The superstar model may be irrelevant for the Celtics

[eamona]

The prevailing wisdom on this site seems to be that the Celtics need superstars at all costs. Either we hold on to Rondo and hope to pull off some free agent signing or big-time sign-and-trade for a disgruntled star, or you trade Rondo/let him walk, and hope your stockpile of young pieces and picks somehow yields at least one star, either via trade or development.

The more I look around the league, the more skeptical I am that the Celtics will be able to compete this way in the foreseeable future. For one, the chances are virtually nil that you can top the Cavs in top-end talent over the next few years, barring another defection by Lebron after two years (unlikely). Let's imagine for a moment that Rondo sticks around and is back to his pre-ACL self, one of our young players makes a leap to all-star level, and the C's pick up another big-name player along the way. What are the chances that this trio will be better than James, Irving, and Love?

If the Celtics hope to contend in the years ahead, they won't do it via stockpiling superstars. They'll have to duplicate what the Spurs did last year, or what the Pistons did in 2004. That is, build a team full of very good players who play as a team. The good news is that the NBA is more amenable to a team like this winning these days, thanks to the new illegal defense rules, which have forced a more open, passing-oriented, less star-centric offensive system. Also, Stevens has proven twice on the college level that he can take a well-coached, defensive-minded, team-oriented group of college players to the highest level. Let's hope he can reproduce some of that magic at the NBA level, because I don't really see any other way.

[wdleehi]

Except the Spurs do have superstars in the form of Duncan and Parker.  They have just found the depth to allow them to play more limited minutes to allow the older superstars play like superstars when they are on the floor.



The Pistons had players with star level talent.



The Celtics as far away in terms of talent from any of those teams. 

[Celtics4ever]

The Spurs play team ball, but I too consider, Duncan and Parker stars and Manu a former star, Not to mention Leonard who is arguably a young star

[Future Celtics Owner]

So are you saying, in your opinion, that the Celtics should trade Rondo?

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

I reckon what he means is having multiple max level divas carrying a roster of vet min and rookie contract role players. 

[CFAN38]

I agree that I would like to see DA go against the super star model and build a cohesive unit to compete for a championship. I think a plan like this has two key pieces

1. 8-9 man rotation where every player fills a specif role at a high level.

       

2. Players capable of stepping up in big games


Where I get hung up is with Rondo, in many ways he is the perfect player to lead this type of team. But in other ways he is not. He can step up in big games like few other players can and this is his biggest perk. He also makes teammates better which is huge. My worry is that being roughly the same age as Lebron will cause the Cs to build up only to hit a wall in the ECF. Where a team built around slightly younger players will peek as James career down turns. If Smart shows promise this season this maybe the road to take.

DA likely had options to build a Rondo lead non super star team this off-season. Afflalo and Asik both where traded for deals that the Cs could have beat. Adding those two and making a few smaller moves could have given the Cs a playoff team for Rondo to lead. They may have been good enough for 4th in the east.

[Moranis]

I agree that I would like to see DA go against the super star model and build a cohesive unit to compete for a championship. I think a plan like this has two key pieces

1. 8-9 man rotation where every player fills a specif role at a high level.

       

2. Players capable of stepping up in big games


Where I get hung up is with Rondo, in many ways he is the perfect player to lead this type of team. But in other ways he is not. He can step up in big games like few other players can and this is his biggest perk. He also makes teammates better which is huge. My worry is that being roughly the same age as Lebron will cause the Cs to build up only to hit a wall in the ECF. Where a team built around slightly younger players will peek as James career down turns. If Smart shows promise this season this maybe the road to take.

DA likely had options to build a Rondo lead non super star team this off-season. Afflalo and Asik both where traded for deals that the Cs could have beat. Adding those two and making a few smaller moves could have given the Cs a playoff team for Rondo to lead. They may have been good enough for 4th in the east.

but those teams don't win titles (sure there are a fluke here or there) and by large don't even make the NBA finals.  The teams in the Finals are by and large comprised of superstars and most such teams have at least 2 such players. 

Basketball by its nature is dependent on top level talent to achieve top level success.  Just what happens when you only have 5 players on the floor at any given time.

[D.o.s.]

So we should model our future roster on the odds that we draft one of the best position players of all time and move our international scouting game so far ahead of everyone else that we can still draft All-Stars and Hall of Famers while winning 50 games a year, every year, all while drafting complimentary pieces and immediately trading the guys that don't fit.

Seems easy enough.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Unfortunately (for all but Heat, and now Cavs fans), we are in the LeBron era. Not much to be done about it.

[RLewis35]

You really need 2 stars at a minimum, or 1 super duper star and 1-2 borderline all stars, as well a good role players.

I mean if you think of the teams who have won titles since say 2000, only the Pistons did not have either 2 stars or 1 super duper star.  They did have 4 all stars or borderline all-stars though, multiple of whom were extremely clutch, so they are the "outlier".

The Early 2000s lakers had 2 stars, the Spurs always had either 2 stars or 1 super duper star, Celtics had 3 stars, late 2000s lakers had 1 super super star and 1-2 borderline all stars, Mavericks had 1 super duper star and 1-2 borderlines, Heat we all know had 3 stars, 2 of whom could qualify as super duper stars early, and one late, and now the Spurs which have 2-3 stars right now plus additionally role players.

So I do think it is sound to keep Rondo to get another star...stars attract stars, and unless we find a super duper star in the draft, we need 2 stars plus role players at a bare minimum.

[wdleehi]

So we should model our future roster on the odds that we draft one of the best position players of all time and move our international scouting game so far ahead of everyone else that we can still draft All-Stars and Hall of Famers while winning 50 games a year, every year, all while drafting complimentary pieces and immediately trading the guys that don't fit.

Seems easy enough.

I think the plan is to keep adding talented pieces while looking for the opportunity to add the stars either through the draft or trade.

[D.o.s.]

I like my plan better. 

[Csfan1984]

I was so confused about superstar model in title. I came here hoping to see post on hot ladies. I got hosed.

[ctrey]

You have to have top level stars to win a championship. Only the 2004 Pistons one could argue are the exception. Otherwise, you must have Hall of Fame talent on your roster. There is no other way. Thus we need to get lucky in the draft. We drafted Pierce, that led to a championship. (It took a while but it happened) I think Boston can be players in free agency, we will have real money in 2015 so lets see what happens. Plus, tradition and an amazing fan base counts. Players talk to each other and they know playing for a Boston team means something special.

I am for letting the young players play and develop this year, rolling the dice in the draft and then going for some top notch free agents.

[Chris22]

Mmmm......superstar models.