Week 5

Celtics:

     The All Star break is over and the second half of the Celtics season starts tonight in Denver against the Nuggets.  The trade deadline for the NBA is this Thursday and local and national media outlets have been reporting all week that the Celtics could be involved in multiple trade deals.  One potential trade that I have seen proposed by numerous media outlets is Kevin Garnett to the L.A. Clippers for Deandre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe.  Two young and up and coming players in the NBA for one of the oldest yet best players to ever play in Garnett. The Clippers feel they are one superstar away from making a run at the Championship. The Celtics however do not necessarily want to part ways with Garnett but they could benefit in the long run from getting younger and more athletic. Garnett would have to waive the no trade clause in his contract in order for any trade deal involving him to be made.
     Another potential trade that I have heard rumored is Rajon Rondo to the L.A. Lakers for Dwight Howard.  It's interesting that Rondo's name is being thrown out there in trade rumors considering that he just recently tore his ACL and is out for the season.  It is no secret that Dwight Howard has struggled in L.A. for whatever reason and doesn't seem that he wants to be a Laker for much longer.  The Celtics are in desperate need of a top notch center as Howard is and I feel would be willing to pull the trigger on this deal if the Lakers would agree to it.  The Celtics have won all but one of their games with Rondo out of the lineup and seem to be playing a more team oriented game without their starting point guard. 
     The only other big potential trade that I have heard being tossed around is Paul Pierce to Atlanta for Josh Smith.  Smith is a taller more athletic player than is Pierce but does not have quite the resume or body of work with regard to consistent all star caliber play.  His age and athletic ability are clearly attractive attributes that the Celtics would surely welcome.  I'm just not too sure they are willing to part ways with Pierce after all he has done to resurrect this franchise from the dead to a perennial Championship contender.  Some talk radio personalities had Pierce in their top five Celtic players of all time category and I think they may be right. The next couple of days should be rather interesting to see if Danny Ainge, the Celtics GM does any of these deals or a different deal not yet mentioned.