How exactly are the Celtics bad? Name me one team in the Eastern Conference that boasts three legitimate All-Stars. Boston is probably the best team in the Eastern Conference now. Garnett-Pierce-Allen is one heck of a trio. As a Boston fan, I'm thrilled. This Celtics team is leaps and bounds ahead of the Cleveland team that reached the NBA Finals last year. And once in the Finals, anything could happen with a championship-starved franchise player like Garnett and a top 15 player in Paul Pierce.
Best of all, the Celtics didn't surrender anyone of import outside of Al Jefferson who can't play a lick of defense. Let's see Jefferson average a double-double in the Western Conference and develop a semblance of a defensive game. It's not going to happen. Plus even if it does, there's a strong likelihood that Jefferson will be one and done in Minnesota. He's a free agent at the end of the year and probably won't want to stay in Minneapolis. He absolutey despises Mark Blount from their days together in Boston. Team chemistry is going to be a major problem for the Timberwolves. My prediction: Jefferson will be somewhere else - maybe even back in Boston - for the 2008-09 season.
With this deal, the Timberwolves now have 8 former Celtics players on their roster: Mark Blount, Ricky Davis, Justin Reed, Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair and Theo Ratliff. There will be no need for introductions in Minnesota training camp.
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