Editing Boston Celtics (section)

===1993–1998: Tragedy and decline===
The loss of Bird and the aging of the team's other veteran stars forced coach Chris Ford into rebuilding mode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Villanova to Retire Former Celtic Player, Coach Chris Ford's Jersey|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/press-ford013006.html|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Celtics.com|date=January 30, 2006|access-date=October 21, 2018|archive-date=June 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628184439/http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/press-ford013006.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Hopes centered on 26-year-old [[Reggie Lewis]], a [[small forward]] out of Boston's [[Northeastern University (Boston)|Northeastern University]]. In the [[1993 NBA playoffs|first round of the 1993 playoffs]] Lewis fainted during Boston's four-game series loss by the [[Charlotte Hornets]].<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1993.html 1993 NBA Playoff Summary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018131742/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1993.html |date=October 18, 2011 }}, basketball-reference.com. Retrieved November 22, 2010.</ref> An examination revealed heart problems,<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/13/sports/pro-basketball-reggie-lewis-s-family-had-history-heart-problems-report-asserts.html Pro Basketball; Reggie Lewis's Family Had a History of Heart Problems, Report Asserts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220054153/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/13/sports/pro-basketball-reggie-lewis-s-family-had-history-heart-problems-report-asserts.html |date=December 20, 2011 }}. ''The New York Times''. September 13, 1993. Retrieved November 22, 2010.</ref> but Lewis was able to get doctors to clear him for a comeback. Before he could make it he died of a heart attack while shooting baskets at Brandeis University during the off-season.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100118093133/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101930809-162165,00.html Did Reggie Lewis Have to Die?], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. June 21, 2001. Retrieved November 22, 2010.</ref> The Celtics honored his memory by retiring his number 35.<ref name="lewis">{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/070203_RememberingReggie.html|title=Remembering Reggie... – The Official Site of the Boston Celtics|website=[[NBA.com]]|access-date=June 30, 2015|archive-date=October 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030133432/http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/070203_RememberingReggie.html|url-status=live}}</ref> With McHale having retired after the Celtics' playoff loss to the Hornets, Boston's original Big 3 era came to an end in 1994 upon Robert Parish's signing with Charlotte.<ref name="parish">Editors of Publication International, Ltd. [http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/robert-parish-at.htm Robert Parish] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607223152/http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/robert-parish-at.htm |date=June 7, 2013 }}, entertainment.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved November 22, 2010.</ref> The team collapsed, finishing out of the playoffs with a 32–50 mark.

In 1994, the Celtics hired former player and legendary towel-waving cheerleader [[M. L. Carr]] as the team's new vice president of basketball operations. Working alongside general manager [[Jan Volk]], Carr selected [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina]] star [[Eric Montross]] with Boston's first-round pick in the [[1994 NBA draft]]. Montross became the new heir apparent in the paint, but failed to develop and was eventually traded. [[1994–95 NBA season|1994–95]] was the Celtics' final season in the [[Boston Garden]]. The Celtics signed aging [[Dominique Wilkins]] as a free agent, who led the team in scoring with 17.8 PPG. Second-year player [[Dino Rađa]], a power forward from [[Croatia]], added an interior presence the team had been lacking in [[1993–94 NBA season|1993–94]]. The Celtics made the playoffs, losing to the heavily favored [[Orlando Magic]] in four games. In 1995, the Celtics moved from the Boston Garden to the Fleet Center (later TD BankNorth, then [[TD Garden]]). Carr fired [[Chris Ford]] and took the coaching reins himself. After drafting [[Providence College]] star Eric Williams, the Celtics struggled to a 33–49 record.

Things got worse in [[1996–97 NBA season|1996–97]] as the Celtics lost a franchise-record 67 games, setting an unwanted [[imperfect season|NBA record]] winning only once against other Atlantic Division teams and just fifteen victories overall. In spite of the emergence of 1st-round draft pick [[Antoine Walker]], Carr resigned after the season ended, while [[Rick Pitino]] was hired to join the franchise as the team's president, director of basketball operations, and [[head coach]], reportedly on a $70 million ten-year contract. Volk resigned on May 7, 1997.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dohrmann |first1=George |title=Pitino Is Lured by Celtic Green |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-07-sp-56236-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=November 21, 2021 |date=May 7, 1997 |archive-date=February 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216062110/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-07-sp-56236-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Sam |title=Pity the Celtics with Pitino in charge |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-10-31-9710310050-story.html |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=November 21, 2021 |date=October 31, 1997 |archive-date=November 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120065604/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-10-31-9710310050-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Pitino's appointment as team president was controversial as Auerbach, the incumbent who had filled that role for more than 25 years, first heard about the change from local media. Unfortunately for the franchise, Pitino was not the savior everyone hoped he would be. Auerbach bore the insult of being elbowed out with dignity, even as the team failed to improve.

The Celtics received the third and sixth draft picks in the [[1997 NBA draft]],<ref>[http://www.nba.com/history/draft_round1_1990s.html#1997 Complete First round Results&nbsp;– 1990–99] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120124032549/http://www.nba.com/history/draft_round1_1990s.html#1997 |date=January 24, 2012 }} nba.com/history. Retrieved November 5, 2010.</ref> and used the picks to select a brand new backcourt through [[Chauncey Billups]] and [[Ron Mercer]]. The young team that lost 67 games the year before was dismantled, with [[David Wesley]], [[Dino Rađa]] and [[Rick Fox]] being let go, and Williams traded to the [[Denver Nuggets]] for a pair of second round draft picks (Williams would return to the Celtics in 1999 and played for four years). [[Walter McCarty]] was also acquired in a trade with the Knicks. With a promising start, upsetting the defending champions [[Chicago Bulls]] at home on opening night,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/02/sports/on-basketball-pitino-s-young-guns-overrun-the-bulls.html|title=On Basketball; Pitino's Young Guns Overrun The Bulls|first=Ira|last=Berkow|date=November 2, 1997|access-date=October 18, 2017|work=The New York Times|archive-date=December 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226114322/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/02/sports/on-basketball-pitino-s-young-guns-overrun-the-bulls.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and hard play from the youngsters that led to leaderships in turnovers and steals, the team improved its victories from 15 to 36 despite many losing streaks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/celtics_history.html#33|title=Boston Celtics History – Celtics.com – The official website of the Boston Celtics|first=Boston|last=Celtics|website=www.nba.com|access-date=October 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026022832/http://www.nba.com/celtics/celtics_history.html#33|archive-date=October 26, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boston-wins-without-pitino/|title=Boston Wins Without Pitino|website=[[CBS News]]|date=April 18, 1998|access-date=October 18, 2017|archive-date=August 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806220339/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/boston-wins-without-pitino/|url-status=live}}</ref> Billups was subsequently traded to the Raptors during his rookie year,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/19/sports/basketball-kenny-anderson-is-traded-to-celtics-in-7-player-deal.html|title=Basketball; Kenny Anderson Is Traded To Celtics in 7-Player Deal|first=Mike|last=Wise|date=February 19, 1998|access-date=October 18, 2017|work=The New York Times|archive-date=August 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807070843/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/19/sports/basketball-kenny-anderson-is-traded-to-celtics-in-7-player-deal.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and Mercer was traded to the Nuggets during his third season.<ref>[http://www.celticslife.com/2012/05/what-hell-happened-toron-mercer.html What the Hell Happened to&nbsp;... Ron Mercer?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528045940/http://www.celticslife.com/2012/05/what-hell-happened-toron-mercer.html |date=May 28, 2012 }}, celticslife.com May 25, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2012.</ref>