The Boston Celtics have officially blown up their team and now own 11 first-round picks over the next four years.
After trading Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks at the end of 2014, the Boston Celtics have officially thrown in the towel this year. They’re not going to the postseason, they’re not competitive and they’re no longer trying — but that doesn’t mean they’re not building.
Danny Ainge is hellbent on creating a winner again in Boston and he’s pawning off present assets for potenital luck in the future. He acquired assets in the Rajon Rondo trade that may pay off but more importantly — and notably — Ainge is collecting draft picks like kids collect baseball cards.
The latest trade, according to Adrian Wojnarowksi, sends Jeff Green to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Tayshaun Prince and a future protected first-round pick. This is coupled with Brenden Wright trade that went down minutes before with the Phoenix Suns for — you guessed it — a future pick.
What’s more, if the Celtics pull off the trade, which for all intents and purpose they will, they will own 11 first-round draft picks over the next four years.
While the Philadelphia 76ers tank their brains out to get No. 1 picks, the Celtics have shown the NBA that there is a way to tank and come out looking good rather than getting stuck in a rut. No one who has tanked recently has come out well as the Cleveland Cavaliers unintentionally tanking by just being terrible as resulted in lots of No. 1 picks and no results — ditto the Sixers.
There is nothing out there indicating that the Celtics are going to be back to their gory days thanks to these draft picks as they’re a no-name team right now with zero star power and even less talent. But they have upside to spare with the draft picks which can turn into young stars, trade for higher draft picks or trades for star talent.
Either way, the Celtics are gearing up for the future in a big way and the gamble looks like it could be a plan that pays off.
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