Seeing Green
http://www.atomicsportsmedia.com/articles/868/1/Seeing-Green/Seeing-Green.html
Jake Duhaime
Jake Duhaime covered the 2006 Olympic Winter Games and 2006 Women's Final Four for Atomic Sports Media. His work has been featured on Boston Dirt Dogs, The Sporting News Online and U.S. Figure Skating Online. Born in Massachusetts, Jake spends most of his free time and money traveling to major sporting events across the country. If you want to reach Jake, email him: jake.duhaime@
atomicsportsmedia.com.
atomicsportsmedia.com.
By Jake Duhaime
Published on 07/30/2007
The Celtics are officially in win-now mode. With the addition of Kevin Garnett, Atomic Sports columnist Jake Duhaime writes that the C's have pushed their cards into the middle of the table in hopes of winning big, but with a good chance of going broke.
The Celtics are officially in win-now mode. With the addition of Kevin Garnett, Atomic Sports columnist Jake Duhaime writes that the C's have pushed their cards into the middle of the table in hopes of winning big, but with a good chance of going broke.
Seeing Green
After losing a franchise record 18 straight games and losing out on Greg Oden, you’d expect Celtics fans to jump for joy just thinking about Kevin Garnett in green.
Not so fast.
The Celtics’ fan base is currently divided by a gigantic generation gap. Basically, there are those who were alive for Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish and the 1980s and those who weren’t. The old folks, at least those with any interest in the NBA, love any deal that could restore the franchise to prominence. But the younger generation of fans are reluctant to give up on a group of guys that have become affectionately known as “the kids.”
Celtics GM Danny Ainge showed off his offseason strategy on draft night, dealing for Ray Allen. Surprisingly, talented forward Al Jefferson wasn't Seattle bound, and neither was dunk champion Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes and Theo Ratliff's expiring contract. Instead the overpriced Wally Szerbiak, Delonte West and the No. 5 pick were sent to the Sonics, officially turning ping-pong misfortune into a potential trump card, with the hopes of convincing K.G. to come eastward.
On the surface, the Allen deal immediately puzzled many because it presented more questions than answers. What do you do with two swing players? Is Al Jefferson really ready to emerge as a premier player? What about Theo Ratliff, who serves more purpose in a trade than on the court. And what is your ceiling with Allen and Paul Pierce? Are the NBA Finals even within the realm of possibility?
Ainge has been vilified locally for ripping apart a club that went to the Eastern Conference Finals, replacing fan favorites like Antoine Walker and Eric Williams with overpriced underachievers like Sebastian Telfair, Ricky Davis and Raef LaFrentz on teams destined for mediocrity. But for the Celtics “Mormon Foreman,” dealing for Garnett was as much of a no-brainier as it gets. Not to mention, a far more sensible option than breaking the bank for second- and third-tier talents like Marcus Camby, Pau Gasol and Andrei Kirilenko.
To this point, Danny Ainge's legacy has been on draft night. Of the four young players rumored to be headed to the Twin Cities, Telfair was picked highest, by Portland, at No. 13. Boston selected Jefferson two picks later at No. 15. Green was taken 18th in the 2005 NBA Draft. And Ryan Gomes fell deep into the second round at No. 50. The Coney Island product notwithstanding, Ainge has found talent where talent isn't guaranteed. It may be the only thing standing between his plush office and the unemployment line.
As the ping-pong balls dropped, Ainge and the Celtics sat at a crossroads. Oden and to a lesser extent Kevin Durant, symbolized a continuation in the youth movement, with the hopes of one day building around a core of Jefferson, Oden or Durant, an aging Paul Pierce and perhaps Green. But with that out the picture, it became a choice between trading the lone superstar or mortgaging the future with the hopes of becoming competitive immediately.
Given what the Cavaliers did with LeBron and 11 other guys, the decision might have made itself. With a trio of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, the Celtics are expected to immediately contend in the Eastern Conference. And who knows? Stranger things have happened on the Finals stage.
For the Timberwolves, the rebuilding process is now officially in full force. But give Minnesota and now-GM Kevin McHale credit for assembling loads of young talent, multiple picks and future cap space to work with. Randy Foye had an outstanding rookie season and the selection of Corey Brewer will pay immediate dividends. Craig Smith is an underappreciated player with great touch and fundamentals which offset his lack of height, much like Carlos Boozer. And Jefferson and Gomes will make an immediate impact on a team seemingly destined for the lottery.
But a team once locked in cap and draft hell has taken the necessary first step into the future. On the other hand, should injuries arise or expectations not be met in Boston, two decades of futility will quickly turn into three decades of futility.
And maybe four.
Not so fast.
The Celtics’ fan base is currently divided by a gigantic generation gap. Basically, there are those who were alive for Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish and the 1980s and those who weren’t. The old folks, at least those with any interest in the NBA, love any deal that could restore the franchise to prominence. But the younger generation of fans are reluctant to give up on a group of guys that have become affectionately known as “the kids.”
Celtics GM Danny Ainge showed off his offseason strategy on draft night, dealing for Ray Allen. Surprisingly, talented forward Al Jefferson wasn't Seattle bound, and neither was dunk champion Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes and Theo Ratliff's expiring contract. Instead the overpriced Wally Szerbiak, Delonte West and the No. 5 pick were sent to the Sonics, officially turning ping-pong misfortune into a potential trump card, with the hopes of convincing K.G. to come eastward.
On the surface, the Allen deal immediately puzzled many because it presented more questions than answers. What do you do with two swing players? Is Al Jefferson really ready to emerge as a premier player? What about Theo Ratliff, who serves more purpose in a trade than on the court. And what is your ceiling with Allen and Paul Pierce? Are the NBA Finals even within the realm of possibility?
Ainge has been vilified locally for ripping apart a club that went to the Eastern Conference Finals, replacing fan favorites like Antoine Walker and Eric Williams with overpriced underachievers like Sebastian Telfair, Ricky Davis and Raef LaFrentz on teams destined for mediocrity. But for the Celtics “Mormon Foreman,” dealing for Garnett was as much of a no-brainier as it gets. Not to mention, a far more sensible option than breaking the bank for second- and third-tier talents like Marcus Camby, Pau Gasol and Andrei Kirilenko.
To this point, Danny Ainge's legacy has been on draft night. Of the four young players rumored to be headed to the Twin Cities, Telfair was picked highest, by Portland, at No. 13. Boston selected Jefferson two picks later at No. 15. Green was taken 18th in the 2005 NBA Draft. And Ryan Gomes fell deep into the second round at No. 50. The Coney Island product notwithstanding, Ainge has found talent where talent isn't guaranteed. It may be the only thing standing between his plush office and the unemployment line.
As the ping-pong balls dropped, Ainge and the Celtics sat at a crossroads. Oden and to a lesser extent Kevin Durant, symbolized a continuation in the youth movement, with the hopes of one day building around a core of Jefferson, Oden or Durant, an aging Paul Pierce and perhaps Green. But with that out the picture, it became a choice between trading the lone superstar or mortgaging the future with the hopes of becoming competitive immediately.
Given what the Cavaliers did with LeBron and 11 other guys, the decision might have made itself. With a trio of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, the Celtics are expected to immediately contend in the Eastern Conference. And who knows? Stranger things have happened on the Finals stage.
For the Timberwolves, the rebuilding process is now officially in full force. But give Minnesota and now-GM Kevin McHale credit for assembling loads of young talent, multiple picks and future cap space to work with. Randy Foye had an outstanding rookie season and the selection of Corey Brewer will pay immediate dividends. Craig Smith is an underappreciated player with great touch and fundamentals which offset his lack of height, much like Carlos Boozer. And Jefferson and Gomes will make an immediate impact on a team seemingly destined for the lottery.
But a team once locked in cap and draft hell has taken the necessary first step into the future. On the other hand, should injuries arise or expectations not be met in Boston, two decades of futility will quickly turn into three decades of futility.
And maybe four.