A Homegrown Horizon?
June 14, 2017
As we all know, the Boston Celtics are in a unique position this offseason. Coming off of their first ECF appearance since 2013, the Celtics not only have the #1 pick in the upcoming draft, but also enough capital to potentially sign a max contract free-agent for the second summer in a row.
However, as Lebron continues to dominate the East by completing his 7th consecutive Finals appearance, it is apparent that, regardless of their success this season, the championship window (barring a catastrophe in Cleveland or the Bay Area) for this Celtics squad really doesn’t open for another 2-3 years. This presents a predicament for Ainge and co. moving forward.
Looking at the current cast of Celtics, there are a few candidates who have vastly exceeded expectations, emerging as fan-favorites who have brought Boston basketball back to relevance after a few seasons in the gutter. Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder are two names that immediately come to mind. Isaiah has emerged as a late-blooming superstar (yes, superstar), who refuses to let height define his reputation, scorching his way to the top of the NBA scoring list where he averaged about 30 pts/game. Nobody saw that coming after his first few seasons in Sacramento and Phoenix. Jae Crowder, meanwhile, came to Boston as a throw-in piece from the Dallas Mavericks in the deal that sent Rondo packing. He has since brought his game to new heights as a fearless defender and 3-point sharpshooter, surpassing the contributions of all other pieces associated with that deal, and then some.
Contributors such as Thomas and Crowder are the Celtics of today, but should they be the Celtics that take this team to the next level?
The Celtics have not only the top pick in this year’s draft, but a class of prospects primed for big minutes in the near future. The 3rd overall pick in the 2016 draft, Jaylen Brown, showed promise and heart in the limited minutes he saw on the court this season, which makes Crowder near expendable. Young guards, Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart, both showed improvements this season, on the defensive side in particular. Although they may not threaten Isaiah’s position with the team as Brown does Crowder, Thomas is peaking now, and it is unlikely he will be playing at this level in his early 30’s, when the championship window does open wide for the Celtics. Not to mention, a young man from Thomas’ alma mater by the name of Markelle Fultz is on the radar with the top pick in this draft, and his skillsets are very similar to those of Isaiah. This begs the question, should the Celtics give Thomas the money he will demand?
The arguments opposing this notion are fairly strong. In addition to the young guns currently on the roster, the Celtics have some up-and-coming talent that may crack the roster next fall by the names of Geurschon Yabusele (F), Ante Zizic (C), and Abdel Nader (G). Yabusele, 21, stands at 6’8″ 260 lbs, and has been described as a “big dancing bear”. After following a flashy summer league campaign with a successful season in China, where he averaged 20.9 pts and 9.4 rbs in 43 games. Yabusele is projected to be a Draymond Green-type player, which would address the rebounding pains the Celtics have experienced. Zizic, 20, dwarfs the aforementioned Yabusele, at 7’0″ 270 lbs. Zizic is a dunk machine. Look no further than Youtube to find a flurry of highlight reels featuring the physical young center throwing it down on the competition in the Turkish Super League, where he recorded 37 pts and 20 rbs in a game this past October. It’s clear that the Celtics are in need of a rim protector, and there are two clear rim protectors that are closer to NBA action than people may think.
Locking down Thomas to big money, in addition to Horford/a potential max player this summer, may prevent the C’s from locking down what looks to be a strong young core for years to come. Sure, Thomas may give you another year or two of premier scoring and flashy offense, but you don’t want your most expensive player to be regressing as the window for success is just beginning to open.
Sure, the Celtics could spend another boatload of money the next offseason or two looking to find the “missing piece”, but is the piece really missing? Or is the piece in the pipelines already? The risks associated with signing max players in today’s NBA are that you will rarely see players settle with a team for more than 2-3 years. Nevertheless, settle with a team that is currently grooming replacements for that max player, such as Boston is. Why commit to players with a short shelf life, when the window for legitimate success isn’t open yet?
Point is, the Celtics can trade their pick for a rim protector this offseason, they can sign Hayward to a max contract this summer, but for what? The Cav’s will own the East until these contracts are up, and the expense may be mortgaging the future for false hope. The Celtics should pass up on the shiny options, and opt to develop their homegrown talent, with the intentions to win 2-3 years from now, when Lebron steps down from the throne. You may see a lineup such as this in the future, featuring all former 1st round selections by the Celtics themselves:
1- Terry Rozier/Marcus Smart
2- Markelle Fultz
3- Jaylen Brown
4- Guerschon Yabusele
5- Ante Zizic
Written by Liam Rose