Would the Celtics have been better without KG in the long run?

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

What if the Celtics didn't make the blockbuster trade they made for Kevin Garnett? You might think I'm crazy. "They won a title, 48!" Yeah, they did. But they're old, broken, and their championship window (in my opinion) is shut. Trading for Ray Allen, they gave up essentially Jeff Green for Allen and Glen Davis. However, in the Kevin Garnett trade, they traded some garbage, picks, and Al Jefferson. The trade for Allen was great, and in the short term, so was Garnett. But if they don't make that massive move, what does a team of Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Glen Davis/Kendrick Perkins, Al Jefferson do in the long run? Pierce still has 2-3 years of being a top player in the league, and Ray Allen shows flashes. Al Jefferson and Rajon Rondo are coming into their own, both all-star caliber. That team would not have contended seriously for a championship two years ago (although they would be near the top of the East), the Lakers would have one extra ring, but they would be contenders now when the current Celtics are not.

This is essentially a battle of Kevin Garnett and Al Jefferson/Extra draft picks. At this stage of their careers, I believe the Celtics would be better with Al Jefferson. They'd contend now and for the rest of Pierce's career. Rajon Rondo and Al Jefferson (24 and 25 respectively) would dominate the East for the next eight-ten years.

Kevin Garnett is owed $20 million through 2012, and Pierce through 2011. Allen's contract comes of the books this year, but the Celtics are so far over the cap they won't have money to spend. (They're committed to only 6 players but will be around $10 mil. over the cap already.) Pierce is going to receive a short extension unless he retires (he deserves it) and he will be overpaid. Until Garnett's contract expires, the Celtics are going to be old, and Rajon Rondo is going to be getting his merit badge for assisting senior citizens. Rondo is set to be the Big-1 in Boston soon

 

[klunderbunker]

No.

As simple as it sounds, they won a title with him. At the end of the day, that is all that matters. Yes their championship window is shutting, but they have a championship during that window. There's no way of telling what happens without Garnett, but with him you know what you get: a title. If I remember right, before he got there they had very little. They likely were a playoff team but that means little in the east. WIth Garnett, they got championship rings. If you can win now, play and make moves to win now, not years down the line. KG gave them the best chance to win and they won. You couldn't predict injuries like he's had. No way it was the wrong move.

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

No.

As simple as it sounds, they won a title with him. At the end of the day, that is all that matters. Yes their championship window is shutting, but they have a championship during that window. There's no way of telling what happens without Garnett, but with him you know what you get: a title. If I remember right, before he got there they had very little. They likely were a playoff team but that means little in the east. WIth Garnett, they got championship rings. If you can win now, play and make moves to win now, not years down the line. KG gave them the best chance to win and they won. You couldn't predict injuries like he's had. No way it was the wrong move.

You don't ever want to handicap your future for one shot at winning. It worked, but had the experiment failed and Al Jefferson went on to be the all-star type player that he is, then it would be looked at as a bad trade. In three years when Jefferson is a perennial all-star and Rajon Rondo is playing with no help aside from three washed up, has-beens fighting and scratching to make the playoffs for the right to lose first round to whichever team LeBron is on, will fans still look at it in the same light? Will they remember the one magical run five years previous, or curse the management for being too eager to "win now" and cripple them for years to come?

Edit: Personally, I wouldn't want to trade Greg Oden for Tim Duncan to have that chance to "win now".

 

[Mr. TM]

At debate in hindsight I see. The NBA is an unruly place for franchises in this day and age, with little team loyalty. I have to say, if you can win a championship now, go for it, because you might not for a long time.

At the time, little was given up for Garnett, but with a huge salary, and little skill let in the aged player, they should have scouted better. So it wasn't a bad move, but I am sure there could have been a better move. Garnett was going to start slowing down, so that had to be obvious. Was the a younger player they could have looked for, I think so. I think they should have tried that.

At the end of the day, not a bad move, but not the best move. They have a championship, and that could have been more than AJ would have given them.

 

[gd]

Boston fans have to be happy with the way things worked out. As long as you win a title, which is something extremely difficult to do in any sport, you have to do it. The Celtics were also a joke of a franchise at that point. They hadn't done anything for over a decade and the fans were angry. Something had to be done.

Jeff Green is a nice player, but certainly isn't special. Jefferson, however, is definetly all star caliber, but not as dominant as the KG the Celts won the title with. The other thing I think is that Rondo wouldn't have been as good if the trades didn't happen. Playing with 3 experienced vets greatly speeded his development.

Sure, the Celts are really old this year and probably won't win the title, but they'll still go somewhat deep in the playoffs and the fans will have the title win to remember forever.