Top Five Questions Facing the Boston Celtics this Offseason

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Coming off a disappointing finish in the Playoffs, the Boston Celtics have many questions that need to be addressed in order for them to continue their current success.

Here are five questions the Celtics will have to face this offseason in order to contend for another NBA title.

1. The Future of Ray Allen

Ray Allen has been an integral part in the Celtics' success over the past two seasons, but he is due $19.7 million next season and he's not getting any younger—he turns 34 next month.

There are a couple things the Celtics can do: they can trade Allen along with another player for younger, more cost-efficient players or Boston could keep Allen and hope to improve through free agency and the draft.

The Celtics should look to deal Allen, seeing as he still has some value among NBA teams that are in the trade market.

The Celtics could trade Allen to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Thabo Sefolosha and the rights to the Thunder's second first-round draft pick—No. 25 overall.

With that pick, the Celtics could address their need for another wing and select either SF Terrence Williams (Louisville) or SF Sam Young (Pittsburgh).

Both Williams and Young bring a level of maturity that is ready for immediate NBA action and learning from Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett would help them immensely.

Getting rid of Allen for Sefolosha and a first-round pick would save Boston about $13 million next season alone. That would allow for more aggressive spending in free agency or cash to sign current players to longer deals.

2. Draft Status

Assuming the Celtics made no moves prior to the draft, the only pick they would have would be the No. 58 pick overall in the second round.

The Celtics are in dire need of another aggressive and athletic shooter off the bench to complement Tony Allen's defensive prowess and Leon Powe and Glen Davis' rugged styles.

One player that is expected to be available at this position is Kentucky shooting guard Jodie Meeks.

Meeks is perhaps the best pure shooter in this class and has an unbelievable body that should be able to hold up over the course of a demanding NBA season.

This is a low risk, high reward situation because there is no guaranteed money being discussed in the second round, so the Celtics could insert Meeks in the lineup for a "tryout" of sorts.

Meeks could replace Ray Allen in the lineup if the Celtics part ways with him—as they should.

If the Celtics were trade to Allen to the Thunder as I stated they should, the Celtics could potentially use that first-round selection on another big man with potential and then draft Meeks in the second round.

A player like Taj Gibson (USC) or DeMarre Carroll (Missouri) could give the Celtics much-needed athleticism and length in the post, something that Leon Powe and Glen Davis simply do not offer.

A Gibson/Meeks combination would excite an already lively fan base and would be viewed as a successful draft for the Celtics.

3. Free Agent Targets

If the Celtics were to deal Allen, there would be a major decision to make: with the extra money do you sign additional players through free agency or do you lock up current players for the future?

Say the Celtics dip into the free agent market; they would be looking for a scoring wing and an athletic big man and there are plenty of each available this offseason.

Ben Gordon and Trevor Ariza both are wings who can put the ball in the hole and would fit the Celtics' budget without Allen in town.

Gordon is a proven scorer who can demand constant attention, freeing up Pierce for mid-range looks and Garnett for his patented fade-away jump shot.

Ariza is a player who burst onto the scene this season with the L.A. Lakers by playing lock-down defense and consistently hitting open jumpers.

As far as post players go, Chris Andersen and Hedo Turkoglu could fit what the Celtics are trying to do.

Andersen is the prototypical big man the Celtics are looking for, while Turkoglu is the "home run" type signing that could energize an aging franchise.

Andersen is as athletic and exciting as they come and would probably be available at a very cheap rate—$4 to 6 million—while it would probably take all the Celtics' cap room to sign an All Star-caliber player like Turkoglu.

Either way, the Celtics could benefit from signing players through free agency.

4. Signing and Re-signing Current Players

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