Tanking vs rebuilding... big difference

[EDWARDO]

I was listening to the Steven A Smith interview on WEEI the other day and he was asked to respond to a comment from Danny that the Celtics would never tank. SAS said something along the lines of "that's a lie and we all know it... they are in a complete rebuilding phase", without ever saying that the Celtics were actively trying to actually lose games, which is what most people would describe as tanking.

I think DA and SAS are both right. Danny is not trying to send a team out there to intentionally lose games and he will be hoping the Celtics win every game he watches this year. However, he also knows that this team isn't likely to win a ton of games and probably will struggle to make the playoffs at all. Like SAS said, this team is REBUILDING and will be playing a lot of young players big minutes and they will lose more than half their games.

Just because we're rebuilding does not mean we're actively trying to lose games or that the Celtics will make more moves to weaken the team for 2013/14. The trades we've made were made with an eye toward Banner 18, not "45 wins and first round ouster". PP, JET and KG were not going to be on the team that wins Banner 18. Rondo, Green, Bradley and Sully MIGHT though, and so we begin with that nucleus and build around that.

This talk about hiring Stevens in order to intentionally suck or benching players that are playing too well is a bit over the top. I could also see deals being done to move guys like Wallace, Bass and Lee if given the opportunity, and I think they'd like to see what guys like KO, Melo and Sully look like together for extended minutes. Both moves make losses more likely, but the primary goal is to add assets/flexibility by doing the trades, and developing our talent by playing the youngsters. Some on this board want to call this tanking when its actually a completely logical plan for rebuilding the team, developing the talent and adding more assets.

Tanking is completely abhorrent to the Celtic way and I'm glad Sully came out so forcefully against the concept. This team is rebuilding, and if that means we win 20 games or 40 games, its all in effort to win that next title.

[SHAQATTACK]

Cavs , have been tanking like crazy to build up draft picks and all star young players,   alot of teams do it ,  you don't advertise it , but its obvious .

If your city is NOT a destination city for FA's , and the Cap is so limited that you can't BUY a banner winning team ( Yankees) anymore with luxury taxes ,  then you have to PLAN to for a few lean years to rebuild though the draft.

NBA created this so called tanking with there cap rules.

So Danny is playing the game just like ANY smart GM would at this point.

You do what needs to be done we aquire the talent to compete.  FRanchise players are rare .   The Lotto is a better shot than ZIP or NO shot.

I'm ready to deal with a couple 20 win seasons to rebuild the C's/

[clover]

There are enough definitions in use of 'tanking' for Danny to have plausible deniability.

Besides, I can't believe David Stern wouldn't have something to say about a team GM proclaiming that they are going to tank on the season.

Finally, I think Danny's looking to create a rebuilding team that will have plenty of room and opportunity for young-guy assets to develop, with a likely positive byproduct of a good pick in the 2014 draft.  If however, his rookie coach and picks and the rest of his young team so overperform to give them only a marginal pick next year, he'll be more than satisfied for what it means about his current assets, from the rooks up to his rookie coach.

[lightspeed5]

Cavs , have been tanking like crazy to build up draft picks and all star young players,   alot of teams do it ,  you don't advertise it , but its obvious .

If your city is NOT a destination city for FA's , and the Cap is so limited that you can't BUY a banner winning team ( Yankees) anymore with luxury taxes ,  then you have to PLAN to for a few lean years to rebuild though the draft.

NBA created this so called tanking with there cap rules.

So Danny is playing the game just like ANY smart GM would at this point.

You do what needs to be done we aquire the talent to compete.  FRanchise players are rare .   The Lotto is a better shot than ZIP or NO shot.

I'm ready to deal with a couple 20 win seasons to rebuild the C's/

this. i do not want to be a 1st round exit every year. we need to tank and get SUPERSTARS. no millsap, no jefferson, no gortat, no crappy overpaid center.

I want a bonafied young superstar on a rookie contract.

[Vox_Populi]

I want a bonafied young superstar on a rookie contract.

Good luck with that then.

[lightspeed5]

I want a bonafied young superstar on a rookie contract.

Good luck with that then.

with more losses you need less luck.

[clover]

Cavs , have been tanking like crazy to build up draft picks and all star young players,   alot of teams do it ,  you don't advertise it , but its obvious .

If your city is NOT a destination city for FA's , and the Cap is so limited that you can't BUY a banner winning team ( Yankees) anymore with luxury taxes ,  then you have to PLAN to for a few lean years to rebuild though the draft.

NBA created this so called tanking with there cap rules.

So Danny is playing the game just like ANY smart GM would at this point.

You do what needs to be done we aquire the talent to compete.  FRanchise players are rare .   The Lotto is a better shot than ZIP or NO shot.

I'm ready to deal with a couple 20 win seasons to rebuild the C's/

this. i do not want to be a 1st round exit every year. we need to tank and get SUPERSTARS. no millsap, no jefferson, no gortat, no crappy overpaid center.

I want a bonafied young superstar on a rookie contract.

Exactly.