A Large Regular

So the Boston Celtics traded Malcom Brogdon and Dalino Gallinari for Kristaps Porzingis and we all praised Brad Stevens. But then he trades Marcus Smart to Memphis and we all scratch our heads wondering what to make of the deal.

Marcus was taken with the sixth pick in the 2014 draft and the Celtics made the payoffs every year since, Smart and his talent and heart were a big part of that. Some franchises would kill to make the playoffs 9-years in a row. It was clear that Marcus was Boston's emotional favorite. He was also, perhaps, Danny Ainge's favorite. When Marcus's mom passed - Ainge went out of his way to console his star guard. This did not go unnoticed.

Did Brad Stevens take emotions out of the equation and make the right play or did he just stamp the Celtics as his team by removing Smart? Perhaps he's done both? Marcus's numbers should be easy to reproduce but his heart is another story, He's played the second most games in a Boston uniform since Paul Pierce and everyone has commented on how he's lost a step these past couple seasons. Two first round picks for a guy taken nine years ago is a fair return, For Boston's sake I hope this works.

To be clear this move not only marks this as Brad Stevens team but also Jason Tatum's team. It makes sense but it still hurts.

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"First off, I am 36 years old, I am divorced, and I live in a van down by the river." - Motivational Speaker Matt Foley

"Research is to see what everyone else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought." - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

"A genius is the one most like himself." - Thelonious Monk

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." - Marcus Smart

Miscellaneous NBA thoughts and observations as we near official NBA free agency.

I'm 100% in favor of the Celtics offering Kemba Walker a 4-year max contract. I hope this signing comes true... That would leave just starting center as a position of need for Boston and the solution I'd love to see happen is Danny Ainge trading a 2nd round pick in next year's draft to Phoenix to get back Aron Baynes who might not be the best talent available but who we know fits chemistry wise and is familiar with Brad Stevens system. Assuming this transaction would be allowed by the CBA... There's been some speculation that Kevin Durant will file a massive lawsuit against Golden State for the way they handled his injury. I don't see this happening for three reasons. First if Durant still gets a super-max contract from some team (which he will) then where's the financial harm? Second Durant's own doctor cleared him to play in the finals. Finally Durant has made and will continue to make a boatload of money - why do something so negative that can potentially do as much damage to Durant's reputation as it would to the Warriors? Discovery is a bitch... Amused by the rumors of Houston trying to acquire Jimmy Butler. I really don't see him as a fit there because last time I checked the game is still played with only one ball. This has the potential to have the team chemistry of gummy bears and acid.  Also rumored that Boston might try to facilitate the sign and trade with the aim of getting Clint Capela which would be nice but not if it were to cost Marcus Smart. I'd be 100% against that...

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Whenever you're thinking you are too old for a new endevour  remember that famed scuba-diver Jacques Cousteau didn't learn to swim until he was 40-years old... This was one impressive throw!... "I got some new underwear today. Well new to me." - Emo Phillips... This is another example of why Marcus Smart is among the most popular Celtics players. How can you not like Marcus Smart?... A blonde is a blonde, A redhead is a redhead and a brunette is a brunette. But what do you call a woman with black hair? You don't call her a "black head" and you certainly don't call her a "black"... Heh heh - drunk female fruit fly sluts... The JAWS character Captain Quint's name means "fifth" in Latin. In the movie he was the fifth person killed by the shark...

The State of the Boston Celtics right now is good. Very good. The future is so bright Celtics fans need to wear shades good.

It can be argued that the Celtics have the second best team in the NBA. Their starting five are Kyrie Irving (26), Jaylen Brown (21), Jayson Tatum (20), Gordon Haywood (28) and Al Horford (32). I put their ages in parenthesis just to show how young this team is.

The Celtics may also have the deepest roster in the league with the following regular rotation players coming off the bench; Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, Aron Baynes, Marcus Morris, plus Semi Ojeleye, Daniel Theis, and Guerschon Yabusele. This year's first round pick Robert Williams may not even make the NBA roster and instead might have to spend the season with the Maine Red Claws. This deep roster should keep the team fresh for the playoffs and be good insurance against any major injuries.

Of course Boston being Boston some drama has to be drummed up to satisfy sports talk radio and that drama comes from two subjects. First Kyrie Irving is a free agent after this season and there is speculation he may want to play in New York. Anyone following the situation, however, knows that the Celtics can offer him much more money than any other team because of his "Bird Rights". Not sure why Irving would want to leave a situation where he'd be competing for an NBA championship, have perhaps the best coach in the NBA and would be getting a ton of media exposure playing for one of the NBA's marque teams.

The other point of "discussion" has been the contract signed by Marcus Smart. Celtics fans are happy to have Smart back. The man always gives his all and his scrappy play makes him a crowd favorite. The "complaints" stem from arguments that the Celtics overpaid a  guy who won't even be a starter. And yes that's true but Boston is home to an incredible 6th Man legacy including Hall of Famers like John Havlicek and Kevin McHale (who started off his career backing up Cedric Maxwell). I think Danny Ainge did the right thing in giving Smart a contract that more reflects his true value to the team than the number of minutes he might play each night.

It has to be noted how excited Celtics fan are to watch Jasyon Tatum continue to develop. And now that it's been pointed out how eerie he looks like a young Kobe Bryant I'll never get that out of my head.

Let's not forget that Danny Ainge has a couple more high draft picks coming in the next couple of years and for Celtics fans this truly is a great time to be alive.

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

As a Boston fan I'm getting restless. It has been months since our last championship... Funny because it's true... Just a reminder - we know exactly who President Obama picked each year in his NCAA March Madness pools but we still don't know where he was the night our Embassy in Benghazi was attacked... Very cool... Georgetown's colors of blue and gray were chosen back in 1876 to support "unity between the Northern and Southern boys of the college"... Marcus Smart Ninja. How many middle age white guys will throw out their backs today trying to pull off this move?... If the day after Christmas can be known as Boxing Day why can't the day after St. Patrick's Day be known as Hangover Day?...