I like hypothetical situations and I wish people who just want to shoot down the OP would just keep their negativity and hostility to themselves.
I don't think we had enough to trade for LMA. Maybe next season when he's trying to push his way out of Portland there would be a possibility. One idea I was never brave enough to post was
Celtics trade: Bass/Lee/2014-#16/2015-#1
Philly sign/trades Bynum @ 12M/yr (basically his Cleveland deal) and 2014 and 2015 2nds
This would have give us another year of expected contention.
We'd sign Pietrus, Barbosa and best backup C we could get for the minimum and be on our way to a late playoff seed and banking on a Cinderella story.
Ainge did the smart thing in trading away our vets and taking on (a lot of) salary for (a lot) of picks. The Nets have mortgaged their next 5 years of development for a chance at 2 years of contention. Not a bad move for either team I think...since it's not my money
Ainge saw KG and PP not playing well at the end of games, being winded and over-extended and needing more and more supporting cast help. Those are the telltale signs of a superstar career that is ending. If 30 minutes of basketball isn't something you can contribute you're a role player. If I were a GM I'd be hard pressed to pay 27M/yr for 2 role players, amazing though they are. It's not unheard of, it's just not a great idea. In 2 years I expect both PP and KG to be Celtics. Either playing their last year or ceremonially retiring as C's. Here is a better what-if though:
Celtics sign Oden, tank, get #2 and pick Parker. Trade salary (Bass/Humphries exp.) and our 2016 1st and Nets 2016 1st for Eric Gordon. Sign Pau Gasol to a 2yr/20M contract and waive Wallace via stretch to have enough cap space to do it.
Rondo/AB
Gordon/Lee
Green/Parker
Sully/KO
Oden/Gasol
We're 2-deep at every position with NBA starters after a bridge year. We can sign PP to play as a ringer in 2015 and bring KG back in 2016 so they can ride the second wave to banner #18 or let them ceremonially retire as C's.