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Anger usually comes from expectations not being met. If it's any team that knows a thing or two about anger from unmet expectations, it's the 2019 Boston Celtics.
The Celtics were primed as the team to dethrone the Golden State Warriors coming into this season. Last season they gave the world a glimpse into how deeply talented they were. coming one quarter away from defeating the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers to advance to the NBA Finals.
The young team, led by Terry Rozier, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown were without their cornerstones Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. It was nearly a dead giveaway that once both stars were healthy, the 2019 season was theirs for the taking.
But heavy is the head that's supposed to wear the crown. The Celtics have crumbled under their own expectations mightly this season. Because of their influx of talent, the Celtics were granted immunity from NBA fans and pundits for their struggles, with the thought that at any given moment, they will figure it out.
But their 44-31 record represents an inconsistency. Even if though they have locked up a playoff spot, it may be too late for this Celtics team to turn the corner.
So if the Celtics flame out of the NBA playoffs, what should be next for them moving forward?
The first order of business should be to figure out their Kyrie Irving mess. Irving has played the LeBron-aggressive game all season, saying enough for attention but not enough to satisfy the Celtics. If Irving is in, then you can move the necessary pieces needed to provide clarity to the team.
If Irving is out/or still noncommitted, it's best to let him walk. The Celtics should want to maximize their wunderkind coach Brad Stevens abilities. With that said, it's best to get a star player willing to buy-in to his system.
Depending on what Kyrie does next, the next move for the Celtics is to search for clarity. If this means moving several key players such as Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, and Jaylen Brown in exchange for a star player, then so be it. Understandably, Rozier, Brown, and Tatum came into this season expecting to pick up where they left off from last Spring.
But it's clear that as long as Kyrie Irving is in town, they will be second fiddle. And who knows how Gordon Hayward's career will be next season and beyond. Either way, if you factor in the emergence of Brown and Rozier as budding stars, it's best not to take a chance on Hayward and his contract while aiming to trade Rozier and Brown for a star.
However, if Irving chooses to leave, they should let him without hesitation. No need to chase behind someone who shows indecision. Instead, the Celtics should focus on trading for Anthony Davis, while still keeping some core players as a building piece. Davis doesn't have a bad reputation amongst his NBA peers and coaches, and he could be a positive wrinkle to coach Stevens system. Stevens has worked hard to become one of the NBA premier coaches. If Irving decides to not use common sense, then Davis should be their primary target to replace him.
But when it's all said and done, their goal should be to keep Irving in town. Yes, he's passive-aggressive and not always committed. But it's a good chance he just didn't understand the fruitfulness of leadership and what it entails. And he's also a damn good basketball player.
To win championships, and yes, championship(s), leadership is essential. The Celtics must make Irving realize he has the coach and front office personnel needed so that he can commit for the long haul.
If they lock Irving in, the Celtics must search for clarity. It's why the Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors are working. Everyone on the team knows their role and who should dominate the ball. The problem for the Celtics is they have a multitude of players who can do so and have done so. But too many cooks can be an issue especially for a young, talented team without many veterans to lead them.
So their plan should be quite simple: attempt to keep Irving, but don't chase him. If he (hopefully) uses common sense, trade away a few players for another star. There, the Celtics will have Irving, a star and a coaching system destined to get them over the hump. But most importantly, they will have clarity moving forward.
