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While some have pondered whether the Celtics might be too competitive for their own rebuilding good, ESPN Insider Tom Haberstroh offers a sobering take on Boston's contender status while ranking all 15 Eastern Conference teams as they currently stand. Boston lands at No. 13 (thirteen!?) nestled snuggly behind last season's East cellar-dwellers in the Orlando Magic and one spot ahead of the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. From Insider:

As is, the Celtics figure to be in the running for not just the league's worst defense, but I struggle to see how they score enough to fight their way into the playoff picture. Remember, this was the 20th-ranked team in offensive efficiency last season, and that was with Pierce, Garnett, a healthy Rajon Rondo and Terry. Who's their No. 1 scoring option next season? Jeff Green? Yikes.

And three of the five responders in a 5-on-5 about the East suggest Boston will endure the biggest drop during the 2013-14 season:

Feldman: Boston Celtics. The Celtics weren't particularly good last season, but the strong wills of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and a little coaxing from Doc Rivers pushed them to a winning record. With its two most impactful players from a season ago now in Brooklyn, Rivers in Los Angeles, Rajon Rondo not yet healthy and Brad Stevens learning on the job, Boston is bound to tumble.

Gutierrez: Celtics. The actual fall in the standings won't feel as significant as the fall from contention. No matter where the Celtics finished in the standings, as long as Rivers, Garnett and Pierce were anchoring, that team could make a deep playoff run. Now, they might still be a playoff team. But most agree they'd be better off losing lots of games. That's quite a fall.

Schmidt: Celtics, by design. Images say so much more than words, so while the Celtics will never admit to tanking, we'll see the sad-faced news conferences and lopsided scoreboards and know the real truth. Bad on purpose -- thanks, NBA!

Hop HERE to read Insiders's full rankings, or HERE for the 5-on-5.

Our occasional glance at Celtics offseason headlines from around the internet:

* Pitino on Stevens: 'You have to accept losing': ESPN.com's Andy Katz caught up with Rick Pitino at the White House on Tuesday and the former Celtics coach had some advice for the new Celtics coach:

Louisville coach Rick Pitino had this to say on Brad Stevens' departure from Butler to the NBA to coach the Boston Celtics and what he'll need to accept when I caught up with him at the White House on Tuesday: "I won 52 games and lost 30 with the Knicks, and losing 30 games was painful in one season. But I was an assistant first with the Knicks. The difference for college guys who weren't assistant coaches is you're going to lose a lot of games. You're going to win a lot of games, too, but you're going to lose more [in one year] than you've lost in five years of college. You have to accept losing and that's the most difficult thing."

* How DePauw helped mold Stevens: The Greencastle Banner Graphic catches up with Stevens about how his college shaped his coaching career. Come for the story on how Stevens wore No. 31 in honor of Reggie Miller, stay for the 1998 file photo from DePauw University:

Stevens grew up in Zionsville and his passion for the Hoosiers and college basketball has been well documented. His fandom of the NBA hasn't been covered with quite as much depth.

"When I was growing up, the NBA was in such a fun point in time to watch," he said. "When you're considering the Celtics, the Lakers (of the 1980s) ... When I got into high school, the Bulls run. Those were some of the more memorable NBA games that I've ever watched.

"On top of that, I was a huge Pacers fan. I wore 31 because I wanted to be like Reggie Miller, as a lot of kids did in the State of Indiana."

* Humphries on TV ... again: New Celtics forward Kris Humphries will make a non-reality TV appearance soon. From TV Guide:

NBA player Kris Humphries has signed on to guest-star on an upcoming episode of the Fox sophomore comedy [The Mindy Project], TVGuide.com has learned. Humphries, 28, will play himself, and joins previously announced guest stars James Franco and Happy Endings' Adam Pally. This will mark Humphries' first scripted series gig, and one of his first TV appearances since his time on Keeping Up with the Kardashians and its spin-off, Kourtney & Kim Take New York, when he was with [Kim] Kardashian.

The Boston Celtics would love to trim salary and free roster space, but they shouldn't do it at the expense of setting Shavlik Randolph free.

The Boston Celtics hope 25-year-old Brazilian big man Vitor Faverani's game translates from Spain to the NBA stage:

A quick roster reset after the Boston Celtics officially inked Phil Pressey and Vitor Faverani on Monday. Let's start with a very unofficial look at where Boston's depth chart stands at the moment:

* Point Guards: Rajon Rondo ($12 million), Pressey ($0.5 million)

* Shooting Guards: Avery Bradley ($2.5 million), Courtney Lee ($5.2 million), MarShon Brooks ($1.2 million), Keith Bogans ($5.1 million), Jordan Crawford ($2.2 million)

* Small Forwards: Jeff Green ($8.7 million), Gerald Wallace ($10.1 million)

* Power Forwards: Jared Sullinger ($1.4 million), Brandon Bass ($6.5 million), Kris Humphries ($12 million), Kelly Olynyk ($2 million)

* Centers: Faverani ($2 million), Shavlik Randolph ($1.1 million), Fab Melo ($1.3 million)

* Unsigned draft picks: Colton Iverson ($490,180)

The logjams at the 2 and 4 spots make it tough to determine exactly how the depth chart will shake down. We'll probably have a better idea of that once the team makes its next move. And at least one more more seems inevitable to shed salary and clear roster space. Here's why:

* The Celtics currently have a total salary commitment of roughly $73.6 million. That leaves them over the luxury tax line ($71.75 million) and standing on the apron (hard-capped after receiving Bogans via sign-and-trade, the Celtics cannot exceed $4 million over the tax line at any point this season). Boston would desire to sink below the tax line to avoid looming repeater rates in the future, but has some trimming to do (and has to leave enough room when its done for potential in-season costs should injuries deplete depth).

* Boston has 16 signed players and only Shavlik Randolph is on a nonguaranteed deal. His contract becomes fully guaranteed on Aug. 1, which could tip Boston's hand if the next move doesn't come before then. If Randolph is retained, then it's likely another big will be moved before camp. If Randolph is released to free salary and a roster spot, it would appear the Celtics are not confident they can deal one of their other bigs.

* Second-round draft pick Iverson remains unsigned. He's stuck weighing his options as the Celtics clear their frontcourt logjam. If space opens, the Celtics can sneak him on for minimum money ($490K). If they need the roster spot, Iverson will spend next season overseas getting experience and a decent payday.

The Celtics have a logjam at shooting guard and something has to give:

The Boston Celtics formally announced the signings of undrafted point guard Phil Pressey and Brazilian center Vitor Faverani on Monday.

Terms of the deals were not disclosed, but Pressey is expected to be a three-year, minimum-salary pact ($490,180 next season) that will likely feature nonguaranteed portions of his deal. Multiple reports indicate Faverani will sign for three years and $6 million, meaning over-the-cap Boston has used a portion of its midlevel exception to sign him with a starting salary of around $2 million.

Pressey, the son of former Celtics assistant coach Paul Pressey, starred at summer league in Orlando and played his way into a deal with potential to be a backup ball-handler behind Rajon Rondo. Ainge noted that Boston has monitored Faverani in the past, and he'll add pure center size to a frontcourt currently jammed up with power forwards.

Here are the team-issued bios on the signees:

Faverani, a 25-year old, 6-11 center, played in 23 games for Valencia Basket of the Spanish ACB last season and averaged 9.3 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 55 percent from the floor in 17 minutes per game last season. Faverani also appeared in nine games of the Eurocup competition for Valencia last season and averaged 6.7 points and 3.4 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game. A native of Porto Alegre, Brazil, Faverani posted his best statistical season for CB Murcia of the Spanish LEB Oro during the 2010-11 where he averaged 14.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in 22.0 minutes over 34 games. He also shot 70.7 percent on all of his two-point field goal opportunities that season.

Pressey, a 5-11 guard, was a member of the 2013 Celtics Orlando Pro Summer League roster where he averaged 9.4 points, 6.6 assists and 2 steals in 23 minutes per game. Pressey played collegiately at Missouri where during the 2012-13 season he was named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award which is given to the best point guard in the nation. The Dallas, Texas native averaged a career-high 11.9 points and 7.0 assists per game during his junior season. Pressey was named First Team All-SEC and to the All-SEC Tournament team and finished just one assist shy of the second highest single season mark for assists in SEC history during the 2012-13 season (240). Pressey posted 19 points and 19 assists against UCLA on December 28, 2012 which tied the SEC record for most assists in a single game and was also the highest single game total posted during the 2012-13 season in Division I.

The Celtics now have 16 signed players, including one nonguaranteed contract in Shavlik Randolph, whose deal becomes guaranteed on Aug. 1. With logjams at shooting guard and power forward, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has previously hinted that more moves could occur in order to trim salary and free roster spots.

Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley has kept a low profile this summer, but he's putting in high effort while promising to improve during his first roadblock-free offseason as a pro:

The Indianapolis Star recently posted a Q&A with Tracy Stevens, the wife of new Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens. In the article, Tracy offers a glimpse into the Stevens' private life and their quest for normalcy as they prepare to shift to Massachusetts. She also is bluntly honest about how the pair is approaching this process:

Q: You’re going from Brad being the extremely successful coach at Butler to the NBA and the NBA’s tough. What is it about Brad that you think is going to make him successful?

A: We’re not going into it like, “We know this is going to work.” We don’t know if it’s going to work. But we’re hopeful, we’re optimistic, and we know we want to try. It’s sitting at the table with some of the best athletes in the world.

Q: What’s your worst-case scenario?

A: Worst-case scenario is that it doesn’t go well and he gets fired and run out of town. (Laughs). I hope that doesn’t happen. I really do. But ... we’re a close-knit family. We’re not going to change who we are. We’re not going to sacrifice our integrity.

If it doesn’t go well, we’re probably going to go back to Indiana. We’ll be financially in a good position, and we’ll take the next step and that’s okay. One thing you have to realize is that you can’t let your job define who you are. We are parents first. Husband and wife first. Basketball coach is kind of down the line.

Hop HERE to read the full Q&A in the Indy Star.

In Part 2 of a SportsCenter conversation, ESPN Boston's Jackie MacMullan talks to Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett about their final days in Boston, leaving Rajon Rondo behind, and their favorite Celtics memories.

"I knew the writing was on the wall, you kinda felt it coming," Pierce said of Boston's decision to start the rebuilding process this summer. "I think, toward the end of the [2012-13 season], even before the playoffs started, you looked at the team and, when I was on the bench, you looked down and see the players down there, you start looking towards the future and you see the guys they are bringing in. Me and Kevin talked about it all the time, me and him discussed that this may be our last year in Boston. Then when I started looking, and I was like, 'Doc is leaving?' I've always said, I don't want to play for any other coach at this stage of my career. When I saw all of that going down, I pretty much knew my time was up."

As for their favorite memories in Boston?

"You're talking about 15 years of memories, there's going to be a lot of things," said Pierce. "Ultimately, just winning the championship [in 2008], that whole parade. There's so many things I'm going to miss, the clam chowder. These are my lasting memories right here."

Garnett told the often-recalled story of how, after a game against the Lakers midway through the 2010 campaign, coach Doc Rivers demanded $100 from every player and staff member on the team, then crammed an envelope with $2,600 into the ceiling tiles at the Staples Center and told his players in order to get it back they'd have to make it to the NBA Finals against the Lakers. The Celtics did just that.

"We all looked at each other -- we're not playing well at this time," recalled Garnett. "Subconsciously, it did something to you. As we kept going, [the players said to each other], 'Hey remember that money? We gotta get back, get that bread in the ceiling. Remember that.' The second half comes, we're rolling, picking up momentum, and the next thing you know we're in the Finals. And the first thing when we got to Lakers' locker room, 'The money, the money, the money!' That mood in locker room was crazy. It was still there. And I thought, that was a sign we were going to win, you just felt that. But regrets are like you said, regrets."

The Celtics lost in seven games to the Lakers in 2010, preventing Boston from capturing another title. Now Garnett and Pierce are banking that they can get that elusive second championship together in Brooklyn.

For Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, the hardest part of moving on from the Boston Celtics might be who they are leaving behind:

With Kevin Garnett off to New York, Boston moves on to the task of rebuilding its frontcourt around some fresh-faced bigs. ESPN's Amin Elhassan breaks down how four of Boston’s “big” draft picks -- Jared Sullinger, Fab Melo, Kelly Olynyk and Colton Iverson -- could help that process along:

The smoke has cleared and the rubble has finally settled after the Boston Celtics hit the reset button and took the first steps toward their future.

A rebuild can be a long and arduous process, especially because the organizational effort to get as bad as possible before becoming good again can test the patience of its fan base, locker room and most important, its ownership.

Sports teams are selling one of two concepts: "championship" or "hope." The Celtics have made the shift in sales pitches, and a large part of their "hope campaign" could rest on the sizable shoulders of the cadre of young bigs they've acquired in the past two drafts. In a way, the Celtics are building their own massive wall, their version of the Green Monster.

[Insider] offers a scouting perspective on the four frontcourt players expected to ease Boston's transition and what the fans, team and ownership can expect of them:

To read the full insider piece, hop HERE.

During his introduction for the Brooklyn Nets, longtime Celtics captain Paul Pierce showed he hasn't fully moved on from Boston:


And a look at how it's playing on ESPN New York:

ESPNBoston.com's Jackie MacMullan sat down with Brooklyn Nets newcomers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett for a "SportsCenter" conversation, and the former Celtics stars reflected on what leaving Boston means to them and how the future looks playing for the Nets.

"You spend your whole, almost half of your life in one city, you get used to it," Pierce said. "For you to make the move, it's a huge adjustment. I mean, I know nothing else but Boston."

Added Garnett: "For six years I embraced the same thing, obviously not to his magnitude, but it was enough to where we made our stamp. And this is where we are and where I thought we were going to be.

"And that changed, it's almost like you've got to deal with it. It's not time to be emotional, it's not time to be reflecting. Now you've got to make a decision on for what's best for you in going forward. And that was the most difficult out of all of this -- that things were pushed on, I felt like forced on us a little bit.

"You didn't see the fairy tale ending like this."

Pierce echoed the notion that leaving Boston wasn't something that he had envisioned, but he did acknowledge that he knew it was a real possibility.

"That's the only thing about this whole ordeal, you just wish that -- you look at other players like [Spurs big man] Tim Duncan, [Lakers guard] Kobe [Bryant], [Mavericks forward] Dirk [Nowitzki] ... those guys, they won a championship there, similar to what I've done, been there their whole career," Pierce said.

"It really kind of hurt, when you look at the news throughout the season, when [Mavericks owner] Mark Cuban says, 'We're never trading Dirk,' or when they say, 'We're never trading Tim,' or 'We're going to re-sign Kobe.' Nothing's really being said about me; I'm in trade rumors. So that part, you think about it, kind of hurts.

"But then, after so long, you have to understand that this is a business, and it's not like that for everybody."

NEW YORK -- After the Boston Celtics were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs in early May, Kevin Garnett suggested his future in Boston might hinge on whether Paul Pierce remained with the team. On Thursday, after Garnett and Pierce were formally introduced as members of the Brooklyn Nets, Garnett admitted he pondered retirement when Boston's future was unclear.

"Absolutely," Garnett responded when asked about considering hanging up his high-tops. "Because of Paul’s situation with the Celtics, and Paul is a huge part of playing together and accomplishing things, which makes this whole thing kind of bittersweet. I’m leaving one chapter and opening another, and I’m able to do it with guys that I’ve known for a long time."

Pierce detailed how he put a hard sell on Garnett while trying to get him to commit to coming to Brooklyn. Pierce said he told Garnett that he had too much left in the tank to ponder retirement. Even still, change doesn't come easy for Garnett, even when he has a sidekick or two along for the journey.

"I don’t like change much," he said. "When I commit to something, I like to go all-out. It’s unfortunate [Pierce and Garnett's tenure in Boston ended]. Obviously, when I saw the Doc Rivers situation, I knew that the writing was on the wall even before then. It was tough leaving [Rajon] Rondo and other things, but this is a new chapter with new things to embrace, and that’s what I’m doing."

Asked if he had a two-year window in Brooklyn given the two seasons remaining on his contract, Garnett offered, "I want to just take this process one day at a time, nothing more nothing less than that."

Pressed on what he has left in the tank, Garnett barked, "Next question."