In the past week, I have learnt nothing from newspaper articles or any insider gossip. While other teams have made aggressive moves, Boston GM Danny Ainge has stood pat, and not moved any players. The only acquisition has been the mediocre signing of Brian ‘Scrubaline’ Scalabrine.

Boston will lose Gary Payton, and Antoine Walker looks like he will be gone. So Scalabrine is here to fill the void? The future looks bleak. Many teams have improved in the East this off-season. Here is a list of teams, in no particular order, which will be better than the Celtics: Miami, Detroit, New Jersey, Indiana, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, New York, Chicago, Washington and Orlando.

Like I’ve stated many times before Boston really needs to rebuild. Some of the players that Bostonians are looking to, to be big time players in the future, haven’t convinced me yet. Marcus Banks? Turnover and foul prone, no basketball IQ. Al Jefferson? Can’t stay on the court because he is foul prone. Delonte West? Here one game gone the next. Tony Allen? See Delonte West. Kendrick Perkins? See Al Jefferson. Gerald Green? Can’t score in summer league, what’s going to happen when he has Ron Artest or Bruce Bowen in his face? Many questions that need answering.

Let’s rebuild (using the trusty RealGM trade checker):

Trade 1

Boston trades:
Paul Pierce
Marcus Banks
Raef LaFrentz
Ryan Gomes

Dallas trade:
Devin Harris
Keith Van Horn
Marquis Daniels
2006 Second Rounder

Why? Boston gets a pure point guard to address their major weakness. Van Horn is an expiring contract after the coming season, and can play a valuable veteran role with the team. Daniels is a great young player and can come in and play, meaning it doesn’t matter if Tony Allen and Delonte West play “Where’s Wally.” Dallas gets a replacement for Michael Finley, and a legit sidekick for Dirk Diggler. Marcus Banks adds depth, and softens the blow of losing Devin Harris and Darrel Armstrong (he will go to Orlando, in my opinion). Raef LaFrentz gives the Mavs some added depth at Center and Power Forward, and would be welcome back in Dallas. Ryan Gomes is a chuck in, to give Dallas some depth.

New Dallas line-up:
C- Dampier/ Podkolzine/ Ilunga-Mbenga
F- Nowitzki/ LaFrentz/ Henderson
F- Howard/ Gomes /MLE
G- Terry/ Banks
G- Pierce/ Stackhouse

Trade 2

Boston trades:
Antoine Walker (Sign and trade) (I used Raef LaFrentz’s contract for the trade)
Mark Blount

New York trades:
Anfernee Hardaway
Mike Sweetney
2006 Second Rounder

Why? Boston gets rid off Blount (who is trash) and Isiah gets his beloved Antoine. Mike Sweetney is some added help down low, and can contribute immediately. Hardaway is an expirer just like Van Horn, and the Celtics probably won’t even use him.

New York’s new line-up:
C- James/ Blount/ Frye
F- Walker/ Rose/ Taylor/ Lee
F- Ariza/ Thomas (to be traded)/ Williams
G- Marbury/ Robinson
G- Richardson/ Crawford

Nice team Isiah!

Boston will have a bad team in the short term, but will get a couple of high draft picks, this year and next year. Hopefully the 2007 pick becomes Greg Oden.

C- Perkins/ Sweetney
F- Jefferson/ Scalabrine
F- Van Horn/ Reed/ Green
G- Harris/ West
G- Daniels/ Allen/ Greene

Glaring omission: Ricky Davis. Why? To be traded, I can’t imagine he would be happy on this team, try and move him (and filler) to Denver for Nene.

An article sure to generate a lot of conversation.

So contact Ryan at: ryanwbennett@gmail.com

Posted by bobs3304:

Who would we rather have?

An overpaid Walker and Blount

OR

Fairly priced Walker and an overpaid Lafrentz


??????

Personally, I'd probably rather have the Blount deal b/c he's far more easily tradeable in the worst case scenario (as opposed to Lafrentz), and b/c it gives guys like Frye and Rose more time at Center (Lafrentz would deserve at least 20+ MPG at Center...)

Posted by McK1:

despite what the idiot who wrote this article says, based on rosters at this point Boston and Jersey are the class of the Atlantic.

Not even because Q is a baller. Q has some real talent and might show us the stuff he used to do in LA.

Walker in NY before some team like Chicago picks him up.

Posted by McK1:

Not even because Q is a baller. Q has some real talent and might show us the stuff he used to do in LA.

Q never has been and never will be better than Pierce. I watched alot of Q in LA, he can score but he can't put a team on his back like Pierce can. The intangibles just aren't there.

Walker in NY before some team like Chicago picks him up.

wouldn't worry too much about that scenario unfolding.

what intangibles? Q has the killer instinct and like you said he can score. All he needs is the PT and a role where he can take advantantage of all this.

As far as Walker going to Chicago? Why not. The have a short roster with no real impact coming from the draft this year. If I'm not mistaken they could sign Walker straight up.....and they also have an expiring contract identical to Timmy's in Davis.

Even after they re-sign Tyson and Curry which isn't a given they still could use what Walker brings from the 4 spot. They would definatley be better than the team they put out last year.