Could the Celtics Win the East with LeBron?

[Alleyoopster]

Thinking to myself....I like a lot of the players on the current roster.  Yet, I feel something is missing and anticipate the Celtics will struggle throughout the year.  It's likely they will be weak underneath and many teams will be able to take advantage of them.  Signing someone like Gortat could have been helpful.   

Then, I thought forget about the big talent underneath, what if Lebron had taken his talents to Boston, instead of Cleveland.  How might the Celtics fare this year?  Could they win the East with him on the the current roster?  Maybe...maybe not? The Wizards and Chicago would still be difficult to beat.  He surely would make things interesting that is for sure.  On the other hand, if they won the East, they still couldn't touch a team like San Antonio.  Having LeBron is not enough. 

I only bring up such a fantasy scenario to give us a reality check in case the Celtics did tank and ended up with the top pick in 2015.  Would this realistically put us over the top?

Obviously, it's unlikely we'd get someone as talented as LeBron.  He's a once in a generation player.  Thus, if we couldn't win the East or the Championship with Lebron, then a top lottery pick wouldn't get us over the top either. 

So, ideally the Celtics would need two things to happen next year in order to get a shot at winning a title in the future.  1. get a top lottery pick in 2015.  2.  Sign a big name free agent.  With those two acquisitions the Celtics could be in line for a Championship shot.  Thus, if the Celtics do okay this year, it jeopardizes their chances of getting a lot better in the future. 

[Future Celtics Owner]

I somewhat agree with you. But a lot depends on what we get for Rondo if we do trade him. I really thought that draft night would have shown us the direction this team is taking but no luck. Hopefully everything works out.

I do think people are much too bearish on James Young. Hopefully he surprises a lot of people this year. I think Avery will help him develop into a better sg mostly defensively but offensively too. Since there seems to be a crowd of talented shooting guards this year James will benefit from veteran competition in practice and leadership in life....I hope.

[slamtheking]

interesting question. 

As much as I can't stand Lebron, I'd have to admit I'd support him coming to Boston and that any team adding him has to immediately be put into the discussion for title contenders.

depending who the C's would have to give up to bring in Bron, I think adding Bron puts them into title discussions.  Rondo, AB, Bron, Sully, Zeller would be a tough defensive team on the perimeter.  C's would finally have the go-to scorer they need and with 2 players that can put up a triple-double in any game with Bron and Rondo, they'd be a tough out for any other team in the league.

[Celtics4ever]

I am thankful he will never come here.  Have we ever that egocentric kind of guy on the C's.   He is a great passer but he thinks the world rotates around him.

[Eja117]

definitely.

[mbsnmisc]

I am thankful he will never come here.  Have we ever that egocentric kind of guy on the C's.   He is a great passer but he thinks the world rotates around him.

The NBA does revolve around LeBron.

[loco_91]

Yes, we could win the East. We might not be favorites, but we'd be on equal footing with the Wiz I think, with a solid chance to take down Chicago.

On a related note, could we plausibly set up to make a run at KD in 2016? Maybe OKC and the Wiz are the only real candidates to get him, but maybe if we got Marc Gasol? ...a man can dream!

G: Rondo/Smart/AB
SF: Durant/Young
PF/C: Gasol/Sully/KO

[Onslaught]

It's possible we could win the east. But we wouldn't top whatever team came out of the west.

[Moranis]

I argued before James signed that if he signed on any team in the East, that team would be the favorite to make the finals (the only exception would have been if Anthony had signed in chicago), and I maintain that position.  James is just that good that any team in the East would become the favorite to win the conference.

[BASS_THUMPER]

How can we predict winning the east with players we wish we had...

yall must be

sippin

[pearljammer10]

A hard yes.

[freshinthehouse]

Yup.  A healthy Chicago would be the only challenge now that Indy is wrecked for the year.  But they'd get clobbered by whoever they played in the finals.

[the_Bird]

The East is just as bad as it was when LeBron took that horrible Cavs squad to the finals back in the day.  Hell, who were his top running mates that year?  Boobie Gibson and Delonte? 

Add LeBron to the C's, keeping everyone else...  you've still got a hole in the interior defense that would get exploited, but that's a team that would win a lot of games in the Eastern Conference.  Chicago would be the only real competition, and what are the odds that Rose is ever the same player?

[celticsfan8591]

Yes, we could win the East. We might not be favorites, but we'd be on equal footing with the Wiz I think, with a solid chance to take down Chicago.

On a related note, could we plausibly set up to make a run at KD in 2016? Maybe OKC and the Wiz are the only real candidates to get him, but maybe if we got Marc Gasol? ...a man can dream!

G: Rondo/Smart/AB
SF: Durant/Young
PF/C: Gasol/Sully/KO

I don't think KD leaves OKC.  After watching that MVP acceptance speech I just can't fathom him ditching his team.  He seems like he's cut from the KG/Duncan cloth and sees his team as his family.  I agree with you that if he leaves it would be for the Wizards though

[D.o.s.]

Yes, we could win the East. We might not be favorites, but we'd be on equal footing with the Wiz I think, with a solid chance to take down Chicago.

On a related note, could we plausibly set up to make a run at KD in 2016? Maybe OKC and the Wiz are the only real candidates to get him, but maybe if we got Marc Gasol? ...a man can dream!

G: Rondo/Smart/AB
SF: Durant/Young
PF/C: Gasol/Sully/KO

I don't think KD leaves OKC.  After watching that MVP acceptance speech I just can't fathom him ditching his team.  He seems like he's cut from the KG/Duncan cloth and sees his team as his family.  I agree with you that if he leaves it would be for the Wizards though

If it turns into a Minnesota situation -- and it very well could, I could see Durant leaving OKC. Particularly if their ownership refuses to spend enough to keep them in contention.

Tim Duncan also seriously considered leaving for Orlando, too -- it isn't like these guys just say "ok, i'm staying with this team because this is my team" from day 1 and never waver.