With the free-agency period beginning Wednesday morning at 12:01 am EST, Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics will hit the phones in hopes of adding a player or two, as well as begin conversations to keep their current group of players without a contract for next season, namely Glen Davis and Leon Powe (I think it is safe to assume that the Mikki Moore era is over).
As I wrote previously, this offseason is an important one in Danny Ainge's career. The Celtics winning the 2009-10 NBA Championship, or at the very least, being right in the discussion, would solidify the organization as one of the elite in the league, making Boston a premier team and destination for any player looking to win.
However, a second-round loss, be it to Orlando or Cleveland, would do just as much damage as a championship win would do good, and would certainly bring an end to the conversation of current Boston team as an elite franchise.
The Celtics have three major areas to address, assuming the return of Davis and/or Powe: a combo-wing player; a backup point guard; and a long defensive-minded big. Listed here are players who satisfy those needs.
(Note: I have only included realistic options for the team. That means that players that are either unattainable because of price or free agent status, as well as those that simply do not make sense, will not be listed).
Combo-wing player
The target: Grant Hill
Hill would be a terrific fit for this team, with his defense and ball handling ability. Despite his age (37), he remains an effective player and still has some athleticism left in him.
Amazingly, Hill played in all 82 games last year for the first time in his career, averaging just under 30 minutes a game. The Celtics main competition would be Orlando, Hill's former team. However, Rivers coached Hill and the two share a mutual respect for each other.
The backup plan: Anthony Parker
After three solid seasons in Toronto, Parker is a free agent and looking for what should be, his last NBA contract. The former Maccabi Tel Aviv star and Candace's big brother has been very consistent over the past three years for a very inconsistent team.
He now relies more on his intelligence defensively than his athleticism and can shoot the ball well from the perimeter, with an impressive 41.5% career 3-point percentage.
The long-shot: Trevor Ariza
Ariza's postseason performance most likely prices him out of the Celtics range. He should be able to command multiyear full MLE deal, which the Celtics have been hesitant to use in the past (see: Posey, James).
However, he would be a perfect fit, for the both short-term, and long-term, needs of the team. He is an aggressive defender who can shoot from the outside and drive to the basket.
The darkhorse candidate: Jamario Moon (RFA)
Moon was surprisingly extended a qualifying offer from the Heat. However, with Michael Beasley at the 3 and a number of other similar players on the roster, Moon's minutes might be limited.
As a result, don't expect the Heat to match an offer in the 3-year, 12 million range. Moon is an active defender and tremendous athlete who can rebound and defend. He is limited offensively, but at 6'8'' and good agility, he can defend 3 positions.
If all else fails: 1) Matt Barnes, 2) Dahntay Jones, 3) Devean George
Next page: Backup point guard
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