"Running it back" is a waste of everyone's time. History shows us this.

[MetroGlobe]

In order to perennially contend for a championship, an NBA team must possess an elite level player.  Of course there are exceptions to this rule, such as the 2004 Pistons.  But the likelihood of a team contending for a trophy every year is exponentially increased if you have an elite player.  If you have additional elite players, obviously this multiplies your chances.

History shows us that 99% of the time, these players are acquired through the draft rather than free agency or trade.  Some exceptions have occurred, but they are rare (Lebron to Mia, KG to Boston, Shaq to LA and Miami).

If the Celtics "run it back" they will likely make the playoffs yet again.  There is no chance to get a top 3 draft pick in this scenario.  There is also a near zero percent chance of getting an elite level player with a draft pick outside the top fifteen picks.

Therefore I conclude that the sooner the Celtics completely bottom out, and lose 65+ games, the sooner we can get a top 3 pick and potential elite level player on our roster.

Remember, it was the 17 win season in '07 that allowed us to get KG in the first place.  We need to replicate that process this summer by purging the roster of all our vets, sitting Rondo until at least March of next year, and hiring a rookie coach that ensures we lose every close game in 2013-14.

Please tell me how I am wrong here?  Prolonging the inevitable is nothing more than a waste of our time, as well as the prime of Rondo's career.

[EJPLAYA]

In order to perennially contend for a championship, an NBA team must possess an elite level player.  Of course there are exceptions to this rule, such as the 2004 Pistons.  But the likelihood of a team contending for a trophy every year is exponentially increased if you have an elite player.  If you have additional elite players, obviously this multiplies your chances.

History shows us that 99% of the time, these players are acquired through the draft rather than free agency or trade.  Some exceptions have occurred, but they are rare (KG to Boston, Shaq to LA and Miami).

If the Celtics "run it back" they will likely make the playoffs yet again.  There is no chance to get a top 3 draft pick in this scenario.  There is also a near zero percent chance of getting an elite level player with a draft pick outside the top fifteen picks.

Therefore I conclude that the sooner the Celtics completely bottom out, and lose 65+ games, the sooner we can get a top 3 pick and potential elite level player on our roster.

Remember, it was the 17 win season in '07 that allowed us to get KG in the first place.  We need to replicate that process this summer by purging the roster of all our vets, sitting Rondo until at least March of next year, and hiring a rookie coach that ensures we lose every close game in 2013-14.

Please tell me how I am wrong here?  Prolonging the inevitable is nothing more than a waste of our time, as well as the prime of Rondo's career.

Agree completely. In order to win a title we have to be better than the Heat and Pacers and Knicks. We aren't even close to that. If we keep running it back without putting ourselves in a position to truly rebuild we are basically guaranteeing a long stretch of terrible teams like we had after Bird/McHale/Parrish left. 20+ years of misery is what running it back will give us.

[SHAQATTACK]

I would rather watch KG an PAul than watch  Vinnie Del and  Jordon stink up the court with a half empty crowd boo ing them , and nobody coming to away games.

Sorry no name bench players like Bass an Lee , don't sell tickets or matter ,   

Now ......if Nerlins Noal   plays instead oh K G that's fine........

Jordon ......please get real.....he is 2 nd string back up. .....low skill player.


Stars win championships not nobodies.......stars fill gyms no scrubs

[CelticG1]

I hate these comments.

There's no real formula other than getting lucky and maintaining that luck.

Basically no teams have the right formula.

[LooseCannon]

Are the only players drafted in the top 5 to win a title in the 21st century with the team that drafted them Wade, Duncan, Robinson, and Darko?

I don't see a pressing need to completely bottom out and try to get a top three pick.

[LooseCannon]

I hate these comments.

There's no real formula other than getting lucky and maintaining that luck.

Basically no teams have the right formula.

There are multiple paths.  The mistake is being wedded to one particular formula.

[MetroGlobe]

I would rather watch KG an PAul than watch  Vinnie Del and  Jordon stink up the court with a half empty crowd boo ing them , and nobody coming to away games.

Sorry no name bench players like Bass an Lee , don't sell tickets or matter ,   

Now ......if Nerlins Noal   plays instead oh K G that's fine........

Jordon ......please get real.....he is 2 nd string back up. .....low skill player.


Stars win championships not nobodies.......stars fill gyms no scrubs

This is extremely short-sighted thinking, dude.  We must endure the pain of boos, empty arenas, getting punk'd on ESPN, etc.  We must.  We must. We must.  There is no other way to get back to a championship level.

And besides, why do you care if they don't sell tickets?  You're not financially invested in the team.

[MetroGlobe]

I hate these comments.

There's no real formula other than getting lucky and maintaining that luck.

Basically no teams have the right formula.

There are multiple paths.  The mistake is being wedded to one particular formula.

Show me a team besides Detroit that did it without bottoming out first?  Show me.  I challenge you.

Some teams did it tangentially, like Miami.  They got a top 5 pick in Wade, who didn't directly get them a championship.  But they eventually combined Wade with Shaq and Lebron to get themselves two banners.

But you can't find other instances of teams winning trophies without bottoming out.  For cripe's sakes our team had to bottom out a few years ago in order to get the top 5 pick that landed Allen and Garnett!!

[CelticG1]

I hate these comments.

There's no real formula other than getting lucky and maintaining that luck.

Basically no teams have the right formula.

There are multiple paths.  The mistake is being wedded to one particular formula.

Yup exactly.

And wait a minute......I thought thebkey to a championship was youbneeded a hall of fame big man? Or was it your best player can't be a pg except if your name is Isaiah, Magic, parker or billups. I always get these magical formulas screwed up!

[Q_FBE]

And history shows us that if you finish with the worst record in the league you only have a 30% chance of getting the top draft pick. You do remember the 2007 lottery and the 1997 lottery don't you.

Luck is for LOSUHS!!!!!!!

The superstars have a stranglehold on determining the future course of the NBA and not the GMs or coaches.

[CelticG1]

I hate these comments.

There's no real formula other than getting lucky and maintaining that luck.

Basically no teams have the right formula.

There are multiple paths.  The mistake is being wedded to one particular formula.

Show me a team besides Detroit that did it without bottoming out first?  Show me.  I challenge you.

Some teams did it tangentially, like Miami.  They got a top 5 pick in Wade, who didn't directly get them a championship.  But they eventually combined Wade with Shaq and Lebron to get themselves two banners.

But you can't find other instances of teams winning trophies without bottoming out.  For cripe's sakes our team had to bottom out a few years ago in order to get the top 5 pick that landed Allen and Garnett!!

What about dallas or the lakers?

Also its not like a ton of different teams in general have won the past 15 years

[CelticG1]

Also id love to list you all the teams where bottoming out hasn't earned a championship 

[Chelm]

I hate these comments.

There's no real formula other than getting lucky and maintaining that luck.

Basically no teams have the right formula.

There are multiple paths.  The mistake is being wedded to one particular formula.

Show me a team besides Detroit that did it without bottoming out first?  Show me.  I challenge you.

Some teams did it tangentially, like Miami.  They got a top 5 pick in Wade, who didn't directly get them a championship.  But they eventually combined Wade with Shaq and Lebron to get themselves two banners.

But you can't find other instances of teams winning trophies without bottoming out.  For cripe's sakes our team had to bottom out a few years ago in order to get the top 5 pick that landed Allen and Garnett!!

What about dallas or the lakers?

Also its not like a ton of different teams in general have won the past 15 years

The Lakers were my first thought... they got Shaq via a trade and Kobe with the 13th pick (well, technically a trade) after making the playoffs the prior two years.

[MetroGlobe]

Also id love to list you all the teams where bottoming out hasn't earned a championship 

This is DEFINITELY a concern.  Pitino submarined us to get a shot at Duncan, which turned into Mercer, Billups, Moiso, etc.  That obviously didn't work.

So bottoming out doesn't guarantee anything except a chance at getting an elite player.  But without doing it, you have NO chance.  Or only a very, very tiny chance.

The Lakers were my first thought... they got Shaq via a trade and Kobe with the 13th pick (well, technically a trade) after making the playoffs the prior two years.

The Lakers are a very unique situation.  They have Hollywood, and Shaq wanted to make movies.  So they are the exception to this rule.  But Boston has no such luck.  Beantown is no more desirable than Philly, Houston, Dallas, or any of the other pretty-great-but-not-awesome cities in this country.  In fact some might argue it's worse than those towns because of the weather.  Either way, we need a top 3 pick or we ain't goin' nowhere.

What about dallas or the lakers?

Also its not like a ton of different teams in general have won the past 15 years

This proves my point!!  A lot of different teams haven't won in the last 15 years.  That's because you need an elite player to compete, but once you have that elite player, you will be able to compete for a decade or more.

The best (and practically only way) of acquiring an elite player happens via the draft.  We must go down to the basement in order to get back up to the penthouse.

[The Walker Wiggle]

Poor timing for this thread given that the Spurs, a team to have last won a championship in 2006-2007, is one win away for getting a title six seasons later relying on the same coach and same core. Duncan is 37. Ginobili is 35. Tony Parker is 31.