DEMOLITION DONE: CELTICS REBUILD ANEW

BEN ROHRBACH - WEEI

Before the season started, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge offered this caveat: "I guess just realistic expectations is what I preach to the fans." And, realistically, the C's weren't all that good. In fact, by most statistical measures, they were terrible.

But the 2013-14 NBA season wasn't entirely a lost cause. If you had told Ainge back then a) his rookie coach would have his roster fulfilling the self-described hashtag #EveryGameIsAnAdventure, b) the large majority of his assets would individually improve their trade stock and c) his team would own one of the five worst records in the league by the end of the regular season, he probably would have taken those odds.

"It was a long season," said Ainge. "It was a tough, tough year, and I saw a lot of positive things from individuals. I thought our team gave good effort most nights. I think consistency was our biggest challenge, and I don’t think the team was a great fit, great mix, but individually I like what I saw in almost every player." Oh, and perhaps most importantly, "we didn't finish a lot of games down the stretch." Check, check and check.

It wasn't a smooth season for Brad Stevens. Only 10 teams allowed more points per 100 possessions, and only two scored fewer. That's not a winning combination. Even Red Auerbach couldn't have done much without his captain for half the season, no center to speak of, wildly inconsistent wings and a guard corps that seemed to change with the weather. So it goes when Brandon Bass is your Auerbach Award winner.

But the Celtics never truly quit. Well, maybe on a night or two, but for the most part they battled. Except for Keith Bogans. Sixty percent of their games were within five points in the final five minutes, including four of their final six. Stevens never lost his locker room, and that says a whole lot.

"They never really splintered," he said. "Things like this can splinter you pretty easily, and they stayed together pretty well as far as standing up for one another and being a team and not pointing blame, and it's been a pretty good group from that regard. And that gives you a chance to improve."

As Ainge said, individually, plenty of Celtics did improve. Avery Bradley added a jump shot. Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger returned from major surgeries to nearly average double-doubles. Rookies Kelly Olynyk and Phil Pressey played their best ball over the final month. Bass and Kris Humphries submitted workmanlike winters. These are Ainge's building blocks and trade bait. Only Jeff Green and Gerald Wallace truly disappointed.

The trade deadline came and went without the fireworks Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck promised moving forward, but Ainge found himself some financial flexibility by dumping Courtney Lee's contract, picked up a couple picks for Jordan Crawford and didn't mortgage the future on a stop-gap.

Looking back, the Celtics would have liked those two wins against the Heat back and a few other games to have slipped out of their hands -- like that win over the Bobcats with the third-worst record on the line -- but in the end they've got a one-in-three shot to land Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins or Joel Embiid. There are worse positions (cough, Knicks, cough). And, hey, things worked out OK when they lost out on Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.

Asked about his lasting impression of the 2013–14 Boston Celtics, Stevens started, "I think they did ..." and then paused. And then paused some more before finishing, "I think we need to get better." Some of that is on him. All those advanced metrics haven't translated into much yet.

But most of the future rests in Ainge's hands. The C's prez claimed he had "some ideas and some plans" for what he'd like to accomplish this summer, but made no guarantees. Rondo acknowleged he wants to have some input, too, and hinted that he'd like to see them add a big-name player who fits the system. And Stevens flat-out admitted, "I think we are clearly going to have to add to our team to get better."

Those are expectations for another day. The lottery is still more than a month away, and the draft is another five weeks after that. Then come the fireworks. But it still seems like winter in Boston, symbolized by the layer of snow covering the city on the morning of the Celtics season finale.

As Rondo left the locker room, a reporter asked which island he was headed off to. "A couple," he said. There is sunshine on the horizon.

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Yup, it was a tough year because they're rebuilding.  And there will be a draft and potential trades upcoming.  I think I've got it now.

Sam