The Boston Celtics are one piece away from being considered an elite squad once again in the Eastern Conference — but they must act now.
For the last few seasons, the Boston Celtics have been an intriguing, but ultimately disappointing, squad. They have one of the best coaches in the NBA in Brad Stevens, a dynamite point guard in Isaiah Thomas and tons of assets like Jae Crowder, Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley.
The C’s are a proud franchise with 17 championships to their name. But since parting ways with both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce after the 2012-13 season, the team has simply not been the same powerhouse they were during the late ’00s and early ’10s.
Instead, they have overhauled their roster, focusing on attaining young players oozing with potential. One of those players they acquired via trade was Thomas, who has been absolutely tremendous at the starting point guard position for them.
They drafted the athletic, shifty Jaylen Brown with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. And they got some help in a big way after signing Al Horford this summer. Horford is an efficient post player who can also stroke it from deep.
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With all of that said, it just feels like they are still a piece or two away from really giving the Cleveland Cavaliers any trouble. Thomas and Horford are solid pieces, two guys they can rely on to give them steady production at the one and five spots.
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But they need to get their two best players more help.
Bradley is a solid two-guard known for his defensive chops and speed, but he doesn’t really offer anything in the way of passing or rebounding. Crowder and Olynyk are dependable, but will probably be nothing more than serviceable role players throughout their respective careers.
The way things stand now, the Celtics still need another scorer; someone that can put the ball in the basket so all the pressure does not fall on Thomas and Horford in tight games.
They have been rumored to be looking into trading for Nerlens Noel from the Philadelphia 76ers. Noel would be a terrific fit next to Horford, but not the lights-out scorer they need next to Thomas in the backcourt.
With that said, it sounds like Noel would love to come back home to play for the Celtics.
I'm blessed to be from Boston. Love my city.
— Nerlens Noel (@NerlensNoel3) August 11, 2016
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It’s evident that general manager
Danny Aingeis doing everything he can to get that third prime-time player. So far, he hasn’t found the right deal for his club yet. Whether or not he finds a trade he likes this coming year remains to be seen.
If they could somehow get their hands on someone like Jimmy Butler, they would be set.
However, if the Celtics truly want to take that next step, he’s going to have to nab another star-caliber guy. And he needs to do it now — preferably before the start of this season.
There’s nothing wrong with collecting young pieces, but it’s fair to say that the Celtics have sat on these assets for far too long.
The East is not very deep at all, and the opportunity to challenge the Cavaliers and leapfrog the Toronto Raptors is certainly there. But it won’t be there for forever.
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Stevens has done an extraordinary job getting the maximum out of his roster so far. But in order for the Celtics to become heavyweights, they will need Ainge to work some magic and get them that additional scorer they require if they truly want to be taken seriously out East once again.