As an ardent laker fan it is hard to admit how well the Celtics have rebuilt after their "Big 3" left town in the now infamous Nets trade. But I have come to respect their savvy in achieving the near-mythical combination of future potential and championship contention at the same time. Sure, they will be underdogs against Golden State, but any team would be against the Warriors.
What this blockbuster trade did for them was flip a player about to become an unrestricted free agent (Isaiah Thomas) for a younger and more experienced champion. Sure the cost is Brooklyn's unrestricted pick this year, but theres many teams in the East worse than Brooklyn right now (try and name 5 players on the Bulls or Hawks...go on, I'll wait). Add in the West's dominance and the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings look to be headed to a <25 win season as well. A pick in the 3-7 range isn't nearly as valuable as a top 1/2. Thats a decent price to avoid overpaying a HISTORICALLY UNDERSIZED pg nearing 30 years of age. Isaiah Thomas has even been quoted saying the Celtics needed to "back up a brinks truck" for him.
Jae Crowder will be missed but he only blocked minutes of promising youngins Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
And before we forget, the Celtics still have the Lakers/Kings pick from 2018/2019; they can play the long game and keep drafting promising young guys, or go all in on that one other star to put them over the top of Cleveland and potentially Golden State. As is, Boston has a chance against Cleveland (I know Kyrie will be ruthless going against Lebron).
Feel free to counter my points but at the end of the day lil IT isn't carrying you past the many other elite PGs in the NBA when the playoffs come around. Sure he bested John Wall but his supporting cast was nothing like the current Celtics or Warriors. Lebron will still be too much for anyone in the East, but I see a repeat of the 5 game "Quickie" coming.