It’s time to declare what many in the Boston Celtics’ circle have averted to acknowledge the past two years, the declaration being that this group has run its course.
The Celtics are losers of four straight, including two embarrassing displays against a surging, yet lowly Detroit Pistons team.
It has now become abundantly clear that this team does not have another championship run in them. And who knows, they may not even have another playoff berth in them.
It’s officially time for Danny Ainge to blow it up, just not in the way he seems inclined to.
Boston is currently exploring the trade options for star point guard Rajon Rondo, who has proved to be the glue that holds this aging team together, a mistake in more ways than one.
After Rondo got thrown out of Sunday night’s game against the Pistons, the Celtics looked lost. And without him on the floor against the Mavericks, their offense was non-existent.
Would dealing Rondo constitute blowing up the roster? Certainly, but who exactly does Ainge expect to receive in return? Another young and reasonably priced All-Star caliber point guard?
Get real.
Boston has to cash in on the expiring contracts of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Both were a huge part of the Celtics’ more recent glory days, yet those days are long gone, and now, they are of greater value to the organization as pawns in trade negotiations.
Forget the notion that Rondo is a product of his environment, he is the best building block Boston has. The Celtics may have went on a bit of a run with him on the sidelines the first time around, but here we are, halfway through the season, and their age, with or without him, is beginning to breach the surface.
And that’s the problem.
Rondo’s youthful exuberance is much more valuable than Boston conveys it to be. His outside shot needs work, but his crafty passes, ability to keep his dribble and out-of-this-world court-vision are what’s going to keep the Celtics relevant with their aging core, but it’s also what could fuel their return to prominence alongside a different guild of athletes.
The Celtics can ill-afford to take the wait-and-see approach any longer. Boston’s big three is no longer a formidable core; the big three are no longer the answer.
The answer lies outside of the big three. It lies in blowing up most of the roster and committing to a rebuilding period.
Bust most importantly, it lies in satisfying all of the above requirements without sacrificing the talent of Rondo.
Dan Favale is an avid basketball analyst and firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His work can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
