playoffs in 2 years

[mef730]

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

[D.o.s.]

As has been echoed in threads too numerous to list by many posters much smarter than I am, I want the C's to make it to the playoffs when they're actually a team that deserves to be there -- over .500, talented, competitive, etc.

If they change the playoff rules from the East West split to the division winners and the next 10 best teams, then I don't see the Celtics making it.


If it remains the same, I thing they can sneak in without have the real playoff talent.

They can hem and haw about changing it but the logistical nightmare will almost certainly prevent it for the near future.

Yeah it just doesn't make any sense.  The only way I see them doing anything is where a team is below .500 and a team from the other conference doesn't make the playoffs and is something like 10 games better.  So a team is 45-37 and not in the playoffs while a team is 35-47 and is.  In that type of situation I could see them swapping, but I do think it needs to be some fairly large gap for it to ever happen.

I looked back to the mid-90's and using the 10 game rule the only times it would have come into play were 07/08 when the Hawks made the playoffs at 37-45 and the Warriors missed the playoffs at 48-34 and last year when the Hawks were 38-44 and the Suns were 48-34.    I think that would make some sense.  Of course it would be a logistical nightmare.  Does the 48 win Phoenix team become the 8th seed in the East or would they be the 4th seed (same record as the 4th seeded Bulls)

The problem could correct itself. If I was a FA I would slightly favor the east over the west because I'd have a better shot.

If the NBA changes things too often it is a bad thing. If we see another few years on sub .500 eastern 7 and 8 seeds MAYBE the nba changes the divisions or conferences slightly. But its a bad thing to do. Its really like trying to fix results (even if it is trying to fix it for more competitive results) If you play in the west and are good and can't make the playoffs- Come to Boston!

Exactly. It was an idea that picked up some steam, obviously, because otherwise Silver wouldn't have commented on it, but it doesn't seem to be a real thing that could actually happen.

[celticsclay]

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

[Moranis]

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team. 

[celticsclay]

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Saric is under contract for two more years in Turkey
Why is Leonard going to go from a team that has been in the playoffs every year of his career and can offer him max money to a team that has won 25 games the last two years with a  couple of prospect big men?

Yes anything can happen, but as outlandish as some of the Celtics proposals on here are for the Celtics offseason (getting gasol and leonard), they at least make sense cause we are dreaming as Celtics fans. Why do so many people dream big for opposition within the division?

[iadera]

I predict total blow out at Nets next year. No assets, well over cap and after all no playoffs this season.

[iadera]

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Saric is under contract for two more years in Turkey
Why is Leonard going to go from a team that has been in the playoffs every year of his career and can offer him max money to a team that has won 25 games the last two years with a  couple of prospect big men?

Yes anything can happen, but as outlandish as some of the Celtics proposals on here are for the Celtics offseason (getting gasol and leonard), they at least make sense cause we are dreaming as Celtics fans. Why do so many people dream big for opposition within the division?

If this team does make some bigger and smaller player moves to attack deeper playoffs next year, then I don't see why not. After all, who knows how will Spurs look like next year? Very likely without Duncan and Ginobili. Even if they're still going to play, they will be almost 80 together.

[Future Celtics Owner]

As has been echoed in threads too numerous to list by many posters much smarter than I am, I want the C's to make it to the playoffs when they're actually a team that deserves to be there -- over .500, talented, competitive, etc.

I can't believe I am saying this but I agree with you. jk. Its fools gold to make the playoffs like this. We should have bought out Bass right after deadline, along with Gigi and Jonas...imo

tp

[DarkAzcura]

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Man you are really willing to give a bunch of teams chances to improve except for Boston, eh (based on your post previous to this one)? "all they have to do is draft Russell, hope Saric and Embiid are actually good, AND convince Leonard to sign there even though SA has his restricted rights...and they may be decent!" lol, sorry but all those if's just kinda made me smile. 

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Saric is under contract for two more years in Turkey
Why is Leonard going to go from a team that has been in the playoffs every year of his career and can offer him max money to a team that has won 25 games the last two years with a  couple of prospect big men?

Yes anything can happen, but as outlandish as some of the Celtics proposals on here are for the Celtics offseason (getting gasol and leonard), they at least make sense cause we are dreaming as Celtics fans. Why do so many people dream big for opposition within the division?

lol, this is exactly what I was thinking. Some posts in this thread are odd haha. "Philly could do this and that! Orlando is improving! This player will be back! Maybe such and such will sign high profile free agent!...Boston? What? Who? Nah, they aren't improving, and no free agent is going there." Haha. It's like pretending everyone lives in the normal world where people and players improve while the Celtics are apparently living in some stagnant world where everything will remain the same despite the roster overhauling itself 2 or 3 times this season alone..and us still being within 2 games of the playoffs despite it all.

I think some people don't realize how little prospects and high draft picks mean to high profile free agents. No one is going to Philly until Saric and Embiid actually prove themselves in this league, which is still years away. Lebron didn't go to Cleveland for Wiggins. He went for Irving and forced the front office to trade the most hyped prospect in years for Kevin Love. That's why it's actually a big deal for a young team to put themselves in playoff positioning no matter their record. It garners real attention around the league ala Indiana in ~2010, Chicago in ~2009, and Atlanta in ~2008. Atlanta and Indiana were below .500 teams in the playoffs, but both gained some real attention around the league for making the playoffs as young teams.

[celticsclay]

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Man you are really willing to give a bunch of teams chances to improve except for Boston, eh (based on your post previous to this one)? "all they have to do is draft Russell, hope Saric and Embiid are actually good, AND convince Leonard to sign there even though SA has his restricted rights...and they may be decent!" lol, sorry but all those if's just kinda made me smile. 

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Saric is under contract for two more years in Turkey
Why is Leonard going to go from a team that has been in the playoffs every year of his career and can offer him max money to a team that has won 25 games the last two years with a  couple of prospect big men?

Yes anything can happen, but as outlandish as some of the Celtics proposals on here are for the Celtics offseason (getting gasol and leonard), they at least make sense cause we are dreaming as Celtics fans. Why do so many people dream big for opposition within the division?

lol, this is exactly what I was thinking. Some posts in this thread are odd haha. "Philly could do this and that! Orlando is improving! This player will be back! Maybe such and such will sign high profile free agent!...Boston? What? Who? Nah, they aren't improving, and no free agent is going there." Haha. It's like pretending everyone lives in the normal world where people and players improve while the Celtics are apparently living in some stagnant world where everything will remain the same despite the roster overhauling itself 2 or 3 times this season alone..and us still being within 2 games of the playoffs despite it all.

I think some people don't realize how little prospects and high draft picks mean to high profile free agents. No one is going to Philly until Saric and Embiid actually prove themselves in this league, which is still years away. Lebron didn't go to Cleveland for Wiggins. He went for Irving and forced the front office to trade the most hyped prospect in years for Kevin Love. That's why it's actually a big deal for a young team to put themselves in playoff positioning no matter their record. It garners real attention around the league ala Indiana in ~2010, Chicago in ~2009, and Atlanta in ~2008. Atlanta and Indiana were below .500 teams in the playoffs, but both gained some real attention around the league for making the playoffs as young teams.

tp

[Moranis]

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Man you are really willing to give a bunch of teams chances to improve except for Boston, eh (based on your post previous to this one)? "all they have to do is draft Russell, hope Saric and Embiid are actually good, AND convince Leonard to sign there even though SA has his restricted rights...and they may be decent!" lol, sorry but all those if's just kinda made me smile. 

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Saric is under contract for two more years in Turkey
Why is Leonard going to go from a team that has been in the playoffs every year of his career and can offer him max money to a team that has won 25 games the last two years with a  couple of prospect big men?

Yes anything can happen, but as outlandish as some of the Celtics proposals on here are for the Celtics offseason (getting gasol and leonard), they at least make sense cause we are dreaming as Celtics fans. Why do so many people dream big for opposition within the division?

lol, this is exactly what I was thinking. Some posts in this thread are odd haha. "Philly could do this and that! Orlando is improving! This player will be back! Maybe such and such will sign high profile free agent!...Boston? What? Who? Nah, they aren't improving, and no free agent is going there." Haha. It's like pretending everyone lives in the normal world where people and players improve while the Celtics are apparently living in some stagnant world where everything will remain the same despite the roster overhauling itself 2 or 3 times this season alone..and us still being within 2 games of the playoffs despite it all.

I think some people don't realize how little prospects and high draft picks mean to high profile free agents. No one is going to Philly until Saric and Embiid actually prove themselves in this league, which is still years away. Lebron didn't go to Cleveland for Wiggins. He went for Irving and forced the front office to trade the most hyped prospect in years for Kevin Love. That's why it's actually a big deal for a young team to put themselves in playoff positioning no matter their record. It garners real attention around the league ala Indiana in ~2010, Chicago in ~2009, and Atlanta in ~2008. Atlanta and Indiana were below .500 teams in the playoffs, but both gained some real attention around the league for making the playoffs as young teams.

Sure Boston could improve as well, but Boston isn't positioned to get a very high draft pick like a team like Philly.  Boston doesn't have the cap room a team like Philly has.  Boston doesn't have a prospect as good as Noel on its roster, nonetheless Embiid or whomever Philly gets with its top 5 pick this year (no offense to Smart or Sullinger but they aren't those guys, though Thomas probably is the best player on any of the teams right now).  Yes Boston has the history, but it just isn't going to be a player this summer for any sort of free agent and it will be hard pressed to trade for one.  And let's not act like Boston is even a 40 win team.  If Boston makes the playoffs it will do so with like 34 wins. 

[celticsclay]

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Man you are really willing to give a bunch of teams chances to improve except for Boston, eh (based on your post previous to this one)? "all they have to do is draft Russell, hope Saric and Embiid are actually good, AND convince Leonard to sign there even though SA has his restricted rights...and they may be decent!" lol, sorry but all those if's just kinda made me smile. 

Who knows how weak the East is going to be next year though.  What if someone like Gasol comes east. What if Detroit, Milwaukee, etc. continue to progress.  Indiana should be much better with George coming back.  Brooklyn and New York are just such wild cards.  Miami should be better if they keep Dragic and get Bosh back.  Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington should all be pretty good teams.  Who knows about Charlotte.  Orlando is improving.  And Philadelphia may very well be the biggest wild card of them all.  What if Embiid and Saric both come out and play well.  Couple that with Noel's growth and whomever they pick this year (and maybe two somethings if the Lakers fall to 6th).  Philly might go from one of the worst teams in the league to an exciting above .500 team in one off season.

this.

what some people seem to forget is a lot of the East teams that aren't very good this year will be adding top prospects in this draft.  C's have some decent young talent but no one looks to be an all-star at this point.  at best this draft, they'll be adding some more decent young talent but no all-stars.

A number of teams in the East will have better players than us unless Danny pulls off a surprise FA signing in the offseason.

playoffs aren't out of question next year considering how the team has overperformed expectations the past month but I think there's a better chance they'll make it in 2 years when Danny has a load of 2016 picks to use and/or trade for better players.

Their own owner probably doesn't think the 76ers make the playoffs next year cause otherwise we get their first round pick. Our team is built on all young players, why do other players improve more than ours? Why such pessimism when we are playing well. Just enjoy it!

I think this is the last year of the Philly 1st opportunities.  I'm pretty sure that if Philly doesn't make the playoffs this year, we get this and next year's seconds.

Mike

You are correct... I guess that is good because it will be a high end second round pick, which sometimes are more valuable than late first rounders (don't have to guarantee the money to a guy you are not enamored with). I still would make a sizeable wager that the 76ers don't make a jump to the playoffs from internal developments and draft picks.

May not, but they will have a ton of cap space as well.  Say they get Russell in the draft, Saric comes over, and Embiid and Noel are ready to go.  All they probably need is someone like Kawhi Leonard and a veteran PG (doesn't have to be a great one, just a nice solid veteran) and that team could make some real noise.  Not a title contender, but certainly could easily be a playoff team.

Saric is under contract for two more years in Turkey
Why is Leonard going to go from a team that has been in the playoffs every year of his career and can offer him max money to a team that has won 25 games the last two years with a  couple of prospect big men?

Yes anything can happen, but as outlandish as some of the Celtics proposals on here are for the Celtics offseason (getting gasol and leonard), they at least make sense cause we are dreaming as Celtics fans. Why do so many people dream big for opposition within the division?

lol, this is exactly what I was thinking. Some posts in this thread are odd haha. "Philly could do this and that! Orlando is improving! This player will be back! Maybe such and such will sign high profile free agent!...Boston? What? Who? Nah, they aren't improving, and no free agent is going there." Haha. It's like pretending everyone lives in the normal world where people and players improve while the Celtics are apparently living in some stagnant world where everything will remain the same despite the roster overhauling itself 2 or 3 times this season alone..and us still being within 2 games of the playoffs despite it all.

I think some people don't realize how little prospects and high draft picks mean to high profile free agents. No one is going to Philly until Saric and Embiid actually prove themselves in this league, which is still years away. Lebron didn't go to Cleveland for Wiggins. He went for Irving and forced the front office to trade the most hyped prospect in years for Kevin Love. That's why it's actually a big deal for a young team to put themselves in playoff positioning no matter their record. It garners real attention around the league ala Indiana in ~2010, Chicago in ~2009, and Atlanta in ~2008. Atlanta and Indiana were below .500 teams in the playoffs, but both gained some real attention around the league for making the playoffs as young teams.

Sure Boston could improve as well, but Boston isn't positioned to get a very high draft pick like a team like Philly.  Boston doesn't have the cap room a team like Philly has.  Boston doesn't have a prospect as good as Noel on its roster, nonetheless Embiid or whomever Philly gets with its top 5 pick this year (no offense to Smart or Sullinger but they aren't those guys, though Thomas probably is the best player on any of the teams right now).  Yes Boston has the history, but it just isn't going to be a player this summer for any sort of free agent and it will be hard pressed to trade for one.  And let's not act like Boston is even a 40 win team.  If Boston makes the playoffs it will do so with like 34 wins.

Smart is a high lottery pick that just won rookie of the month. Why do we just dismiss him like he is garbage?

Also the Celtics have only a shade over 40 million committed next season and that includes a very moveable 10 million expiring contract if we were to sweeten it with any one of our future first round picks. Why is everything the Celtics own crap, but everything that philly touches gold?

[mctyson]

I think at the rate they are going, make the right draft pick/right trade with the draft pick, they are a playoff team next season.

Well if you just use the sample for this current roster, they are a playoff team now.

[konkmv]

I wrote this post just with one goal.. do not get too excited... because you maybe too disappointed... the team the organization needs suport and patience... in reality time is needed.. we need more than IT...in a great team he would be a sixth player behind paul kevin .. they were great not because they were the best in the league individually... because they bleeded green... historically the celtics need leaders who come one with the team the city the funs... we have not founded them jet..

[Celts Fan 508]

everyone seems so optimistic...i am too but i expect a slower progress than others... the team is still adding peaces... we will not win a playoff spot this year. we have no depth at sf and c positions... and next year there will be more competitive teams in the east.. pistons and the knicks will not be so bad... to reach the next level we need good free agents mr ainge...

I think the team has great peace and harmony, better than most.  I see them knocking off Miami and Charlotte and taking the 8 seed.