NBA Free Agents: Why the Boston Celtics Are the Front-Runners To Land Chris Paul

With real basketball set to begin in less than a month, the trade rumors, free agency speculation, and title predictions are in full swing.

The most recent trade chatter seems to be centered around big names like Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. 

Analysts like Chris Broussard, and many others, have already decided that Chris Paul is set to join the Knicks.

I’m not so sure about that.

As much as we’d like to think the Knicks can assemble a Big Three to rival the Heat, I just don’t see Paul being that third guy.

Why? There are plenty of reasons.

First, the Knicks have virtually no assets to trade for him. Other than Landry Fields, the team doesn’t have any coveted players for a team that will have to give up their franchise player. Obviously the Knicks don’t want to trade Amar’e or Carmelo, so this leaves them in a bit of a bind.

And, if you think for a second that the Hornets are going to let Paul go in free agency, you’re out of your mind. After Lebron James, no team owner is ever going to make that “decision” ever again. The idea that the Knicks can just wait until next season to sign Paul as a free agent is entirely false. 

Unless the Knicks can find a third team that is willing to take on an aging vet like Chauncey Billups for a few young and talented players, the Knicks are really out of luck.

It might not be the sexiest answer in the world, but I don’t even think ex-GM Donnie Walsh could figure this one out.

So this leaves us with teams with actual assets, teams like the Lakers and the Celtics. Don’t be surprised to see the league's two greatest franchises duke it out once again for a top prize. 

Most likely, the Lakers' best offer would be a package surrounding Bynum and Lamar Odom. That's a lot of size to give up, and I’m not fully convinced the Buss family will deal Bynum for anyone less than Dwight.

Still, the best offer the Lakers will give to the Hornets is a promising young center with a shaky health record—and the versatile Odom, who, while still talented, does seem to be getting on in years, and isn’t ideal for a team looking to rebuild. 

And then there’s the Celtics. What do they have to offer? Well, if they’re smart, they’ll trade Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green (though Green would be a sign-and-trade, which is still allowed under the new CBA).

How does that offer look?

If you’re a franchise looking to replace your top player with promising young talent, there are few better options than Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green. Not only would the Hornets receive one of the top five young point guards in the game, but they would also get a very nice talent in Jeff Green who can certainly be a part of any rebuilding process.

So now, the only question remains is: Why would Paul want to be in Boston?

Let’s start off with the obvious. It’s the Boston Celtics. They may not be New York, but Boston is still a pretty great city, and they more than make up for the discrepancy in their storied history. Being a part of a franchise like the Celtics should be considered an honor to any player in the league.

For Chris Paul, a chance to add to the Celtics' championship lore should be enough of a draw to make him comfortable with not playing in New York.

However, even if you forget about the history of the Celtics, there are still more than enough reasons to want to be a Celtic.

First, there’s Doc Rivers, one of the best coaches in the league today. He’s already proven he can coach against the best (he beat the Lakers in 2007-08 and took them to seven games in 2009-10). Players have always said great things about Doc, and I’m sure Chris Paul respects him greatly.

Compared to Mike D’Antoni, who has never coached a team to the Finals, Doc wins out. D’Antoni might be fun with his run-and-gun offense, but he has yet to prove that he has what it takes to lead a team to the title, despite having great teams over the years in Phoenix.

Second, there’s the veteran leadership and a team of guys who have already won championships. Much like Rondo’s current position, Paul would be the heir to the Celtics' throne as the core of Garnett, Pierce, and Allen continue to age.

However, those three vets still have more than enough left in the tank to be the perfect compliments to Paul for at least three more years, as they continue to compete for a championship.

Third, the team prides itself on defense, and as we all know, defense wins championships. Can the same be said for the Knicks? Not so much. Both Amar’e and Carmelo have been criticized for not digging in on defense, and with D’Antoni at the helm that isn’t likely to change any time soon.

As for the Celtics, Paul would join a team that prides itself on defense. Even with an aging Defensive Player of the Year winner in Kevin Garnett, the team still was first in Opponents' Points Allowed. Not too shabby.

All in all, there’s very little reason why Paul would say no to an offer to play in Boston. While he still may be seduced by the idea of being a Knickerbocker, chances of the team coming up with enough pieces to pull off the trade are slim.

The truth is, Boston has the right pieces and can make the deal at any time. If I were the Hornets, I'd make the deal sooner than later, and stop pretending like Paul is going to stick around.

Unless Chris Paul surprises everyone and decides to be a Hornet for life, he is going to get dealt before the trade deadline.

And if he goes, my money is on the Celtics. Big time.