An Underreported Aspect of the Rebuild Efforts

[Getting Wiggy Wit It]

Like all fans, the trade of two pillars of the Celtics is not something that brings a smile to my face.  However, I am able to see when emotionally disconnected that these trades have put us in a very good position for the future.  We obtained 3 draft picks (with the option to switch in 2017) for 2 37 year old players who are no longer capable of leading a team. 

Additionally, something that I have seen across various media items is the fact that in tanking, if the team does everything right, they have a 25% chance of succeeding with the lottery.  This is simply not true.  They are stockpiling assets.  With 9 first round picks in the next 5 years, this team is in as good a position as any to move up in the draft should the lottery not go its way.  It's not a failure if they strike out at the lottery.  They have the assets to rectify that.  Just wanted to add this.  I'm really excited about the future of this team.

[Sketch5]

What I don't like is being bad for the next couple years at least...But....

What I do like is that in a couple years with some luck in drafting, and maybe luck in the 2015 FA season the team could be on its way back up to contending with a nice mix of young and old talent.

What I like even better that unless Brooklyn makes some crazy deals, in threw years they could be an 8th seed or lottery team. So in '16 and '18 we could get their lotto pic and trade for it in '17 if they have a worse record.

So while we are on the upswing and maybe even contending we still could be getting young assets 5 years from now that could take over the team a couple years from that.

As much as I hate seeing PP and KG leave. And as much as I don't really like any of the players coming in. This was a great deal for a team that is going to rebuild. Any rebuilding team would like this set up over the next 5 years.

[beantownboy171]

The celtics, if they try to build around rondo, would only be able to fully *tank* for one year. I think with rondo expected back midseason, the organization recognizes the opportunity. It doesn't hurt that this is the best draft since 2003.

But if you have the worst record in the league, you know the very worst you can pick is at #4.  Although we'd all feel a huge let down, there is usually a clear Top 5-7 in any draft. We want to get into THAT talent pool of stars. The #1 pick is overrated. We just need an all-star next year. We have a good shot at that even if we arent picking in the top 3.

[PhoSita]

Some good points.

I think people have a tendency to think in binaries.

Either we're looking to win championships, or we're tanking all out for the #1 pick.

If in any given season we're not doing either, it's a failure or a waste of time. 

Truthfully, that's not really the case.  Danny's plan so far looks good to me because like you said, it sets us up to get a lot of valuable assets even if we fail to get a top 3 pick in the lottery at any point in the next few years.

Yes, getting a top pick, especially in a great draft, is the easiest way to get a franchise player.  But it's not the only way.  The draft, for better or for worse, is the most reliable way to get high value, low cost assets in this league.  A draft pick, however, is never a 100% proposition, and the lower the pick the less of a sure thing it is. 

So Danny is playing the odds -- he's going for quantity over quality of draft picks, because he understands that in the draft it's better to have a lot of scratch tickets than it is to place all of your hopes on one raffle drawing.

[prov1ml34]

What I don't like is being bad for the next couple years at least...But....

What I do like is that in a couple years with some luck in drafting, and maybe luck in the 2015 FA season the team could be on its way back up to contending with a nice mix of young and old talent.

What I like even better that unless Brooklyn makes some crazy deals, in threw years they could be an 8th seed or lottery team. So in '16 and '18 we could get their lotto pic and trade for it in '17 if they have a worse record.

So while we are on the upswing and maybe even contending we still could be getting young assets 5 years from now that could take over the team a couple years from that.

As much as I hate seeing PP and KG leave. And as much as I don't really like any of the players coming in. This was a great deal for a team that is going to rebuild. Any rebuilding team would like this set up over the next 5 years.

I think the fact that we have 4 of their 1st rounders through 2018 (this includes the swap option for '17) that the Nets are kind of handcuffed with an inability to make some crazy deals. This only helps us and I can't see them not falling into the lottery in at least 1 of those years. Hopefully all 3!