Ever since the Boston Celtics traded away Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, ushering in a murky transition phase, some have wondered if Boston might be too good for its own rebuilding good.

There was a line of thinking that suggested that Boston, with an intriguing young core headlined by Rajon Rondo, Jeff Green, Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger, might still be decent enough to be a playoff team in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. In an age when you sometimes have to be really bad to get really good again, those folks wondered if Boston would be better served to tank this season and land a higher draft pick rather than endure another early playoff exit and a midround pick.

Keith Bogans, MarShon Brooks and Kris Humphries could provide a new dimension and energy to the rebuilding Celtics ... right? Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty Images

On Thursday, ESPN Insider ranked the 15 teams in the East, pegging Boston at No. 13. There was some outrage that anyone could think the Celtics would be worse than last season's cellar-dwelling Orlando Magic or only slightly better than the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. Some of the same people that were hoping for a high draft pick were infuriated by the idea that Boston could be bad enough to land it (without trying, at least).

Yes, things were a bit simpler when Boston was an annual contender. But here's the thing: No one really has any idea how the 2013-14 Celtics will fare, maybe not even those closest to the team.

That's why I tend to believe Boston players, coaches and front-office staffers when they say they haven't even broached the idea of tanking. Of course they haven't. They have no idea if they'll even need to try to lose games next season. Let's cross that bridge when we get there.

Boston has a 36-year-old, first-time NBA head coach in Brad Stevens, who was wildly successful at Butler but must prove himself an outlier among college coaches who have struggled in jumping to the pro game.

Rondo is just five months removed from surgery to repair a partially torn ACL, and while the team is optimistic he can meet an aggressive timeline and be back on opening night in late October, there's no guarantee that will happen.