NBA Offseason: Even with Lockout, Celtics' Championship Window Still a Reality

The season is a distant memory and the NBA's version of a recession (the lockout), is upon us.The only thing that derailed their season were injuries and Danny Ainge's blatant dismissal of 'Ubuntu."   

It seems the only thing that can make Celtic fans okay with it all, is that the "Heatles" did not win the NBA championship.

Meanwhile, the "Three Amigos," of Pierce, Garnett and Allen need a little help to stave off Father Time and another Heat onslaught on the collective psyche of the NBA.  

Ainge has started the transition by extending the prerequisite qualifying offer to Jeff Green.  No matter how you feel about him, Celtic management could not afford to let him go. His performance last season screamed "journeyman," but his overall talent says "key cog on a contending team."

Green needs playing time but, unless he morphs into a power forward, he and Paul Pierce are going to battle it out on the practice court.

Boston also has to address its soft interior, Glen 'Big Baby" Davis. After being selected as a candidate for the sixth man award, Davis followed Lucky 'somewhere over the rainbow" to find himself.  He never made it back in time for the playoffs.

Baby has declared that he is a grown man now and no longer needs to be spoon-fed.  There is only one thing, though: when he opens his mouth, he still invariably drools all over himself. 

Davis' talent is obvious but the Celtics will still nudge him gently out the door to help him flex his newfound growth spurt. Danny will surely find away to get something off his free-agent status; if all else fails, he used the draft to find a potential replacement  in Purdue's JaJuan Johnson.

Now if Doc Rivers can use his gift of gab to convince Delonte West to come back for pennies on the dollar along with DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers, then help is on its way.

The Celtics would then have what Rajon Rondo has been pining for: a young core of players alongside the grizzled presence of the "Big Three."