This NBA offseason has been very eventful and we’re only a few short weeks away from the start of team training camps. To help bridge that gap for hoops junkies, we here at numberFire will be rolling out our projections for next season in the form of team previews, starting at 30 and going all the way to number one. We continue today with the 27th-ranked Boston Celtics!

Now six years removed from their 2008 title, the Boston Celtics are entering the second year of their rebuilding project in 2014-15. With basketballmonster.com, his lowest finish since his 2006-07 rookie season. The down year is understandable in that he's coming off a major injury and subsequent surgery, but prospective owners have to recognize Rondo for what he is: a two-trick pony. Outside of the elite assists and steals, Rondo is actually a drain on most other major categories. The rebounding is certainly solid from the point guard position (5.5 per game last season) and he used to be a 50% shooter from the floor and could be again, but he consistently has a negative impact on turnovers and free throw percentage, and doesn't offer much in terms of scoring (from that high a draft pick), threes, and blocks. The negatives tend to outweigh the positives with Rondo as a fantasy player and, for what it's worth, he's never once finished at or above the 32 mark in 9-category leagues. If he gets traded, his usage could go down and his value could drop even lower. You can do better in the early rounds at point guard if that's what you're looking for.

PF/C Jared Sullinger (Yahoo O-Rank: 131)
Sully's 2013-14 campaign was an up-and-down affair, but he showed flashes of fantasy promise in spurts. He finished the year ranked 130th in 9-category leagues, but he flirted with mid-round value at various points throughout the year when he was healthy and starting consistently, even managing to earn Player of the Week honors once in February. He has shown that he's capable of being a guy that puts up around 15 points and 9 to 10 rebounds per contest with consistent minutes, and his field goal percentage could certainly see an improvement as his chemistry with Rajon Rondo grows. He doesn't offer much in terms of steals and blocks, but he doesn't commit a lot of turnovers (1.6 per contest), nails the occasional three-pointer (0.8) and has a great free throw percentage for a power forward or center (77.8%). If the preseason brings clarity to his starter status, Sullinger could be an excellent sleeper pick in this range.