Do people really expect us to tank again for a top 5 pick this season???

[Londongreen]

No because last year the east was baaaaad. Now its slightly better, cleavland, knicks, atl are more competitive.

We will lose more, tanking or no tanking. STOP OVERRATING OUR SQAUD. Unless Rondo comes back to the old Rondo with a improved squad. We should trade play Young, Smart, Onlyk, Sully, Zeller and Fav and let them improve.

Jordan crawford was big for us last year, and Green in some games like Miami. And Hump and Crash's hustle.

[dreamgreen]

I'm going to root to win this year. I don't expect to win many games, not convinced we got any better, but Rondo should be healthy that will make a difference.

I think many teams in the east got better this year and I'm not convinced we kept up. IMO we end up with top 6 pick as is, 25-35 wins.

[thehumburger]

I guess it depends what you mean by "tanking." If you mean the C's should be doing all they can with their current roster to win right now, then you're also saying that there's no way they should trade Green or Bass (or esp. Rondo), even if they net good value in picks or young assets, because we would get worse by giving up those guys, thus tanking. So I guess I partially disagree. I don't expect anything but for DA to make the right moves in terms of value, whether it be trading assets for a star like Love to get better now, or to go in the other direction and trade veterans that aren't part of our future for good assets. The latter is a decent possibility and would likely result in another season of "tanking."

[GreenWarrior]

First off, we never have luck in the lottery, and so tanking this season and then getting a pick between 6-10 would be IMO, a bit of a failure in regards to tanking for the top 5 pick.

More reasons:
1. Our roster is much better than last year's and we got 25 wins last year. We can probably get anywhere from 30-45 wins next season and potentially get a playoff spot. It all depends but we should get more wins this year than last year.
2. Boston is a city that holds pride in winning, and while many here would support tanking, a majority of people living in Boston would despise it again this year.
3. Teams like the Bucks/76ers are likely to get a high lottery pick again.
4. What if we fail this season in regards to getting a top 5 lotto pick, what's next? Tank again 2015-2016?!!
5. Tanking won't help in luring FA next season to Boston, they will think we won't have any chance 2015-2016 season. Winning more games and potentially getting a playoff spot makes it more enticing for FA to sign in Boston.

Just my thoughts as to why I feel we should try to win more games next season, and maybe compete for a playoff spot in the East. Also, before posting scouting vids about potential lottery-bound draftees like Okafor on this post, realize that last year lots of people hyped about us getting Embiid, Wiggins or Parker. Instead we got Smart at 6, and while I still like that move a lot and think it's a steal in the draft, the celtics probably would have got smart even at pick number 20.

we weren't tanking last season and we're not tanking this season....at least not yet. I know it's easy to say "we traded Pierce an KG so we're tanking". but I can't stress this enough - we'd have been stupid to not take that deal from Brooklyn. plus we were not going to be able to build around or add quality players to that team as Pierce and KG(clearly) can't carry a team anymore. that team ran it's course. Ainge did what was best for all parties.

just because we weren't good last season doesn't mean we were tanking either. it was a bridge yr. if anything, and so is this yr.

 if we were tanking we would have moved Rondo already, and probably would have kept Crawford as we would have been really really bad with him. until Rondo is moved this team can't be considered as "tanking".

I fully believe Wyc and Danny won't ever fully commit to making this team cellar dwellers again. we might be bad but I don't think we'll purposely be bad the way philly did. plus, it's too easy to be really bad at any given time with injuries. so there's no reason to purposely do so.

not saying I fully agree with this thought process as I hate where this team is right now. in the east we could easily find ourselves in the playoffs. and while i'd root them on, it does nothing for this team and just delays the inevitable full rebuild. which we will have to endure. if we had a cornerstone guy it might be easier or quicker. but we don't, so i'd personally like to see us commit to something. weather we go all in as much as we can with Rondo here or go fire-sale and get the youth movement going. I can't stand this half in half out status right now.

[hpantazo]

We don't have to tank, we suck, and the East is much better than last year as well

[pearljammer10]

We don't have to tank its just going to happen on its own because we aren't very good.

[D.o.s.]

We don't have to tank, we suck, and the East is much better than last year as well

We don't have to tank its just going to happen on its own because we aren't very good.

Semantics, but I generally agree. This team looks to be marginally better than last year, but they haven't made up the ground that many other teams have, on paper.

That said, I still want the C's to go 82-0.

[CoachBo]

We don't have to tank, we suck, and the East is much better than last year as well

We don't have to tank its just going to happen on its own because we aren't very good.

Semantics, but I generally agree. This team looks to be marginally better than last year, but they haven't made up the ground that many other teams have, on paper.

That said, I still want the C's to go 82-0.

Marginally, indeed. I can't see this team winning much more than last year. Maybe 28.

[footey]

As constituted, do I think we sniff the play-offs? No.
If we have little chance at the play-offs, would you rather see us finish with the worst odds of winning the lottery, or the best odds of winning the lottery?  The best, obviously.

That does not make me a troll. That makes me patient. 

I do understand the need to want to compete every year and try to improve as much as possible.  But the way the rules are set up, where it is exceedingly difficult to improve your lot through free agency or trades, the draft is the only viable option.  We can criticize teams like Philly and Milwaukee all day until the cows come home, but the reality is that they have set themselves up very nicely with young talent.  I like their futures a lot more than ours right now.  And since our present state is poor, the future is all we have to look forward to.

[Future Celtics Owner]

First off, we never have luck in the lottery, and so tanking this season and then getting a pick between 6-10 would be IMO, a bit of a failure in regards to tanking for the top 5 pick.

More reasons:
1. Our roster is much better than last year's and we got 25 wins last year. We can probably get anywhere from 30-45 wins next season and potentially get a playoff spot. It all depends but we should get more wins this year than last year.
2. Boston is a city that holds pride in winning, and while many here would support tanking, a majority of people living in Boston would despise it again this year.
3. Teams like the Bucks/76ers are likely to get a high lottery pick again.
4. What if we fail this season in regards to getting a top 5 lotto pick, what's next? Tank again 2015-2016?!!
5. Tanking won't help in luring FA next season to Boston, they will think we won't have any chance 2015-2016 season. Winning more games and potentially getting a playoff spot makes it more enticing for FA to sign in Boston.

Just my thoughts as to why I feel we should try to win more games next season, and maybe compete for a playoff spot in the East. Also, before posting scouting vids about potential lottery-bound draftees like Okafor on this post, realize that last year lots of people hyped about us getting Embiid, Wiggins or Parker. Instead we got Smart at 6, and while I still like that move a lot and think it's a steal in the draft, the celtics probably would have got smart even at pick number 20.

So you have a problem with adding this to the team:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy1mL0ycxMU

I get what you are saying but more teams in the east had better off season than us. I don't think we make the playoffs, even if we play our vets over player development. The East has really evened out.

IMO I would rather see player development this year than playing Marcus Thornto and Bass etc large minutes. I think we have 2 more years of player development and being in the lottery.

[Future Celtics Owner]

As constituted, do I think we sniff the play-offs? No.
If we have little chance at the play-offs, would you rather see us finish with the worst odds of winning the lottery, or the best odds of winning the lottery?  The best, obviously.

That does not make me a troll. That makes me patient. 

I do understand the need to want to compete every year and try to improve as much as possible.  But the way the rules are set up, where it is exceedingly difficult to improve your lot through free agency or trades, the draft is the only viable option.  We can criticize teams like Philly and Milwaukee all day until the cows come home, but the reality is that they have set themselves up very nicely with young talent.  I like their futures a lot more than ours right now.  And since our present state is poor, the future is all we have to look forward to.

I agree with you on everything until you said PHI and Bucks have better future right now. MIL is set up nicely but PHI could have spent 2 lottery picks on guys that will never play. The Celtics truly have long term health because of our picks. The Brooklyn picks are most likely in the lottery. I think after 2016 we will be in a world of a better position. I actually can't wait to be apart for the ride. Most people hate not making the playoffs but I love the process of making a championship team and I LOVE player development.

[D.o.s.]

We don't have to tank, we suck, and the East is much better than last year as well

We don't have to tank its just going to happen on its own because we aren't very good.

Semantics, but I generally agree. This team looks to be marginally better than last year, but they haven't made up the ground that many other teams have, on paper.

That said, I still want the C's to go 82-0.

Marginally, indeed. I can't see this team winning much more than last year. Maybe 28.

I guessed 26 last year, I'm guessing 31 this year in an effort to keep my optimistic streak going. 

[Eddie20]

Playoff Teams (no particular order)-

Chicago
Cleveland
Miami
Atlanta
Indiana
Toronto
Charlotte
Washington

Barely miss the playoffs-

New York
Brooklyn
Detroit (think they'll be improved under Van Gundy)

Not even close-

Boston
Orlando
Milwaukee
Philadelphia

We won't be tanking, but we simply don't have the talent to make the playoffs. Instead we'll play hard, play our young players, and try to be a scrappy young team with future potential. So in this case, I would prefer to be as bad as possible next season, in hopes of landing a Okafor, Mudiay, Towns, etc.

[cltc5]

Lookin forward to adding more D leaguers to the team...YAAAAAAAAY

[slamdunk]

The east is still pretty bad so I wouldn't be surprised to see them compete for a playoff spot.