Which Teams Will Be Worse Than The Celtics Next Season?

[PhoSita]

I'm assuming our starting lineup will be:

Rondo - Bradley - Green - Sullinger - Jordan

With a bench comprised mostly of young guys like Crawford, Williams, Randolph, Melo, the #16 pick, and also Bass.

Guys like Terry, Lee, Caron Butler, and Willie Green could potentially be here, too, depending on the parameters of the trade w/ the Clippers and other moves Danny makes to shed future salary.  I wouldn't expect them to get a ton of minutes.

Here's my definitive list


1. Bobcats
2. Magic
3. Kings
4. Suns
5. Pelicans


I can't think of any other teams who I am 100% confident will have a worse record.  I'd expect the Celtics to end up with somewhere between the 5th and 10th worst record, with the possibility of ending up lower if Rondo misses significant portions of the season.

[Who]

That is one ugly lookin' bench. Strong candidate for the worst in the league. That will cost you 10 wins by itself. Bring the team back to a 28-32 win type range. 

No reason to have a bench that bad unless you are purposely trying to lose games.

[PhoSita]

That is one ugly lookin' bench. Strong candidate for the worst in the league. That will cost you 10 wins by itself. Bring the team back to a 28-32 win type range. 

No reason to have a bench that bad unless you are purposely trying to lose games.

Well, no reason to spend money on free agents to make the bench better if our goal is not to win as many games as possible.  That can't possibly be our goal if we're doing this trade.

So I wouldn't expect to see any guys no currently on the team on the bench unless they're a draft pick or they come in via a salary dump trade.

Exception to that would of course be undrafted free agents or D-league guys who could compete for a rotation spot for cheap.


I'd liken it to what the Blazers did last season.  They had one of the better starting lineups in the league, but their awful bench kept them among the top 10 picks.

I don't think that starting lineup is as good as the one the Blazers had last year, though.  Other than Rondo and Green there's nobody who's ever averaged double digit points for an entire season.

[esel1000]

I still don't think we're tanking. I think DA is gonna make moves to try to get a FA like Smith here, maybe through some sort of sign and trade, and sign some shooters like Korver for the bench. Rebuild on the fly, I hate the tank method. Look how well its worked for the Bobcats...

[syfy9]

I still don't think we're tanking. I think DA is gonna make moves to try to get a FA like Smith here, maybe through some sort of sign and trade, and sign some shooters like Korver for the bench. Rebuild on the fly, I hate the tank method. Look how well its worked for the Bobcats...

I don't think the Bobcats ever tanked...they are just that bad.


The tank method brought in the Jordan dynasty and the Duncan dynasty; it's proven to work.

[esel1000]

I still don't think we're tanking. I think DA is gonna make moves to try to get a FA like Smith here, maybe through some sort of sign and trade, and sign some shooters like Korver for the bench. Rebuild on the fly, I hate the tank method. Look how well its worked for the Bobcats...

I don't think the Bobcats ever tanked...they are just that bad.


The tank method brought in the Jordan dynasty and the Duncan dynasty; it's proven to work.

Fair enough I agree. But the Bobcats are just one franchise that proves that tanking for the lottery just isn't worth it... They may not be trying to but they get top picks and it isn't helping. Other teams are in the same boat.

We shouldn't try to tank. If we end up being bad enough to be in the mix for a top pick then fine. But I don't see DA purposefully doing that.

If (when) this trade is completed, I expect many more moves this off-season.

[Who]

That is one ugly lookin' bench. Strong candidate for the worst in the league. That will cost you 10 wins by itself. Bring the team back to a 28-32 win type range. 

No reason to have a bench that bad unless you are purposely trying to lose games.

Well, no reason to spend money on free agents to make the bench better if our goal is not to win as many games as possible.  That can't possibly be our goal if we're doing this trade.

I don't think that is a sure thing yet. It might go that way. It might not.

I still think we could see a Josh Smith or Paul Millsap acquisition. I think we could see Pierce end up staying if Danny can't get a good return on trade. Pierce could also end up being traded for an established player rather than filler + picks.

The talent base is still pretty solid after swapping out KG for D.Jordan. Especially with Rondo (hopefully) playing more games next season than he did this last season and with Sully a year older. This team is right there in the mix for a playoff spot.

[PhoSita]

That is one ugly lookin' bench. Strong candidate for the worst in the league. That will cost you 10 wins by itself. Bring the team back to a 28-32 win type range. 

No reason to have a bench that bad unless you are purposely trying to lose games.

Well, no reason to spend money on free agents to make the bench better if our goal is not to win as many games as possible.  That can't possibly be our goal if we're doing this trade.

I don't think that is a sure thing yet. It might go that way. It might not.

I still think we could see a Josh Smith or Paul Millsap acquisition. I think we could see Pierce end up staying if Danny can't get a good return on trade. Pierce could also end up being traded for an established player rather than filler + picks.

The talent base is still pretty solid after swapping out KG for D.Jordan. Especially with Rondo (hopefully) playing more games next season than he did this last season and with Sully a year older. This team is right there in the mix for a playoff spot.

A few things:

1. Rondo - Smith - Jordan would result in terrible floor spacing.  Not to mention that it's just begging the other team to intentionally foul.

2. If you added Millsap, Jefferson, or Smith to that group, yeah, they'd make the playoffs in the East.  But we could have just run it back this season and made the playoffs as a bottom 4 seed.  Why commit money to one of those guys and commit 90% of our cap space to Rondo, Green, Smith, and Jordan?  That core isn't going anywhere.

3. I really think that taking KG off this team is going to result in a much bigger drop-off than most people seem to think.  The best scorer on that team will be Jeff Green -- even if you add Josh Smith.  That team won't have an identity since they won't have a true defensive anchor, yet they won't have the guns to score a lot of points.

[BballTim]

That is one ugly lookin' bench. Strong candidate for the worst in the league. That will cost you 10 wins by itself. Bring the team back to a 28-32 win type range. 

No reason to have a bench that bad unless you are purposely trying to lose games.

Well, no reason to spend money on free agents to make the bench better if our goal is not to win as many games as possible.  That can't possibly be our goal if we're doing this trade.

I don't think that is a sure thing yet. It might go that way. It might not.

I still think we could see a Josh Smith or Paul Millsap acquisition. I think we could see Pierce end up staying if Danny can't get a good return on trade. Pierce could also end up being traded for an established player rather than filler + picks.

The talent base is still pretty solid after swapping out KG for D.Jordan. Especially with Rondo (hopefully) playing more games next season than he did this last season and with Sully a year older. This team is right there in the mix for a playoff spot.

A few things:

1. Rondo - Smith - Jordan would result in terrible floor spacing.  Not to mention that it's just begging the other team to intentionally foul.

2. If you added Millsap, Jefferson, or Smith to that group, yeah, they'd make the playoffs in the East.  But we could have just run it back this season and made the playoffs as a bottom 4 seed.  Why commit money to one of those guys and commit 90% of our cap space to Rondo, Green, Smith, and Jordan?  That core isn't going anywhere.

3. I really think that taking KG off this team is going to result in a much bigger drop-off than most people seem to think.  The best scorer on that team will be Jeff Green -- even if you add Josh Smith.  That team won't have an identity since they won't have a true defensive anchor, yet they won't have the guns to score a lot of points.

  Trade PP and KG for Jordan and Smith, add a healthy Rondo and Sully and you'll make the playoffs. The team will be fairly solid on defense and the offense won't be as bad as you think.

[eugen]

I hope Clippers

[BballTim]

I hope Clippers

  Haha. I agree, hopefully the Lakers as well.

[SHAQATTACK]

not many


lotto balls


oh great and 20 years to go...

[Who]

That is one ugly lookin' bench. Strong candidate for the worst in the league. That will cost you 10 wins by itself. Bring the team back to a 28-32 win type range. 

No reason to have a bench that bad unless you are purposely trying to lose games.

Well, no reason to spend money on free agents to make the bench better if our goal is not to win as many games as possible.  That can't possibly be our goal if we're doing this trade.

I don't think that is a sure thing yet. It might go that way. It might not.

I still think we could see a Josh Smith or Paul Millsap acquisition. I think we could see Pierce end up staying if Danny can't get a good return on trade. Pierce could also end up being traded for an established player rather than filler + picks.

The talent base is still pretty solid after swapping out KG for D.Jordan. Especially with Rondo (hopefully) playing more games next season than he did this last season and with Sully a year older. This team is right there in the mix for a playoff spot.

A few things:

1. Rondo - Smith - Jordan would result in terrible floor spacing.  Not to mention that it's just begging the other team to intentionally foul.

2. If you added Millsap, Jefferson, or Smith to that group, yeah, they'd make the playoffs in the East.  But we could have just run it back this season and made the playoffs as a bottom 4 seed.  Why commit money to one of those guys and commit 90% of our cap space to Rondo, Green, Smith, and Jordan?  That core isn't going anywhere.

3. I really think that taking KG off this team is going to result in a much bigger drop-off than most people seem to think.  The best scorer on that team will be Jeff Green -- even if you add Josh Smith.  That team won't have an identity since they won't have a true defensive anchor, yet they won't have the guns to score a lot of points.

1) Yep, it is and it will still win a good amount of ball games.

2) Who says that core is kept together long term? Just because they are here now doesn't mean they will still be here in a few years. There is good talent there. Youth. Some young players and picks. Mixing those together and create some good trade opportunities. Probably not for an All-NBA type but to build a 2004 Detroit Pistons type team, yes I think does.

3) I disagree. I think there is going to be less of a drop-off than many expect. I think the problems Boston had last year with it's supporting cast and with Rondo being injured are grossly underestimated and that simply fixing those issues will bridge the gap (drop-off) between Garnett and D.Jordan. And to a lesser degree, I think DeAndre Jordan is an undervalued player and prospect.



There are different ways towards rebuilding. I think it is still unclear just which one Danny Ainge will choose.

Although it looks like Ainge has zero interest in a fully blown rebuilding process like the Bobcats and Magic are currently going through. But I think it is too early to tell whether he will choose to go your preferred method or try to stay in the playoffs and add a building block to the squad if possible via free agency / trade.

I am not saying it will be this one or that one. Just that could still go either way.

[SparzWizard]

The Bucks.

They're gonna lose Brendan Jennings, Monta Ellis, and JJ Reddick, I heard!

[SHAQATTACK]

Easy win for THE BOB CATS  ( hope they become the HORNETS  once again)

I may have to revert back to a Hornet fan for the next 20 years