Do the Boston Celtics Need to Forge a Super Team?
To win in today’s NBA, they say you need a super team. Can the Boston Celtics (or any other team) compete without adopting this formula?
When Kevin Durant opted to join the 73-win Golden State Warriors in 2016 free agency, a Finals rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers seemed a definite certainty. Durant, widely touted as the second-best player in the world, was joining the best team in basketball.
Moves were made to accommodate the Warriors’ new star. That left a roster with Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala. The kings of small ball had the perfect quintet for that style of play. The move has left observers divided on the direction of the league.
Sort of like the Spanish La Liga, seasonally a two-horse race between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, the NBA is thought to be predictable now. Or worse, scripted like the WWE. Come June, the Cavs and Warriors will battle for the title. For the last three seasons, anyway, that has been the case.
Getting Super Imposing
Cavs captain, LeBron James, is often touted as the architect of Super Team culture. When in the summer of 2010 he took his “talents to South Beach” to play for the Miami Heat, the dye was cast. James teamed up with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, alongside wily veterans and competent role players. That led to four straight Finals appearances and two championships.
In the summer of 2014, James returned to Cleveland to team up with Kyrie Irving. Number one pick, Andrew Wiggins was also in tow but soon traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love. James had left one super team to assemble another and the result was three straight Finals (2015 – 17) and one title against the other perennial Super Power – the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors, on the other hand, built a team over the years, primarily through the draft and a series of trades and veteran signings. Curry, Thompson and Green were all drafted, as well as Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli, integral parts to the 2015 title. Andrew Bogut and Igoudala both arrived via trade in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Shaun Livingston signed in 2014.
The real irony of the super team era is that many place the blame on the Boston Celtics. Before the 2007-08 season, the Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett from the T-Wolves and Ray Allen from the Seattle Supersonics. They joined Paul Pierce in Boston to form what was popularly termed “The Big Three.” Also, James alluded to going to Miami to get past the Celtics. So, depending on who you ask, the Celtics are victims of a system they launched. James is a victim of the system he popularized.
Weapons Race
The who, how and why are really not as relevant as the what. That being, what to do? The Warriors and Cavs will only get stronger. The San Antonio Spurs still have Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tony Parker, Pau Gasol and possibly Manu Ginobili. Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins will share a full season together as New Orleans Pelicans. The Houston Rockets have added Chris Paul to team up with MVP runner-up James Harden.
Rockets GM, Daryl Morey has called the current NBA a “weapons race.” Teams need to load up to compete. The Paul acquisition is supposedly the first piece of many in his ammo gathering. Considered a master of Analytics (or Dork Elvis by Bill Simmons), Morey is usually on to something. Is that an indication that the Boston Celtics need to arm up?
In last season’s Eastern Conference Finals, the rugged Boston Celtics snatched a game from the then-perfect Cavaliers to league-wide surprise. The best part was that it was a gritty team that earned victory without Celtics’ leader, Isaiah Thomas. Marcus Smart led the charge of a balanced and resilient attack, buoyed by defensive discipline.
Is that enough of a beacon that solid team play can still win in the NBA? Consistency, of course, is key. However, it’s hard to shake the notion that the Warriors and Cavaliers are just too loaded. To stay consistent and competitive, NBA squads need to stack up the armory as well. Or disarm the competition. More on that in a second.
Who You Gonna Call?
So, depending on who you listen to, the Boston Celtics are chasing both Paul George and Gordon Hayward. Blake Griffin is also on the radar as an option. The intent is to sign Hayward in free agency and make the Indiana Pacers an offer they can’t refuse in a trade for George.
The expectation is that one or both of Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder will be sacrificed in any dealings. Thereby, a Celtics starting five could look like:
Al Horford. Jae Crowder/Jay Tatum. Paul George. Gordon Hayward. Isaiah Thomas
OR
Al Horford. Blake Griffin. Jay Tatum/Jaylen Brown. Paul George. Isaiah Thomas.
OR
Al Horford. Blake Griffin. Jae Crowder/Jay Tatum. Gordon Hayward. Isaiah Thomas.
Whichever scenario, is any loaded enough to unseat Cleveland? That is a lot of firepower, not even considering the bench. But Cleveland is battle tested with already established chemistry. Brad Stevens keeps the ball moving but can Hayward, George and Thomas co-exist and thrive? On paper, these are sexy squads. Great, even. Griffin is still a phenomenal talent. If he can stay on the court.
As intriguing as these scenarios are, a negative effect on the Celtics’ chemistry of last season is a possibility. As I pointed out earlier, they figured out how to stop the Cavs. Who is top dog in a Thomas-George-Hayward triumvirate? James got to the Finals in his first season in Miami and first back in Cleveland but both ended in defeat. That might say something to gelling when it counts. And George might be a season-long rental if this experiment fails.
Which Way to Go…
Most importantly, the Boston Celtics’ major gaps last season were in rebounding and defense. Horford, an 8.7 career rebounder led the team with 6.8 in the regular season and a lower 6.6 in the Playoffs. Griffin is 9.4 for his career, George 6.3 and Hayward 4.2. Griffin best addresses the concern but he is an injury risk. George is one of the better defenders in the league but hasn’t been quite the same since his leg break in 2014.
Andre Iguodala is on the market and is still effective. Plus, he has the Warriors secrets. He would be a cheaper option than Griffin or Hayward but equally as effective. More importantly, his departure robs the Warriors of a valid asset. Whatever the case, Danny Ainge the master strategist is surely working behind the scenes to make something happen.
Next: Silver Lining if the Celtics Strike out in Free Agency
Call me a purist but I like to see good old fashion grind and grit basketball. More fluid team than a sum of individuals. Like the crew that felled the mighty Cavaliers in the playoffs. But reality is, the power struggle in the NBA is now a super power struggle. To compete, especially for Banner 18, Boston needs to play the game according to the new rules.
Like the timeless adage goes, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!”