I Feel A Lot Better About The Celtics Future

I have to admit I have been a little shaky about what the Celtics will look like once KG and Pierce are gone. Rondo is an All-Star, but he needs guys around him as he is a facilitator and at the end of the day needs guys to hit their shots. So, why do I all of a sudden feel so much better about it?

Well, let's look at the growth of some of these Celtics players. Avery Bradley is scoring 2 more points per game than last year, and as KG has pointed out is the core of their defense. It's really hard to find a guy that can shutdown a guard that plays at the level of someone like Wade. Bradley can do that, and that is something special. I know his shooting percentage is down a bit from last year, but I think that could have to do with someone like Rondo not being around and getting the ball to him in his spots. Let's remember this kid is just 22 years old, there is going to be some serious growth here.

Then there is Jeff Green. It's hard to talk about him right now since he just threw down 43 points against LeBron, and you don't want to go over the top, but even before that we have seen serious improvement. For one thing, even though he is coming off the bench, he is playing starters minutes. That shows that he is over his heart condition from last year, but even more than that it shows Doc really trusts him. What excites me about Jeff is that when he is given increased responsibility he has responded. In two of the three games he has started for KG he has scored at least 31 points. Yes, he is terribly inconsistent, and that bothers me endlessly, but the talent is there, and there are serious signs he is figuring that out. Hopefully going crazy against the best player in the league gives Green that next level of confidence he has been looking for.

The future right now would be a lineup of Rondo, Bradley, Green, Sully, and Melo. Yes, I don't think there is a chance that lineup does anything too special (though I still see playoffs), but lets not forget the Celtics will have the money to add that piece they would need. Obviously you want a top PF/C, but if that was to happen wouldn't you start to love that lineup?

What I am trying to say is the Celtics right now have their cake and eat it too. They can compete right now, and next year with their old players, while they still have controllable pieces that are building for the future. When the older pieces are gone, the Celtics are going to still have their PG, SG, and SF positions filled with quality talent (if they keep developing), with money to spend.