Breaking News ! Major Power Shift to East ?

[Dejay]

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If your a Boston fan would you care if it gets another Championship Banner in the rafters ?

Other quality vets would be lining up to play for a major discount for this legendary franchise with 3 all stars.

The Grant Hill, Mike Finley, Alonzo Mourning discount contracts would be flowing to Boston.

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Especially if they go to the Finals, let alone bring home a title. Barring injuries, this team is loaded for bear in a conference that's ripe for the picking. What veteran free agent who's not looking at a max deal and wanting a quicker path to a ring would pass on playing with Allen, Garnett, and Pierce? They'll take a 'wink, wink' discount to play there, knowing that the wheels are greased (again, barring injuries) to make the ECFs at worst.

Its a risky proposition but tomorrow's maybes aren't promised to make All-Star appearances let alone stay in town, especially if the team isn't winning.

[beav]

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If you are going to give up the #5 pick in the draft for a veteran player, you might as well go all out in one direction (winning now) rather than having a roster of young, developing players matched with vets in their prime that don't have the talent to win it all.

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I agree. When they traded for Allen I thought, what's the point in pushing for a 7 or 8 seed for the next two years and then being back where you started? This trade allows the Ray Allen trade to make a lot more sense.

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Yep it makes the allen trade look a whooooole lot different now. I still feel weird somewhat agreeing with Stephen A Smith on draft night that this wasn't that bad of a trade for Boston.

Boston automatically becomes the team to beat in the East IMO.

[oiatlhawksfan]

The team with the most upside in the EAst is...

Your Atlanta Hawks!

[drzachary]

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Especially if they go to the Finals, let alone bring home a title. Barring injuries, this team is loaded for bear in a conference that's ripe for the picking. What veteran free agent who's not looking at a max deal and wanting a quicker path to a ring would pass on playing with Allen, Garnett, and Pierce? They'll take a 'wink, wink' discount to play there, knowing that the wheels are greased (again, barring injuries) to make the ECFs at worst.

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"Barring injuries?" Lame. I thought we decided in the thousands of complaining threads that injuries are no excuse!

[lifelong]

wow i don't know how they got this deal done without including rondo. great move for the celts.

[oiatlhawksfan]

Giving up AL Jefferson, for an aging forword was a great move?

[leftwich]

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Giving up AL Jefferson, for an aging forword was a great move?

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When you've already committed half of your future to Ray Allen, there's no reason to force (down the road) Al Jefferson into the situation that Jermaine O'Neil is in now.

I'd much rather have a GM that was committed to all or nothing every season then trying the in between thing (ala LA Lakers).

[chillzatl]

In the past you've lambasted the Hawks for making moves that were counter-productive (in your opinion) to making us a championship contender. Not a playoff contender, but a championship contender. As you've said, if the team peaks out as a first round flame out, the whole rebuild was a failure, right?

So do you think Boston is now a legit championship contender? Do you think that they can really compete with the best from the west? Sure it's a great PR move, but IMO, if you look at these moves with the same goal in mind that you have for the Hawks, I can't imagine it being seen as a great move.

[Peoriabird]

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In the past you've lambasted the Hawks for making moves that were counter-productive (in your opinion) to making us a championship contender. Not a playoff contender, but a championship contender. As you've said, if the team peaks out as a first round flame out, the whole rebuild was a failure, right?

So do you think Boston is now a legit championship contender? Do you think that they can really compete with the best from the west? Sure it's a great PR move, but IMO, if you look at these moves with the same goal in mind that you have for the Hawks, I can't imagine it being seen as a great move.

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Since ainge made the move they are great! But if BK had made the same moves, it would be further evidence of his incompetence in Walter's eyes

[Johnnybravo4]

I don't see how they couldn't compete in the East or the west. History says that they way you can win in this league is to pickup a vet big man in his prime. The Lakers did it by getting Shaq from Orlando...the Heat did it by getting Shaq from the Lakers....the Pistons did it by getting Sheed. You can't sit on young players forever.

[Buzzard]

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if you look at these moves with the same goal in mind that you have for the Hawks, I can't imagine it being seen as a great move.

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This may get them a championship ring. I think Peirce, Allen, and KG matched up against Duncan, Gionobli, and Parker would make for one hell of a final...

[leftwich]

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This may get them a championship ring. I think Peirce, Allen, and KG matched up against Duncan, Gionobli, and Parker would make for one hell of a final...

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It would be a battle of US stars versus international stars as well. I hope it happens.

[thesheedera]

I'm not ready to hand them the championsip, but this absolutely makes them a contender over the next 2-3 years.

KG's only 31 for crying out loud. The dude's an athletic anomoly. He's probably a better physical specimin than 90% of the 25 year old beasts in the NBA. He's as loyal and patient as any player I've ever seen. Putting him alongside 2 all star caliber players who are a bit past the peak of their prime but are still within their windows is a great recipe for success. All three of these guys are hungry for a title, they've all languished with troubled teams and lots of L's, and they complement each other pretty well.

This may not be their year, but next year very well could be. The Celtics are immediately back to where they're supposed to be and I don't think this will hurt the franchise long term.

[Packfill]

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They have Perkins, Big Baby, Lowe and Scalabrini to pair with Garnett in the post too.

Rondo / Pruitt (USC rookie)

Allen / T. Allen

Pierce / Gomes / Wallace

Garnett / Big Baby / Lowe /Scalabrini

Perkins / Garnett

Looks like they ship out Jefferson, Ratliff, Green, Telfair, future 1st. They may have to invlolve a little more salary to = Garnett's contract.

Rondo's perimeter defense is great compliment to Allen and Pierce's offense.

Mike Wilks, B. Knight, and Dee Brown are some veteran PGs still left in free agency for cheap to help Rondo stabelize the PF position. B. Knight could really run that team well while being a great tutor for Rondo.

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As long as Ray, Pierce and KG commit to team ball that is a solid team. Rondo, Perkins, Gomes and co. just need to play tough defense.

Brevin Knight would be an excellent signing for that team.

[frosgrim]

A true contender, or is this a move like when the Hawks got Theus and Moses to play with Nique and Doc? The Hawks had a lineup on paper that looked unbeatable.

Doc

Theus

Nique

Willis

Moses

But Theus and Moses took shots away from Nique. They didn't play well together at all.

The question the C's have, are there enough shots for Pierce, Allen and KG?

I don't doubt that KG can share the ball. He's that type of player, but Pierce and Allen are volume shooters, esp Pierce. The Celtics have a very good starting lineup, but I think it will take until late January for them to figure how to play together.

[beav]

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But Theus and Moses took shots away from Nique. They didn't play well together at all.

The question the C's have, are there enough shots for Pierce, Allen and KG?

I don't doubt that KG can share the ball. He's that type of player, but Pierce and Allen are volume shooters, esp Pierce. The Celtics have a very good starting lineup, but I think it will take until late January for them to figure how to play together.

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Pierce is a fairly unique SF. He is most like Lebron (of course without quite the same level of talent) than anyone else in the league I believe. He has very high assist totals to go along with his scoring. Basically the Celtics offense has flowed through Pierce for years.

Pierce is also a very smart player and my guess is that given that he is such an excellent passer and coach on the court you will see his assists total go up as his points go down. Why should he give a damn at averaging 25 pts per game instead of 18 if it gives him a shot at an EC championship as opposed to not even having a shot at the playoffs?

Allen and KG are also team oriented players and solid citizen vets that are probably damn eager for their last shot at a ring.

Allen should have his scoring totals dip as well of course, but his offensive game is completely different than pierce's as he is inarguably the best pure shooter in the game.