If I were running the Celtics, I'd face the fact that the team cannot contend for a title in the next 3-5 years the way things are going. Maybe there will be a one or two year window when Green and Jefferson hit their prime and Pierce is not yet too old, but that's being really optimistic. We're talking about a team that has already been in the lottery for two years, and will probably stay there a while longer.
A trade with the Bulls for #2 might be the best answer for them. How much cap space will the Bulls have to absorb salary? Without knowing that, it's hard to name a specific deal, but a possibility might be:
Pierce + LaFrentz for Duhon + Harrington + #2
New lineups might be:
Duhon
Szczerbiak/Green
Morrison
Jefferson/#7
Perkins
That's a team with some players that are lovable enough for Boston to show support to during their awful next two years, and they get the added bonus of a great ticket for the Oden lottery.
Bulls could be
Hinrich
Pierce/Gordon
Noccioni/Deng
Chandler/#16
LaFrentz
Or... the Celtics could continue to be a lottery team with Pierce, and maybe he'll play a mentoring role to the young guys. Who knows.
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