David Aldridge And Chris Mannix Grade Celtics' Off-Season To-Date

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/features/david_aldridge/08/04/morning-tip-2014-offseason-grades-top-10/index.html?cid=nba_12_twitter_L


NBA.com's David Aldridge ranks the Celtics #4 in terms of "Most Improved Teams In This Off-Season".  Click on the link to read about the other teams.



4) BOSTON CELTICS

2013-14 RECORD: 25-57, did not make playoffs

ADDED: G Marcus Smart (first round, 6th pick overall); G James Young (first round, 17th pick overall); F Evan Turner (two-year deal); (G Marcus Thornton (acquired from Brooklyn); C Tyler Zeller (acquired from Cleveland)
LOST: F Kris Humphries (sign/trade to Washington); G Jerryd Bayless (signed with Milwaukee)

RETAINED: G Avery Bradley (four years, $32 million)

THE KEY MAN: Assistant general manager Mike Zarren. Well-respected around the league, Zarren's creativity will likely be at the centerpiece of the next big deal the Celtics pull off in the next year. Zarren and GM Danny Ainge will have lots of assets they can package if they want to accelerate the rebuild.

THE SKINNY: Ainge couldn't engage the Wolves in Kevin Love talk, but he managed to add numerous assets without dealing Rajon Rondo. Yet. With Smart the obvious heir apparent for Boston at the point, Ainge can now take his time and make the best deal for Rondo he can. The Celtics will likely have to move one of their surplus of guards before the season starts, but they'll be dealing from a position of strength. Bradley may have been a little overpaid considering the team's standing, but he's a terrific defender and certainly worth retaining. Most important to Boston's future, the Cs got another future first in the three-team deal that brought Thornton from Brooklyn; Boston has at least seven first-round picks outright in the next four years. Combined with the significant cap room that's just around the corner, Boston could rebuild in a hurry -- especially with the potential of a Smart-Young backcourt developing in the coming years.



Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix gives Danny a "B" for his off-season:


http://www.si.com/nba/2014/08/04/nba-offseason-grades-atlantic-knicks-nets-celtics-76ers



Boston Celtics

Best Move: Acquiring Cavaliers' Tyler Zeller and a future first-round pick and Nets' Marcus Thornton for a conditional second-round pick.
Worst Move: None.

Analysis: The ping pong balls didn’t fall Boston’s way on lottery night, preventing the team from landing a sure-fire franchise player on draft night. But in Year 2 of the rebuild, the Celtics are well positioned. Rookies Marcus Smart and James Young fortify a treasure trove of assets at GM Danny Ainge’s disposal, including eight first-round picks over the next four years. Ainge has not abandoned the pursuit of Kevin Love, but even if, as it appears, Minnesota ships Love elsewhere, the Celtics have the pieces to appeal to a team that may be looking to deal a star midseason.

NBA

The decision not to force a trade for free-agent-to-be Rajon Rondo was smart; Rondo’s value will increase early in the season when, presumably, he looks more like the four-time All-Star than the player rebounding from a knee injury the second half of last season. The addition of Smart, a burly, bulldozing playmaker, gives Boston the freedom to explore deals for Rondo before the February trade deadline. Zeller is a decent young center to plug alongside Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk and Thornton’s $8.6 million salary comes off the books next summer, when Boston has a better chance of being players in free agency.

Grade: B



bob
MY NOTE:  And the off-season is only half over...


.

And the idea of grading teams that have not played a minute together is only half-assed.

Sam

nice to see the high grades for the off-season , so far.

I believe most Celtics fans would rate it more like a C or even lower, based on fan expectations.

sometimes we can get a better perspective by taking a step away.

I wouldn't disagree that you could project a "B" as the grade, but it will take a while to tell.  Several seasons perhaps, when you consider development of young players and the unknowns that draft pick holdings represent.

I would rather give an "incomplete" with a very high grade, B or even A, for effort and creativity.  There is obviously a process in place here that takes time and flexibility which will have to be done in stages.  I would grade the development of that process and patience to follow the plan high as well.

NYCelt,

So far, I think it's adaptability to adjust the plan that deserves the most credit.  Danny, in effect, has made lemonade out of turnips.

Sam