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The Fab Melo era is over (before it really even began). A handful of lingering thoughts after the Boston Celtics traded the second-year center to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday in exchange for the nonguaranteed contract of Donte Green:

* Fab’s Follies: Melo will ultimately be remembered more for what happened off the court in Boston than on it. From squashing a folding chair at rookie orientation to walking into a door frame and concussing himself (this while playing the most inspired ball of his pro career in the D-League), Melo lived up to his reputation as being a bit aloof.

* Fab Mania: Despite the painfully obvious fact that he wasn’t quite NBA ready, at least not on a veteran team, fans genuinely wanted a glimpse of Melo (even if it was just a trash-time celebration). After a few big D-League performances created some over-caffeinated buzz, including a ridiculous triple-double, the Celtics recalled Melo on Jan. 2, eliciting a new year hysteria (which ignored the fact that he had just concussed himself on a South Dakota door frame). It turned out he was just recalled to be examined by team doctors and never suited up. When Rajon Rondo hollered from across the locker room that night to inquire if Melo would be sitting with his teammates on the bench, Melo hollered back in his booming, accented voice, "If I fit!"

* C's rolled dice with Melo: This is not to absolve the Celtics from misfiring on Melo with the 22nd pick last year -- even if late-round picks can be a crapshoot at best -- but after the team watched Jared Sullinger plunge into their lap at No. 21, members of the front office felt like they could take a risk with the very next pick (one secured from Oklahoma City as part of the Jeff Green deal). Boston simply badly misjudged how raw Melo was and it became painfully obvious a year later at summer league that this was going to be a long-term process (and one that might never bear fruit). But when a team in transition and one thin of pure size at the center spot isn't willing to commit to you, it's a bit telling about what the team thinks of your development thus far.

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The Boston Celtics traded former first-round pick Fab Melo and cash considerations to the Memphis Grizzlies Thursday in exchange for the nonguaranteed contract of Donte Greene.

Greene is set to earn $1 million this season. If Boston doesn't envision a spot for the 6-foot-11 forward on its roster, the team could waive him (either immediately or after training camp) and could dip below the luxury tax line (Boston is roughly $0.7 million over the $71.8 million line at the moment; Melo was set to earn $1.3 million).

In moving Melo after just one season, the Celtics are acknowledging they misfired while using the No. 22 pick to secure the Syracuse product last summer. Boston had two first-round picks in that 2012 draft and snagged Jared Sullinger one pick earlier, then rolled the dice on Melo, an insanely raw Brazilian big man who toiled in the D-League for much of his rookie campaign.

With the Maine Red Claws, Melo averaged 9.8 points, 6 rebounds and a league-high 3.1 blocks in 26.2 minutes per game. He was named to the D-League All-Defensive first team and D-League All-Rookie first team. But he didn't show much in terms of development at the Orlando Summer League last month and clearly still needed time and reps to improve.

Boston's desire to move on might have been heightened if it doesn't believe it can otherwise shed salary as the team has expressed a strong desire to get below the tax this season, one that's likely to be a transition year.

The Celtics bolstered depth up front this offseason by drafting 7-footers Kelly Olynyk and Colton Iverson (who will play in Turkey this season). Boston also signed Brazlian center Vitor Faverani, who had been playing professionally in Spain, and projects as a top option in his first season if he shows he's ready for NBA competition.

That frontcourt logjam makes it unlikely that Greene, a former first-round pick (28th overall in 2008) who spent four seasons with Sacramento but hasn't played in the league since the 2011-12 season, would make the team.

Greene signed with the Grizzlies on April 17, but did not appear in any games for the team.

(Post updated from earlier report; Memphis Commercial Appeal first reported Grizzlies interest in Melo)

ESPN Insider's Chad Ford ranked his top 10 Rookie of the Year candidates for the 2013-14 season and Boston's Kelly Olynyk -- fresh off his strong summer showing -- lands at No. 6 on the list:


ESPN's national Summer Forecast asked voters to pick the Rookie of the Year, but Olynyk was not amongst the top five in voting.

The summer doldrums are upon us. Even with all that sunshine outside, August can be the darkest month on the calendar for a hoops fan. With roster construction essentially complete, it's a slow crawl to the start of training camp in late September. Don't fret, we're here to help you get through this.

Each weekday for the next three weeks, our summer panel of prognosticators -- a motley crew featuring our friends in the Celtics blogging community -- will join forces to tell you how the 2013-14 season will play out for Boston. We'll gaze into our crystal balls and attempt to answer all your questions before this year's team even hits the floor together for the first time.

Up first this summer: Predicting the final regular-season record.

Two days ago, ESPN's national summer forecast -- a group of 215 hoops pundits -- projected Boston to finish 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-53. Too harsh? Too kind? Averaging up the votes received thus far in our ESPN Boston summer forecast, our prognosticators have Boston pegged at 31-51 overall.

We've noted in the past that it's really hard to make a firm prediction on a team when you can barely name the starting 5 (more on that later in the series). While Boston's young core has defiantly shunned the idea that the Celtics will endure their lumps this season or that the team should tank for an even better pick, the green have the looks of a team that could struggle. It's hard enough to win in the NBA, let alone with a point guard coming off ACL surgery or a 36-year-old head coach with no NBA experience or after trading away two Hall of Famers.

My best guess? Let's pencil in a record of 29-53. November looks incredibly daunting and we're just not sure it makes any sense to rush Rondo back for opening night. Boston plays a whopping 18 games in November, including six back-to-backs, all of which close on the road (those second-night stops are in Memphis, Miami, Minnesota, San Antonio, Atlanta, and Milwaukee).

The Celtics will know right away if they have the ability to overachieve. The guess here is that they'll quickly realize that this is a season to develop further continuity with the young core, identify the future building blocks, and learn Brad Stevens' system. But wins won't come easy, or as easy as they used to come (remember back in 2007-08 when Boston's newly minted Big Three had 26 wins before the ball even dropped to usher in the new calendar year?)

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Brad Stevens gushed about the history and tradition surrounding the Boston Celtics franchise when he signed on to be the team's 17th coach last month. With a nod to the 17 banners hanging in the rafters at TD Garden, it appears Stevens is committed to using some of that history to help his team in transition return to contender status.

Former Celtics guard Kenny Anderson revealed Tuesday that Stevens sent letters to former Celtics players. The letters encouraged the alumni to remain in contact with the franchise and extended an invite to attend games or practices.

Here is a sample of Stevens' letter (with some of the Celtics' contact info redacted):

I am truly humbled and honored to assume the responsibilities of head coach of the Boston Celtics. The Celtics’ mystique, history, culture and tradition speaks for itself. There is nothing else like it in all of professional sports.

At the press conference announcing my hiring, I was in awe looking up at the 17 championship banners. I am first and foremost a fan and admirer of the Boston Celtics and what has been accomplished by each of you.

On behalf of the Boston Celtics management, staff and players, I write you to come around any time. Please know that you are cordially welcome to attend our practice sessions, home games at the TD Garden, games when we are on the road and Celtics events in our community.

I look forward to meeting you in the near future. Continued success and well wishes.

Sincerely,

Brad Stevens

For 36-year-old Stevens, it's a thoughtful gesture that helps him connect to the team's past. In the days following his hiring, Stevens stressed a desire to meet his new players and develop immediate relationships. He worked quick to get in touch with each of Boston's current players and has maintained contact this summer. Now, as he settles in, Stevens appears to be trying to form relationships with those players that laid the foundation for the franchise and made this such an attractive opportunity.

Stevens has had a productive first month on the job since his formal introduction in Waltham in early July. He trekked to Orlando to meet the holdovers from Doc Rivers' coaching staff (Jay Larranaga and Jamie Young) and meet many of the returning players on Boston's roster. He trekked to Louisville soon after to meet point guard Rajon Rondo for the first time.

Stevens has assembled much of his coaching and support staff, with the team set to bring on Ron Adams and Micah Shrewsberry as assistant coaches, while Ronald Nored (player development) and Drew Cannon (stats) will have key roles for the organization. Adams is a longtime NBA assistant who can aid Stevens' transition to the NBA level (most recently he served as Tom Thibodeau's righthand man in Chicago), while the other three have Butler ties that will bring a bit of familiarity to Stevens' new environment.

Stevens has been tasked with a rebuilding project after Boston traded away stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett earlier this summer. While expectations will be low at the onset, the goal in Boston almost always becomes hoisting another championship banner. Stevens is hoping that some of the players that helped put banners in the rafters in the past can help teach his young team how to maintain that tradition.

All those 46 cent stamps were a fine investment as Stevens embarks on his NBA coaching journey in Boston.

Another Spanish-language interview with Celtics center Vitor Faverani has been posted by hoops blog Fin de Posesion (The Last Possession). While the Google Translation is expectedly a bit rough around the edges, it's a quality read (especially in these quiet summer months) with more insight on a player the Celtics signed to a three-year deal this offseason. A highlight (with some grammatical clean-ups in brackets):

Q: Boston is in full reconstruction after [trading Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and] you are part of those players called to create the new Celtics. What goals [have] you set yourself personally [for next] season?

Faverani: My goal personally is the same as I [had] in Murcia or Valencia, which is work, work and work. Prove to them that I... want to play and give me minutes to demonstrate what I'm doing there... I wish I could say that I will score 20 points and grab 10 rebounds, but right now it's impossible to know... So the main thing is work hard, work [like] "an animal" to see that I'm eager and able to play there.

Faverani also discusses talking with new coach Brad Stevens via phone and his decision to wear No. 38 (suggesting there's a tattoo involved). There's also a bunch of his basketball journey from Brazil to Spain to Boston and it ends with Faverani offering, "a hug for everyone."

ESPN Insider examined the top projected risers and fallers in scoring margin for the 2013-14 season and the Boston Celtics are the second biggest faller (-7 points; the Oklahoma City Thunder were a mere 0.1 points worse). The blurb on the Celtics (read the full story HERE):

Boston Celtics forward Gerald Wallace will wear No. 45, while rookie guard Phil Pressey will sport No. 26, according to the team's updated online roster.

Wallace wore No. 3 at the start of his career before taking No. 45 after joining the Nets. He'll be the first Celtics player to sport that number since Carlos Arroyo's late-season cameo during the 2011 season (it hadn't been previously seen since Raef LaFrentz wore it from 2006-08).

Pressey wore No. 1 at Missouri, but picked No. 26 for the Celtics' summer league entry in Orlando. That digit had been dormant in Boston for 30 years before Patrick O'Bryant (2009) and Lester Hudson (2010) selected it.

Overseas import Vitor Faverani is the only Celtics player currently without an official jersey number, though he re-Tweeted a picture of a customized No. 38 jersey. Faverani wore No. 13 in Spain (and it's part of his Twitter handle) and you wonder if he might have been able to lobby fellow Brazil native Fab Melo for that digit. Melo could always shift to his college number 51, the jersey he tried to get last summer as a rookie (but was being held for Keyon Dooling, who eventually re-signed with Boston, but retired soon after). Melo also wore No. 41 during his time with the Maine Red Claws of the D-League last season.

If that number sticks, and once he officially makes the opening-day roster, Faverani would become the first Celtics player to wear No. 38. Rookie second-round pick Colton Iverson, who will play in Turkey this season, picked No. 37 and could eventually be the first player to wear that number for Boston.

For a history of Celtics' digits, check out Basketball Reference's number register.

The Philadelphia 76ers have (finally) filled their coaching vacancy:

San Antonio Spurs assistant Brett Brown has agreed to become the new head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Brown will sign a four-year contract to coach the Sixers, according to SI.com, which reported the agreement earlier.

New general manager Sam Hinkie took quite a while looking for a replacement before choosing Brown, who was part of three NBA title teams with San Antonio. The 52-year-old Brown was an assistant under Gregg Popovich since 2002. He also coached the Australian men's national team from 2009-12, and played a key role in helping Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker develop into All-Stars with the Spurs.

Brown is the franchise's 24th coach and eighth since Larry Brown resigned in 2003.

Why does this matter to Boston (other than the fact that Philly is a rebuilding division rival)? It increases the likelihood that Boston assistant Jay Larranaga will be back next season.

The 38-year-old Larranaga, a former D-League head coach, was one of a handful of finalists for the 76ers job. He joined Doc Rivers' staff last season and was the only Boston coach still under contract after Rivers departed for Los Angeles earlier this summer. Larranaga was tasked with coaching the summer squad. He was considered a candidate for Boston's vacancy before the team landed former Butler helmsman Brad Stevens on a six-year contract.

In the aftermath of Stevens' hiring, Larranaga noted on his decision to return to Boston, "I had one year left on my contract, so it's not really much of a decision. I'm under contract, and I respect that contract." Asked if it might be awkward working for someone who got a job he desired, Larranaga added, "I think you always try to focus on the things that you can control, right? So I can control the attitude and my work ethic. I'm going to try and do my best job to do that."

While the Celtics haven't formally announced Stevens' staff yet, it's expected to include Larranaga and Jamie Young (two holdovers from the last regime) as well as Ron Adams, a longtime NBA assistant who last worked with Tom Thibodeau in Chicago, and Micah Shrewsberry, one of Stevens' former assistants at Butler.

Ronald Nored (player development) and Drew Cannon (stats), two other familiar faces from Stevens' time at Butler, will also have roles in Boston.

ESPN.com's 2013 Summer Forecast kicked off Monday with a look at the Eastern Conference standings. A panel of ESPN experts pegged Boston with a record of 29-53 (.354), 12th best in the conference (ahead of only Charlotte, Orlando, and Philadelphia):

Former Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce hinted Thursday that he will attempt to avoid an exhibition matchup at TD Garden when the Brooklyn Nets visit on Oct. 23 and instead wait until a regular-season meeting in the new calendar year to make an emotional return to Boston.

"I'll [return to Boston] just one time next year," said Pierce, suggesting he'll wait for a Jan. 26 visit.

Appearing on ESPN Radio in New York on Thursday, Pierce also noted that he's finally getting comfortable with his new team after 15 seasons in Boston. The Celtics traded Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry to the Nets in July in exchange for a package that includes three future first-round draft picks.

"I'm really settling in nicely and just embracing the change and looking forward to it," said Pierce.

He added: "I don't have to use anything to motivate me, a trade or anything like that, for me to say I want to win a championship. I've only got so many more years left in my career, so ultimately the goal is to try to win another one or two, as many as I can before I retire. That's the motivation right there."

Hop HERE to read more from Pierce and listen to the interview.

For more from Pierce, check out this SLAM Magazine Q&A, which includes Pierce on Boston's decision to rebuild:

"Well, I know the insides with everything that’s going on," Pierce told SLAM. "A lot of stuff got blown out of proportion because of the media, but Doc has always said he didn’t want to be a part of a rebuilding situation. I’ve always stated that the past four or five years. After the season, the owners decided they wanted to go in that direction. It made Doc look like he was quitting but at the same time it was mutual—everything was mutual at the end. The trade, Doc leaving. I didn’t want to be a part of rebuilding; Kevin didn’t want to be a part of rebuilding; Doc didn’t want to be part of rebuilding. I think it was all mutual. We’ve done so much for the franchise that they wanted to help on our end. So Doc went to L.A., and they sent us to Brooklyn for a chance to win a championship. That’s pretty much the way it was. Nothing more, nothing less."

Information from ESPN New York's Mike Mazzeo was used.

The Boston Celtics announced their 2013-14 preseason schedule on Wednesday. A look at the eight-game slate that includes two trips north of the border (where Boston opens its season later in the month). The exhibition finale is against the Brooklyn Nets and -- if Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett traveled to Boston for that game -- it would be their first trip back to TD Garden:

The NBA held its annual rookie photo shoot at the MSG Training Facility in Tarrytown, N.Y. on Tuesday. Here's a few of the more noteworthy shots for Boston's Kelly Olynyk (first photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images; last two by Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty Images):

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The NBA schedule makers offered their take on the new-look Boston Celtics with an 82-game schedule that opens north of the border, features minimal national exposure and gives the Green coal on Christmas Day, hammering home the notion that this is viewed as a team in transition.

The Celtics open the 2013-14 season by visiting the Toronto Raptors (a team that won 34 games a year ago) on Oct. 30, then come to TD Garden for their home opener against the Milwaukee Bucks (a team that won 38 games a year ago) on Nov. 1. That's a departure from the usual glitzy opening-night dance with LeBron James that has seemed to greet each new season in recent years.

A handful of thoughts on the schedule and games that we have circled on Boston's upcoming slate:

* HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: Christmas Day might be the NBA's biggest stage and the Green were a familiar presence on that day during the Big Three era. This year? The Celtics get a five-day holiday break (and don't have the usual immediate post-Christmas trek out west). Boston is off from Dec. 23-27 before a Saturday matinee against the visiting Cavaliers on Dec. 28.

* THE RETURN OF KG, PIERCE: There's that pesky exhibition game on Oct. 23, but the first honest-to-goodness visit from the Brooklyn Nets -- and old friends Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce -- happens on Jan. 26. It's a Sunday night (6:30 p.m.) matchup on ESPN and one of the few times the Celtics will find themselves in a national spotlight (it's also the Super Bowl bye week). The other Celtics-Nets meetings: Dec. 10 and March 21 in Brooklyn; March 7 in Boston.

* DOC'S RETURN: Speaking of that Dec. 10 meeting -- the first regular-season game between the Celtics and Nets -- it's followed the very next night by Doc Rivers' return to Boston as the Clippers invade TD Garden on Dec. 11. After being freed from his contract to coach the Clippers, it will be interesting to see the reaction Rivers gets after a decorated decade in Boston. The Celtics visit Rivers and the Clippers out west on Jan. 8.

* THE RIVALRY: Regardless of the status of the Celtics and Lakers, those two matchups always get circled. The Lakers visit TD Garden on Jan. 17 and the Celtics invade the Staples Center on Feb. 21. That's part of the ever-strenuous trade deadline trip (a four-game trek from Phoenix to LA to Sacramento to Utah from Feb. 19-Feb. 24).

* THE OTHER (DIMINISHED) RIVALRY: The Celtics and Heat -- last year's marquee opening-night matchup -- gets lackluster treatment this season. Boston visits Miami for a Saturday night tilt on Nov. 9, then treks there again on Jan. 21. The Heat make their only Boston visit on March 19.

* THE BACK-TO-BACKS: Boston plays ... oh wait, that's not such an issue any more with a bunch of 20-somethings on the roster. The Celtics still have plenty of them (20), including a whopping six in November as those young legs get an early workout. The Celtics do have a lot of daunting road closes to those back-to-backs, which make them a bit more daunting.

* STEVENS IN INDY: New coach Brad Stevens returns to his native Indianapolis for the first time on Dec. 22 for a matchup with the Pacers. Boston returns there on March 11.

* THE NATIONALS: Boston does not have a TNT game on its schedule. The national TV schedule at the moment features three ESPN games (Dec. 6 vs. Denver; Jan. 26 vs. Brooklyn; Feb. 21 vs. Lakers) and three NBA TV tilts (Dec. 16 vs. Minnesota; Feb. 9 vs. Dallas; March 9 vs. Detroit).

* TICKET INFO: For those interested in Celtics home games: Individual game tickets for the 2013-14 season will go on sale Sept. 5. Game plans go on sale Wednesday and include some of the most popular visiting opponents.

The dates are set for the Celtics' homecoming games of the 2013-14 season -- the returns of Doc Rivers and of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

Rivers and his Clippers will be back in town first, coming to TD Garden on Dec. 11. The night before, the Celtics will play at Brooklyn, their first meeting with Pierce and Garnett's Nets.

Pierce and KG will play at the Garden on Jan. 26 (6:30 p.m. on ESPN), and the Nets will return on March 7.

The Celtics open the season at Toronto on Oct. 30. The home opener is two days later, Nov. 1, against Milwaukee.

The one and only visit to Boston by the Heat is on March 19, and the Lakers come to town on Jan. 17.

CLICK HERE to see the full schedule.