The news is now out in the open about the Celtics resuming talks with the Timberwolves about a trade involving Kevin Garnett, and this time (supposedly) the deal has some teeth.

Maybe it does, but maybe it doesn't. At this point, the deal involves Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff's expiring contract, either Rajon Rondo or Sebastian Telfair, and possibly Gerald Green going to Minny for Mr. Garnett; i.e. a whole lot of compensation for one of the best players in the league. It's funny how Theo Ratliff has become nothing more than a guy who's only value is that his contract makes big trades work. Anyway, with Garnett it bears the question: Should they do it? There are reasons for both yays and nays in this situation, but is either decision the right one?

Unlike football and baseball, in basketball any team can instantly become relevant by acquiring one superstar. LeBron James took a YMCA team to the NBA finals last season in a conference of mostly NBDL teams, and throwing one star onto most of said teams could put any of them in position to dominate. But by understanding the importance of acquiring that one guy that instantly puts you in contention, what if you might already have that guy?

The Celtics Might Already Have Enough

Danny Ainge has kept Boston fans in a state of confusion for years with questionable moves and steady decline, but has now, somehow, built a young nucleus that is changing opinions. The centerpiece in their situation is Al Jefferson who, in Boston, has become the darling of Boston fans and one of the better up-and-coming players in the NBA. At 22 years old, he can score, rebound, block shots, and, on the surface, could be a franchise player in Boston for over a decade. Moreover, as NBA fans have seen, if you have a big man that can be built around, you'll be a force to be reckoned with. Also, Rajon Rondo is a point guard that is strong and long enough to defend as well as score, distribute, and even rebound. Even Gerald Green, who is a tremendous athlete with a good-looking jumpshot that needs to be refined, is only 21 and may also have a bright future. Add those 3 to Paul Pierce and new Celtic Ray Allen and there is good reason for optimism.

That being said, however, that lineup isn't even a paper-champion in the lowly Eastern Conference, and the key word regarding the young Celtic players is potential. The Boston love affair and hopes for Al Jefferson could be in haste. No one can be certain of his capability as a player down the road, and most would agree he is not yet ready to be a superstar; it will take time. And it will also take time for Rondo and Green to refine themselves into great players, if they even have that in them. Yet all this potential has many Celtic fans questioning the pemise of this deal because it would "cost them their future." But what future is that? Would they be better off keeping these young guys and hoping they can be groomed into a bonafide team down the road? With both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen on or near (or already on the other side of) the very tips of their respective mountains of ability, they don't have the time to be patient.

Winning Now

This is the idea that owners and GM's battle with every year: Should we work with what we have, or should be put all our cards on the table and go for the gusto? The bottom line is that while Al Jefferson may have a future, and even a bright one, the chances of him being anywhere near Kevin Garnett, among the best of all-time, are quite slim. It's not an indictment of Jefferson's ability, but this is Kevin Garnett we're talking about.  Acquiring KG makes the Celtics an instant Eastern Conference contender (if not the best team on paper) and puts three perennial all-stars (while all still in their prime) on the floor at the same time. It gives them 3 legitimate take-over-the-game-at-any-given-time scoring options, and would be the best thing to happen to Ray Allen and Paul Pierce in their entire NBA careers. KG would own the paint (and in the East this would be child's play), distribute the ball to Allen and Pierce (this would do wonders for both their games), and KG would add that leadership and toughness that the C's currently lack (not to mention would bring that fire back from Pierce). This move would make more fomiddable than they were by adding Allen, and Boston fans would have themselves a legitimate title contender.

There's a catch though, and there ALWAYS is. By acquiring KG the Celtics would be paying $60M between KG, Pierce, and Allen alone. That's a lot of money, and it begs another question: Is winning now worth the risk of mortgaging away your future? One need not look far for an example, the Miami Heat are victims. In consecutive seasons the Heat added a massive amount of contractual obligation between Shaq, Antoine Walker, Jason Williams and James Posey. What was the result? NBA Champions. The Heat made everything culimnate in a championship and made it look like pure genius, for a little while. A year later, the Heat looked old and decrepit and a far cry from the team the reigned supreme only a year prior. So, naturally, Miami went out of their way this offseason to change things. But guess what? They mortgaged away their future for a championship. Even with Posey a free agent, they simply did not have enough money under the cap to go after free agents of significance, and were jerked-around by Mo Williams who leveraged himself a bigger deal in Milwaukee by having dinner with Riley on South Beach. Not to mention didn't have enough money to sign their very own 3-point champion Jason Kapono. Championships can be very short-lived, and the Heat are a prime example. They decided to win now and it worked, but it was actually win now, pay later.

What's the Right Decision?

It's not easy for GM's to decide these things, even Phoenix was considering trading Amare Stoudemire (who's a fantastic player with an unbelievable future) for Kevin Garnett. Any wrong decision could set you back for years. Surely most Heat fans would never trade away the elation of winning a championship, even considering their current situation, because they are so incredibly hard to come by in the NBA. And Boston fans, who have plenty of them but none in 20 years, would kill for another championship. Sure, Kevin Garnett is on the other side of 30, has been beat up for over a decade, and is long overdue for his iron-man health to deteriorate, but he is one guy that is absolutely worth it.

You hear about KG's loyalty to Minnesota, and it can't really be comprehended unless you look at his career. He's been in the better conference his entire career, and has NEVER had pieces put around him, save the one season. He's been criticized for not being able to lead his team to the second round many times, but big men can never do that without strong wing players, and the only time he had players like that they ran into Shaq and Kobe. KG is too unselfish a player to average 30ppg, and believe me he is fully capable of scoring on that level. Through all the losing seasons, he never asked out of Minnesota, he honored his contract, and gave 200% every night. The fire and intensity that comes with Kevin Garnett is the stuff of legend, and Bostonians, while clinging whole-heartedly to Al Jefferson, would embrace KG in an entirely different way. And KG would embrace them right back.

This trade would turn the Eastern Conference on it's head, and would also add a little more (and much needed) respectability and star power to the Eastern Conference. Boston would beat the Atlantic Division worse than Arturo Gatti was 2 weeks ago, and I don't see ANY reason why the Celtics would back out of this thing. Let say, hypothetically, that 2 years from now Ray Allen misses 50 games and KG misses 60 and the Celtics finish 35-47 and have no cap room, meanwhile Al Jefferson averaged 20 and 12 in Minnesota and they got the 8th seed in the West; that would be pretty disappointing. But let's say that the disappointing season immediately followed Boston winning their first champioinship in over 20 years, would it have been worth it? Think about that.

Boston should make this move without hesitation. In sports, for both GM's and Owners and fans alike (most of the time at least) a championship is the goal. It's not about being relevant, about developing your young players, protecting your future, or being a playoff contender. It's about championships, period. Kevin Garnett puts you in position right now, not later, not in two years, not in 5 years, but right freakin' now, to win one. He puts you closer to a June parade, to another banner, to glory. Does Boston really want to turn their back on that opportunity? Make it happen Beantown, get ready for the next level.