Construct a Boston Celtics Team that Beats the Miami Heat Next Season

[BallsOut]

Here's your template:

PG: Rondo
SG: Bradley | Johnson
SF: Pierce | Moore
PF: Williams
C: KG

You have about 18mill to work with.

I'll start:

Jeff Green (S&T) + Johnson + Williams + Moore to Atlanta for Josh Smith. OJ Mayo for MLE. Kaman for 2 year 4 mill per season deal. Watson, Hill, and Azubuike for vet minimums.

Celtics
PG: Rajon Rondo | Earl Watson
SG: Avery Bradley | OJ Mayo
SF: Paul Pierce | Grant Hill | Keleena Azubuike
PF: Josh Smith | Jared Sullinger
C: Kevin Garnett | Chris Kaman | Fab Melo

[AlonzoGOAT]

Trade the entire franchise for LeBron.

[WeGetRing2012]

Celtics are coming out of the East next year.

Ray Allen will walk but they might sign Mayo... Which gives exactly what they need more- consistent scoring.

And the Rookies are legit.

[G-Funk]

that's a tall order...If u had a time machine!

[Perry Jones III]

Get Toney Douglas, Scal, Kwame, Walton, and Morrison at all cost.

[Sakkreth]

If LeBron is LeBron in those series, you just can't .

[StateOfMind12]

If LeBron is LeBron in those series, you just can't .

The Heat were on their way to losing that series had Bosh not returned and Lebron was having a great series. Everyone knows LeBron will get his but it's a matter of stopping the other players like Wade and Bosh and controlling the boards.

[Nash]

Rondo
Gordon
Melo
Kevin Love
Howard

Thats what they need.

[DStebb716]

With the template, there is no way for Boston to beat the Heat next year.

[jalbert009]

Here's your template:

PG: Rondo
SG: Bradley | Johnson
SF: Pierce | Moore
PF: Williams
C: KG

You have about 18mill to work with.

I'll start:

Jeff Green (S&T) + Johnson + Williams + Moore to Atlanta for Josh Smith. OJ Mayo for MLE. Kaman for 2 year 4 mill per season deal. Watson, Hill, and Azubuike for vet minimums.

Celtics
PG: Rajon Rondo | Earl Watson
SG: Avery Bradley | OJ Mayo
SF: Paul Pierce | Grant Hill | Keleena Azubuike
PF: Josh Smith | Jared Sullinger
C: Kevin Garnett | Chris Kaman | Fab Melo

Asik/Melo/Stiemsma
Garnett/Sullinger/Johnson
Pierce/Green
Mayo/Bradley/Moore
Rondo/Bradley/Dooling

Asik 15M/3years
Stiemsma 5M/3years
Green 13M/2years (2nd year Team Option)
Mayo 18M/3years
Dooling Vet min/1year

I think this is realistic.

[Derka]

Rondo
Gordon
Melo
Kevin Love
Howard

Thats what they need.

F*ck that. We had one of those pieces, plus a bunch of other busted dudes playing good ball and we were one game from the Finals.

Celts have already proven Lebron's no match in a seven-game series when he's stuck on an island on his own. Eliminate the other weapons, the Heat lose. That's the team Doc and Danny are putting together for these next two years.

[Donnybrook]

Asik/Melo/Stiemsma
Garnett/Sullinger/Johnson
Pierce/Green
Mayo/Bradley/Moore
Rondo/Bradley/Dooling

Asik 15M/3years
Stiemsma 5M/3years
Green 13M/2years (2nd year Team Option)
Mayo 18M/3years
Dooling Vet min/1year

I think this is realistic.

Yes.

[AMISTILLILL]

Edit: I have no idea why this board isn't letting me post Green's salary, but it's 3 years/$15 million with the third year as a Team Option.

Here is what I would realistically want the Celtics to look like next season:
[COLOR="Green"]* Free Agent Signings[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Red"]* Resigned 2011-2012 Season Players[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Blue"]* Rookie Signings[/COLOR]

PG: Rajon Rondo/[COLOR="Green"]Kirk Hinrich (2 years/$6 million)[/COLOR]/[COLOR="Green"]Patty Mills (1 year/$1.2 million)[/COLOR]
SG: Avery Bradley/[COLOR="Green"]Jason Terry (2 years/$14 million)[/COLOR]/[COLOR="Green"]DeShawn Stevenson (1 year/$2 million)[/COLOR]
SF: Paul Pierce/Jeff Green for 2 years/$10 million/[COLOR="Red"]Mickael Pietrus (2 years/$5 million)[/COLOR]
PF: [COLOR="Red"]Kevin Garnett (3 years/$33 million)[/COLOR]/Jeff Green/[COLOR="Blue"]Jared Sullinger (3 year/$3.3 million)[/COLOR]
C: [COLOR="Green"]Spencers Hawes (3 years/$18 million)[/COLOR]/[COLOR="Blue"]Fab Melo (2 years/$2 million)[/COLOR]/[COLOR="Red"]Greg Stiemsma (Player Option, $1 million)[/COLOR]
---------------------------------------
Players Waived: JaJuan Johnson

Two words: [COLOR="Red"]DAT DEFENSE[/COLOR]. Stevenson/Pierce/Pietrus/Rondo/Bradley/KG?

This puts Boston just over $10 million over the cap, paying just $10 million extra in taxes through the 2012-2013 season. With this lineup, they can make a huge push for another ring with a combination of youth and championship caliber experience. Then, try and deal some of the expirers to get closer to the cap when the 2013-2014 season rolls around.

A lot of people think Kirk Hinrich is a tough sell for the price I'm suggesting, but a lot of those people forget the reason he was making so much to begin with. The guy was signed to a five-year, $47 million dollar extension when he was still delivering the goods in Chicago. A perfect comparison to his situation is Mike Bibby, who was rewarded for his high level of play only a few short years ago but went downhill fast.

Hinrich's play has fallen off considerably and he'd get a great backup role playing for a contender.

Patty Mills is an under-the-radar talent that somebody will take a flyer on and luck out with tremendously. Boston would have an incredible player rounding out their PG rotation.

Jason Terry may get a better contract elsewhere, but he probably wants to play for a contender/elite. Boston has the cap space and the opportunity for minutes, with Ray Allen gone and Avery Bradley pushed into the starting lineup. If Bradley's shoulder injuries linger, Terry could find himself in the starting lineup frequently.

Besides being a great defender with championship experience, DeShawn Stevenson still carries the unofficial title of "LeBron Stopper". While I think that's a bit of a stretch, you can't ignore his ability to frustrate LeBron with his hardnosed defense - hell, he's been doing it since LeBron came into the league. While he might be looking for some long term, the guy has to consider his age and realize he just wasted a year of his dwindling career on a bottom-feeder.

Jeff Green signs with Boston because he's been within the teams inner circle, even as RFA, and Ainge loves him. I'm not sold on him, but it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that he's a Celtic.

Mickael Pietrus is an excellent defender and can stroke the 3-ball with relative consistency... Boston will need all the perimeter shooting they can get if/when Ray Allen jumps ship.

The biggest stretch of all may be with Spencer Hawes and his desire to sign for a contract of this size. He may want more years and demand more cash per season in a barren landscape of serviceable centers.

[BallsOut]

Edit: I have no idea why this board isn't letting me post Green's salary, but it's 3 years/$15 million with the third year as a Team Option.

Here is what I would realistically want the Celtics to look like next season:
[COLOR="Green"]* Free Agent Signings[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Red"]* Resigned 2011-2012 Season Players[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Blue"]* Rookie Signings[/COLOR]

PG: Rajon Rondo/[COLOR="Green"]Kirk Hinrich (2 years/$6 million)[/COLOR]/[COLOR="Green"]Patty Mills (1 year/$1.2 million)[/COLOR]
SG: Avery Bradley/[COLOR="Green"]Jason Terry (2 years/$14 million)[/COLOR]/[COLOR="Green"]DeShawn Stevenson (1 year/$2 million)[/COLOR]
SF: Paul Pierce/Jeff Green for 2 years/$10 million/[COLOR="Red"]Mickael Pietrus (2 years/$5 million)[/COLOR]
PF: [COLOR="Red"]Kevin Garnett (3 years/$33 million)[/COLOR]/Jeff Green/[COLOR="Blue"]Jared Sullinger (3 year/$3.3 million)[/COLOR]
C: [COLOR="Green"]Spencers Hawes (3 years/$18 million)[/COLOR]/[COLOR="Blue"]Fab Melo (2 years/$2 million)[/COLOR]/[COLOR="Red"]Greg Stiemsma (Player Option, $1 million)[/COLOR]
---------------------------------------
Players Waived: JaJuan Johnson

Two words: [COLOR="Red"]DAT DEFENSE[/COLOR]. Stevenson/Pierce/Pietrus/Rondo/Bradley/KG?

This puts Boston just over $10 million over the cap, paying just $10 million extra in taxes through the 2012-2013 season. With this lineup, they can make a huge push for another ring with a combination of youth and championship caliber experience. Then, try and deal some of the expirers to get closer to the cap when the 2013-2014 season rolls around.

A lot of people think Kirk Hinrich is a tough sell for the price I'm suggesting, but a lot of those people forget the reason he was making so much to begin with. The guy was signed to a five-year, $47 million dollar extension when he was still delivering the goods in Chicago. A perfect comparison to his situation is Mike Bibby, who was rewarded for his high level of play only a few short years ago but went downhill fast.

Hinrich's play has fallen off considerably and he'd get a great backup role playing for a contender.

Patty Mills is an under-the-radar talent that somebody will take a flyer on and luck out with tremendously. Boston would have an incredible player rounding out their PG rotation.

Jason Terry may get a better contract elsewhere, but he probably wants to play for a contender/elite. Boston has the cap space and the opportunity for minutes, with Ray Allen gone and Avery Bradley pushed into the starting lineup. If Bradley's shoulder injuries linger, Terry could find himself in the starting lineup frequently.

Besides being a great defender with championship experience, DeShawn Stevenson still carries the unofficial title of "LeBron Stopper". While I think that's a bit of a stretch, you can't ignore his ability to frustrate LeBron with his hardnosed defense - hell, he's been doing it since LeBron came into the league. While he might be looking for some long term, the guy has to consider his age and realize he just wasted a year of his dwindling career on a bottom-feeder.

Jeff Green signs with Boston because he's been within the teams inner circle, even as RFA, and Ainge loves him. I'm not sold on him, but it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that he's a Celtic.

Mickael Pietrus is an excellent defender and can stroke the 3-ball with relative consistency... Boston will need all the perimeter shooting they can get if/when Ray Allen jumps ship.

The biggest stretch of all may be with Spencer Hawes and his desire to sign for a contract of this size. He may want more years and demand more cash per season in a barren landscape of serviceable centers.

Stevenson is a good suggestion. I almost put him in place of Azubuike.

You gotta think San Antonio isn't letting Mills go after that terrific season.

Terry shall always be referred to as the Miami Heat killer. However, I think Mayo is a better all around player and a lot younger so he'd be worth throwing the money at.

Hinrich and Watson are interchangable in my opinion. For some reason, Watson has always been the cheaper to be had player throughout their careers, but having seen both, it's really a wash. A plus for Watson is his terrific 3pt shooting. I am unsure about bringing Pietrus back, wasn't his 3pt shooting very unconsistent last season?

Lastly, I prefer Kaman over Hawes since Kaman should come a bit cheaper.

[Harison]

Get fair reffs. Done.