The Other Boston Team Makes a Move

According to ESPN.com the Celtics deal for Kevin Garnett is final. This gives the Celts three all-star players in Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. It also makes them a lock for the 2002 NBA Title. The upside of the deal is that it makes Boston an immediate favorite in the weak Eastern Conference, and gives them a shot, be it a long one, at winning the title, and they get rid of gun specialist Sebastian Telfair. On the downside, Danny Ainge gave up promising PF Al Jefferson, dunk specialist Gerald Green, and role guy Ryan Gomes. Also going to Minnesota are a future first round pick (possibly two depending on what report you read) and the expiring contract known a Theo Ratliff. I'm not as upset about losing Green as I am Jefferson and Gomes. Jefferson is blossoming into a great low post scorer, and his defense was improving. But he is still young and the team probably wouldn't be able to contend this year with him still developing. As for Gomes, I think they could have done this deal with giving him up. Gomes is a good guy to have come off the bench, he plays hard and he can rebound.

After this deal this is how the team looks: Kendrick Perkins/Garnett/Pierce/Allen/Rajon Rondo with Tony Allen, Big Baby Davis, Gabe Pruitt, Brandon Wallace, Leon Powe and Brian Scalabrine coming off the bench. If Rondo plays like he did the second half of last season and not like he has in the summer league, Boston maybe all set at PG. However, as insurance I think Ainge should try to get a veteran PG, maybe Brevin Knight. The center position is thin, there is no backup to Perkins, who should be a backup on a good team. As for the bench, T. Allen looked good last year before tearing his ACL on a freak play, and hopefully he will be healthy in time for the season.
After that there are three rookies, Davis, Pruitt, and Wallace, and a couple of power forwards. Powe has shown good hustle and good rebounding when he has played, and Scalabrine, well he is a poor man's Walter McCarty.

Final analysis of the trade: It helps Boston short term, especially if they can get another PG. However, it might cripple them down the line. This trade, along with the one made for R. Allen on draft night removes most of the young talent Ainge had put together. If the Celtics don't make a run at the title this year or next, Ainge should be on the hot seat, if he isn't already. Overall I like the move because it makes the Celtics watchable again, and they hopefully won't go on an 18 game losing streak this season.

Of course none of this matters if Doc Rivers is still the head coach.

Butters