When the Boston Celtics won the NBA championship in 2008, they were a team built and based on chemistry. “Ubuntu” was the word of the day, and a team that entered the season with plenty of talent (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen) but also plenty of questions (Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins) shrugged off every challenger along the way.
Now, two years later, those same Celtics are looking to relive some of their 2008 magic by...throwing chemistry to the wind and possibly making a last-ditch effort at the trade deadline. From Ken Berger of CBS Sports:
Though team president Danny Ainge has publicly ridiculed the Allen trade reports, several NBA executives told CBSSports.com that the Celtics have been actively trying to parlay Allen’s $19.7 million expiring contract into an asset that could keep them in the mix during the upcoming playoffs and also help them for the next several seasons. The most recent inquiry, sources say, involved Sacramento sharpshooter Kevin Martin, who’d be a good fit with Boston’s remaining core. Kings officials might be talked out of their reluctance to deal Martin if they could pry a prolific big man out of a third team brought into the discussions or in a separate transaction before the deadline.
The bottom line is that Ainge, who saved his job by pulling off the perfect storm of trades that yielded Allen and Garnett three years ago, has made it clear in private conversations that he’s “not going back to the abyss,” according to one person familiar with the discussions.
I can’t help but feel that trading Ray Allen would be a bad decision by Boston at this point in the game. It may bode well for their future, but I’m not convinced that adding a prominent player to the mix at this point would be the wisest idea for a Celtics squad that has, frankly, struggled at times this season. Danny Ainge may have his hand forced by recent losses to the Magic and Hawks (as well as the incredible play of late by the Cavs), but how can anyone reasonably expect a new addition to pick up Boston’s trademark defense without the benefit of a training camp?