Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff
Mark the date on your calendar. Check it off. Circle it. Put a star on it. Highlight it. Whatever it is you do to mark a monumental day, do it for May 22, 2007.
That’s the date the future of the Boston Celtics will be decided.
On that Tuesday night, the NBA holds its annual draft lottery in New Jersey. As of Friday April 13, 2007, the ducks are all lined up in a row. Concluding a week that saw Freshman Kevin Durant declare for the draft, the C’s officially clinched the second worst record in the league and Greg Oden’s father announced his son will follow Durant’s lead on a very fortunate Friday the 13th for Lucky the Leprechaun.
There are two franchise players available in the draft held June 28, 2007…Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. The Celtics have a 40% chance of landing one of the top two picks. If the ping-pong balls bounce the right way, the C’s will be an instant contender with Oden or a contender in waiting with Durant. A Tim Duncan-type lottery bounce and Danny Ainge will have his work cut out for him turning the third pick (or lower) into a valuable enough veteran to return the Green to their glory days.
April 13, 2007 helped set up May 22, 2007…which will determine what the C’s do June 28, 2007…which will set in motion the future of the Boston Celtics. The numbers on the calendar are now in place.
Let’s hope the lottery numbers cooperate.
What about it gang…can the Celtics recover if they end up missing out on one of the top two picks? Will a bad bounce on lottery day doom the franchise to another decade of rebuilding, just like the Duncan disaster did? Can even an Oden or Durant be enough to transform them into a contender?
If the Celtics dont land Oden or Durant it will Unfortunately be Deja Vu all over again! Hopefully for Danny Ainge and the C's The Luck of the Irish will be with Boston this NBA Draft Day!
Ted
If the Celtics DON'T get Oden or DUrant you can expect major trades. You'll see at least 4-5 new face next year. One Maybe Gasol? Garnett?
I'm sure we'll see trades if they don't get Oden or Durant, but I don't see anything that can realistically be done to make them a championship contender.
I think Garnett would cost you that #1 or #2 pick plus Jefferson. Could it be done for the #3 and Jefferson, plus another asset like Delonte or Gomes? Possibly, but I'd be shocked. I'd do it in a heartbeat, but I don't think the Wolves would.
Under no circumstance would I trade the #1 or #2 unless it brought Garnett, but without Jefferson leaving.
Gasol or Jermaine O'Neal might be more attainable with that #3 pick or lower, but I would not include Jefferson in such a deal. I'd give them the #3 and anything else the Grizzlies or Pacers asked for. Would it happen? Maybe with the Grizzlies (could then rebuild with two of the top 3 picks, likely) but I don't see the Pacers doing it without getting Jefferson back.
The rest of the names out there do not make the C's a title contender in my eyes. A much better team, yes, but not a title contender.
As for you question about Hibbert (different post), I see a harder-working version of Acie Earl. I love the kid's game and his work ethic, but he's just too damn slow for today's NBA.
McHale has made some strange deals in the past so maybe he'd give up Garnett to his old team.
I agree that I wouldn't trade Jefferson but just about any of the rest of them should be available to get any veteran "star" type player -either at power forward or at center.
On Toronto- when you have a top 5 player at his position in Chris Bosh and a GM that likes to play an up-tempo style and actually manages to acquire players that fit the style I'm not surprised they are much better. I think TJ Ford was the key- that guy can really run and pass - he's not exactly Steve Nash but he's surely a very good point guard- certainly much better than anyone on the C's roster...