The Boston Celtics are the most storied franchise in the history of basketball, and with 17 championships, they are the class of the NBA. This year however, instead of being looked at as prestigious and powerful, they’re on the verge of having the worst record in the NBA. They are currently last place in the Atlantic Division, and although they can keep an optimistic mindset, they are not going to find any success this season.
Boston will be relying on the draft, which top level prospects like Kansas’s Andrew Wiggins and Duke’s Jabari Parker are expected to declare for. The only problem, however is that they aren’t the only team in the NBA relying on a draft prospect to turn their team around.
​Tanking, or losing as many games as possible to ensure a better position in the draft lottery, is a strategy that the Celtics and some other NBA teams have adopted this season. The controversial strategy has been questioned by many members of the local and national media. It has come to a point where the league is discussing ways to prevent teams from trying to get the technique.
One idea was that the team with the worst record shouldn’t be eligible to get the top pick, thus preventing teams from losing on purpose and salvaging some sort of competitiveness between the teams that are at the bottom of the standings. The Celtics still have a superstar on their roster in Rajon Rondo. He’s only 27 years old and in the prime of his career. Many fans have expressed their opinions and the consensus is to either trade him or try to get other players to help him carry this team back into success.
​Others had hoped that the NBA trade deadline would cause a mix-up and the fans would finally see where the Celtics are headed. Unfortunately, the deadline has come and gone without any moves on the Celtics part. Many Celtics fans sighed at this revelation and it is still unclear what the future has in store. As a fan, all you can do is sit there helplessly and watch it unfold. Celtics Pride still runs in deep in Boston, so as unsettling as it might be to realize that this team’s future is uncertain, the people have to keep their faith in the boys in green and who knows, the luck of the Irish might just come through in the end.