making the playoffs could be the better plan

[Cman]

I do not see anyone on the roster capable of drawing a free agent of worth.   Do you think guys will come here because they want to play with Oly and Sully?

No, I think we will find two free agents stars who can be convinced to come to a playoff team.  We're one of just a few teams that will have the room for two.  And if we make the playoffs, we'll be the only one of those.  I imagine a lot more stars will would want to pair up and join a playoff team than would want to join a 19 year-old #1 pick.

I think there's a decent argument to be made, that if the Cs go the FA route, it wouldn't be the end of the world to be in the playoffs.

That said, I still doubt the Cs make the playoffs. Teams go on runs from time to time, and that's what is happening here, IMHO.

[Celtics18]

I think making the playoffs would be great for this young team.  It's become clear that over the last four or five games that this team is starting to build a legitimate defensive identity.  To make the playoffs, they would have to keep that up. 

This West Coast trip has certainly been encouraging so far.  If we can beat the T-Wolves tonight, it will make for a 4 and 2 trip. 

We don't have a ton of talent, but we are playing with heart, toughness, and a certain level of cohesiveness right now.  I'm not going to start rooting for those qualities to disappear from the team in exchange for a few percentage points in the lottery sweepstakes. 

[Cman]

We don't have a ton of talent, but we are playing with heart, toughness, and a certain level of cohesiveness right now.  I'm not going to start rooting for those qualities to disappear from the team in exchange for a few percentage points in the lottery sweepstakes.

Nicely said.

[Tr1boy]

I think making the playoffs would be great for this young team.  It's become clear that over the last four or five games that this team is starting to build a legitimate defensive identity.  To make the playoffs, they would have to keep that up. 

This West Coast trip has certainly been encouraging so far.  If we can beat the T-Wolves tonight, it will make for a 4 and 2 trip. 

We don't have a ton of talent, but we are playing with heart, toughness, and a certain level of cohesiveness right now.  I'm not going to start rooting for those qualities to disappear from the team in exchange for a few percentage points in the lottery sweepstakes.

+2

[konkmv]

Cavs bulls wizzards hawks raptors bucks heat hornetts nets pistons.... we do not make the play offs... be ready for more trades

[Evantime34]

Cavs bulls wizzards hawks raptors bucks heat hornetts nets pistons.... we do not make the play offs... be ready for more trades

The Nets aren't good, and probably will get worse with any trade they make to get out from under their big contracts. The Pistons lost Brendan Jennings to injury which should hurt them. The Hornets are missing Kemba Walker and Big Al can't stay healthy. The C's very easily could pass these teams.

We don't have a ton of talent, but we are playing with heart, toughness, and a certain level of cohesiveness right now.  I'm not going to start rooting for those qualities to disappear from the team in exchange for a few percentage points in the lottery sweepstakes.

There is value to having a foundation of heart, toughness and cohesion in place long term. Rookies are more likely to develop when they are brought up in a team that plays the right way just as teams that play the right way can attract free agents.

[Celtics18]

Cavs bulls wizzards hawks raptors bucks heat hornetts nets pistons.... we do not make the play offs... be ready for more trades

The Nets aren't good, and probably will get worse with any trade they make to get out from under their big contracts. The Pistons lost Brendan Jennings to injury which should hurt them. The Hornets are missing Kemba Walker and Big Al can't stay healthy. The C's very easily could pass these teams.

We don't have a ton of talent, but we are playing with heart, toughness, and a certain level of cohesiveness right now.  I'm not going to start rooting for those qualities to disappear from the team in exchange for a few percentage points in the lottery sweepstakes.

There is value to having a foundation of heart, toughness and cohesion in place long term. Rookies are more likely to develop when they are brought up in a team that plays the right way just as teams that play the right way can attract free agents.

Yup.

[Monkhouse]

If the Celtics make the playoffs, I don't mind. But my preference is the idea that Bass, Prince, or Thorntorn should be traded, so our young guys can experience what its like.

I think Smart is the type of player that would improve from the trial of it all. I would love to see Sully too.

[Cman]

Cavs bulls wizzards hawks raptors bucks heat hornetts nets pistons.... we do not make the play offs... be ready for more trades

I tend to agree with the overall sentiment, which is that it is unlikely for the Cs to go on an extended run and end up on the playoffs. I classify the results of the last 5-6 games as being more of an "outlier" rather than the start of a new "trend".

That said, for the sake of the argument put forward by the OP, I do think there are benefits to being in the playoffs. I get that *not making the playoffs* means the Cs have a chance at a top 3 pick, but the chances are slim to none if the Cs end up outside top 10 (or should it be bottom 10)? The benefits to getting playoff experience, and perhaps attracting high end FAs, outweighs the benefits of the miniscule percentage point chance of getting a top pick, in my opinion.

[JohnBoy65]

So some think it'll be easier to attract big time FA's with a culture of losing and lottery teams? I think some playoff experience would be more enticing to a free agent then a team with no experience.

[wdleehi]

So some think it'll be easier to attract big time FA's with a culture of losing and lottery teams? I think some playoff experience would be more enticing to a free agent then a team with no experience.

Top players and money attract free agents to teams.  (followed by weather and media opportunities)


Sneaking into the playoffs without top talent never attracts top free agents. 

[JohnBoy65]

So some think it'll be easier to attract big time FA's with a culture of losing and lottery teams? I think some playoff experience would be more enticing to a free agent then a team with no experience.

Top players and money attract free agents to teams.  (followed by weather and media opportunities)


Sneaking into the playoffs without top talent never attracts top free agents.

So, as someone said earlier, a 19 yr old stud with 0 experience would be more attractive than a Boston team that had a defensive identity and made the playoffs with some role players?

[kraidstar]

Star Players who were drafted ouside top 10:

Kobe Bryant
Steve Nash
Joe Johnson
Klay Thompson
Al Jefferson
Clyde Drexler
Karl Malone
Shawn Kemp
John Stockton
Jermaine O'neal
Reggie Miller


Most of them are alpha-male stars. The point is chance of getting a star player in that range is close to top 10.

Consider, though, all the players drafted outside the top 10 that didn't become stars.

Consider also all the teams that spend years in the lottery and get multiple top ten picks and still never are any good.

Mike

Timberwolves, Kings, 76ers... umm...

Is that it?

Pitino Celtics
Pre-Ujiri Raptors
Cavs outside LeBron
Pistons
Bobcats
Nets
Knicks
Bucks

those teams were all run by idiots
pitino for instance literally gave away joe johnson and chancey billups. those were franchise-killing moves.
teams that draft well and strategize well shouldn't have so much trouble.

[celticsclay]

Star Players who were drafted ouside top 10:

Kobe Bryant
Steve Nash
Joe Johnson
Klay Thompson
Al Jefferson
Clyde Drexler
Karl Malone
Shawn Kemp
John Stockton
Jermaine O'neal
Reggie Miller


Most of them are alpha-male stars. The point is chance of getting a star player in that range is close to top 10.

Consider, though, all the players drafted outside the top 10 that didn't become stars.

Consider also all the teams that spend years in the lottery and get multiple top ten picks and still never are any good.

Mike

Timberwolves, Kings, 76ers... umm...

Is that it?

Pitino Celtics
Pre-Ujiri Raptors
Cavs outside LeBron
Pistons
Bobcats
Nets
Knicks
Bucks

those teams were all run by idiots
pitino for instance literally gave away joe johnson and chancey billups. those were franchise-killing moves.
teams that draft well and strategize well shouldn't have so much trouble.

Utah has not been even a borderline threat since losing Deron williams despite favors, kanters, hayward, burke, exum etc

Clippers were a bottom level team for 20 years despite having an endless series of lottery picks including the number 1 pick overall in the Kandi Man

Wizards had a very long series of high draft picks under Jordan (most notable kwami brown) but never made the playoffs

How could we forget the baby bulls? Tyson Chandler, Eddie Curry, Jay Williams never could get it together

The toast of the league, the warriors, went through an extremely long period of ineptude with non stop lottery picks before finally hitting on 4 guys Thompson, Barnes, Curry and Green, none of whom were picked in the top 6.

[fairweatherfan]

I think making the playoffs would be great for this young team.  It's become clear that over the last four or five games that this team is starting to build a legitimate defensive identity.  To make the playoffs, they would have to keep that up. 

This West Coast trip has certainly been encouraging so far.  If we can beat the T-Wolves tonight, it will make for a 4 and 2 trip. 

We don't have a ton of talent, but we are playing with heart, toughness, and a certain level of cohesiveness right now.  I'm not going to start rooting for those qualities to disappear from the team in exchange for a few percentage points in the lottery sweepstakes.

I agree, but there are two times when young teams that play hard are most likely to take games from better, veteran teams: the very beginning of the season, and the doldrums between New Year's and the All-Star Break. 

We're in one of those stretches now, and two of the three teams we recently beat are not appreciably better than us (Denver with Lawson, maybe, but not without).  And the better team was missing two starters, and we had to get very lucky to even attempt the game-winner.

Once the league starts gearing up for the end of the season I think you're going to see us start slumping again.  It is really heartening to see the guys playing well together after all the trades, though.  Nice omen for the future.