End of a (Rather Brief) Era?

Our Celtics were bested 97-87 by the Miami Heat to lose the series and subsequently will be practicing their short game on the links.  And thats more than enough about the game.

Now that our Celtics' season is over, the big storylines are whether or not Doc will return, if KG will return, if Ray will return, if Pierce will return, if Shaq wont disintegrate, and even what will happen with Rondo.  And honestly, a question nobody is asking, why is Danny Ainge still the President of Basketball Operations? Ainge traded away Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to the Oklahoma City Thunder for none other than Nenad Kristic and Jeff Green this year at the trade deadline.  This trade made no sense to Celtics fans and a lot of critics.  While Oklahoma City got the big man that they needed to make a deep run to the playoffs, our Celtics lost our big man and fan favorite.  Our Celtics always had the advantage of size especially between Perkins and Garnett, and in a way Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal.  Without Perkins, we had no center, Kristic is just as much white trash as Brian Scalabrine was outside USC, where Scal averaged 25 points.  Many people claim that this Perkins trade cost us the Miami series.

Our Celtics "Big Three" are getting old and have seemed to maybe run out of gas.  Also the "Big Three" have at most three years on their contracts left.  Ray Allen's contract is up but has a $10 million player option, but he is turning 36 on July 20th.  KG has one year left and turns 35 on Thursday, May 19th.  Pierce has three more years after signing an option this past year and he turns 34 on October 13th.  I would not be surprised if Allen retired this year, but I also wouldnt be surprised if he returned.  KG better return, because without him we will not get a single defensive stop next year.  Pierce will still be called on for the next three years to blow games by doing the same drive + step-back move he always does, right before he misses the game winning/game tying shot.  One helper to Ray and KG spending more time in Boston, is Coach Doc Rivers just signed a 5 year contract extension with the Celtics, despite many rumors saying he was done in Boston.  Rondo has a good amount of years left on his contract and is only 23, and he should be back.

Danny Ainge said that, "he cannot say that the Big Three or Rondo will be back for sure."  This is probably a combination of age, contracts, and anger.  Anger toward Ainge and trading away Perkins has been made evident.  Garnett was apparently crying after he heard about the trade.  There were many comments from the entire Celtics locker room that everything felt different and wrong, and that they had lost a brother in Perkins.  Next year expect to see Doc, Pierce, KG, and Rondo on the sidelines.  Ray Allen, despite a very intriguing player option for $10 million next year, has played enough and finally surpassed Reggie Miller's record, all adding up to his retirement.  It would be very sad news for the NBA, but a good move and a smart move by Ray, who is a family man and would be able to spend time with them. Also expect next year to be KG's last, so good luck to Doc, Pierce, Rondo, and whoever they can find to fill the voids for a few years after that.

Oh, and do expect to hear that Shaquille O'Neal's bones have completely disintegrated and he is now a blob on his massive superman-style bed.