2008-2009 Finish: 25-57

What went bad

When you finish with the worst record in the NLL, things can’t really get much worse. Tragedy struck this team before the first basketball hit the ground. Relations with starting point guard Jamaal Tinsley hit such an impasse that GM Amago told him not to even come to the arena anymore. After a somewhat impressive rookie year, center Jason Smith learned he would miss the entire season with a torn ACL. And let’s not even talk about Eddy Curry. Showing up for training camp tremendously overweight, Curry not only lost his starting job, he only played in four games the entire season. That’s even mentioning the sex-harassment suit filed against him by his former driver and his asking GM Amago for a loan. Also, word spread that star Danny Granger’s knee was bothering him.

That’s right, folks. Faster than you can say Dios mio, the season appeared lost for these Celtics. Bruce Bowen and Anthony Johnson, both well past their prime, decided to come back for another season and Amago, having little choice, re-signed them. The only offseason free agent acquisition was Malik Allen probably because the unholy trinity of Curry, Tinsley and Raja Bell ate up about half of the team’s cap. See, GM Amago has no trouble overpaying players and his fat contracts lured Bell and Curry to Beantown. Somehow he wised up and let the grossly overpaid Bell out of his contract. As soon as he cleared waivers, the Knicks swooped in for a lower price (they also flipped Boston Kyle Korver for Ronnie Price). So what did Amago do with his extra money? He scooped up league journeyman Quentin Richardson one week into the season.

No one expected the Celtics to win many games this season, so with a starting lineup consisting of Richardson, rookie Jason Thompson, the underachieving Andrea Bargnani, Granger and Randy Foye, the Celtics had nowhere to go but up.

What went worse

Let’s not forget this team squeaked into the playoffs the season before, bowing out after a first round sweep by the Nets. But for them to drop to the worst record in the league is unforgivable. Longtime fans stopped coming to the games, tuning into the Patriots while calling for GM Amago to step down or make a trade. After five weeks of trading, Amago hit the panic button, sending on Richardson and Foye to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the less talented Steve Blake and a true star in Tayshaun Prince.

But one star isn’t going to do it, especially one who played the same position as Granger and picking up spare parts of the waiver wire like Mikki Moore helps even less. As the season grinded forward, the Celtics became an afterthought and all hope seemed lost for this organization drowning in contracts. Until the offseason and a mercurial GM came along and quite possibly reversed the fortunes of the entire Celtics franchise forever.

Stars

- Danny Granger, SF -

The biggest news surrounding Granger was his troublesome knee, but still averaged 19.3 points a game and4.8 rebounds while dealing with knee and foot problems this season. That shows how good Granger is. He is up for a big contract extension and good play this past season was crucial. It’s no secret Amago wants him to be his franchise’s cornerstone for years to come.

- Tayshaun Prince, SF –

Though the trade for Prince creates a logjam at small forward, he still played well for the Celtics, starting in most of his appearances with the team. He averaged 16.4 points per game and 5.2 boards. It is unclear what Amago will do with him next season, however.

Goats

- Eddy Curry, C –

$12,000,000 for what? Four games? Curry burned all his bridges in Boston, and after this horror show of a season, life can only improve for the big man.




- Jamaal Tinsley, PG –

Tinsley has played in less than 82 games combined in his last three seasons in the league. The Celtics told him not to report to training camp last season and did not allow him to play all season. The NBA players' union filed a grievance for him in February, but the arbitration hearing scheduled for next week has been canceled. Meanwhile the player they traded him for, John Salmons, had a very decent season.

Looking to the future

After the season ended, Curry opted in for the two years remaining on his contract. But that news probably brought on the best thing that ever happened to this franchise. GM Dert of the Pistons, desperate to dump another overpaid player (Jason Richardson) offered to take on Curry and Tinsley. In an exchange of problems, Boston took on someone that plays and Detroit got back less money (and at press time, Tinsley will be bought before the season starts). With Prince, Granger, J-Rich and the emerging Bargnani, the Celtics look legitimate. On paper.

In the draft, the Celtics selected point guard Ricky Rubio at number 4. A decision made more out of nationalism than intelligence, this decision may be problematic for the Celts if Rubio does not come to America for years. Sure, he will be an NLL player on par with Jason Kidd, but the question is WHEN will he be that player and can the Celtics afford to wait around for him. At pick 31, they scooped up Arizona junior Chase Budinger, who like Korver, is an amazing scorer. His suspect defense dropped him out of the first round, but he will give the Celtics another legitimate player off the bench.

So where do the Celtics stand coming into next season? They have no money to spend on free agents besides the MLE and Granger is due for a fat extension. Decisions will have to be made on bringing back Keith Bogans, Moore and Steve Novak, but it’s difficult to see with this team’s financial decision. They also have too much money tied up in swingmen and small forwards. J-Rich, Granger, Prince and Korver (and add in Budinger) can’t all be on the court at once. Bargnani has the four locked up and Amago seems married to the idea of starting Thompson at center. The Celtics will have to move someone, probably Prince. The smartest move is to send him on for some solid young or bench players to fill out the roster. It just doesn’t make sense to tie up $35 million in one position. But remember, this is the guy who signed Bell and Curry to those insane contracts. Let’s hope, for the sake of Celtics fans, he wizens up and moves someone before the season starts.