While there are already some panicked calls for change in Boston, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge plans on seeing how his current roster adjusts to the absence of guard Rajon Rondo before making any moves, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald writes.
Danny Ainge: Celtics need better ‘player movement’ with Rajon Rondo injured
Without their primary playmaker, the Celtics need to make adjustments on offense to stay competitive. Can they make those changes without a major trade or two?
Jared Wickerham
With Rondo on the mend for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, many around the Celtics franchise are wondering if the team can still compete, but Ainge isn’t reacting yet. “We’re not bringing anybody in yet - we’re not rushing into anything. We like the guys that we have now,” he said.
The guys Boston has now - Jason Terry, Avery Bradley, Courtney Lee and Leandro Barbosa - will presumably all see expanded roles in an offense that no longer includes its primary ball handler and playmaker.
Speaking to how the offense will presumably change without Rondo’s presence, Ainge said that, “what I think is important is player movement,” emphasizing that having his players aggressively rotate without the ball can help to make up for some of Rondo’s playmaking skills.
Still, there’s some reason behind Ainge’s optimism. As CelticsBlog writes, players like Terry and Barbosa could be revived by the extra responsibilities:
Honestly, I think guys like Terry, Lee, and Barbosa are relishing at this opportunity. As great as it was to be on the shooting end of a Rondo assist, these guys are playmakers - specifically Terry and Barbosa - and I’m sure they’re looking forward to sharing the ball more and getting more touches.
With the Celtics limited by luxury tax concerns, maximizing the performance of veterans like Terry and Barbosa will be key to Boston eventually reaching the postseason this year. Things could still change quickly, something that this team knows quite well now, but it appears the status quo is staying in place for the time being.
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