The NBA Finals hangover that has fell on the residents of Boston needs some serious Advil tomorrow night at the NBA Draft.
The Celtics hold the 19th pick in the first round - a reminder of their mediocre effort in the regular season - but it is doubtful that even a successful drafter like Danny Ainge will find a player at that spot who can help put the C's back in the Finals in 2011.
That is why Ainge needs to dangle the 19th pick along with the contracts of the soon-to-retire Rasheed Wallace and the soon-to-expire Kendrick Perkins for forward Al Jefferson.
"Big Al" was one of Ainge's original draft steals back in 2004 and was the major chip used by the Celtics to land Kevin Garnett from Minnesota three years ago.
Jefferson is now seen as expendable in Minnesota. The team has invested a high draft pick in Kevin Love and cannot find a way to get both forwards to find success together. The Timberwolves hold the fourth pick in tomorrow's draft and could add a bonafide center in DeMarcus Cousins to play alongside Love while moving Jefferson back to Boston in exchange for two contracts that provide financial relief to Minnesota, who also add a decent pick in a semi-deep draft.
That would give the Celtics just five players under contract for 2010-11: Jefferson, Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, and Glen Davis. That is a nucleus - which could retain free agents Ray Allen and Tony Allen - that could put the Celtics back on top of the East for another year if they add add two or three solid (and cheap) veterans through free agency (Mike Miller, Chris Duhon, and Brad Miller fit my fantasy just perfectly), find a contributor with the 52nd pick (Ainge has struck second round gold in "Big Baby" Davis - I am pulling for Syracuse shooter Andy Rautins, Maryland point guard Greivis Vasquez, or Georgia Tech forward Gani Lawal), and can coerce 7-foot Turkish center Semih Erdin to come to the United States.
Seriously, this is a pipe dream. Even if Jefferson were to land back with the Celtics, my predictions of filling out the roster are doubtful at best to occur. But for a moment, just envision this team taking the floor in Game 7 of the 2011 NBA Finals:
5: Al Jefferson, Brad Miller, Semih Erdin
4: Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis, Gani Lawal
3: Paul Pierce, Mike Miller
2: Ray Allen, Tony Allen
1: Rajon Rondo, Chris Duhon
In this dream, the Celtics claim Banner #18 and TheBostonInsider's genius is proven to the masses.
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