Back in 2007 Danny Ainge had a soon-to-be-30-year-old All Star in Paul Pierce, a few draft picks (including the #5 pick), and a budding young big man in Al Jefferson.
He traded the #5 pick along with Wally Z and Delonte West to Seattle for a 31-year-old Ray Allen and a second-rounder that became Big Baby Davis.
He then traded Al Jefferson and spare parts along with a 1st rounder (high 20s) and Minnesota's own 1st rounder they had dealt to the Clips, for a soon-to-be 31-year-old Kevin Garnett.
KG had been on the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All-NBA team for nine straight years at that point. He was on the downside of his career, but he was still in his late prime at 31.
Now if Ainge wants to make a similar move to rebuild the Celts he'll need:
1. An All-Star that will help attract a superstar Free Agent or traded player (a la Pierce). We potentially have that in Rondo if he heals and rebounds into form.
2. A 1st-round pick we're willing to trade to get a slightly older All Star (a la Ray Allen). Would the #16 pick in this year's draft be the equivalent to the #5 in 2007? Maybe not, unless we packaged it with a young player like Avery Bradley or Sullinger.
3. A budding young big man or star along with multiple 1st round picks for an aging superstar (a la Garnett).
It's #3 that Ainge doesn't have. Unless Sullinger turns into a beast next year, or Avery Bradley develops a consistent jump shot, we don't have that asset to get a great player like Garnett. Perhaps we tank this season and hope for a player like Wiggins. In that case maybe he becomes the Pierce in this equation, and you trade Rondo for that superstar.
My dream scenario is for Ainge to trade KG for a player and a late-teens 1st-rounder in 2014. Maybe Houston with old pal Kevin McHale would be acceptable to Garnett?
Then, with two additional 1st rounders, including their own two, they'd have four 1s round picks in the next two years. Maybe they can even get another late 1st rounder for Pierce.
Let's say the C's tank next season and they get a player like Wiggins. Could they trade Rondo and a 1st round to the TWolves for Kevin Love? Looking at all of the available Free Agents out there, he's the guy I'd set my sights on. LaMarcus Aldridge might be another.
There's just no other franchise-altering player (that another team would be willing to trade) unless maybe Derrick Rose and Chicago sour on each other. We don't want Andrew Bynum, Dwight Howard, or a Carmello Anthony. And no one is going to trade a Durant or Westbrook or other All NBA player.
I would do what I could to get a 24-year-old Kevin Love. Yes the TWolves have Rubio so they may not want Rondo. Maybe a three-team deal would be in order where they get a big to replace Love.
Who would you target as a player to try to acquire to perform a Garnett-like transformation for the C's? Or would you try to rebuild through the draft?
Topic: Who is the next KG for the Celtics? (Read 743 times)