NBA Rumors: Danny Ainge Must Break Up Celtics' Big 3 Before It's Too Late

The Boston Celtics are 6-9. They are 26h in the NBA in points per game, 29th in rebounds and seemingly No. 1 in age.

And things aren't going to get better anytime soon.

What's more, if Danny Ainge doesn't break up the Big Three before this year's trade deadline, things aren't going to get better for a very long time. 

That's why it's encouraging, at least for Celtics fans, when ESPN reports Ainge is willing to make a move sooner rather than later.

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The Celtics have limped to a 6-9 start behind 34-year-old Paul Pierce, 35-year-old Kevin Garnett and 36-year-old Ray Allen. Ainge, the Celtics' president of basketball operations, told The Boston Globe that he would consider a trade if it would help the team get younger and be poised to be competitive in the next era.

Ainge saw the Celtics pass up deals when Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish were aging, and the result was a steady deterioration that saw Boston not make the playoffs or advance beyond the first round from the 1992-93 to 2000-01 seasons.

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Listen, the Celtics aren't going anywhere this year. It's as simple as that. They might grab a No. 7 or 8 seed in a weak Eastern Conference, but all that means is a meeting with the Miami Heat or Chicago Heat.

That's also known as a first-round exit. 

If Boston really feels like that is a realistic, positive goal for the season, then by all means hold on to Garnett and Allen, who become free agents after the season.

But then be prepared to watch as they leave while you get absolutely nothing for them. But if a first-round exit isn't a real goal (shocking), then Garnett and Allen need to be traded before the deadline.

Sure, they won't get a whole lot in return because of their age, but a contending team would give undoubtedly give a young player, a draft pick or even a trade exception. It's uncanny how valuable rentals can be in the NBA.

And those things are a lot better than, well, nothing. 

Losing Garnett and Allen in free agency will free up salary cap to go after younger players, so it's hard to say they would be getting "nothing," but trading them now is the clearly the better option.

Furthermore, they should trade Paul Pierce, who is having an "un-career" year, while they still can. Pierce is still on the books for two more seasons, but the 34-year-old shouldn't realistically be a part of future plans. 

At some point you have to know when to cut your losses, and this year is a "loss" for the Celtics. If they act quickly, however, they won't have to endure many more "losses" in the next few years.