Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

"Trader Danny" Ainge avoids mid-season trades like the the plague, but this February 6th deadline may see that trend change. It is all about timing. If Ainge passes the deadline by without any moves, putting all of his chips on potential buyout candidates is simply too chancy. Players that are bought out and waived may already have a team other than the Celtics in mind. Here are some thoughts: Major trade shipping Gordon Hayward out Nix on this one! Gordon has deferred to his teammates this season , but has stepped up when the injury bug hit. In the last four games, he is averaging 36.3 MPG, 24.8 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 2.8 APG, while hitting 56% of his field goals, 47% of his 3-pointers and 91% on free throws. In what is, in effect, a contract season (player option for 2020-21), he has stepped back to allow the Jay Team to do their thing. But with Jayson Tatum out for several games, and playing limited minutes in the last contest, Hayward took over. He will do the same in the po...

In a return to yesteryear, should Danny Ainge look for an agile floor-running, rim-protecting big who can defend anywhere on the floor. Kind of sounds like Bill Russell, but that wasn't my intent. Still, Nerlens Noel just might revitalize his career in the Boston area where he grew up. We need an upgrade. I’m not sure I want to rely on a big whose best skill is dependent on teammates missing shots. Personally I like Noel — Matt Esposito (@MattEsposito_) December 18, 2019 Noel has bounced around the League a bit since being taken with the 6th-overall pick in the 2013 draft. He does match Russell's size at 6'10" and 220 pounds, and avoiding any other comparisons with Bill, Noel can be exciting to watch. He earns $2.0 million this season with the Oklahoma City Thunder and will be a free agent this summer. Despite not being a 3-pointer shooter, Nerlens has most of the qualities Danny Ainge likes in a player. He is agile and quick - can rebound the ball - and blocks s...

Things are going fine thus far for the Celtics, starting the season with a 4-1 record. Kemba Walker has stepped in just fine to fill the point guard position vacated by Kyrie Irving, but the loss of center Al Horford to the Philadelphia 76'ers will really start to hurt come playoff time. It is a well-known axiom that in post-season play, teams will expose and exploit any opponent's weaknesses - and for the Celtics that means lack of length and versatility at the five-spot. Al Horford had the length at 6'10", and he certainly had the diversified game. His primary replacement, Enes Kanter has played only one game for The Green, a loss to the 76'ers. French import, Vincent Poirier has played a total of 12 minutes this season, scoring four points and grabbing one rebound. Daniel Theis has been the best solution so far, but he is undersized at center and just can't handle the brutish big men. I have argued that Rob Williams should end up with the starting gig a...