Will Boston Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge Break Up the Big Three?

Published: 19^th Jan 12 11:33 am

by Michael Terrill
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Will Boston Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge Break Up the Big Three?

Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge is reportedly willing to break up the Big Three to save the franchise from another dry spell.

The Celtics are currently 5-8 and have struggled so far this season. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are all in their mid-30’s and do not seem to have what it takes anymore to lead another team to the promise land.

Ainge was around when the original Big Three (Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish) was in Boston and did not like the outcome after those players were unable to play anymore. The Celtics got nothing for them except a playoff drought that lasted from the 1992-93 to 2000-01 seasons.

“Red Auerbach had a chance to trade Larry (to Indiana) for Chuck Person and Herb Williams and (Steve) Stipanovich and he had a chance to trade Kevin (to Dallas) for Detlef Schrempf and Sam Perkins,” Ainge said. “I was like, ‘Are you kidding?’ I mean, I feel that way now. If I were presented with those kind of deals for our aging veterans, it’s a done deal to continue the success.”

Bird and McHale retired at the age of 35 due to injuries. Parish left as a free agent at the age of 40. Ainge saw first-hand what happens to a team that holds on to their superstars to long and Boston really paid for it. There is no way he will allow the same thing to happen again while he is in charge of the team.

“After those guys retired, the Celtics had a long drought,” Ainge said. “But those (types of fruitful trades) aren’t presenting themselves. In today’s day and age with 30 teams in the NBA, 15 teams know they have no chance of winning a championship. They are building with young players. It’s a different era that we live in. It’s easy to say conceptually, but you have to always weigh what are real opportunities.”

That is the exact problem with the Celtics. No team will be willing to part ways with young talented players to get injury plagued veterans.

Allen is averaging 15.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Pierce has 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Garnet is the only member of the Big Three to play in every game this season as he is averaging 13.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Ideally, Ainge wants to surround point guard Rajon Rondo with fresh players so the Celtics can make another championship run. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like teams will be willing to trade so Boston might have to make do with what they got. It would be highly unlikely the Celtics miss the postseason all together anyways. The question is whether or not they will be able to get past the first round.