NBA Season Preview 2017-18: 5 best asset collections

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BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 25: Gordon Hayward /

3. Boston Celtics

Superstars: N/A

All-Stars: Kyrie Irving (25), Gordon Hayward (27), Al Horford (31)

Young assets: Jayson Tatum (19), Jaylen Brown (20), Terry Rozier (23), Marcus Smart (23), Marcus Morris (28), Semi Ojeleye (22), Guerschon Yabusele (21)

Future picks: Lakers 2018 first (picks 1, 6-30) or Kings 2019 first; Clippers, Grizzlies 2019 first

The Celtics will be a major player in the Eastern Conference again this season. The additions of Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward will make this the most dangerous Celtics team since Doc Rivers and company contended for championships. Boston will deploy three current or former All-Stars in Irving, Hayward, and Al Horford, with plenty of talent around them. Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier are athletic, defense-first young guards who will have long careers. High lottery selections Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will progress on the wing. Marcus Morris and Aron Baynes will provide steady veteran play. And finally, the Celtics will get to see what they have in Guerschon Yabusele, Semi Ojeleye, and Abdel Nader.

Danny Ainge has successfully rebuilt the Celtics without bottoming out. While the returns from the Kevin Garnett-Paul Pierce trade have certainly been a boom for Boston, those Nets picks have only came into play recently. The Celtics were only out of the playoffs for one season, back during the 2013-14 campaign. Ainge has rebuilt Boston mostly from the middle, which makes the results of their rebuild even more impressive as they attempt to reign atop the Eastern Conference.

What is crazy about Boston having the best record in the East last season is that the Celtics did it with only three lottery selections of their own on the roster, none of whom started. Most of their high value assets remain in the future, and the three Nets selections have now been harvested. While it did cost the final Brooklyn pick to acquire Kyrie Irving, Boston still has plenty of future picks to deploy. The present and future of this franchise are in good hands as a result of their rebuild.