Mr. Desperate Makes Another Desperate Move
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by Ibearg
Compare these two PF's stats:
Player A: 21 pts 4.5 assists 12.5 reb’s 1.5 blocks 48-50% FG 80% FT
Player B: 16 pts 1.3 assists 11 reb’s 1.5 blocks 50% FG 68% FT
Now, player A is clearly better. He scores 5 more points a game, hands out about 3 more assists and grabs an extra 1.5 rebounds a game. If i asked you which player you wanted, you have to take player A. However what if i told you player B is 22, the same age as many college grads and was entering his fourth year in the NBA, while player B is 31 and entering his 13th year in the league. What if i also told you, player A's salary for the upcoming year is $21 million and player B's is $1.7 million. What if i also told you i was giving away another young inexpensive talent with player B to get player A? would you do it?
Of course these players are Kevin Garnett and Al Jefferson and the Boston Celtics are about to make another mistake this offseason. Apparently Danny Ainge feels it's time to cash in his chips and make a run for it. He's been stock piling young assets and waiting for the right opportunity to turn them into quality talent. Apparently now is that time for Ainge, most likely since he knows if he waits any longer he'll be shown the door. So feeling the heat he's gone out and traded for Ray Allen and is close to acquiring KG. This move would officially end the youth movement with Jefferson, and possibly Green or Rondo going to Minnesota. It would also instantly turn the Celtics a favorite to win the eastern conference the next 2-3 years.
However when Allen turns 35 before the start of the 2009 season and they're paying him 18 mil in the last year of his contract, they'll also be paying Pierce and KG 20 mil a piece at ages 32 and 33 respectively where does that leave the team? Jefferson, Corey Brewer, West, Green and Rondo will still not have reached their prime and you'll have two over the hill guards and an aging KG. Everyone knows guards don't age well. Here's the list of guys playing over the age of 31 who are guards and play anything but a complimentary role for their teams: Kidd, Nash, Iverson and that's it. All those guys are uniquely talented players, who have defied the odds to stay productive at an age over 31 and there's still only 3 of them.
If I'm a Celtics fan and this trade happens i pray they win a championship in the next 2-3 years because they're going to most likely be one of the worst teams in the league for years to come after that.
