Fansided

10 best NBA front offices

By John Buhler

Jan 16, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti watches college basketball between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Oklahoma Sooners at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti watches college basketball between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Oklahoma Sooners at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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WALTHAM, MA - JULY 5: New Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens (R) is introduced to the media by President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge July 5, 2013 in Waltham, Massachusetts. Stevens was hired away from Butler University where he led the Bulldogs to two back to back national championship game appearances in 2010, and 2011. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
WALTHAM, MA – JULY 5: New Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens (R) is introduced to the media by President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge July 5, 2013 in Waltham, Massachusetts. Stevens was hired away from Butler University where he led the Bulldogs to two back to back national championship game appearances in 2010, and 2011. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images) /

. East. Atlantic. Boston Celtics. 6. player. 18

Entering 2016-17, outside of The Process with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics have had the NBA’s most high-profile rebuild. Boston parted ways with Ray Allen, Paul, Pierce, and Kevin Garnett after the 2012 NBA Playoffs and aggravated point guard Rajon Rondo left via trade in 2014.

The Celtics were in full-blown rebuild mode after the Big Three/Four era yielded Boston one championship in 2008 and another NBA Finals appearance in 2010. It was a fantastic five-year run in Boston and the best the team had been since the Larry Bird teams of the 1980s. However, a rebuild was inevitable and general manager Danny Ainge has been making some fantastic moves to bring Boston back to playoff relevancy.

Former head coach Doc Rivers wanted no part in a rebuilding process, so Ainge traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers after the 2011-12 campaign. From there, Ainge would go on to make arguably the best head coaching hire of the last five years in prying Brad Stevens away from the Butler Bulldogs. Stevens is in his early 40s and could one day be a top five head coach all-time. He took Butler to back-to-back Final Fours in 2010 and 2011.

In his second season as head coach, the Celtics made the playoffs for the first time under Stevens in 2014. His team didn’t have any flashy players, but managed to get the No. 7 seed with a low-ceilinged, high-floored team.

Adding point guard Isaiah Thomas mid-season proved to be the next catalyst in Boston’s rebuilding process. Thomas became a first-time All-Star with the 2015-16 Celtics, which helped Ainge’s club land top-tier free agent Al Horford in 2016 NBA free agency.

Boston likely has one more big move to make to form a strong trio to contend in the East with Horford and Thomas. For now, the Celtics remain a top five team in the East without hesitation.

The best part about the rebuild orchestrated by Ainge is that even after botching the 2016 NBA Draft with three lackluster first round picks, the Celtics still have stockpiled more intriguing assets than any team in the league.

Some day real soon, Ainge is going to put together the right package to get that third All-Star player and Boston might then be able to challenge Cleveland in the East. A rebuilding team that has been the seventh seed and the fifth seed in back-to-back seasons? The Celtics are just getting started.

Next: 5. Portland Trail Blazers.

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