The Detroit Pistons recently traded Walter Sharpe and Aaron Affalo for a second round pick.  Pistons president Joe Dumars is attempting to make cap rom to sign Glen "Big Baby" Davis away from the Celtics according to David Aldridge.  He added that the Pistons, given all of their contracts and commitments will only be able to offer no more than 4 million to Big Baby, and he said the Celtics could easily match the offer.

Given our need for a backup swingman and point guard, I am still a fan of having Davis on our team despite having acquired Rasheed Wallace.  The game is still played in the paint and with Davis, Wallace, and the starters upfront Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins, we have four players upfront who can score, defend, rebound on both ends and wreak havoc on other team's offense.  I would say if he could be had by the Celtics for relatively cheap, keep him, but now what will the Pistons do?

Aldridge also is reporting the Los Angeles Clippers are in serious talks with Allen Iverson.  I have to admit, the Clippers are making smart moves right now.  They got blake griffin and they are either adding, or attempting to add pieces to support him.  Baron Davis is there already, Quentin Richardson, a solid shooting guard, was acquired for the problematic Zach Randolph and I think they could be a solid team next year.

Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge has declared he is looking for a backup for Paul Pierce.  A big problem last year was our lack of depth at that position.  My personal favorite is Timberwolves swingman Rodney Carney.  Last year, as a backup, he averaed 7 points-per-game, was very quick and was defensive-minded.

On defense, we won't lose a step alongside our defensive-minded backup Rasheed Wallace and a strong defense lineup including Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo.

On offense, he gives something Rondo desperately needs:  A running partner.  Rondo is one of the quickest players in the league and Carney gives him a guy who sprints up the court as opposed to the slower footed Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Garnett, Perkins and now Wallace.  We can sign Carney to a deal for a few years for relatively cheap.  Jamario Moon, Ainge's current perference for backup, is only a restricted free agent and is we make him an offer, there's a pretty good chance Moon's team, the Miami heat, will match the offer.

In league news, Jazz forward Paul Milsap has signed an offer sheet to go to the Portland Trailblazers, which the Utah Jazz are not expected to match.  The Blazers spend a lot of money on Milsap, who is a quality player, but they chose him over Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom, who could have been a Blazer.  For me, that is a toss-up.  The Blazers could use Odom's quality play and veteran's presence, but it is possible Odom was playing for a contract.  As of now, it is expected the Lakers will resign him for a little more than the Lakers wanted and a little less than Odom wanted.

The Boston Herald has reported that Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge is interested in defensive swingman Jamario Moon and is still intent on keeping Glen Davis even though he is a restricted free agent.  He has yet to receive another offer.

This weekend, the biggest news is that coveted Utah Jazz center Paul Milsap signed an offer sheet for the Portland Trailblazers.  While the Jazz have 7 days to match it, I think it is unlikely they will.

The next big question mark in the league is Lamar Odom.  Though he was part of the Los Angeles Lakers championship team and he declared his desire to remain with the Lakers, he appears to be far apart from the Lakers over what else?  Money.  Rumors are he would go to Portland, but after he signed Milsap to an offer sheet, they will not be able to get Odom more than likely.

Odom more than likely is going to have to accept smaller money, as teams are unlikely to offer a lot of money.  Still, Lakers defector Trevor Ariza declared his intention to stay with the Lakers after their championship run but ended up with the Rockets.  Now, will Odom follow suit after his intention to stay with the Lakers?

Kobe Bryant, one of hte league's top scorers and Lakers franchise player, has said 'he better' resign with the Lakers, but right now Bryant did not get his wish and hasn't for a few weeks now.

Danny Ainge wanted veteran swingman Grant Hill to sign with the Celtics to compliment his newly formed team.  Hill instead chose to resign with his current team, the Phoenix Suns.  I think Celtics GM Danny ainge and New York Knicks president Donnie Wahlberg, the other top contender for Hill,  didn't expect this.

Ainge has told the Boston Herlad he is still not done.  We still have a glaring need of a backup swingman for Pierce and/or Allen and now that defensive minded Dahntay Jones is off the market, we could use another point guard.

The next big question surrounding the Celts is the status on Glen Davis.  After an excellent postseason, he is a restricted free agent.  The biggest suitors are the Pistons, who are looking for height after losing Antonio McDyess, and New Orleans, who can only acquire him through a sign-and trade.

Still, the Celtics appear to be a few players from being the pre-eminent favorite to win again.  Let's see what Ainge does.

Yesterday it looked like the Celtics were falling into place.  Grant Hill met with the Celtics and was expected to sign a contract.  Then he said he was serious about the New York Knicks and he was offered a one-year contract.  Then is was expected that the Spurs were to offer Glen "Big Baby" Davis a hard to turn down mid-level exception, but that contract has yet to be offered.  Then after Stephon Marbury said his time with the Celtics was more than likely over, he explored the market and found a small market for him.

It is reported by the San Antonio Express news veteran big man Antonio McDyess may go to San Antonio, leaving little room for Davis.  If that happens, one of the only logical teams to offer him a contract will be Detroit to replace McDyess.  But Detroit wants to bring McDyess back and is not likely to offer all that much money to Big Baby.  So in all of these curveballs, if we can end up with Big Baby and Stephon Marbury as backups, so we might be able to hit a few of those curveballs.

Despite all of this, the Celtics are in prime position to get a title.  If they really want to acquire a solid veteran, I'm saying Shawn Marion, but we'll see how it turns out.  If he is for cheap, we can get a world-class player for almost nothing.

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Danny Ainge has a basketball genie.  Ainge wants three wishes, but will be get them?

One is very likely to come true.  Grant Hill, who was coached by coach Doc Rivers in Orlando, has met with Celtics management and is expected to sign a contract soon.

His next wish is a backup point guard, named Tyrone Lue.  Ainge wanted him last year but he followed more money to Milwaukee.  Lue was a champion with the Lakers and could give some quality minutes as a back-up.

His next wish seems to be less likely to happen.  Glen "Big Baby" Davis, the promising young undersized big man, looks likely to be offered the mid-level exception by the San-Antonio Spurs, a pretty decent championship contender themselves.

Ainge has declared he has every intention of bringing the power forward back, but will he match the asking price of and potential team that will offer him an MLE?

In an intriguing development, it looks like talks between the Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons are surfacing over a swap of Carlos Boozer and Rip Hamilton.

It seems to work for both teams, since Ben Gordon will be the shooting guard for the Pistons and they need a big man to replace Wallace, and the Jazz will have a solid shooting guard to go along with the younger Paul Milsap, who they want to resign. This will probably make both teams better, but unlikely to lift either team to a championship level.

Gary Tanguay, a writer for Comcast Sports Network has said he believes Grant Hill will be a Celtic by the end of the week.  In the process, they will let Glen Davis go should he be offered a contract.  Tanguay also reports he believes the Spurs are on the verge of offering Glen Davis the mid-level exception, which Celtics general manager Danny Ainge is not expected to match.

I'll give what could be the good and bad side of this:

Bad:  The Celtics are letting a promising young player go to a team that already has all-star players Richard Jefferson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan.  They're letting a solid defender and low-post scorer go to this group of dedicated players who have been to the finals and are likely to come out of the west.  The Celtics are going after a player who has health issues and is 37.  Letting Davis go will deplete our frontcourt even with Wallace.  Hill over Davis?  We're going to be really old!!!

Good:  Hill will probably be signed to a one-year deal.  Celtics management has stated Wallace's signing is not going to keep the team from pursuing young players and adding to the team.  We will have very few long-term deals, Ray Allen's contract coming off the books in 2010 to pursue a very strong class of free agents.  We will be old, true, but our team is excellent defensively with the additions of Wallace and Hill, who will both be hungry for a championship and are proven postseason performers.

After looking at it all, letting Davis go will be hard, but for the long term this is a good deal and puts in solid position to win a title next year.

In what might be the biggest news for the Boston Celtics since the team acquired Kevin Garnett in 2007, accoring to the Boston Globe, Rasheed Wallace has committed to signing with the Boston Celtics.

Initially, I was very worried about him.  Offensively, he shoots threes like Reggie Miller and his emotion gets the best of him.  But looking at our team, this is an excellent signing.  Sheed is one of the best low-post scorers in the game, even if he doesn't score that often anymore.  He is an energy player, his teammates feed off of his energy.  His defense is second-to-none.  In 2008, we were struggling finding height to back up Garnett and Perkins, the answer was P.J. Brown.  When Brown retired, we were unable to find a tall back-up and the answer was Mikki Moore, who was not very consistent.  This gives us a quality big man, who can still give us many quality minutes and many intangible to win us ball games and he's off the bench!!!!!

The contract is for two years at the mid-level exception, around 5.8 million.

In order to complete our frontcourt, we need to get Glen Davis back.  Teams are interested, but we have the right to match any offer, and Sheed matched with Davis could be a starting lineup by itself.

Next, we need a true backup point guard , but our most important need is a backup swingman.  I am still screaming Shawn Marion.  he is a quality defender, high percentage scorer, excellent rebounder and he could be available for cheap.

No matter what, this completes our team early and gives us a strong edge for a championship.  I think the moves Cleveland, Orlando and Los Angeles have made are not particularly good.  Cleveland is going to find out Shaquille O'Neal is old and nowhere near is championship form.  Los Angeles is going to find out Artest is a headcase who shoots the ball a lot and only occasionally makes shots and that they miss Trevor Ariza.  Orlando made a solid move acquiring Vince Carter, but giving up Courtney Lee, a solid player for the future was critical.  They will miss Hedo Turkoglu and Carter is older, more unproven in the postseason and injury prone.  But all of this is just my opinion.

In other news, Celtics representatives have met with Grant Hill to discuss a possible contract.  Grant Hill 5 years ago I would love on our team, but now Grant Hill is old.  We need youth on our team and we need to build for the future.

I am one to say Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge is the reason we assembled the 2008 team that has the biggest single-season turnaround in NBA history, the 5th highest win total in NBA history (for those who like details, 5 teams have finished with higher win totals, the 1985-86 Celtics and 1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers tied for fourth with 67 wins) and most importantly an NBA title.  Given the way other teams played in the finals and the undermanned Celtics, having lost two critical players, including last years runner up for MVP and defensive player of the year, we would have had a very good shot at the title.

But now in the offseason, I am wondering what Ainge's priorities are.  He appears on the verge of giving his full mid-level exception to Rasheed Wallace, a talented but ultimately very emotional player who is more known for his technical fouls and alleged drug use than his ferocious defense.  Aside from that, he is 6'11 and shoots 3-point shots like he is 6'1.  Ainge didn't even appear to be going after solid defensive swingman Trevor Ariza and doesn't even seem to be going after quality swingman and former all-star Shawn Marion, who could be bought for cheap.  Marion is a guy who defends the three very well and is one of the best defensive players in the game.  He is a very underrated player and would be an excellent backup for Paul Pierce and the aging Ray Allen not to mention the power forward should Doc Rivers decide to play with a small lineup.  Marion was a critical piece to a number of excellent Suns teams and it is no wonder the team has seriously fallen off since his departure.

In my opinion, Ainge should be offering the full mid-level exception or somewhere close to it to a guy that can play serious ball versus a very emotional aging player.  I've been wrong on Ainge's moves before but at the end of the day I believe he is pursuing the wrong free agent.