Celtic Pride.

On my recent vacation, I was treated to a nice dosage of ESPN News in my hotel room. For those that might not know, ESPN News is the 24-hour network that exists because of Sportscenter‘s inability to show a damned boxscore after game highlights (instead, we get debates over whether marrying an actress/model makes you more now than winning championships), and one of many networks that my basic-cable-having ass doesn’t get to watch regularly. It allowed me to closely follow the big news of the week: Kevin Garnett being traded to Boston. Although, realistically, their “up to the minute” coverage basically consisted of them reporting it as a report (with a Timberwolf logo next to KG’s media photo), until at some point reporting it as official news (with a Celtic logo next to KG’s media photo).

So, the tally is: 1 new player for Boston, and 7 new players (including the 2 future draft picks) for Minnesota. However, I think it’s quite clear who the winner is…

Hmmm… donuts…

ESPN analyst Kiki Vandeweghe says that Boston has gone from the doghouse to title contention — and considering how often ESPN News replays the same shit, I’ve got Kiki’s words tattooed in my brain. I say, not so fast, Lil’ Kiki. With KG’s contract extension at 3 years following 2008, and taking into account the average lifespan of an NBA superstar nearing the end of his “prime”, the Celtics have about a 4-year window of opportunity to win a title, and honestly, I think they can get it done by year #3 (2010), perhaps year #2 (2009) if things progress smoothly. But right now, I don’t like their odds.

It has nothing to do with the chemistry that’ll form between KG, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Seeing them sitting next to each other as KG’s press conference, and considering how badly each had been pleading with his bosses for better teammates (more so KG and Pierce than Allen), I think the 3 of ’em will have no problem playing along side each other. Each of them have potentially-Hall-of-Fame-worthy careers going for ’em (again, more so KG and Pierce than Allen), but, unlike the last time a mass of potential future-Hall-of-Famers was put together, none of these 3 have the egos that go along with the talent.

“Waaah! We took pay cuts but sucked in the playoffs! WAAAH!”

What the latest NBA champions (basically, San Antonio and Miami) have proven is that the days when a superstar or 2 (or 3) could lead a team to the promiseland are long gone. The key nowadays is bench rotation — having that group of 3-4 role players who can play multiple positions and enter the game at any given time without drastically changing his team’s gameplan. Where would the ’07 Spurs have been without the play of Brent Barry, Robert Horry and Michael Finley? [Actually, Finley started and Manu Ginobili came off the bench, but Manu got the starter minutes.] Or the ’06 Heat without Gary Payton (ugh), Alonzo Mourning and James Posey?

Looking at the Celtics right now, they have their 3 star players, and also 2 underrated youngsters who should thrive playing with that trio in point guard Rajon Rondo and center Kendrick Perkins. So, they’ve got their starting 5, but what comes after? Tony Allen is a pure 2-guard who is coming off of an ACL tear. Leon Powe and Glen “Big Baby” Davis (who is still unsigned, actually) are both undersized PFs who likely won’t contribute much with their collective lack of experience. Brian Scalabrine can play either forward position, which could help the Celtics make lineup changes in a pinch, but… he’s still Brian Scalabrine. Eddie House just signed, but all he can do is score, which should be the least of Boston’s worries right now.

In the wake of the media’s circle-jerk over the Celtics’ cleverly maneuvering their way into the new millennium “Big 3”, everyone’s forgetting to mention one thing — Minnesota actually didn’t come out half-bad in this trade. With Gomes possibly heading back to Boston, Theo Ratliff only being worth his expiring contract, Sebastian Telfair being 75% of the way towards a flop of a career, Boston’s draft pick (likely) being a late 1st-rounder, and the other draft actually being Minnesota’s own draft pick that they had originally given up to Boston in the Wally Szczerbiak trade, the T-Wolves essentially traded KG for Al Jefferson and Gerald Green. That may seen pretty lop-sided, but consider this:

• With the buy-out of Steve Francis, the Portland Trail Blazers essentially traded Zach Randolph (one of the NBA’s few 20-and-10 guys) to New York for Channing Frye (who just came off a “sophomore slump” of a season)
• With Joe Smith leaving Philly to sign with Chicago, the Philadelphia 76ers essentially traded Allen Iverson for Andre Miller a some late 1st round picks
• With Szczerbiak’s recent string of injuries and bloated contract, the Seattle Sonics essentially traded Ray Allen for Jeff Green (this year’s #5 pick) and Delonte West

I’d say that Minnesota fared much better than Portland and Philly in their trades, and is probably on par with Seattle. Amongst the many NBA teams that are trying to rebuild with young talent, Minnesota is probably one of the better-suited, with Jefferson (a beast in the making), Green (who, if he improves his work ethic, could become a future McGrady-type), Randy Foye (who should really break out this year), and Corey Brewer (who’s coming off of back-to-back national titles at University of Florida). And, since they’ll likely suck for at least a couple of seasons, you could factor in a couple of high draft picks into that mix.

Assuming that 1 or 2 of Minnesota’s current young players become star-caliber players, and Minnesota uses it’s cap money to sign a good free agent or 2, and then maybe trades the young players who didn’t pan out in a package for another star-caliber player, the Timberwolves could potentially do in approximately 4-5 years what the Celtics just did this week. That is, of course, if their godawful GM Kevin McHale can figure all of this out… sorry, Minnesota fans, guess there goes that.