I've been constantly going back and forth on the Boston Celtics trading for Kevin Garnett.  Listening to talk show hosts, fans and pundits on WEEI and ESPN as well as reading up on everything in the Boston Globe and Boston Herald.  The conclusion I've come to is this: When's the last time you've heard the words Boston Celtics and NBA Finals uttered in the same sentence in late July, early August?

Those thoughts right there are enough to make it worth it.  Sure the Celts are mortgaging the potential future of five players and two first round picks and folks are saying this team will be old and gray in four to five years time.  However do you really want to wait around another four to five years to figure out if Al Jefferson and Gerald Green with an older Paul Pierce can be NBA title contenders?  Because I at least know this now, for the next four to five years the Celts with potentially the best trio in the league in a weak Eastern Conference will be a shoe-in for 50 wins, Atlantic Division titles, Eastern Conference titles and quite possibly an NBA title.  The fact that I can even say that makes this deal worth it.

It is a testament to the ownership who are finally ready to spend what it takes to put a winner out on the floor.  Finally the Celts have brought stars to Boston, stars that want to play in Boston.  With apologies to Antoine Walker, the Celts have been searching for a second star to help Paul Pierce, they've now given him two.  After a huge drought from the Bird, McHale, Parish era, the Celts are back on the map and you can be other players (Chris Webber, Troy Hudson?) have taken notice to the Celts willingess to spend and are going to want to play with guys like Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

All three guys are quality character stars who are hungry for a title.  In fact, if not for a draft day trade between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks, Allen and Garnett may have been teammates.  And one could sense from Pierce's smile at the press conference that he was like a kid on Christmas Day.

What this trade isn't, is a desperation move like signing Dominique Wilkins.  Prematurely dealing Chauncey Billups and Joe Johnson for the likes of marginal players like Kenny Anderson, Rodney Rodgers and Tony Delk.  The years of M.L. Carr, Rick Pitino and Dino Radja are long gone, as are the excuses and curses of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis.

The Celtics have a new trio, (not 'The Big Three') and a ticket that says: Boston Celtics Welcome Back to the NBA.

Kobe Bryant's father's nickname was "jellybean."  So why can't Kobe's nickname be "beantown?"  I know a Los Angeles Laker being traded to the Boston Celtics doesn't make much sense but the again neither did Celtic fans chanting MVP, MVP for Kobe this past February at Boston Garden.

When Kobe came into Boston and poured 43 points on the Celts, the crowd went wild and Bryant for his part was most appreciative.  The Celtics are at a pivotal moment in the franchise's history and are in dire need of a franchise player who is still in his prime.  Why not take a shot, what do you have to lose?

Besides the Boston fans would love the move as a comittment to winning again.  They've already lost out on the opportunity at a potential franchise player in Greg Oden or Kevin Durant.  And later next week might again be reminded for the 4th time how much it stung to miss out on Tim Duncan in the draft lottery ten years ago.

It's much easier to win in the Eastern Conference, which would be attractive to Bryant.  He could be the man in resurrecting title town of the NBA.  With the Detroit Pistons no longer invincible and the Cleveland Cavaliers made it on the back of LeBron James.  Imagine what the Celtics could do with Bryant teaming up with Paul Pierce?

Pierce could be Bryant's Pippen in a way Lamar Odom never could.  If there were to be a deal the Celtics have many chips including the 5th overall pick, Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Delonte West, Ryan Gomes etc.  Even if the Celts traded Pierce who grew up a Lakers fan in California and the 5th overall for Bryant, they could still build their young nucleus around Bryant. 

The Celtics wisely passed up Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett and while it's probably a pipe dream at best, the should try to strike while the iron is hot.  Go get Kobe Bryant and team him up with Paul Pierce and make the Boston Celtics matter again!