CelticsBlog Offseason Mailbag Uncut - Part III

Like it or not, the mailbag is chugging along. And we're only about half way through.

scar How come Paul Pierce's beard never grows fully? It always looks incomplete...

Gotta agree. That thing is awful. Just shave Paul.

usernam895 Do you really think Jeff Green is worth $9,000,000 a year? What numbers would you like to see him put up this season so we get the feeling that it is worth it?

Based on his prior production, no, I don't think he's worth $9M. He's also a health risk which doesn't help. But he's got upside and we are paying for all of that upside. That said, I'm not looking for specific stats from him. If he improves on defense, that's the biggest thing he can do for us. With his athleticism, he could be a very good part of our defensive unit.

Scott (New Zealand) "Where are the Celtics heading if things don't work out this year? They would be still locked in to a number of contracts, and which ones could be used as trade chips for any big fish? I like the look to our team this season but I don't want to be stuck with the middle teams for the next 5 years. Lets hope for some growth from Sully, Green, Fab and Avery."

They are signed up for this crew for the next 2 years. I really can't imagine things going so poorly that they would have to change direction at the end of the year. With that said, if they somehow pulled a Red Sox and missed the playoffs, I could see KG retiring and Pierce following him out the door. Then they'd either have to build around Rondo or trade him. You know, the same basic discussion points we had leading up to this offseason - except the cap flexibility is pretty much gone for a year or two.

celtics18nyc How does ray ray actually help the heat ?

3 pointers are pretty handy.

wesley can you name in your opinion the 5 best teams in the nba

in no particular order- Celtics, Lakers, Heat, Thunder, Spurs

Jedi What do you think about Dionte Christmas, Do you think he still has a chance of making the roster past training camp? There was something about that guy, He just seemed to be a real fighter and I would love to see him develop into a 5 to 7 minute contributor. Anyways I know our roster is stacked at his position so I wanted to get your feedback.

He's got a great chance. I think he'll beat out Jamal Smith and spend a good deal of time in Maine next year.

Hardcore Fan Why does it seem like almost nobody remembers how well Chris Wilcox was playing last year when he went down with his heart condition?

He was playing well at that moment, but it took him a while to get to that point and it was over before it really sunk in. The other thing is that his scouting report has always been that he's streaky and inconsistent. As often as he looks good he can't keep it going for prolonged stretches. With that said, if anyone can get the most out of him, it would be Rondo. So I'm optimistic.

Johnny (Israel) "Hope you'll see it...My question is-theres a chance,even a minor one,we'll see a big trade this year deadline,even if were going to be on first or second place in the east (I heard a lot of rumors over the years on how Josh Smith going to be a Celtic and how he loves boston and their fans)? "

There's always a chance, but you have to consider the other team's needs/wants. Crazy stuff happens in this league where teams dump stars for nothing for whatever reason. But unless Danny Ferry goes into full fire-sale mode, I don't think we want to pay the price for him. We'll see though. One thing about wrapping up cap space on guys like Bass, Green, and Terry is that their contracts could be used to match salaries on some larger trades. So, don't get your hopes up, but feel free to warm up the Trade Machine in February.

celticsfan9 In the forums, this has been debated frequently, So, Almighty Jeff, please tell us the truth: is Avery Bradley the next Joe Dumars?

Yes, minus the short shorts. So let it be written.

mrgreen34 Because of his size, youth, and skills...... jared sullinger should get a shot at starting power forward.....? But there seems to be a lot contradiction...... some even going as far as saying he will never start this year! Why all the skeptics?

Haters gonna hate. Better to appreciate. Or something like that. I think Brandon Bass is the starting power forward for the time being. He's earned his keep and still has room to grow. With that said, at some point I absolutely see Jared Sullinger starting on this team. Will that happen this year? Not sure I see that happening without an injury. He's still young and has to learn the defense. Like Bass the scouting report says that he can be bothered by taller opponents, so he'll have to learn how to handle that on this level as well. I say don't rush him or expect too much too soon. Maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised. Well, not you. You'll just sit there smuggly telling people you told them so. Which is cool.

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