NBA Free Agents 2011: Is Glen Davis Expendable or a Vital Part of Team's Future?

To compete at the highest level in the NBA, a team needs a few key components. 

A big man who can rebound, defend and hit shots. He need not be a dominant offensive player but he must be able to knock down a few shots and hit some free throws. 

A point guard to control the tempo of the game as well as dribble, penetrate and finish. 

A shooter who can hit open three-point shots and mid-range jumpers. 

One scorer who can draw double teams, hit contested shots and also play around the basket. 

Nowhere on that list is the need for an undersized (in height) big man whose best offensive game is facing the basket from about 12 to 15 feet away and who is a career 45 percent shooter and 71 percent free throw shooter. 

This is not a "bash Glen Davis" column. I like Glen Davis but I'm far from being sold on him as a player that the Celtics need to keep. The free agent class available at the conclusion of this upcoming season (provided of course that the season actually takes place) is not exceedingly deep but it does have some huge names hitting the open market. Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams are the biggest ones out there. In addition, the Celtics will have both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett coming off the books. The Celtics are going to need to get a big man, not just someone who is "big" but someone who plays big.

Davis is certainly not a small guy but in spite of his considerable girth he's not a back-to-the-basket threat. He's not a top-tier rebounder, he's not athletic enough to consistently defend other big men. There are a lot of things to like about Glen Davis but not enough to justify any type of high- or even mid-priced long-term deal.

Unfortunately for the Celtics. with regards to future titles there's not one player on the roster right now who would qualify as totally irreplaceable. Rajon Rondo is closest but given the amount of top-tier point guards that dot the NBA landscape right now Rondo can't be called completely irreplaceable. The rest of the team is either of Hall-Of-Fame caliber but past their prime or just not that good.

This probably doesn't paint the rosiest of pictures for the Celtics in the near future, but whether the fans want to admit it or not it's more likely an accurate one.