Wanted - Patience

Here’s the good news:

The Boston Celtics are at its a core a very young team. Jaylen Brown is 23 years old. Jayson Tatum is only 22. He’s actually younger that Payton Pritchard, Boston’s promising second round selection. Larry Bird at 22 was a senior at Indiana State leading the Sycamores to the NCAA championship game against Magic Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans. I repeat, these Boston Celtics are a very young team  

Here’s the bad news:

Young teams don’t win NBA championships.

Michael Jordan was 27 when he won his first title. His game needed maturity.  LeBron James was 27 the first time he won the Larry O’Brien trophy. LeBron needed to be surrounded by 2 other all-stars to bring out the best in his game.  Tim Duncan did win his first title at 22 but like Magic Johnson before him Duncan joined a team with an established star center still playing at an all-star level. Steph Curry was 26 when he won his first title. Dirk Nowitzki was 32 when he won his only championship.  Kobe Bryant was 21 but he needed a 27 year old Shaquille O’Neal to get him that title.  

And now the Celtics outlook:

Kemba Walker could have been that veteran piece that brought us into true title contention but his injuries might just be too much for him to be that missing veteran piece. Tristan Thompson is a nice pickup but in no way is he on David Robinson’s 1998 level.  Injuries hampered Gordon Hayward’s ability to be that guy. 

All of this means that we have 2 options to get our 18th championship:

1) Have patience as Tatum and Brown mature into well rounded confident NBA stars.

2) Trade Jaylen Brown like Ainge traded Al Jefferson and hope for a more instant return on equity.

There are no Larry Bird’s anymore; young men who at 24 have the talent and maturity to lead teams to NBA championship glory. In this day and age patience is a virtue. Our championships will come.