The Celtics are in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race despite being in rebuilding mode. But is this good or bad for the franchise?
When general manager Danny Ainge traded Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks this past winter, the trigger on the Boston Celtics’ rebuild had been officially pulled after months of rumors and speculation as to whether the team would build around the All-Star point guard or start fresh.
However, while Rondo is still figuring out his role in Dallas, the C’s are are 25-27 without him (they were 9-14 with him). Moreover, head coach Brad Stevens has his team only half a game behind the Brooklyn Nets for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
But is this playoff push a good or bad thing for the franchise?
On Tuesday, Grantland’s Zach Lowe gave his take on Boston’s current situation. Furthermore, he discussed how the Celtics’ lukewarm state has them in a bit of a pickle.
“The Celtics have made the leap to mediocrity so fast that they may have no easy way out. They’re still not good, but they’re not bad enough to get an early first-round pick — to get a clear shot at a star, in other words. Even if they lose this season’s slap fight for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, they will likely pick in the late lottery — a range that looks like their draft ceiling for the next few seasons.”
Looking at the team’s roster, there are many young players like Marcus Smart, James Young and Kelly Olynyk that have potential to develop into solid, perhaps star-caliber players. Younger veterans like Evan Turner and Tyler Zeller have also stepped up their game.
But in the grand scheme of things, Boston lacks a centerpiece to build around, and drafting from the back of the lottery dramatically decreases the team’s chance of finding that piece. With this in mind, one would think free agency would be a route the team could lean toward to acquire a star player. Unfortunately, it’s highly unlikely (almost impossible) that LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, Marc Gasol or even Rondo end up wearing green and white next season. Although it’s possible some of the middle or lower-tier free agents will sign with Boston this offseason, those players would need to excel along with a growing young crop in order for any big-time players to consider joining the team.
The Eastern Conference is mediocre again this season; three of the eight playoff teams from the conference currently have more losses than wins. However, that doesn’t mean the Celtics shouldn’t be commended for playing hard every night and earning each of their 34 wins. Anyone who has watched Boston this year can agree that, while sometimes looking discombobulated, there is certainly no lack of effort on either end of the floor. Stevens has his players fighting, and their hunger may very well lead them to a first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks.
On the other hand, Ainge and his front office will have to bite the bullet in exchange for their team’s success on the court; if Boston does edge out Brooklyn for the eighth spot, the Celtics will draft 15th overall in June. The good news is that, according to Lowe, the team technically owns seven first-round picks between now and 2017. The odds of one first-round pick becoming a star are low, but one out of seven? It’s hard to believe Ainge would strike out that many times without hitting at least one home run.
Another thing to consider is that players like Turner and Zeller, who have played very well recently, could become valuable trade assets in the future. Turner’s deal expires after the 2015-16 season, and Zeller will become a restricted free agent when that season concludes. If the Denver Nuggets are able to get two first-round picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers for Timofey Mozgov, a first-round pick for Turner or both players isn’t exactly far-fetched.
Additionally, the team will have plenty of cap space down the stretch to absorb bad contracts in an effort to sweeten a deal. That cap space can also be used to eventually bring in a star player to bring the team back to competitiveness.
Ultimately, while the Celtics’ on-court performance has them falling down the draft order, Ainge has proven he can be creative in acquiring talent. All things considered, Boston’s rebuild is off to a good start, and the team’s front office is smart enough to continue improving its roster without having to tank or clean house.
So for now, C’s fans can enjoy the team’s improvement in year two of the Stevens era, and the green and white look like they will soon be competitive once again. Perhaps sooner than everyone thought.
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