How’s a 15-15 record sound?

How about being the 6 seed in the East?

How about being 1.5 games out of the playoffs?

How about blowing a 24 point lead with 16 minutes left in the game?

How about a 5-7 record in February, with bad losses to 4 teams below .500 (Atlanta, New Orleans, Washington, Detroit)?

You can dissect it however you want it, but one this is for sure: The Boston Celtics are in trouble.

It has been a weird year for the entire NBA. With COVID still going on, teams have been asked to adjust to new conditions, protocols, and strict rules due to this ongoing pandemic. For the most part, the NBA has been successful in putting together a decent product for the league and it’s fans. There have been some bumps along the way, with players, coaches, and other faces in organizations either testing positive for the virus, or having to quarantine because of close contact. As a result, some teams have been short-handed.

Unfortunately, the Celtics are one of those teams that have been short handed due to Covid, but also due to injuries.

Marcus Smart is still sidelined due to a suffering a calf injury back in late January vs the Lakers. They’ve missed his intensity, firepower, and grit, especially in close games. Kemba Walker was out until mid January, and since his return, has been extremely inconsistent. Jayson Tatum had tested positive for COVID back in mid January, and even addressed the public just a week ago that is “breathing still isn’t quite right”, and “is more winded than usual” in games. Injuries and COVID have certainly come back to bite Boston in this weird year, but those aren’t the only issues.

Boston also has a depth and inexperience issue. Danny Ainge collected a numerous amount of mid to late 1st & 2nd round picks over the years, and almost none of them have panned out as being anything more than simple role players. Down below are some of the Celtics recent draftees.

Semi Ojeleye is best suited as a playmaking role player. Robert Williams has shown flashes that he can be a difference maker, but can’t stay consistent and looks lost half the time. Romeo Langford can’t stay healthy. Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards, & Tremont Waters are nothing more than career backups. Aaron Nesmith has shown flashes, but can’t find consistent playing time. Payton Pritchard may be Ainge’s best late draft pick in recent years, but no one knows what his ceiling is.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not here to say these players are all bad and can’t play. I mean, they’re in the National Basketball Association for a reason. But, when you look at these players, none of them stand out as being “key” pieces to contending teams. I still hold out hope for Robert Williams, Aaron Nesmith, and Payton Pritchard, because they are really the only ones who have shown that they can possibly help this team moving forward.

Looking back, with all these draft picks that Danny Ainge had collected, he could have found a way to trade them for veteran pieces that could have helped the Celtics in the short term. Boston has had a depth problem for years now, and it’s crystal clear that Ainge overvalued these 1st round picks. A veteran leader could have really helped the C’s in last years playoffs, with players like Andre Iguodala & P.J. Tucker coming to mind.

There are ways for Boston to clean up this roster and maybe get back to being a contending team. Because right now, I don’t see us getting out of the first round with how we’ve looked.

First solution: Make at least one trade at the deadline

I’ve said before in past blog posts that Ainge holds a big trade exception from the Gordon Hayward signing in Charlotte. A big piece like John Collins, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic, Buddy Hield, & many other pieces can really help solve the Celtics roster talent issue. Ainge may wait out and use most of the money on a bigger name in the off-season if bigger names become available. But regardless, it is absolutely imperative that he makes a trade to change up the roster and fix the issues we have. Our biggest areas of need include: a playmaking wing off the bench, a 3 and D shooting big, and talented players who can defend the perimeter.

Second solution: start holding the team accountable for 4th quarter woes

It’s become a consistent problem where the C’s lose sizable leads, especially in the 4th quarter. To me, I think it’s a depth and discipline issue. Their starters often look winded and out of sorts as the games come down to a close, and that’s a depth issue. If Boston had more proven & talented players to help carry the load, we’d see better results. Discipline comes into play, because I do believe Boston is undermining their opponents. Each and every one of their players need to be held accountable, because no NBA team should be taken lightly.

Final solution: Stay as healthy as possible

As stated before, health has been a major issue for Boston this year. Injuries and COVID have haunted them, but continuing the follow the protocols, doing simple steps to staying healthy, and training/resting your body when needed can help them down the road.

Final Word

What it comes down to is making roster changes and getting healthy for Boston. Their current mix isn’t good enough to win a title, and with the trade deadline fast approaching, Danny needs to pull the trigger on a deal.