| Boston Celtics | 2006-07 Record: 24-58 |
Who’s Coming: Kevin Garnett (MIN), Ray Allen (SEA), Gabe Pruitt (32nd overall), Glen Davis (35th overall), Brandon Wallace (free agent), Eddie House (free agent), Scot Pollard (CLE), James Posey (MIA)
Who’s Going: Al Jefferson (MIN), Gerald Green (MIN), Ryan Gomes (MIN), Sebastian Telfair (MIN), Theo Ratliff (MIN), Wally Szczerbiak (SEA), Delonte West (SEA)
Danny Ainge won the offseason. The season? We’ll see.
It’s not hard to figure the Celtics’ plan. They saw two deeply flawed teams reach the Eastern Conference finals and figured, why not us? With Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in green, the Celtics instantly become the odds-on favorite to win a suspect Atlantic division and maybe the whole conference.
The best part about the deal is that, unlike the splashy acquisitions made by the Knicks and Magic, Boston’s imports have skills that complement each other. KG is a brilliant all-around player and defender who won’t dominate the ball on offense. Allen is perhaps the deadliest jump-shooter of his generation. Neither should get in the way of slasher and scorer Paul Pierce.
But one note of caution: this trade leaves the rest of Boston’s roster as green as their uniforms. Rajon Rondo – best known for his complete inability to sink a jump shot – is presumably the starter at the point. Another guard, Tony Allen, is coming off reconstructive knee surgery.
The frontcourt rotation is equally thin. Kendrick Perkins will probably fill out the starting rotation as the center. After him? Journeyman Brian Scalabrine, rookies Glen “Big Baby” Davis and Brandon Wallace, second-year man Leon Powe, and recently signed James Posey. You can bet that Danny Ainge isn’t done yet; he's likely on the lookout for a veteran point guard.
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