Adam Jones Show: Herald's Steve Bulpett On Future Of Celtics
BOSTON (CBS) - Since they are no longer playing basketball, all the focus is on the future of the Boston Celtics.
Keep it together or blow it up? That's what everyone is asking these days, though it's a question that has been on people's minds for a few years. The Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's The Adam Jones Show on Thursday night to break down what the Celtics should do this offseason, and how close they got to blowing it up during the season.
Bulpett said the rumored trade with the Clippers around the All Star break that would have sent Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan and a pick to Boston for Kevin Garnett was never really an option, because Los Angeles didn't want to make the move.
So will Ainge look to move Garnett and fellow veteran Paul Pierce this summer?
"I think it's entirely dependent – as it was last summer, as it was at the trade deadline – on what he can get. He's been through this and open to everything," said Bulpett. "For a while now, he's realized this run is going to end and he does not want it to, he was part of the team here that let itself get very old in the late 80's and early 90's – he doesn't want that to happen again but I think it comes down to choices; what are his options."
"If Ainge could get something of decent value I'm sure he's open to anything, but Garnett has that no-trade clause that he never had the chance to exercise this season."
Should the Celtics deal Garnett and potentially amnesty Pierce, what would they look for on the free agent or trade market to start the re-building process?
"The Celtics would love to have good young trading chips, as they had when they got Garnett, but the problem there is who do you have to put around a guy that you get? You had a relatively young Paul Pierce and you had Ray Allen (when they acquired Garnett). Now you have Rondo, if he's not part of a deal, with Jared Sullinger and Avery Bradley. Rondo is an elite player, the other guys are very good NBA players and up-and-coming, but not the guys you would say are ready to lead you any place major."
