Via Chad Ford and John Hollinger's Future Rankings on ESPN:
The Celtics are performing as expected, as an elite team in the East. But for how long? The Celtics' core of Kevin Garnett (33), Paul Pierce (31), Ray Allen (33) and Rajon Rondo (23) is among the best in the league, but age and injuries will continue to catch up with them.
With the exception of Rondo and role players Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis, the team is devoid of young talent that can build a bridge to the future. Which explains why the Celtics can be a contender yet land only in the middle of these rankings.
I'm surprised the Celtics rank as high as 12. No, I didn't take the time to read how Ford/Hollinger reached their conclusions. The Celtics future will be determined over the next 2-3 years when Danny Ainge sorts out the contracts of Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.
A team loaded with youth and talent doesn't always equate to long term success. Remember the Celtics of the early 00s? And the Bulls have been an up-and-coming team for the past 10 years.
The top 5 teams the Future Rankings are:
- Magic
- Lakers
- Thunder
- Heat
- Jazz