Garnett trade may work for Celtics, if ...
Give the Celtics credit for pulling off a bold move after Kevin Garnett's agent initially claimed his client didn't want to play in Boston.
But will a nucleus of Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen turn Boston into an Eastern Conference powerhouse?
Well, the supporting cast is bound to be an issue, since those three stars will make a combined $54 million this season, while the NBA's luxury-tax threshold is $67.8 million.
The Celtics' other two starters figure to be second-year point guard Rajon Rondo and center Kendrick Perkins, with often-injured guard Tony Allen, Brian Scalabrine and rookie Glen Davis coming off the bench. That's not much to work with.
This trade has a chance to work, but Pierce and Ray Allen must be willing to give up some shots and exert more effort on defense. Don't forget, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen didn't work well together in Houston.
Why couldn't the Bulls come up with a better offer for Garnett? They might have been willing to offer Tyrus Thomas, Thabo Sefolosha, Andres Nocioni and filler, but they essentially took themselves out of the running by re-signing Nocioni early this month.
Now the 6-foot-7 forward cannot be traded until Dec. 15, which means the Bulls will move forward with their current group.
mmcgraw@dailyherald.com