OK, now we're talking.
A week and a half ago, Danny Ainge and I were debating the merits of the Ray Allen deal. He was trying to convince me Allen was a sniper who took such excellent care of himself, he would be burying game-winning jumpers well into his late 30s. I countered with statistical evidence that very few shooting guards in the history of the league have flourished after the age of 32, and, according to the calendar, Allen already had reached that bench mark.
Ainge believed Allen would make his team significantly better. It sure looked to me like all Allen would do was elevate Boston into a fifth seed in the playoffs, and since when was that the goal? The Celtics' head of basketball operations insisted his team would be infinitely more exciting and more competitive this season, but I wasn't buying it.
I am now.
The acquisition of Kevin Garnett changes everything. Suddenly, pro basketball matters again in Boston. Suddenly, the networks will sit up, rub the sleep out of their eyes, and start looking for places to plug the Celtics into their national schedule.
And -- just like that -- you should consider this team one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference. Think about it. What did Cleveland do to improve its roster? Detroit? Miami? Chicago is an up-and-coming team, but it couldn't quite land the proven veteran to put it over the top.
There are a handful of players in the league who can provide the kind of instant impact Garnett does. He's a gifted scorer, a voracious rebounder, and a defensive presence who alters shots and intimidates offensive players. When's the last time a Celtic could boast that? He also has a deft passing touch for a big man. Garnett plays hard, plays long, and plays with an intensity that has been sorely lacking around here. He desperately wants to win -- now -- and with Allen and Paul Pierce in tow, he'll have a shot at accomplishing that.
When players of Garnett's caliber become available, it is necessary to act quickly. Breaking the news to Al Jefferson that he was about to become property of the Timberwolves must have been difficult, since both Ainge and coach Doc Rivers have developed a close relationship with their blossoming young big man, but this was a deal that had to be made.
Jefferson has the potential to be a repeat All-Star. If he continues to hone his low-post moves and develops some nastiness around the glass, he could wind up as another Elton Brand. That's nothing to sniff at, but it's not enough to hang on to, not when Garnett is there for the taking. Word last night was Jefferson was crushed by the trade, but take solace, Big Al: You were swapped for a future Hall of Famer.