Can Danny?

Any other rebuilding plan, as we've learned from the discussions here, has its drawbacks, be it giving up too much potential for a veteran or not getting enough potential back for a veteran. Most GM's don't have time to wait for the trade that is just right. They are going to make the moves they need to make to help rebuild their team. The brilliance of the Ainge plan, from a job security standpoint, is that it is completely defensible while never actually having to accomplish anything. He can sit back and wait for that one great trade because people will defend him saying, "The team has assets. Trades could happen. Hope is always on the horizon. He hasn't made a bad trade. And we have the veterans who SHOULD keep us competitive in the Atlantic." It is in this last sentence where Ainge messed up this past offseason and has brought the ire of Celtics fans unto himself. The one mistake that ruined Ainge's plan was misjudging the readiness of Sebastian Telfair. Had we gotten a more veteran PG, Ainge would be sitting pretty. He'd have assets that could pan out or be traded and three good veterans who can win games now. The team would have hope for the future and any present problems would be on Doc's doorstep. Say we got Danny's initial target, Jarrett Jack. Jack and Wally should seem like competent complements to Pierce. Any issue with the team would either be Doc failing or our young guys disappointing. It wouldn't be on Ainge that Doc can't coach or Big Al, West, and Perk can't stay healthy. Danny would have the luxury of sitting around and waiting for just the right trade to come his way. However, because Telfair is more prospect than veteran, the team dropped below mediocrity and now Danny is on notice. If you try to blame Doc, you get, "How's Doc supposed to win with a team full of high schoolers?" Now we're two legit starters away and the future DEPENDS on at least two of these young guys panning out or a trade happening. You can survive waiting for the Just Right deal if you're always that one trade away but once you slip into the bottom of the lottery and only have two veteran players, people start to wonder what the GM's been up to. In order to salvage the Danny Plan, the easiest move is to deal your young un's with the least potential for a solid veteran. For this reason, I see us trying to move Ratliff, West, and Gomes for a vet big man. If Danny thinks things are really dire, he could also reshuffle the deck and move Wally for a different veteran or two. After those moves, he'd buy himself more time and be able to go back to holding out for the one magical deal. However, if the pressure gets to be to much, Danny could decide it's time to make a move, in which case we'll most likely overpay for veterans (because he simply can't get away with blowing it up and dealing Pierce and expect to keep his job). This move could make us competitive but if we don't make the most of our chance (and the young guys we deal start to blossom) it's likely the end of days for Danny.