After the swick kick in the nuts, ScottyMass speaks

I'm not going to rehash how awful the night of May 22, 2007 was for Boston Celtics fans - the Sports Guy pretty much summed it all up. It sucked REEEEEEEALLY bad, and now I'm moving on to how to fix my beloved C's.

I wrote on April 16, 2007, regarding my master plan to fix the Celtics:

"Step three - get either the first or second pick in the draft. Getting Oden or Durant is a MUST for this master plan to play out."

Well, that hope lasted as long as a cheeseburger in front of Michael Sweetney. With Durant and Oden out of play, given that Portland and Seattle would be absolutely stupid for trading these picks unless they got one of the following players - Wade, LBJ, Kobe, Dwight Howard, Duncan, KG, Amare or Chris Bosh - those sugarplumbs are long gone. Every other player, including Nash, Dirk, Yao, T-Mac, Carmelo, Chris Paul, Shaq, Agent Zero, and (unfortunately) Paul Pierce would not be enough for Portland or Seattle to give up on (1) two guys that under 20 that have higher ceiling than everyone except the first eight guys from 2007 on; and (2) the sheer attendance spike that both are guaranteed to bring.

Which brings me back to the C's. There is only one way to save this franchise: Trade Paul Pierce. Pierce is a top 20 NBA player, averages close to 24 points per game for his career, rebounds well from the small forward position, can distribute the rock when not being forced to carry a team by himself, and would instantly turn a team that is on the brink (Chicago? Golden State?) into a solid title contender (Chicago) or perennial playoff nightmare (Golden State).

Conventional wisdom says to trade Al Jefferson, given that Pierce is the C's marquee player, and one of the legitimately few guys in the NBA you can use as a foundation to build a team around. While he has complained a bit the last few years, they are what I would consider "good gripes" - the "I-want-to-win" complaints that don't really ruin the locker room vibe. He plays hurt, plays well in the clutch, and is on the short list of players that you can pencil in for 25-5-5 every night.

The problem for the Celtics with that argument is the market for Big Al, while certainly strong, will not produce the players in return that will match his ceiling. The type of trade offer they would get would be something to effect of Ben Gordon or Monta Ellis. Not that either a bad players, but certainly not enough for a guy that from January on was as statistical productive as Dwight Howard.

By putting Pierce on the block, the Celtics will get one-two legitimately good NBA players, plus one bench guy.

I'm pretty sure the Bulls would give up Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha for Pierce (provided the C's took some money to make the deal work). Chicago, with money to spend, would have a nucleus of Pierce, Deng and Henrich, with Nocioni, Duhon and Wallace. If they either (1) draft a young offensive post player or (2) sign an adequately offensive big man, this team wins 55-60 games easy.

Or Golden State would give up Jason Richarson (4 years younger than Pierce by the way) and Golden State's first round pick for Pierce, or a combination of Barnes, Monta Ellis, the rich man's DJ Mbenga and his salary and their first round pick for Pierce? I say they do, giving them a nucleus of Davis, Pierce, the eternally insane Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, and Bierdins, which would flourish under Nellie. Never mind that Pierce is a California guy, would probably put up 30 a night in that offense and would jump at the chance to watch Stephen Jackson be the first player to front moon opposing fans.

For the Celtics, either scenario puts them in a better spot for the future. Pierce is looking at the wrong side of 30 starting next season, and either scenario gives them pieces to build around - Gordon, Thomas, Jefferson and Rondo in the first/Richardson, Rondo, Jefferson and two first round picks in the second.

Granted, under either scenario, the Celtics are probably not a playoff team in the Leastern Conference with the trades - but at least they won't toil in mediocrity either. They can let the young guys take their lumps, develop some continuity (which requires firing Doc Rivers), and see if Jefferson combined with one of the young perimeter players becomes a great inside-outside combo. The Celtics will be significantly better two years from now with the trades than having a 32 year old Pierce teaming with Jefferson and the Chinese import. On top of that, you trade Pierce at his highest value, because he is not going to be worth that much in two years.

The Celtics won't do this. Ainge will insist that Pierce and Jefferson will make it work this year, and they'll draft someone like Spencer Hawes just to piss me off. They will win 35 games, and maybe get the 8 seed in a horrific conference while Portland and Seattle have the players we needed.

Did I mention how awful the night of May 22, 2007 was?