Anybody else think we're too good to "tank"?

[BleedGreen1989]

Providing Rondo is healthy (nothing yet has indicated otherwise) I still feel the Celtics will still not be bad enough to land a top 5 pick.

This little excerpt from The Globe explains it well..

With a core of Rondo, Avery Bradley, Jeff Green, and Jared Sullinger, along with Brandon Bass and Courtney Lee, the Celtics are now younger (the average of those six is 25) and more athletic.

Add in players such as MarShon Brooks, a capable scoring guard who averaged 12.6 points in 2011-12 with the Nets and will be coming to Boston instead of forward Reggie Evans; and Gerald Wallace, a rugged swingman who’s on the tail end of his career but can still contribute.

Then factor in the pair of 7-footers the Celtics acquired in the draft in Gonzaga’s Kelly Olynyk and Colorado State’s Colton Iverson, both of whom should bolster a roster that was lacking in front-line depth.

In all, their roster will have the talent to , at the very leastcompete in the East, where last season the Milwaukee Bucks reached the playoffs with a losing record (38-44).

Lets take a look at the likely non-playoff teams who may be "tanking" or who may just be bad without trying..

-Orlando
-Phoenix
-Philadelphia
-New Orleans
-Charlotte
-Sacramento
-Detroit
-Utah
-Milwuakee
 
Rondo really is the biggest factor here keeping us a talented team..

Another league source said, “If [Rondo] wants them to be a playoff team and he’s healthy, he’s good enough to will that

I don't advocate trading Rondo simply to get bad and improve your chances at a crap shoot lottery but Danny is in an interesting predicament.

[bfrombleacher]

I see no reason why Rondo won't do one of the two of:

Being traded.

Sit out the year to be completely safe.

[BleedGreen1989]

I see no reason why Rondo won't do one of the two of:

Being traded.

Sit out the year to be completely safe.

I really don't see Rondo just sitting out to improve our draft position.

[Finkelskyhook]

I see no reason why Rondo won't do one of the two of:

Being traded.

Sit out the year to be completely safe.

I really don't see Rondo just sitting out to improve our draft position.

Neither do I.  I can't imagine somebody that competitive being implicit on a tanking.

Any team with Rondo on it is going to the playoffs.  He's too good.

[hwangjini_1]

i expect rondo to play next season, but i am not sure he will play at the start of the season.

for health reasons it makes sense to hold rondo off the court until he is absolutely healed and recovered. they aren't going anywhere next year, so no need to be in a hurry with rondo. also, given the way he plays the game all out, a sabbatical might help his career in the long term.

not having rondo for the first 2-3 months of the season could seal the deal on the lottery.

but then again, the celtics actually do have some decent player even without rondo.

[wahz]

I see no reason why Rondo won't do one of the two of:

Being traded.

Sit out the year to be completely safe.

I really don't see Rondo just sitting out to improve our draft position.

Neither do I.  I can't imagine somebody that competitive being implicit on a tanking.

Any team with Rondo on it is going to the playoffs.  He's too good.

1. Rondo was just a baby but indeed participated in the "tanking" of the season prior to the KG trade.  In retrospect, maybe it was planned to let him rot behind Telfair for awhile. I have no doubt the plan is the same. Play him after January.

[gar]

Still don't know if that is the plan. Still plenty of time to make moves and lots a pieces to work with.

What it does mean is that we will be able to play the youngsters now and see what we have and build from there. The C's are not dumb enough to just tank. I don't think anyone just tanks. You have a plan, that plan does not include winning now; but building assets and talent for the future.

Big difference. It is not just about getting the first pick. Too many teams have gotten screwed by the bouncing ball. We can combine picks and use our young assets to move up as long as you are in the top 10.

[gpap]

I agree with the premise of this post.

It really isn't that difficult to be a competitive team in the East.

Take out Miami, Indy, Chicago, New York & Brooklyn and it's anybody's ball game.

That's why I think tanking would be a stupid idea.

If you pick up a Josh Smith and a serviceable center like a Hickson, Dalembert or even Birdman and add that to a core of Rondo, Bradley, Brooks, Green, Wallace, Hump, Sully and Olynyk (give or take a couple of those names which you would need in a S/T for Smoove) then that IMO is a 45 win basketball team.

Rather have that than to be playing for the birds to get a lottery pick.

Not to mention, as others have astutely pointed out, getting into the lottery is such a crap shoot.

The Celts tanked in 1997 and 2007 to get either Duncan or Oden/Durant and look how that turned out.

[Smokeeye123]

I agree with the premise of this post.

It really isn't that difficult to be a competitive team in the East.

Take out Miami, Indy, Chicago, New York & Brooklyn and it's anybody's ball game.

That's why I think tanking would be a stupid idea.

If you pick up a Josh Smith and a serviceable center like a Hickson, Dalembert or even Birdman and add that to a core of Rondo, Bradley, Brooks, Green, Wallace, Hump, Sully and Olynyk (give or take a couple of those names which you would need in a S/T for Smoove) then that IMO is a 45 win basketball team.

Rather have that than to be playing for the birds to get a lottery pick.

Not to mention, as others have astutely pointed out, getting into the lottery is such a crap shoot.

The Celts tanked in 1997 and 2007 to get either Duncan or Oden/Durant and look how that turned out.

The Celtics tanking in 2007 is a big reason why we were eventually able to trade for KG and Ray and win the championship in 2008.

Im sorry but am I the only one who doesnt want to be an 8th seed and get bounced every year in the playoffs for the next 4 years? Just blow it up now especially since 2014's draft class is loaded.

[gpap]

I agree with the premise of this post.

It really isn't that difficult to be a competitive team in the East.

Take out Miami, Indy, Chicago, New York & Brooklyn and it's anybody's ball game.

That's why I think tanking would be a stupid idea.

If you pick up a Josh Smith and a serviceable center like a Hickson, Dalembert or even Birdman and add that to a core of Rondo, Bradley, Brooks, Green, Wallace, Hump, Sully and Olynyk (give or take a couple of those names which you would need in a S/T for Smoove) then that IMO is a 45 win basketball team.

Rather have that than to be playing for the birds to get a lottery pick.

Not to mention, as others have astutely pointed out, getting into the lottery is such a crap shoot.

The Celts tanked in 1997 and 2007 to get either Duncan or Oden/Durant and look how that turned out.

The Celtics tanking in 2007 is a big reason why we were eventually able to trade for KG and Ray and win the championship in 2008.

Im sorry but am I the only one who doesnt want to be an 8th seed and get bounced every year in the playoffs for the next 4 years? Just blow it up now especially since 2014's draft class is loaded.

I understand.

But what I am saying is it's not guaranteed that tanking to get into the '14 lottery gets you to a title any quicker than assembling a good team for the present and future.

In other words, between now and 2018, which scenario is more likely to get you to a championship

A.) A core of proven, effective younger players mixed in with some veteran talent

B.)A team of scrubs for the first 2 to 3 years, with the hope that your 2014 and 2015 draft picks turn into studs and HOPEFULLY bring you to the finals by 2017/2018.

I'd rather go with option A.

[Who]

Yep -- with Rondo still here, this team will still finish too far up the standings to expect to net a top five pick. If Danny can sort out that center position a bit, this team could make the playoffs next year.

[rondoallaturca]

I understand.

But what I am saying is it's not guaranteed that tanking to get into the '14 lottery gets you to a title any quicker than assembling a good team for the present and future.

In other words, between now and 2018, which scenario is more likely to get you to a championship

A.) A core of proven, effective younger players mixed in with some veteran talent

B.)A team of scrubs for the first 2 to 3 years, with the hope that your 2014 and 2015 draft picks turn into studs and HOPEFULLY bring you to the finals by 2017/2018.

I'd rather go with option A.

+1

People need to realize that tanking has way more variables involved required to get us to a championship contender again. Tanking is an option for those teams who are absolutely wrecked. When the Magic lost Howard and realized Turkoglu and Lewis were washed up, that's a good situation to tank. When Philly loses Iggy and misses on Bynum, that's a good situation to tank. When Boston ends its PP/KG era but still has Rondo, Green, and solid bench contributors, that's NOT a good situation to tank. Option A is unquestionably the far safer, far quicker, and much better route to take right now.

[Donoghus]

Yup.  As constituted, this team is not gonna be bad enough to get a top 5 pick or even a top 10 pick. 

In a pretty horrific East, Celtics won't be bottom of the barrel with this group.

[D.o.s.]

I've long held the belief that Rondo will be out until the All-Star break. Doesn't matter that "he's such a workah!" and whatnot. A torn ACL takes about a year to rehab, even athlete's can't bend father time to their whims.

Furthermore, there's little incentive to bring him back early with the roster we have now. I don't think he'll do a Derrick Rose--which, to my eyes, was motivated by the fact that Chicago's front office didn't make any moves to really bolster the team last year--but I would be incredibly surprised if he tried to pull off an Adrian Peterson.

The real question is--assuming he isn't traded, can our roster win enough games in the first half of the season without him? I don't think they can. Regardless of how well he'll play when he gets back, it's very hard to come back from 5-28.

[Chief]

I see no reason why Rondo won't do one of the two of:

Being traded.

Sit out the year to be completely safe.

I really don't see Rondo just sitting out to improve our draft position.

Neither do I.  I can't imagine somebody that competitive being implicit on a tanking.

Any team with Rondo on it is going to the playoffs.  He's too good.

Danny needs to package anyone and anything but Rondo and Green to bring in a 3rd superstar big man. We'd have our own young big three. Could you imagine a core of :

Rondo
Green
Howard or Aldridge or Love


I'd take my chances.