Can the Celtics Be Legitimate Contenders in 2014-2015?

[Fafnir]

why is Faverani not playing that much?

Because games only have 48 minutes.

That, and he is pretty horrendous defensively, and offensively he is very hit or miss.

Yeah he's settled in nicely as a backup C since Sullinger has proven to be our best option by far at C.

[Clench123]

I really think so.  I can almost smell it

[wdleehi]

If the Celtics can add a top 5-10 star without giving up much depth and plug the hole in the middle, maybe...




Just not likely. 

[kg is king]

I have in mind a roster that looks something like this:

-Rondo, Bradley, Green, Sullinger
-a center who can anchor the defense and protect the rim
-a sixth man type who can come off the bench and hit threes and provide credible defense against bigger SGs (I think Bradley can defend those guys, but he might need some protection against fouling out) or a starting SF who can push Green into that role
-a bench that could include Olynyk, Faverani, Crawford, Pressey, Bass or Humphries (but probably not both), Wallace, and Lee.  Not all of those guys, but some of them.

Getting that center, combined with a motivated and healthy Rondo, plus some additional time for Brad Stevens to fine-tune his schemes, could have the Celtics as a top-five defense.  I'd argue that if you do that, it wouldn't take more than an average offense to make the Celtics a team that won't be a favorite but has a realistic longshot chance at winning the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics are multiple players away from being a contender.  Instead of acquiring all of those players at once or drafting them and waiting for them to develop, perhaps it makes sense to acquire them one at a time, maybe one during the season when some teams are selling off talent cheaply in an attempt to tank, another during the off-season, and possibly a finishing piece for bench depth during next season.

Obviously, I am thinking of Omer Asik as a possible step in this plan, although it doesn't have to be him.

That seems all fine and dandy. My problem is this, who is our guy that we give the ball to and say "go get a bucket" when the game is close? We all know you need stars to win in this league. Miami has LBJ, Wade, and Bosh. Indiana has George. Portland has Aldrige and Lillard. OKC has Durant and Westbrook. I can go on and on...Who's our guy? Rondo? If so, we'll be nothing more than pretenders.

[pearljammer10]

If the Celtics can add a top 5-10 star without giving up much depth and plug the hole in the middle, maybe...




Just not likely.

This sums it up right here... This team doesnt have the pieces to contend. I mean even with a healthy Rondo teams like Miami, Indiana, SA, OKC etc. will all be able to trump over us in a best of seven series.

We need a top 5 to 10 player (scorer) to pair with Rondo as well as a defensive anchor at the center slot in order to make us a legit contender.

[Jailan34]

If the Celtics can add a top 5-10 star without giving up much depth and plug the hole in the middle, maybe...




Just not likely.

This sums it up right here... This team doesnt have the pieces to contend. I mean even with a healthy Rondo teams like Miami, Indiana, SA, OKC etc. will all be able to trump over us in a best of seven series.

We need a top 5 to 10 player (scorer) to pair with Rondo as well as a defensive anchor at the center slot in order to make us a legit contender.

This is why many people were pro tank, free agency isn't going to get us out guy, so why not try and draft him in the next 2 to 3 drafts.  It's the same offs as convincing Kevin love to come here over any other team. This isn't going to be a quick rebuild if we want to build a serious contender not just a perennial 3 seed. I just hope with our huge stockpile of mid value assets Ainge can swing a deal.