From Dennis Velasco,
Your Guide to Basketball.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Our bench currently looks like this (assuming our draft picks get signed): Tony Allen (SG), Brian "Veal" Scalabrine (F), Glen "Big Baby" Davis (PF), Gabe Pruitt (G), Leon Powe (PF/C), Brandon Wallace (F).

Yep, that’s only three current bench players that have ever played in an NBA game (and only two of which are not Brian Scalabrine). The Celts are paying Pierce, Allen, and Garnett a combined $54-some-odd million (which alone is at the cusp of the salary cap) to play 40+ minutes a game each, which is the harsh reality of it. Regardless of whether they want to spend money or not, the Celtics have to: they are under the NBA minimum of 12 players. What to do? Well, lets take a look at what they need.

Backup PG: Sure, I am all aboard the Rajon Rondo train, but the man’s going to need time to stop and take a puff. As much as I would like to think Pruitt will be good, I doubt he’ll be able to step up right now. Why not sign Gary Payton as a backup? He’s already familiar with the Celtics’ system, and though he’s older than your average sea turtle, he’s still running on fumes.

Underrated free agent: The Celtics have a mid-level exception, which should be more than enough to pick up super-spaz Matt Barnes (who made under $800K last year). Warts, Mohawks, aggressive tats and all, I like him, and think a high-energy role player is something the Celtics desperately need.

Free Agent who I hate on every other team but would love on the Celtics: Chris Webber. This guy is supposedly a free agent, and since I am neither an "insider" nor do I know any "sources close to the situation," I cannot say if he is going to re-sign with the Detroit Pistons. But, oh man! Could you imagine a lineup of Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Webber, and KG? I’d say it would be the best starting five in the NBA, hands down.

If these scenarios don’t work out, we could always just go with my roommate’s suggestion of trading away whatever is left of the rest of the Celtics for Kobe and go on to be the first ever 4-player team to win the NBA championship averaging a blistering 400 points per game.

No matter what they get, I’ll continue to soak it in. For the first time since I’ve known how to read, the Celtics are one of the most fearsome teams on paper. They are now en vogue, and I love it. Over the next few days I’m going to read as much Celtics hype journalism as I can get my hands on. The combination of that, this bottle of ‘dre, and the images dancing through my head of a PP/KG/RA three-man weave, I’ll tell you, I wouldn’t trade it for a thing.