Perhaps I'm an optimist, perhaps I'm avoiding the truth, perhaps I'm an idiot but I feel there is a legitimate chance with a few tweaks on the roster, front office, coaching some luck and intelligence down the stretch run of the season the Celtics could easily win the Atlantic Division next year and contend for the Eastern Conference Title.Step 1: Keep Ainge and Doc for the Remainder of the Season
There is absolutely no reason to fire a coach or a GM during the middle of a season where you have no chance of going anywhere. Why create additional controversy on top of the current record setting losing streak?
Step 2: Keep On Losing
And who better than Doc Rivers to continue the most important portion of this process. The Celtics need to lose, they need to have the greatest opportunity to win the lottery possible. Winning only hurts this. There will be a huge difference between the impact you will be getting at pick 2 and pick 3. Surpass the Grizzlies in record and there it is less ping pong balls. Keep losing, be the frontrunner.
2a: Get Pierce out of the lineup again. I don't think people fully understand just how good Pierce is and has been the past few seasons. There was a portion of his career where Pierce became the most selfish ballplayer in the NBA and completely an anti teammate, now he is simply a great player. With Pierce the Celtics are good enough to win at minimum 40% of their games, thats not good for their ping pong balls. Any "injury" to Pierce after the all-star break will be deserved of a season shutdown / vacation.
2b: Make sure Szczerbiak does not play with Pierce. Szczerbiak is not a great player by a longshot, but he is a tremendous complementary player. Him in the lineup with Pierce means more wins. Without Pierce he doesn't effect the Celtics win total much.
Step 3. Fire Doc and Ainge at Seasons Conclusion
Both have been terrible. Doc is the worst coach in the NBA down the stretch of games, and Ainge has proven nothing during his tenure at GM. The Celtics are a historic franchise, in a great city, its an attractive job for any GM or coach. And will especially be attractive when...
Step 4. Win the Lottery (1, or 2)
Receive the first or second pick in the NBA draft. The biggest step in the rebuilding process is to win the lottery. Whether that mean the 1st pick or 2nd pick is irrelevent. Either Oden or Durant significantly improves a franchise and come draft time it will be argues to no end which will be better. Both will be great, its going to be a futile argument. The real story will be how lame it will be having the 3rd pick in the draft. However, the branches change a little bit with regards to who they draft as different retooling would need to take place after the selection depending on which is selected.
Step 5-Oden Retool the Roster
If they land Oden in the draft than they will be completely set in the front court with Oden at C and Big Al running the PF position. This combination would be fantastic for years to come. They would dominate the boards down low and could easily develop into a McHale, Parish like combo. With Pierce at the 3 and Szczerbiak at the 2 the only thing you are lacking is a point guard. Package Green and Perkins and a contract for a PG, one who isn't completely deficiant at shooting (Rondo & Telfair). Trading for a PG along the lines of Andre Miller's talents immediately with that starting line up makes them the best team in the Atlantic division.
Step 5-Durant Retool Roster
Durant is incredibly talented but will require more retooling on the Celtics roster to make it great. With Durant, Szczerbiak, Pierce and Green you have 34players that are wing types and that doesn't work. Durant most certainly renders Green an excess talent one that holds free market value. In this case he most certainly should be shipped for a point guard, but in this case he should be packaged with West or Rondo for a point guard as Perkins would be needed for rebounding. For 07-08 it may be slightly more difficult for the Celtics to win with Durant than Oden but it is still better than a 50/50 option.
Things Not to Do
Trade for Pau
If this ever happened in February, Danny should be shot, not fired, shot. This would give the Celtics a chance to win a bunch of games down the stretch, of course still falling short of the playoffs, but almost killing their chances at 1 or 2.
Trade Jefferson
He was the best player on the court while Pierce was out. He's only 22 and he's averaging a double double. He's got soft hands in the post and could in the forseeable future turn into an 18-11 type power forward. Why would you give this up with more youth for Pau Gausol or an overrated "star".
Trade Period before the Deadline
There is no need to improve the team, and really no player on the roster who would be useful to a contending franchise. Hold the fort, and began your praying to the ping pong balls.
Keep Doc and Danny Ainge in 07-08
As stated previously they stink, they have stunk all along, and they will continue to stink. With the #1 pick in the draft, the Celtics become a prime coaching/GM spot. Go out and get the best available, don't keep your lame ducks. For all his tormenting, a case could be made that Isiah Thomas has done a better job with the Knicks than the Ainge Doc combo.
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