Are we tanking or should we?

[PAOBoston]

At this point if we were tanking I'd half expect them to trade our pick to get rid of Horford.

Horford and Smart will be gone at the trade deadline for assets.

[Roy H.]

We’re treading water, hoping that our talent downgrade is mitigated by better health and fit.

I think it’s a bad idea.  We had a chance to build a legitimately good team.

[Celtics4ever]

Holdover year at best.   I doubt we tank but it is clear that ownership is more worried about fiscal matters than a competitive team.   This is most likely the best course in the long run to sign a third star because we don't have the assets to trade for one and retain what we have folks.   

There were a lot of 5 million a year guys who would have moved the dial for us.   It is what it is folks.   Now let the fair weather fans leave as they always do....The diehards will stay with the team as they always do.

Horford and Smart will be gone at the trade deadline for assets.

Depends, I think we are going for cap space.   

A lot will depend on Nesmith and Romeo's development and Rob's health if we are to show improvement.   I have zero faith in Grant or Carsen turning it around but I would not mind being wrong if they did.   

[slamtheking]

Holdover year at best.   I doubt we tank but it is clear that ownership is more worried about fiscal matters than a competitive team.   This is most likely the best course in the long run to sign a third star because we don't have the assets to trade for one and retain what we have folks.   

There were a lot of 5 million a year guys who would have moved the dial for us.   It is what it is folks.   Now let the fair weather fans leave as they always do....The diehards will stay with the team as they always do.

Horford and Smart will be gone at the trade deadline for assets.

Depends, I think we are going for cap space.   

A lot will depend on Nesmith and Romeo's development and Rob's health if we are to show improvement.   I have zero faith in Grant or Carsen turning it around but I would not mind being wrong if they did.

I think this is a pretty accurate assessment.  maybe not about the 5 million a year guys but the rest is pretty spot on.

this year will be chasing a lower playoff spot and working the cap for the next offseason to have enough money to sign a max FA deal (at this point, it's looking like it's just going to be Beal with all the others signing extensions).   if they get him, great, provided we didn't gut the team of everyone else who's useful in doing so. 

[mef730]

No, we're not tanking. Nor should we tank.

Mike

[Who]

You can't tank when you have players as good as Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. They will drag you to mediocrity despite whatever mess you put alongside them. They are too good! They will ruin whatever tanking dreams you have.

Tanking is impossible with two high level talents like Jaylen & Tatum.

[Ogaju]

Defends on your definition of ‘tanking’.

Dumping players to get cap space rather upgrade talent is tanking.

If that is what is happening, yeah Cs are tanking. If you are deliberately fielding a worse team than you can field, you are tanking. The fact that you are doing it so you can be better in the future just solidifies the intent requirement.

If you define tanking as trying to lose games to get a better draft position, the Cs are not tanking and should not tank.

[gouki88]

You can't tank when you have players as good as Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. They will drag you to mediocrity despite whatever mess you put alongside them. They are too good! They will ruin whatever tanking dreams you have.

Tanking is impossible with two high level talents like Jaylen & Tatum.

Unless we David Robinson them!

[Celtics2021]

The time to tank was last season.  Jaylen was hurt.  Kemba was hurt.  Smart was hurt.  Time Lord was hurt.  Tatum was sick.  We could have pulled the plug like the Raptors did.

But we didn't, presumably because the players wanted to keep at it, and see if they could overcome.  There was that brief moment in April where it looked like it might happen, and then everyone got hurt and sick again.  Oh well.

But no, you shouldn't tank when you have two All-Stars just entering the best years of their careers.

[keevsnick]

No, and I actually think we've gotten a little better. Look, we only had Fournier for like 16 games last year so a full year of JRich is arguably and improvement. We won't be playing that stupid horrible Thompson-Fournier lineup this year either. And I'd expect at least some improvement among some combo of Pritchard, Langford, Nesmith, GWill, RWill. So if the c's add one more MLE rotation vet I'd say they will be fine.

And again, lets not forget, we had terrible injury and covid luck last year. If that reverts top the mean we coudl be pretty good. Not contenders, but like 48 ish wins.

[LilRip]

I don’t think we can tank unless Tatum and Brown get a bunch of rest days to heal injuries or “injuries”. The two of them are too good to miss the playoffs

That said, Brad is kinda punting the year with this roster right now. The play seems to be making a play for a big FA next year, get whoever we can with MLE, and then roll with a bunch of minimums/rookies to round out the roster. Someone’s going to want to play alongside Beal-Brown-Tatum-Timelord

[tstorey_97]

I thought we already tanked....kind of a while ago.

Tanking means lots of draft picks and young guys and I am done with draft picks and young guys.

If Robert would stop getting hurt, the Celtics are "one player away" and what that has to do with "tanking" is your guess.

Remember Jordan Crawford? He got traded mid season because he was playing too well. Ainge wanted a draft pick remember?

They were 25-57....that is a tank.

The Jordan Mickey era is over.

 

[Kuberski33]

Pretty sure the Jays would not be on board with tanking.  And if the C's did do that, both might be on board with forcing moves out of Boston.

[Ogaju]

I don’t think we can tank unless Tatum and Brown get a bunch of rest days to heal injuries or “injuries”. The two of them are too good to miss the playoffs

That said, Brad is kinda punting the year with this roster right now. The play seems to be making a play for a big FA next year, get whoever we can with MLE, and then roll with a bunch of minimums/rookies to round out the roster. Someone’s going to want to play alongside Beal-Brown-Tatum-Timelord

There are all kinds of ways to tank, and yes they are tanking. Tanking for cap space is tanking.

[wdleehi]

Tanking make no sense at this point.   The Celtics need to put players around Tatum and Brown that makes them play at their best, allow them to win games and not hamper next year's flexibility.   

Make Boston look like a way to contend for top free agent