This is not a bad team!!!

[kozlodoev]

To simply make the playoffs next year....

Ditch Anthony, Babb and Bogens....completely useless.

Sign a legitimate "big guy"...   stop skirting the issue,  we are not going anywhere without one.

Most important...hire a truly defensive minded assistant. this team, at the present time, doesn't have a clue.
I'm sure Mr. Ainge will make it a bit more complex than this!!!

Because of the no-quit attitude the C's had this year and the time they will spend together in the summer and preseason in October,  I really see them coming out fast and hungry this coming season.  GO GREEN!!!

Yeah, not a bad team -- we can compete for being above .500 in any given season...

[guava_wrench]

To simply make the playoffs next year....

"making the playoffs" doesn't separate us from the pack. and really isn't much of a goal. in the east making the playoffs is a possibility for anyone. even us with the way our team is constituted right now.

in this league you want to be really good or really bad. if you're in the middle it's pretty much purgatory.
 

Yup

A vast majority of the NBA champions from this decade--the Celtics, the Heat (both times), the Lakers (the second time), the Pistons--went through mediocre seasons in the year/s immediately preceding their title runs.

Mediocrity, despite popular myth, is not necessarily a sentence of "purgatory" for an NBA team.

The Lakers, Celtics and Heat all had a HOF player on their roster. The Pistons were an aberration.

Ultimately, it is about the players. The Pistons are an aberration because they won by adding very good players, but never acquiring a HOF player. All the teams though with rings have a lot of talent. I find it silly to talk as if there is only one way to get a ring, so I completely agree with your dispelling popular myths.

Right now we lack talent at all levels of our rotation. We need to get talent somehow. Our talent level will increase as the younger guys develop, but unless a few guys make profound leaps, it will take a lot of fortuitous moves to morph into a higher echelon playoff team.

[footey]

I agree with OP.  We could compete for the play-offs next year with a couple of simple moves, still have assets gong forward.  No need to extend tank mode another year.  The play-offs this season have shown how, once in, anything is possible.  Look at ATL, Memphis, Washington.  May not go deep into play-offs, but are extremely competitive.  At the moment, among the elite teams (MIA, IND, OKC, SA), only MIA looks invincible, and that is probably because they had the weakest first round opponent. All the other teams look quite vulnerable.  Plus Miami starting next year is going to have some real age and salary cap issues to deal with.  They are tying up most of their cap space on three guys all of whom will be in their thirties, and one of whom, Wade, is very questionable from an injury stand point.

Also, don't forget that even if our improvement diminishes our own first round picks going forward, which is the only reason to stay really bad, we have others' first round picks (Nets, Clippers) that have no correlation to our own performance. 

[LarBrd33]

4th worst team in the league this year.   Worst team in the league in games Rondo played.

This isn't a bad team... it's horrible.

Our future is theoretically bright, but that's the case for all the other league bottomfeeders as well.  For instance, while we add the #6 pick to our dysfunctional bunch, the equally horrible 76ers will be adding two ROY candidates (Noel and probably a Top 3 talent).  The equally horrible Lakers will be adding Kobe Bryant, an equal lotto talent, and a max contract free agent.   The equally horrible Magic will likely be adding a Top 3 talent... and another Top 12 talent.

[GreenWarrior]

To simply make the playoffs next year....

"making the playoffs" doesn't separate us from the pack. and really isn't much of a goal. in the east making the playoffs is a possibility for anyone. even us with the way our team is constituted right now.

in this league you want to be really good or really bad. if you're in the middle it's pretty much purgatory.

I disagree with this statement.  I think that having a "good" mediocre team, like, for example, this year's Hawks, Grizzlies, or Wizards, can be very exciting.  Also, the notion that mediocrity is a condition that can't be improved upon in a short amount of time is an absolute myth.

I think if you're a team like the wizards and hawks you're a team that's on the plus side of mediocre. those are 2 teams that are a perfect example of with some tinkering they could become really good(hell, just by being in the east they could make the finals).

the grizzlies however imo are a team that's been in the same spot for yr's - not really upper echelon but certainly a playoff team. but their window is minimal and their almost likely not going to land a Melo to put them in that upper echelon category. then they're heading into this off season where they could lose marc gasol who is a cornerstone for that team and if they do decide to sign him, are they going to be able to sign a stud after that? i'm thinking not. they're a team that's a tough out in the playoffs who with a little luck and gets on a roll they could possibly find themselves in the finals. but it's not likely. so yeah I'd put them in that category of being further away from being really good.

[BleedGreen1989]

4th worst team in the league this year.   Worst team in the league in games Rondo played.

This isn't a bad team... it's horrible.

Our future is theoretically bright, but that's the case for all the other league bottomfeeders as well.  For instance, while we add the #6 pick to our dysfunctional bunch, the equally horrible 76ers will be adding two ROY candidates (Noel and probably a Top 3 talent).  The equally horrible Lakers will be adding Kobe Bryant, an equal lotto talent, and a max contract free agent.   The equally horrible Magic will likely be adding a Top 3 talent... and another Top 12 talent.

Our pick will likely bust as well while we know for sure the Lakers are adding Lebron James and Kevin Love soon after.

I'm not sure why we even bother to root for this team sometimes.

[timpiker]

I like most of the players on this team, and if I could I would keep most of them and somehow add a young PP that can come through during crunch time and a basket protector defender center.

And I like your idea about a defensive coach.  We miss Thibs.

[Fred Roberts]

I'm with the OP. We TRIED to lose games this year via intentionally lopsided roster construction and timely trades that ultimately put unproven rookies on the floor for extended periods. That, plus injuries.

Vitor Fanerani was possibly, the only true center on the team and he missed 45 games. He was a rookie and it was his first year in the US. Not a recipe for success. No help was sought at C. Hmm.

Rondo, our best player, missed 53 games and clearly was 'tuning up', not giving it everything to get wins. He understood.

Bradley, the top 2 guard, missed 22 games. Courtney Lee, a very strong backup to play in his place, was traded for the underwhelming Bayless. Courtney Lee is a way better player. This was a financial move to dump future salary. OK.

Senor Crawford was hot at the beginning of the year. He was playing out of his mind. So we flipped him to ensure he wouldn't help us score actual points in actual games and have a facilitator while Rondo was out. The team became rudderless and began losing quickly after that. Mission accomplished.

Gerald Wallace, not great, but a solid vet, missed 24 games. Insert more unproven street free agent types.

24 wins is 'horrible' sure, but it was as low as we could possibly go based on intentional moves to lose games. With reasonable roster management and better luck on injuries, that win total is at least a dozen higher. If Rondo was healthy, Bradley was healthy, Vitor (or another reasonable center) was on the team, Crawford stayed and Courtney Lee stayed ... the team isn't horrible.

It's not ridiculous to predict a .500 type team next year if Danny wants to go that route. He's pulling the strings and has enough currency to make the team a playoff contender as the next step in the process. We've got our 2 1st rounders in a stacked draft, and will build from here. It's a team with a pretty high floor, with lots of possible upside and growth ahead.

This "I only want championships" attitude is a little bit Yankee-esque. It's hard to win championships. Being a fan is about going through the ups and downs and seeing it through. Personally, I enjoy the process and we're lucky to have capable decision makers at the helm.

[BballTim]

Senor Crawford was hot at the beginning of the year. He was playing out of his mind. So we flipped him to ensure he wouldn't help us score actual points in actual games and have a facilitator while Rondo was out. The team became rudderless and began losing quickly after that. Mission accomplished.

  The team lost 12 of Crawford's last 13 games. He played out of his mind for a week or two, that was it.

[CoachBo]

I'm with the OP. We TRIED to lose games this year via intentionally lopsided roster construction and timely trades that ultimately put unproven rookies on the floor for extended periods. That, plus injuries.

Vitor Fanerani was possibly, the only true center on the team and he missed 45 games. He was a rookie and it was his first year in the US. Not a recipe for success. No help was sought at C. Hmm.

Rondo, our best player, missed 53 games and clearly was 'tuning up', not giving it everything to get wins. He understood.

Bradley, the top 2 guard, missed 22 games. Courtney Lee, a very strong backup to play in his place, was traded for the underwhelming Bayless. Courtney Lee is a way better player. This was a financial move to dump future salary. OK.

Senor Crawford was hot at the beginning of the year. He was playing out of his mind. So we flipped him to ensure he wouldn't help us score actual points in actual games and have a facilitator while Rondo was out. The team became rudderless and began losing quickly after that. Mission accomplished.

Gerald Wallace, not great, but a solid vet, missed 24 games. Insert more unproven street free agent types.

24 wins is 'horrible' sure, but it was as low as we could possibly go based on intentional moves to lose games. With reasonable roster management and better luck on injuries, that win total is at least a dozen higher. If Rondo was healthy, Bradley was healthy, Vitor (or another reasonable center) was on the team, Crawford stayed and Courtney Lee stayed ... the team isn't horrible.

It's not ridiculous to predict a .500 type team next year if Danny wants to go that route. He's pulling the strings and has enough currency to make the team a playoff contender as the next step in the process. We've got our 2 1st rounders in a stacked draft, and will build from here. It's a team with a pretty high floor, with lots of possible upside and growth ahead.

This "I only want championships" attitude is a little bit Yankee-esque. It's hard to win championships. Being a fan is about going through the ups and downs and seeing it through. Personally, I enjoy the process and we're lucky to have capable decision makers at the helm.

Virtually nothing I agree with here, including the assertion that being a fan is "going through the ups and downs and seeing it through."

Nonsense. This is the Boston Celtics franchise, the greatest franchise in NBA history.

I loathe the process, and we're about to find out if Ainge is actually a "capable decision-maker" or someone who got lucky when Sam Presti and Kevin McHale decided in the summer of 2007 to give two Hall of Famers away for 10 cents on the dollar.

This was a terrible collection of basketball flotsam to watch this winter. God bless anyone who stops the agony of this terrible basketball for next season.

[slamtheking]

probably see one more year like this one. 

this offseason at a minimum
- add 2 rotation-quality-or-better players in this draft.
- cut loose Hump, Bogans, Bayless, Babb
- develop Sully and KO over the summer so that they're improved over last year going into camp
- healthier Rondo back for full season
- bring back AB on reasonable money or an equitable asset in a S&T
- bring in a solid, quality vet on the Trade Exception
- bring in a solid vet with the MLE
-->with the improvements by the other bottom feeders with this year's picks, we're probably still in the lottery with about the same odds in the next draft.

Next offseason at a minimum
- add 2 more players in the next draft.  1 will hopefully be one of the project bigman prospects and the other will come from a Clips pick that was much better than expected prior to the Sterling mess
- cut Bass loose
- trade Wallace (and possibly Green) as expiring deals if it can be done without killing the cap or costing picks.  if not, hold them until they expire after the season
- resign rondo to a reasonable deal

At this point, C's will have 7 young players that may draw interest as trade bait (Sully, KO, Pressey, 2 2014 picks, 2 2015 picks--who knows, maybe Fav, Iverson and Johnson too) in terms of desired talent or salary purposes.  They still have Rondo and possibly Green.  if any of the draftees look like building blocks, keep them and move the others for better players.  still have another 5 first rounders (and some seconds) to use as trade chips if needed.  They will also be in a better cap situation to talk to FAs that are looking for more than MLE money

[LilRip]

This "purgatory" notion is only half-true. Ending up with a 7th/8th seed is perfectly fine when the core of your team are young players on the rise, or just about to enter their primes. It would be reasonable to expect that they'll improve the next year and end up with maybe a 5th/6th seed.

The purgatory thing only comes into play when the guys that got you to the 8th seed have already tapped their potential, or are in their primes. Then the team is likely to remain just as good next year until it progressively becomes worse (barring any major shake ups).

[Fred Roberts]

I'm with the OP. We TRIED to lose games this year via intentionally lopsided roster construction and timely trades that ultimately put unproven rookies on the floor for extended periods. That, plus injuries.

Vitor Fanerani was possibly, the only true center on the team and he missed 45 games. He was a rookie and it was his first year in the US. Not a recipe for success. No help was sought at C. Hmm.

Rondo, our best player, missed 53 games and clearly was 'tuning up', not giving it everything to get wins. He understood.

Bradley, the top 2 guard, missed 22 games. Courtney Lee, a very strong backup to play in his place, was traded for the underwhelming Bayless. Courtney Lee is a way better player. This was a financial move to dump future salary. OK.

Senor Crawford was hot at the beginning of the year. He was playing out of his mind. So we flipped him to ensure he wouldn't help us score actual points in actual games and have a facilitator while Rondo was out. The team became rudderless and began losing quickly after that. Mission accomplished.

Gerald Wallace, not great, but a solid vet, missed 24 games. Insert more unproven street free agent types.

24 wins is 'horrible' sure, but it was as low as we could possibly go based on intentional moves to lose games. With reasonable roster management and better luck on injuries, that win total is at least a dozen higher. If Rondo was healthy, Bradley was healthy, Vitor (or another reasonable center) was on the team, Crawford stayed and Courtney Lee stayed ... the team isn't horrible.

It's not ridiculous to predict a .500 type team next year if Danny wants to go that route. He's pulling the strings and has enough currency to make the team a playoff contender as the next step in the process. We've got our 2 1st rounders in a stacked draft, and will build from here. It's a team with a pretty high floor, with lots of possible upside and growth ahead.

This "I only want championships" attitude is a little bit Yankee-esque. It's hard to win championships. Being a fan is about going through the ups and downs and seeing it through. Personally, I enjoy the process and we're lucky to have capable decision makers at the helm.

Virtually nothing I agree with here, including the assertion that being a fan is "going through the ups and downs and seeing it through."

Nonsense. This is the Boston Celtics franchise, the greatest franchise in NBA history.

I loathe the process, and we're about to find out if Ainge is actually a "capable decision-maker" or someone who got lucky when Sam Presti and Kevin McHale decided in the summer of 2007 to give two Hall of Famers away for 10 cents on the dollar.

This was a terrible collection of basketball flotsam to watch this winter. God bless anyone who stops the agony of this terrible basketball for next season.

Agree to disagree.

[wdleehi]

The results of being in the East.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3flv5nWZgII

[LooseCannon]

This "purgatory" notion is only half-true. Ending up with a 7th/8th seed is perfectly fine when the core of your team are young players on the rise, or just about to enter their primes. It would be reasonable to expect that they'll improve the next year and end up with maybe a 5th/6th seed.

The purgatory thing only comes into play when the guys that got you to the 8th seed have already tapped their potential, or are in their primes. Then the team is likely to remain just as good next year until it progressively becomes worse (barring any major shake ups).

A 7th/8th seed is perfectly fine when you have avenues for improvement.  Having young players on the rise is just one way.  Having cap space (or the ability to create cap space) to acquire significant free agents is another.   Having trade assets (such as a stockpile of extra picks) to add talent is another.

The problem is when you have your cap space tied up for several years in aging players who probably aren't getting better and you've used up too many of your tradeable picks to acquire talent that will get you a second-round playoff exit if you're lucky.