Shane Battier To Celtics?

The Celtics are rolling through the regular season and their 40-14 record at the All-Star break is good for first place in the Eastern Conference. Not all is perfect for the Green. Injuries have robbed Doc Rivers of the heart of his bench with Shaquille O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal, Delonte West, Marquis Daniels, and Semih Erden all currently out of action (Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe tweeted that West and Erden should return for tomorrow's game against the Warriors). If the Celtics are to survive the likes of the Heat, Bulls, Magic, Lakers, Spurs, and Mavericks for the NBA championship they will need their bench to make up for the old legs of starters Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. The Celtics have the depth up front to survive the losses of the O'Neals and Erden in the regular season as long as they are healthy in May and June but with Daniels (spinal cord bruise) possibly done for the year, the Celtics desperately need a reliable backup swingman to spell Pierce and Allen. To win the title it looks like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Kobe Bryant could be potential obstacles so having a proven wing player off the bench would give the Celtics a valuable weapon. Rumors have attached names like Anthony Parker of the Cavaliers and Rasaul Butler of the Clippers to the Celtics but ESPN's Marc Stein tweeted that the Celtics are in the mix to add Shane Battier from the Rockets. I'm not sure what the Rockets are looking for - and the Celtics have very few tradeable assets - but if Danny Ainge could add Battier, Boston's already solid title chances would greatly improve. Battier is a proven veteran who is a solid defender (2nd Team All-Defense in 2008 and 2009) and three-point shooter. His presence would give Rivers a player who plays his best against Kobe and James and would allow Pierce and Allen the ability to pace themselves against the Heat and Lakers and save their legs for the end of the game when their offense could make the difference between winning and losing. A playoff rotation of Kendrick Perkins, Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis, Battier, Shaq, and West is talented enough and deep enough to hang an eighteenth championship banner in the Garden rafters.