Potential Trade Packages and Scenarios to Shake Up Boston Celtics' Future

A hazardous road awaits the Boston Celtics and their general manager Danny Ainge.

The Celtics are at the end of an incredibly fruitful era with the possibility of both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce never playing another game for the organization where they enjoyed the pinnacle of their careers.

However, those two aren't the only players who should find themselves discussed in trades over the next few months. Every single player on Boston's roster, from Rajon Rondo to Jared Sullinger, could be dealt, and it wouldn't come as a surprise. 

There's no quicker way to go from the bottom to the top than through a blockbuster trade, and the Celtics will be looking to make one.

Here are six different deals, ranked in no specific order, that would jump-start a rebuilding phase and keep the Celtics somewhat competitive in the short term. 

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett for Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and 2014 First-Round Pick

Why Boston Does It

This almost certainly is not the best haul that Boston could grab in exchange for a Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce package, but it's one of the most interesting. Luol Deng's contract is expiring at the end of next season, but Carlos Boozer is still due $16.8 million in 2015, and the Celtics wouldn't be able to amnesty him.

It's a step to the side, instead of backwards, for Boston, as it wouldn't be bad enough to receive a high draft pick as long as talented players like Boozer and Deng are on board. Instead, what makes this deal so tantalizing is Charlotte's top-10 protected 2014 first-round pick, which becomes unprotected in 2016, that's in Chicago's possession.

Gazing down the line, Boston should be pretty bad by 2016. Combining Charlotte's first-round pick with their own could kick-start a rebuilding process right as LeBron James is peaking out.

Why Chicago Does It

For starters, Garnett and Pierce are better than Boozer and Deng, who is younger than Pierce and made the All-Star game over him last year, but the numbers point in Pierce's favor. Also, there's no way Deng could ever assume the type of offensive responsibility Pierce has over the past two years, especially in the playoffs.

Due to salary restrictions, Boozer and Deng won't be a part of Chicago's Joakim Noah/Derrick Rose title-contending window for much longer. Upgrading with two better short-term options to make a couple valiant runs at Miami might be wise.

A Garnett/Noah defensive front line would horrify offenses like a big shoe horrifies an ant. Pierce is still more than capable of playing elite team defense and rebounding well for his position. The two Celtics are more than familiar with Tom Thibodeau as a coach and tactician, having utilized his system on the road to two trips to the NBA Finals.

This would be Chicago going all-in and possibly having enough to become favorites in the Eastern Conference.

Rajon Rondo for Marcin Gortat, Kendall Marshall and a 2014 First-Round Pick

Why Boston Does It

The purpose of trading Rajon Rondo is to electroshock a Celtics' rebuilding effort. This sentence should look familiar by the time you're through reading all Rondo-related trade scenarios in this article.

Here's a deal that gives the Celtics a dependable two-way center who'd be playing with an expiring contract next season and a lottery pick at point guard who is entering his second season in the league and the second year of a fantastically cheap rookie contract. It also would give Boston a first-round pick that would most likely have to be protected in 2014 with loosening restrictions over the next few seasons.

The pick is clearly the most valuable commodity, but it frees up a little bit of cap space too. 

Why Phoenix Does It

The Suns have a new, young general manager in Ryan McDonough and may soon have a new coach. The GM was recently hired from Boston's front office and was a major reason why the Celtics drafted Rondo in the first place.

The relationship between those two and the fact that Phoenix could certainly use an exciting NBA All-Star caliber player to build around, is reason enough for them to consider making this deal.

Paul Pierce, Jordan Crawford for Pau Gasol, Andrew Goudelock

Why Boston Does It

Pau Gasol is still a very good player and one who'll be playing on a somewhat movable expiring contact. The Celtics have been thirsting for capable height since trading Kendrick Perkins. Pairing Gasol with Kevin Garnett would certainly do the trick, at least for one season.

Boston could be extremely effective playing a different type of basketball. The low-post presence Gasol would provide should make their offense more efficient as well.

Why Los Angeles Does It

A deal like this makes no sense if Dwight Howard opts to take less money and sign with the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks or Atlanta Hawks. If he doesn't, putting Pierce in Kobe Bryant's role (at least until he returns from his Achilles' rehab) beside a healthy Howard should make the Lakers a respectable team throughout the regular season.

If Bryant returns, the team will be better both offensively and defensively and have a young, cheap, Jordan Crawford as the athletic wild card running around in the backcourt.

Rajon Rondo for Alec Burks, Enes Kanter and Jeremy Evans

Why Boston Does It

One of the prizes Boston needs to win if it is interested in dealing Rajon Rondo is a still-developing, inexpensive blue-chipper.

Know what Enes Kanter is? A still developing, inexpensive blue chipper! Not up for his qualifying offer until 2016, Kanter could either be Boston's starting center for the foreseeable future or an incredibly valuable asset added to their ongoing collection of tradeable assets. Boston could one day packaged those pieces for a superstar like it did in 2007 for Kevin Garnett.

Adding to it, Alec Burks is another former lottery pick who's young and cheap. Boston can throw him in its backcourt and hope for the best.

Why Utah Does It

Utah has yet to improve as a basketball team over the past few seasons because it has not had an above average point guard since Deron Williams left.

Rondo would more than fill greatest weakness for the Jazz, and his ability to make those around him better on both ends would be greatly appreciated, especially if Utah retains the services of either Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap.

Jeff Green, Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger for Kevin Love

Why Boston Does It

If you don't know the answer to this question, then you've probably never watched Kevin Love play basketball.

Before having last season derailed by a broken hand, he ended the lockout-shortened year as an MVP candidate, the league's best rebounder and a deadly three-point shooter.

Love is a franchise-altering force. Having him play next to Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett would extend Boston's run for the postseason one more time while also keeping the organization's future bright.

Why Minnesota Does It

At the surface it seems twice as absurd as it is impossible that the Celtics could trade three very good role players for a potential franchise player.

Historically, deals like this trend favorably towards the team acquiring the best player, but in this situation and economic era, it makes sense for the Timberwolves to at least discuss the potential of parting ways with their best player.

Love was put off when the Timberwolves didn't offer him their lone five-year maximum contract, instead presumptively saving it for Ricky Rubio. He is almost guaranteed to exercise his player option in 2015, making him an unrestricted free agent on the open market.

That would  mean the Timberwolves could potentially lose their young All-Star forward for nothing. Squeezing all they can out of Love in a trade this summer could be a wise decision.

Kevin Garnett for DeAndre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe

Why Boston Does It

Looking beyond anything that has to do with basketball or its economics, the Celtics would be trading a 37-year-old Kevin Garnett for a 24-year-old DeAndre Jordan and a 23-year-old Eric Bledsoe.

That's good enough of a reason to make this trade.

Acquiring two building blocks, one in the backcourt and the other at center, would be a welcome addition to an organization where the primary goal this offseason should be to get younger.

Why Los Angeles Does It

The Clippers are a very good basketball team, but they aren't elite. What's holding them back is a defensive-minded player in the frontcourt who's capable of helping out on offense while holding down the fort at the end of tight games.

DeAndre Jordan isn't this player, mostly because he can't hit free throws and often doesn't read his rotation correctly or defend the pick-and-roll with consistency. He's limited.

Eric Bledsoe is a fantastic piece, flashing two-way brilliance in brief minutes he's afforded time on the court, but with Chris Paul most likely set to be this team's point guard for the next five seasons, there's only so much that Bledsoe can offer.

Garnett loosens the burden for Blake Griffin and adds a legitimate pick-and-pop toy for Chris Paul to play with. He makes them elite.