What is most important this upcoming season

[celticpride1]

Was just wondering what everybody thought was for this upcoming season. What is the most important thing the Celtics must do this year? Sign Rondo trade for more help develop the young guys?

My number one thing that I would think is most important is bringing the young guys along slowly. They are going to make mistakes but I want to see what this young team can do. Thats why I am ok with them sending out all the vets and collecting any more assets that you can.

[LooseCannon]

The main thing is to figure out if Rondo a) can be retained past this season and b) if he is worth keeping past this season.

[Celtics4ever]

Gathering, developing and possibly retaining assets.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Can Jeff Green get a triple double?

[slamtheking]

1) seeing if Rondo can play like 'focussed' pre-injury Rondo
2) developing the younger players into better players (to either keep or trade for even better players)
3) moving the older players that aren't part of the future for either better players, younger players with some room for growth and/or draft picks

[GreenWarrior]

"What is most important this upcoming season"

choosing a direction. are we going to be a lottery team? or are we going to be a playoff team? or are we going to be the team we are - too good to be horrible to get a great pick and too bad to be just out of the playoffs.

[Donoghus]

The main thing is to figure out if Rondo a) can be retained past this season and b) if he is worth keeping past this season.

This. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

Get into the playoffs as a result of our guys, particularly our young guys, playing well... and of course Rondo has to play well.

[CelticsFanFromNYC]

Figure out if Rondo is the glue to the team we are developing now. Same with Green. From their Danny will slowly pick apart which others players will be apart of the future

[mmmmm]

I think the most important things the team needs to accomplish are:

a) Growing the value of the assets that are on the team.  I.E. make our young players look more valuable for trade.

b) Making the team look more appealing as a destination for any potential FAs that might be signed.  I.E. make the roster look like if a stud comes on board, it's more likely to be at least competitive.

Both these two goals are best met if the roster we use this year emphasizes winning more than last year.   Players on a winning team generally have more value.   Another lottery season would likely result in tossing the trade value of guys like Sullinger and Olynyk into the garbage dumpster.   Free agents are more likely to want to join a winning team than a lottery loser wreck.

Note here that by 'winning more than last year' I'm not saying I expect the team to suddenly be a playoff contender.  But they need to show progress towards that.

[rondoallaturca]

Establishing a sense of direction.

[fairweatherfan]

Agree with those who say answering the Rondo question is priority #1. 

#2 is looking to grow our young players into larger roles in the success of the team.  We need somebody, probably a couple somebodies, from the Sully/Oly/Zeller/Smart group to become a consistent, effective contributor if we have any chance of overachieving this year.

[hwangjini_1]

1) seeing if Rondo can play like 'focussed' pre-injury Rondo
2) developing the younger players into better players (to either keep or trade for even better players)
3) moving the older players that aren't part of the future for either better players, younger players with some room for growth and/or draft picks

move #2 to #1 and i am in total agreement. ainge has been accumulating so many assets, its time to find out what some of them can do on the basketball court.

let the kids play this season and see.

[CFAN38]

I think last season was basically a year of playing things out. Let Rondo rehab, let the coach feel out the league, see how the players under contract look and get a high pick.

This season it will be important to see what level a healthy Rondo is (star or super star?) that will dictate his value on the trade and FA market. To me the second thing will be establishing if Sully and or KO are pieces for the future (will either have the ceiling as fringe all star and cement a starting role?), they need to both play mostly the 4 and see how things play out. Third will be determining what they have in Smart, is he good enough to make Rondo less valuable to this team?

I expect these goal will lead to more winning. While still a lottery team I think we will see many close hard fought games where the team loses do to personnel holes (floor spacing/rim protection) not effort (and to a lesser extend talent).

[D.o.s.]

The same thing it is every season Pinky. Trying to take over the world.