blow up the team. I'm not in support of that.
Well, first off, I disagree that this is an NBDL roster outside of Pierce. I think Payton, Ricky, Al and Allen are all very good players. And if Raef didn't have the rediculous contract I'm willing to bet there would considerable interest in him around the league. Also, I think that your off in saying that Ricky could step in and lead this team in Paul's absense. You mentioned him time in Cleveland where he put up 20 ppg, but how many times did that team win? Sure Ricky could score 30 a game, but how does that help the TEAM? I think he's a great complimentary player, but Ricky needs an alpha-dog to keep him in line and right now thats Pierce and Payton. He's being brought off the bench because he stabalizes the second unit, brings energy onto the floor when the other team's first unit starts to slow and it gets Allen a chance to get a feel for the game, which is key for the rookie. Its an old-time belief that you leave one of your best players on the bench. And its never about who starts, its about who finishes - Ricky is always out there at the end. I do, however, agree with the fact that we have too many players at one position. But you can't make a deal just to make one, you have to make the RIGHT ONE. Just making a deal because we can is what got the team to Seacacus so many years in a row. The team needs to make a smart move and that's not happening until the deadline when teams loosen their demands.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">I won't fight you about the others, but Paul Pierce can easily fit into the SF position. His great post up game and size makes that possible. </div>It's not what you think, hags. It's the truth (pun intended). Paul is a 3. Paul always will be a 3. The problems that Pierce occasionally has is when he steps out of his role as a 3, and tries to be a 2. His post game is that of a 4, and if he got back to playing that way more often, he'd be a better player. Let's face it, he's fast, but he's not that fast. He isn't a come around the pick and right into the shot player. He's at his best when he gets the ball in the post, and has a one-on-one opportunity.
