It's crunch time for Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics. With the trade deadline rapidly approaching (3 p.m. EDT on March 15), and the Celtics barely hanging onto a playoff spot at 15-17, there is a lot up in the air for this franchise.
One route is to stay the course and see what this group can accomplish in what is perhaps the final full season with the Big Three. The other more popular route is to "blow it up," as plenty of fans and media members are suggesting, and begin the rebuilding process right now. In the end, it all comes down to what Ainge and Doc Rivers think will be best.
Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have all had their names mentioned in trade talks this year, but young star guard Rajon Rondo's name has been the one most often mentioned in rumors. Ainge has attempted to trade Rondo before, including a proposed deal that would have landed Chris Paul and sent Rondo to the New Orleans Hornets.
What will Ainge do? With him, we never truly know until after the fact. Last year, he shocked everybody by trading mainstay center Kendrick Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder, much to the chagrin of Pierce, Garnett and Allen.
Buckle up, Celtics fans. This could be a bumpy road leading up to the trade deadline.
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