Chad Ford has Celtics taking Jabari Parker at #5

[Vermont Green]

To add a couple other possible variables:

Gerald Wallace becomes the Gerald Wallace of a couple years ago, proving last year was a fluke, and not the end of his career.

I agree that there is a good chance that Wallace is going to surprise and be a solid player.  He will likely be featured as a primary option on an otherwise not so great team.  This will lead to good numbers.

If this happens though, he will be traded before he can do too much damage to the Celtic's draft position.

[Celtics18]

This is all going to become moot when we end up with the 15th or 16th pick in the 2014 draft.

Well, if that happens it means that either Rondo had an MVP season, Jared Sullinger turned into an All-Star in his sophomore season coming off back surgery, Kelly Olynyk won ROY, Jeff Green actually morphed into James Worthy, or something else similarly positive and fantastically improbable.

So I guess I'd be okay with that.

To add a couple other possible variables:

Gerald Wallace becomes the Gerald Wallace of a couple years ago, proving last year was a fluke, and not the end of his career.

Kardashian fits in well with Stevens' system, and turns back into the double-double machine he was the last 2 times he was in a contract year.

Marshon Brooks grows up a bit, and learns to play a little better within a team system, so they can take advantage of his significant offensive talents.

And of course, the general one that Stevens is able to bring the team together and to gel as a team, so that they end up greater than the sum of all of the parts.

This team has MAJOR questionmarks, and a lot of these things are unlikely, which is why the smart money is on them losing.  However, there are still plenty of variables that can make them a very solid team next year.

One more:

It turns out that Vitor Faverani can actually play. 

[Tr1boy]

This is all going to become moot when we end up with the 15th or 16th pick in the 2014 draft.

We're looking at Mitch McGary in there? Sign me up.

Not me. Sullinged and olynyk > mcgary

[Celtics18]

The beauty of this draft is that we have a kid that is on a Carmelo Anthony level coming out of highschool going as late as the 7th pick. I don't think he'll go that high but if somehow he dropped out of the top 3 we'd have to jump on it.

The other beauty is that by grabbing this kid, we can trade Green+young talent+picks in a package for someone like Aldridge or Love.

Kid is nails- the most complete player in one of the deepest drafts of all time.

and LOL to whoever said we might finish somewhere between 6 and 13.
top 4 or 5 in the East?
We'd need Rondo and Green as All Stars and Sully or Olynyk to average 16/10.

Dreaming.

I missed where someone said that we'd finish top 4 or 5 in the East.  I don't think anyone has made that claim in this thread. 

[Celtics18]

This is all going to become moot when we end up with the 15th or 16th pick in the 2014 draft.

yup... if pigs could fly

There's a significantly higher percentage chance of the Celtics making the playoffs than there is of pigs growing wings and learning to fly. 

I acknowledge that our team has some significant flaws, but I see a bunch of other teams in the East who look like they could easily struggle to win games as well. 

Personally, I could see us finishing with a better record than (in order according to my take from worst to mediocre-est):

Orlando
Philadelphia
Charlotte
Milwaukee
Atlanta
Toronto
Cleveland
Washington
Detroit

[Stizz44]

Still have no idea how a team that struggled with K.G, Paul Peirce, and Jason Terry is expected to do better without them the following season.

Totally Astounding.

Detriot, Cleveland , Atlanta are all leaps and bounds better than us right now.

2013-2014 Celtics have a top 8 pick locked!

[Chris]

This is all going to become moot when we end up with the 15th or 16th pick in the 2014 draft.

yup... if pigs could fly

There's a significantly higher percentage chance of the Celtics making the playoffs than there is of pigs growing wings and learning to fly. 

I acknowledge that our team has some significant flaws, but I see a bunch of other teams in the East who look like they could easily struggle to win games as well. 

Personally, I could see us finishing with a better record than (in order according to my take from worst to mediocre-est):

Orlando
Philadelphia
Charlotte
Milwaukee
Atlanta
Toronto
Cleveland
Washington
Detroit

Right, this is the issue.  Other than Miami, Knicks, Nets, Chicago, and the Pacers, every team in the East has a chance to be very bad.

[slamtheking]

This is all going to become moot when we end up with the 15th or 16th pick in the 2014 draft.

yup... if pigs could fly

There's a significantly higher percentage chance of the Celtics making the playoffs than there is of pigs growing wings and learning to fly. 

I acknowledge that our team has some significant flaws, but I see a bunch of other teams in the East who look like they could easily struggle to win games as well. 

Personally, I could see us finishing with a better record than (in order according to my take from worst to mediocre-est):

Orlando
Philadelphia
Charlotte
Milwaukee
Atlanta
Toronto
Cleveland
Washington
Detroit

Right, this is the issue.  Other than Miami, Knicks, Nets, Chicago, and the Pacers, every team in the East has a chance to be very bad.

Other than Philly, Charlotte, Orlando and maybe Toronto, I'd say the chances are pretty small.  Toronto and possibly Orlando could be better than expected.  if any of Orlando's youth makes the leap, they'll be on their way to a much better year than last year.

[Celtics18]

Still have no idea how a team that struggled with K.G, Paul Peirce, and Jason Terry is expected to do better without them the following season.

Totally Astounding.

Detriot, Cleveland , Atlanta are all leaps and bounds better than us right now.

2013-2014 Celtics have a top 8 pick locked!

I'm not suggesting that I think we'll be better than last year.  What I am suggesting is that we could finish in about the same position as last year. 

Detroit, Cleveland, and Atlanta may all end up better than us this season, but if they do, I don't expect it to be by "leaps and bounds" (well, maybe Detroit, if all goes well).  Personally, I don't like Atlanta's roster at all.  I love Al Horford.  I think he's one of the toughest warriors in the league.  He is an admirable competitor, but he's going to be forced to play center again, and he really doesn't have much help.  Milsap is a nice player as well, but their front line is woefully small, and the rest of the roster beyond those two is, simply, seriously lacking in talent. 

Cleveland is a big question mark.  If Bynum is healthy and motivated, they ought to be a solid playoff team, if not (and it's a big, big if), I expect them to struggle again.

I'd be surprised if Detroit didn't make the playoffs, and to be honest, I'll be surprised if we finish above them in the standings.  I don't think they are a shoo-in, though.  As talented as their young front court duo of Drummond/Monroe is they are still very young, which means there are still some questions about how they'll develop.  We'll see how Jennings does with those guys.  I'm not in love with his game. 

For me, the Pistons are going to be one of the most interesting teams to watch this year.  They are going to have some expectations put on them.  I'm still not entirely convinced they'll live up to them. 

[Celtics18]

This is all going to become moot when we end up with the 15th or 16th pick in the 2014 draft.

yup... if pigs could fly

There's a significantly higher percentage chance of the Celtics making the playoffs than there is of pigs growing wings and learning to fly. 

I acknowledge that our team has some significant flaws, but I see a bunch of other teams in the East who look like they could easily struggle to win games as well. 

Personally, I could see us finishing with a better record than (in order according to my take from worst to mediocre-est):

Orlando
Philadelphia
Charlotte
Milwaukee
Atlanta
Toronto
Cleveland
Washington
Detroit

Right, this is the issue.  Other than Miami, Knicks, Nets, Chicago, and the Pacers, every team in the East has a chance to be very bad.

Other than Philly, Charlotte, Orlando and maybe Toronto, I'd say the chances are pretty small.  Toronto and possibly Orlando could be better than expected.  if any of Orlando's youth makes the leap, they'll be on their way to a much better year than last year.

Maybe you are right, but I just don't see a likely starting lineup of Jeff Teague, Lou Williams, Kyle Korver, Paul Milsap, and Al Horford as being better than our team.  Or a starting lineup of:

Brandon Knight, OJ Mayo, Carlos Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova and Larry Sanders.

[Tr1boy]

Its anybodies game for 7th-8th spots.

Celtics are still almost the same team but also diff with stevens. Im happy small ball doc is gone actually. Who knows we could end up being the gsw of last year this upcoming season.

[manl_lui]

Its anybodies game for 7th-8th spots.

Celtics are still almost the same team but also diff with stevens. Im happy small ball doc is gone actually. Who knows we could end up being the gsw of last year this upcoming season.

I can actually imagine our team to be a running team compare to last season. Rondo, Lee, Bradley, and Green are all very athletic and they're going to keep running and running and running.

Though I don't agree that we are "almost" the same team. Our defensive anchor is gone in KG. Our defense is definitely going to take a big drop. ALso the captain is also gone, so I'm pretty sure any source of veteran leadership is gone.

Though I do agree, that with Doc gone, so will the small ball strategies. Don't get me wrong, I loved Doc when he was here, and he certainly has his flaws. I really didn't like small ball and the fact that we have Darko and we never thought about using him.

As I said before, I really don't see us being the bottom 10 team. I really see us having potential to be in the 7 or 8th spot.

[slamtheking]

This is all going to become moot when we end up with the 15th or 16th pick in the 2014 draft.

yup... if pigs could fly

There's a significantly higher percentage chance of the Celtics making the playoffs than there is of pigs growing wings and learning to fly. 

I acknowledge that our team has some significant flaws, but I see a bunch of other teams in the East who look like they could easily struggle to win games as well. 

Personally, I could see us finishing with a better record than (in order according to my take from worst to mediocre-est):

Orlando
Philadelphia
Charlotte
Milwaukee
Atlanta
Toronto
Cleveland
Washington
Detroit

Right, this is the issue.  Other than Miami, Knicks, Nets, Chicago, and the Pacers, every team in the East has a chance to be very bad.

Other than Philly, Charlotte, Orlando and maybe Toronto, I'd say the chances are pretty small.  Toronto and possibly Orlando could be better than expected.  if any of Orlando's youth makes the leap, they'll be on their way to a much better year than last year.

Maybe you are right, but I just don't see a likely starting lineup of Jeff Teague, Lou Williams, Kyle Korver, Paul Milsap, and Al Horford as being better than our team.  Or a starting lineup of:

Brandon Knight, OJ Mayo, Carlos Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova and Larry Sanders.

Jeff Teague, Lou Williams, Paul Milsap, and Al Horford are a better top 4 than the top 4 on the C's. 

Right now it's Rondo, Green and pray someone develops or regains their old form

[SHAQATTACK]

This is all going to become moot when we end up with the 15th or 16th pick in the 2014 draft.

yup... if pigs could fly

There's a significantly higher percentage chance of the Celtics making the playoffs than there is of pigs growing wings and learning to fly. 

I acknowledge that our team has some significant flaws, but I see a bunch of other teams in the East who look like they could easily struggle to win games as well. 

Personally, I could see us finishing with a better record than (in order according to my take from worst to mediocre-est):

Orlando
Philadelphia
Charlotte
Milwaukee
Atlanta
Toronto
Cleveland
Washington
Detroit

Right, this is the issue.  Other than Miami, Knicks, Nets, Chicago, and the Pacers, every team in the East has a chance to be very bad.

Other than Philly, Charlotte, Orlando and maybe Toronto, I'd say the chances are pretty small.  Toronto and possibly Orlando could be better than expected.  if any of Orlando's youth makes the leap, they'll be on their way to a much better year than last year.

Maybe you are right, but I just don't see a likely starting lineup of Jeff Teague, Lou Williams, Kyle Korver, Paul Milsap, and Al Horford as being better than our team.  Or a starting lineup of:

Brandon Knight, OJ Mayo, Carlos Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova and Larry Sanders.

Jeff Teague, Lou Williams, Paul Milsap, and Al Horford are a better top 4 than the top 4 on the C's. 

Right now it's Rondo, Green and pray someone develops or regains their old form

Right now.........hey I saw some feathers growing....

I'm betting on the PIGS 

[Smitty77]

Still have no idea how a team that struggled with K.G, Paul Peirce, and Jason Terry is expected to do better without them the following season.

Totally Astounding.

Detriot, Cleveland , Atlanta are all leaps and bounds better than us right now.

2013-2014 Celtics have a top 8 pick locked!

So, many of you think that the Pistons adding IQ-less Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings are going to vault Detroit into the playoffs?  I think that some of you might be surprised.

Smitty77