Every NBA executive I've talked to since the playoffs ended has said Pierce is available. The draft advertisement tends to support that. The problem is, his value has never been lower, thanks to his rift with coach Doc Rivers, his reputation as a selfish player, and his ludicrous behavior in Game 6 of the Indiana series.

But the Hornets could sell him as an All-Star (and they need something to bring people into their building) and Pierce would automatically be The Man in the Crescent City. (The night life issue might be a bit dicey in New Orleans.) And if the Celtics didn't see fit to send Magloire to Canada, they'd have one of the better Eastern Conference centers on their roster.

It's impossible to understate the need for grown-ups on this team. With the drafting of Green, the Celtics are, well, incredibly green. They have nine players on their roster with no more than two years' experience. (That includes both second-round picks from Tuesday's draft.) You can promise excitement with youth. You can promise entertainment with youth. You can promise direction and, well, promise with youth.

But in the NBA, you need more than that if you actually want to, you know, win. If that wasn't the case, the Clippers would have won about eight NBA titles by now. The Clippers (and the Hawks before them) were always the best NBA team in warmups. But when the game started, it was clueless chaos.

The Celtics have a chance to be decent, but the arrival of Gerald Green isn't going to make any serious fan clear out vacation time next May and June for a deep run in the playoffs. They need to reconfigure and they need to do it before they all report to training camp in October.

They don't even need value for value for Pierce, because, at this point, they can't get it. I remember when the Timberwolves traded Christian Laettner because Laettner had become unbearable after three-plus seasons in Minnesota, even though he arguably was the best player on the team. They got Andrew Lang and Spud Webb, who, collectively, played 46 games for the franchise and were gone the next year. The Wolves still would make that deal.

My guess is that there won't be anything close to a fan rebellion if Ainge deals Pierce because the serious fan will understand why the deal had to be made. When Walker was traded, Ainge felt he had some explaining to do. With Pierce, whatever happens, the deal should be self-explanatory.

Posted by crzymdups:

I would trade Marbury for Pierce. Not that the Celtics and Knicks would or could ever swap superstars. That would be insane.

Posted by fishmike:

and his ludicrous behavior in Game 6

someone refresh my memory here.... what happened?

Posted by franco12:

Besides a legit center, we need an accurate outside threat.

Allan- too bad you're done (Could we release him and sign him back?)

I think Pierce is too erratic from outside, though he is a great talent when focused.