Learn from the Jazz and Celtics before making New Year’s Resolutions

As we enter 2018, I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that nothing matters, and everything you plan to do is an irrelevant part of what actually happens. Take the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics for example. At the beginning of the year, the Jazz seemed totally screwed because their best player had gone to Boston, leaving them with nothing. Meanwhile, the Celtics seemed like they finally had the pieces needed to compete in the East.

Then two things happened. The first is that Donovan Mitchell, the guy the Jazz drafted a lowly 13th in the 2017 NBA Draft, is looking like he has an extremely good shot at being better than Hayward ever was. It’s hard to judge a guy based on his rookie season in both directions, but your man averaged 23.1 points, 3.2 boards, 3.8 assists and even 1.8 steals per game in December on .507/.358/.882 shooting. Hayward, in his last year in Utah — as a seven-year vet — averaged 21.9 points, 5.4 boards, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game on .471/.398/.844 shooting.

Better? Sure. But Mitchell’s obviously just getting started. And, obviously, while every lottery pick comes with a heaping helping of hope, nobody ever plans for a thirteenth pick to do this.

Read More: Why is the Blazers offense struggling?

Meanwhile, in Boston, Hayward’s leg blew up immediately in the middle of what was actually his very first game for them. He’s played five minutes as a Celtic, taken two shots, and hit one of them. Obviously, this meant that the Celtics were doomed to another year of solid but unthreatening play. Except that through 40 games, the Cs have a six game lead on everyone else in the East. They’re on pace for a 61-win season. Kyrie Irving has been every bit as good for them as Isaiah Thomas was — probably better — but their second and third top-scorers right now are two guys who, together, aren’t quite as old as Vince Carter.

So, with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, it would seem the Celtics are set for a long time whether the doctors ever find Hayward’s foot, or whatever. Not to mention the fact that Boston gets the Lakers’ first round pick, and the Lakers are currently the worst team in the league. We all made fun of Danny Ainge for not trading his picks for somebody like DeMarcus Cousins, even as we lionized Sam Hinkie doing approximately the same. But despite the fact that Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are probably individually better than anybody on the Celtics, I’m not betting against the guys who are already ruling the East and might get to add a first overall pick to their team of under-22 All-Stars. Meanwhile, the Sixers’ 2013 and 2015 top picks are already out the door, not to mention deep down the bench of the places they ended up.

Next: That new NBA era we keep hearing about is finally here

So in 2018? Don’t try to plan. Don’t try to predict. Don’t try to sign Gordon Hayward or draft Markelle Fultz. When life hands you a 13th pick, or takes away a Jazz legend, it may seem like a catastrophe but only if you can’t find it in yourself to hope or dream. The world is a mansion bigger than the moon, and behind every door is Donovan Mitchell.