Garnett to Celtics talks back on

Allen will get hurt.

 

This is a horrible trade for the Celts if it goes through. They are putting their future on the line, because Jefferson will grow into a great PF and Rondo has shown signs of coming out.

 

Coming out? Is that a good thing? Because Rondo isn't going anywhere.

Jefferson will be great around the same time that Pierce and Allen's contracts are up. If Ainge wasn't going to try to keep building with young talent, which he abandoned with the Allen trade, it makes sense to go out and get a player that can help you more immediately.

You can debate the wisdom of abandoning the building process and making the Allen trade, but I just don't see how people can question this move. With Jefferson they were a middle of the pack/borderline conference finalist over the next few years while he matured. Then when he was ready to be a superstar his two best teammates would probably be gone. With Garnett the Celts are at least a favorite to make the conference finals and have a good chance at getting to the finals. The point is to build a team that can win a championship, not one that can make the playoffs. With Garnett they can win a championship in the next two-three years. Then, if you don't, you blow it up, but at least you did all you could to win.

 

Gomes is part of this deal and Tony Allen is out until midseason. Perkins would have to start at this point, I believe.

As far as being "down" on this deal, I think it's a matter of having your cake and wanting to eat it too. Sure, Garnett is great and there's a chance for a title ... but you want a future, too. Of course, it's hard to do both. If the Celtics win the title no one will ever say this was a bad trade. If they crash and burn ...

 

I'm hearing mixed things. Some reports have Gomes included (ESPN, I think) and others don't (AP, I think). Gomes is nothing spectacular, but he's a solid rotation guy and I don't think the Celtics would need to involve him in this deal. I haven't heard definitely anywhere that T. Allen is out until midseason. Either way, you still have to think they'll add a vet or two to sure up the rotation a bit.

 

It'll be interesting to watch Wilbon backpedal on his black players not wanting to go to Boston stance.

 

From Jackie MacMullen:
"There's Tony Allen, whose recovery from knee surgery continues to go well. He probably won't be fully operative until midseason, but when he is, he provides some needed defensive toughness."

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2007/07/30/back_on_the_map/

 

The word is that Pierce lobbied Garnett hard to get him to come to Beantown.

 

Fair enough. I wouldn't even call that definitive, but I really had heard anything concrete one way or the other.

Can anyone clarify, is Gomes involved in the deal?

 

Globe says yes, the AP story that crossed at 5:30 (AND WAS NEVER LED!!!!!) says no. Take from that what you will. I'm betting we don't find out until tomorrow night.

 

If LeBron James and His Four Guys From the North Royalton Y can get to the Eastern Conference finals, then there's no doubt why Ainge is making this deal. It's not like the Eastern Conference got better in the offseason. Build for the future? What future? Heck, if this team gets to the NBA finals twice in a row -- if the Nets could do it, anybody can -- Ainge looks like a stone genius. I'll take the chance that Al Jefferson will be great somewhere else. Let's face it, most truly great NBA players are truly great from about day one, and Jefferson wasn't. If he's lucky, he'll grow up to be Jermaine O'Neal, who last I checked (Pacers fanboy looser) wasn't leading his team anywhere.

 

If this offseason's moves make the Celtics an attractive team for players who hit the free-agent market -- something that hasn't been the case the past decade or so -- then I would say the Celtics will be OK again long-term.