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I think the window is 4 yrs. Although KG is 30, 31, he has always been in great shape. He doesn’t have the Shaq weight issues and none of the big 3 are chasing pg like Nash and Jason Kidd around the floor.

Hopefully we can be the Beast of the East for next 3-4 years but I know the Bulls, Pistons, Cavs, Raptors will weigh in on that too.

I tried to be conservative about this season when I heard about the trade (and I really think we will regret not having jefferson in a year or two). That said, I can’t get this stars-win-championships argument out of my head. What top three even comes close to this group? And I know KG is not a big on offense but he is the best defensive big we have had in at least a decade.
This team is a top tier challenger, along with San Anotoni, Phoenix, Dallas, and I would add the Bulls. It is completely up for grabs among this group and the C’s chances are at least as good as any of them.
(I know I haven’t posted in awhile, but don’t you dare call me a fair-weather fan. I have been reading the site all through the bad days – actually enjoyed them, it was fun watching the kids grow, especially al of course)

The window is 4 years (health permitting). When KG’s contract ends after the 5th year of his era, the Celtics should make sure they have plenty of cap room to quickly move into the next era.

In my KoolAid world, Golden State will be terrible for the next 2 years and Baron Davis will hop on board in ‘09 for the MLE and help extend this group’s run.

I agree with the 4 year thing. Looking around the league there are a few 34-36 year old veterans (superstars) starting and the rest are role players. Of course they are all guys who stayed in shape and didnt have serious injury histories.

Hope we still have Perk and Rondo then, they will be pretty good players IMO. 8)

If they win I will run around naked in a bee colony covered in honey…but with a tube sock on. Think about it, think about it.

There is no basis for judgment regarding the window IMO. KG is KG — he is not Kareem, Karl Malone, Rober Parrish, John Stockton, Wilt Chamerlain or Pervis Ellison. How can we compare his likelihood to remain healthy unless we compare genetics, compare wear, compare conditioning, etc… But for the heck of it, here are a few comparisons: Bill Russell led the C’s to his last title at age 35. Wilt Chamberlain was MVP of the championship series at age 35 in 1972 and Kareem was playoffs MVP at 38 in 1985. Is anyone here going to argue that any of them were the physical specimen (conditioning-wise) that KG is? KG could be great till 38. Do I think he will? No… but it’s possible. If he is, then we’ve got a 7 year “window” as he can built around and rebuilt around.

I think we will win the east. Unfortunetly we will be hard pressed to beat San Antonio in a seven game series.

2 years. This year, they try to figure each other out AND they have no depth. Year after, Ainge makes a Faustian pact and finds a supporting cast or it’s over. The miles will catch up with KG, Ray and Pierce sooner not later.

I think they have a legit shot this year and an even better shot the following year. In year 3 I could see them potentially winning it but the drop-off will be in Year 4.

They will surpass the Pats and not the Red Sox.

I believe the biggest surprise this season will be Paul Pierce.

Paul is dropping his weight, great for his foot and his game and is surrounded by two legitimate stars. In the past he has never had one star (with all due respect to Antoine)let alone two.

Paul will be a beast, his turnovers will be down, shooting percentage and assits will be up and he will match KG for outward signs of heart and intensity.

The man is born to play basketball and the next four years will show the world just how good number 34 really is.

One last thing, as Gant said, we don’t need to worry about our point guard, other teams need to worry about our point guard. R2 is now the future of this franchise.

Cheers

Aussie

We can win 60 wins this year, but we can’t beat San Antonio in a seven game series with this bench. Their defense is too good. If Reggie comes in it could be the difference. Hopefully Ainge can pull it off.

How far this team goes, barring significant injuries will depend on how they come together defensively. No team has ever challenged for a title without the ability to come out of a time out and shut down the other team to put the game away. It has been a long time since we’ve seen a team like that(can you say “The Big Three”?) in Boston.

In terms of the future, at this point, I think you try to ride these three until the end of their careers or their present contracts, whichever comes first. It is vital that Ainge orchestrates things so that when the new big three are gone, he hasn’t tied up any major money in in mediocre talent. This will insure that the next rebuilding process doesn’t take 20 years like the last one did.

I think the team has a chance at a championship – just not this year. Much will depend upon how Ainge massages the rest of the roster in years two and three. As it stands now, the Celtics have a very weak bench and an unsettled point guard situtaion. For all of Rondo’s obvious talents, he is not in the class of the better point guards in the league – at least yet – and that will be the team’s undoing as he has basically no back-up. Teams without steady and productive point guards do not win big.

I, too, wish Ainge had stayed the course with the youth and added Corey Brewer or Yi to the mix. But that’s history. He still has moves to make if the C’s are to contend in the East, never mind winning against whichever team emerges from the West.

Jeff,

Great reading — thanks for the creativity and work.

barring injuries its a two year window starting in 2008-09. as built this team doesn’t have the depth to keep the main guys off the court for 40 minutes a night and KG, Ray and Paul are all guys who to be ready for the playoff run need to get thier minutes down to 30-32 as without the extra rest thier bodies will start to wear down when they’re needed most.

If a couple FA’s are added at the end of the season to shore up the bench it should give a solid 2 year window before guys really start to break down. At that point its complete rebuild time.

The 7 year window is a great theory in regards to KG, however I’d have to ask how many times Minnesota was able to build and rebuild around him in his first 12 years? What makes anyone think that doing so in his last 7 will be any easier?