2014-15 NBA Season Preview: Boston Celtics

Welcome to theScore's preview of the 2014-15 Boston Celtics. Visit our preseason hub for previews of all 30 NBA teams.

Boston Celtics

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2013-14

For the Boston Celtics, it was a season predicated on patience.

With The Big Three departed, 2013-14 marked the start of a new era for the franchise under well-respected rookie head coach Brad Stevens. But rebuilding requires a longview Boston fans aren't used to. The Celtics finished the season with their first losing record since 2006-07 and the third-worst record in the franchise's storied history.

All the while, the key word was "waiting." Waiting on Rajon Rondo to return from a torn ACL (he did, and was solid, if a bit rusty, in 30 games). Waiting to see which young players were core pieces and which were roster flotsam (it was a mixed bag). Waiting to see if the team would hit the flashing red TANK button (they opted not to, at least not as egregiously as others).

For what was meant as a transitional season and the start of a retool, the Celtics don't appear to have figured a heck of a lot out. Rondo is an impending free agent, the book remains out on Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger, and the core moving forward is hard to identify. Stevens is the only piece that appears to be a sure keeper, and as important as that piece is, he's hardly playing with a full deck.

Offseason Roundup

The reward for a down season is a high draft pick, and rarely has that reward been as enticing as it was last year, with several marquee prospects up for grabs. The Celtics didn't get any love in the lottery itself but still came away with an exciting piece in Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart.

The selection of Smart - along with the re-signing of Avery Bradley to a potentially ill-advised four-year, $32 million contract - suggests that Rondo might not necessarily be a part of the long-term vision in Boston. Smart would be a capable predecessor, offering tenacious defense at either guard position and a win-first attitude, albeit one that has come with some issues. He also seems like a pretty funny cat.

Boston disappointed some by making few moves outside of the draft and the Bradley re-up, choosing only to shuffle at the margins, so this year's team will look a lot like last year's.

Additions

*SG Avery Bradley (4/$32M)
SG Marcus Thornton (trade)
SG/SF Evan Turner (2/$6.7M)
C Tyler Zeller (trade)

*Re-signed

Departures

PG Jerryd Bayless (free agency)
PF Kris Humphries (sign-and-trade)
SG Keith Bogans (trade)
SF Chris Johnson (waived)

2014 Draft

PG/SG Marcus Smart (1st round, 6th overall)
SF James Young (1st round, 17th overall)

Smart was thought to be the Celtics' guy so long as nobody unexpectedly fell to No. 6, and it's easy to see why an intelligent coach would love to have a worker like Smart in the fold. Smart's ability to play both guard positions also gives the Celtics some leverage with Rondo, as he can slot in as a replacement and there's no rush to move Rondo since Smart can get minutes at the two-spot in the interim.

Later in the first, the Celtics grabbed Young, a Kentucky product who showed a knack for scoring but who lacked consistency as a freshman. He can get to the rim with ease and has a stroke that looks like it should develop into a long-range threat, but as with most things Boston of late, he may require some patience.

The Celtics didn't have a second round selection, having surrendered it to move up a handful of spots in the 2013 draft to nab Kelly Olynyk.

Starting 5

• PG Rajon Rondo
• SG Avery Bradley
• SF Jeff Green
• PF Jared Sullinger
• C Kelly Olynyk

Breakout Player: Kelly Olynyk

On the surface, Olynyk had a decent but unspectacular rookie campaign. Getting more touches than warranted given where he was on the development curve, he managed to shoot 46.6 percent from the floor, prove a decent threat from long range, and flash good vision for a rookie frontcourt player. His per-36 minute averages of 15.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists were certainly encouraging.

If you followed the Celtics and the floppy-haired Canadian closely, though, you're probably far more excited than his box score line would recommend. That's because Olynyk looked like a complete dud as the No. 13 overall pick out of the gate, only to find his footing at midseason and turn into a completely different player down the stretch.

If he's picked up a trick or two from a summer with the Canadian national team and can continue to make defenders respect his three-point shot, the 7-footer should be an effective weapon for the Celtics...on offense. He'll never be even an average defender, but that doesn't mean he can't be useful, for Boston and for fantasy owners.

Season Expectations

There's still a good deal up in the air when it comes to the future of the Celtics. Right now, nothing is really clear, and Rondo's status in particular will probably hang over the entire season.

Put simply, Boston doesn't currently possess the talent to be a competitive team. Rondo is very good and Smart may eventually be, but Bradley and Green are only a shade above average, and if even one of their frontcourt prospects develops into an above-average starter at their position the franchise would be thrilled. 

There's a case to be made that dealing Rondo for young assets is the play, and that will be a hot debate for at least the first few months of the schedule. If Rondo sticks around, he'll be watching the playoffs from home.

1 to Follow on Social Media

The Celtics players don't seem a particularly personable bunch on social media.

As a rule of thumb, when in doubt we'll go with the player who posts the most pictures of their adorable dog. So congratulations to Vitor Faverani, who mixes in plenty of dog photos and videos when he's not unsettling your nerves with pictures of his acupuncture treatment.