With Kyrie Irving signing with the Nets, and Kemba Walker becoming the new star of the Boston Celtics, the revolving door of Celtics point guards continues. Ever since Danny Ainge performed the famous highway robbery of the Brooklyn Nets it seems like the starting point guard role has been switching every year or so. Sometimes it’s good to get a fresh start, but it’s hard to keep changing a starting point guard this often and remain a contender for a title.
Rajon Rondo was the mainstay at point guard for several years in Boston. Along with winning a championship in 2008, he still played well in the years to follow. During the 2013-14 season, the C’s finished 25-57, and the realization came in Boston that it was almost time to move the final core piece left to their ‘08 title team. December 18, 2014 was the day that Rajon Rondo was traded to Dallas, and while the return wasn’t great, it opened the door for the trade that went down two months after.
In February of 2015, a very large three team deal was made that ultimately sent Isaiah Thomas to Boston from Phoenix. There was a log jam at point guard in Phoenix at the time, with Isaiah, Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic all teammates. However, when Thomas got to Boston, he didn’t start right away. He was backing up Marcus Smart. During the end of that year, and the following season where he was named an all star, he proved himself and became the guy at point guard for the Celtics. In the 2016-17 season, IT the king of the 4th quarter, an MVP candidate, and a fan favorite at the TD Garden. After such a short (no height joke intended) stint with the Celtics, it hurt the hearts of the fan base in Boston to see him dealt away, but seeing now his injury problems and what has played out, It might have been the right move.
In comes Kyrie Irving. The first year didn’t go all bad, and Kyrie played well until he got hurt, and the Celtics came up short in the playoffs to who else but LeBron. However, last year wasn’t ideal. Kyrie was the sprout of problems with the young guys, and his promise to resign quickly went out the window. Now with the signing of Kemba Walker, the Celtics hope for a fresh start culturally, and look to compete again.
Why is this even a big deal? At a position as important as point guard, and a position that requires adequate leadership and consistency, it’s difficult to build a championship franchise if the starter at that position is constantly changing, it’s harder to play as one and as a whole team if the primary ball handler is a different ball dominant guard every couple years. This could be part of the reason Boston hasn’t had success up to par with their historic franchise, and maybe Kemba Walker will stick around and be the one to change that.
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