NBA Trade Deadline 2012: The One Trade the Boston Celtics Must Make

CELTICS TRADE: Brandon Bass, Jermaine O'Neal, Sasha Pavlovic, Clippers & Celtics No. 1 Picks

JAZZ TRADE: Al Jefferson

The Boston Celtics, as currently constructed, are not legitimate title contenders. They still have an All-World point guard and three fantastic old-timers, but they lack size and scoring punch. Al Jefferson of the Utah Jazz solves both of those needs in a big way.

The Celtics are a good center away from being legitimate title contenders and quite possibly a dominant center away from being the best team in the league.

Al Jefferson may not be Dwight Howard, but he is a legitimate top-five center in the league. He's a guy who put up back-to-back seasons averaging at least 21 points and 11 rebounds per game, a guy who this season has averaged 22.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per 40 minutes and is still just 27 years old.

Honestly, centers don't come much better than Al Jefferson in the NBA.

Both the Celtics and 76ers should be racing to acquire Al Jefferson from the Jazz before any other team does. And with the Celtics able to offer two first-round draft picks to the 76ers' one, they should be the favorites to land Jefferson if they so choose.

As for the Jazz—and I am quoting my 76ers article—they are not on pace to make the playoffs this season; and may even start tanking games towards the end of the year to make sure they miss the playoffs so they do not lose their first-round draft pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves, which will happen if they make the playoffs.

The Jazz also have invested a lot in young bigs Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. They also have the superb power forward Paul Millsap and talented young big Jeremy Evans. Al Jefferson is much too good to sit on the bench, but Favors and Kanter are much too important to Utah's future to leave on the bench.

This is a no-brainer trade for both teams and should be done immediately.