Miami Heat scout Hardaway: “We don’t have to worry about Boston no more.”


Now that the Celtics are in all out rebuild mode, teams around the league are writing off the Celtics.

Current Miami Heat scout and former player Tim Hardaway said as much to the Associated Press:

We don’t have to worry about Boston no more.”

Hardaway should be more worried about losing LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kyrie Irving after next season than what's going on in Boston, but his point is taken.

With the latest reports saying Boston is hearing offers for Rajon Rondo, competing for a title next season seems a tad optimistic. But, as Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe points out, if Rondo stays then the team may not be that bad.

With a core of Rondo, Avery Bradley, Jeff Green, and Jared Sullinger, along with Brandon Bass and Courtney Lee, the Celtics are now younger (the average of those six is 25) and more athletic.

Add in players such as MarShon Brooks, a capable scoring guard who averaged 12.6 points in 2011-12 with the Nets and will be coming to Boston instead of forward Reggie Evans; and Gerald Wallace, a rugged swingman who’s on the tail end of his career but can still contribute.

Then factor in the pair of 7-footers the Celtics acquired in the draft in Gonzaga’s Kelly Olynyk and Colorado State’s Colton Iverson, both of whom should bolster a roster that was lacking in front-line depth.

In all, their roster will have the talent to , at the very least compete in the East, where last season the Milwaukee Bucks reached the playoffs with a losing record (38-44).

So for those hoping to watch a competitive team in 2013-14, all may not be lost. Surely the team would have "first round exit" written all over it, but they'd be watchable. And who knows, maybe the Celtics get the eight seed in the playoffs and James, Dwyane Wade and the rest of the Heat would have "Playoff Rondo" to look forward to. Can't say they wouldn't be at least a little worried then.

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