Which Danny Ainge will we see?

We're just minutes away from the start of free agency and after a tremendously uneventful draft night the fans of the Boston Celtics have to be asking themselves one simple question. Which Danny Ainge are we going to see this off season.? Are we going to see Trader Danny from two years ago who proactively pursued Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett and did everything aggressively in ensuring they would be a part of the 2007-08 Boston Celtics? Or are we going to see the Get It Done On The Cheap Danny of last year who was very reactive and passively waited for the James Posey negotiations to unfurl while free agent after afree agent of any quality went elsewhere?

Passive or aggressive? Proactive or reactive? Get it done or wait and see what shakes out? What's it going to be?

Me? I'm hopeful that Gary Tanguay knows what he is talking about as he just said on CSN that Rasheed Wallace is coming to visit the Celtics either tomorrow or the day after and that he is bringing his family. Bringing the family is huge as it might mean house hunting, neighborhood hunting, school hunting, getting to know the city and stuff like that. Of course they could also just be coming to stay for the Fourth of July fireworks on the Esplanade.

I'm hopeful for the aggressive Danny Ainge. I want Danny to have definitive ideas about what needs to be done and I want him to do them. if it means signing big names fast, do it. If it means trading a starter to enhance the team as a whole, do it. If it means cutting ties with some youngsters, do it. And do it at you time and bidding and don't wait on the other balls to drop to see if you can save a couple million. It's just not worth it.

I will say that Danny worried me some with his comment about the different types of free agents, those being July 1st free agents, August 1st free agents and August 15th free agents. As much as I understand the need to save cash, I think that this season, this deep into the Big Three window, it is penny wise and pound foolish to allow the market to manipulate you and not have you manipulate the market. Don't purposely await the August 15th guys looking for bargains because the bargain you might get is an earlier exit from the playoffs than you originally had planned.

Does that mean Danny should go nuts and give the guys he wants whatever they want so that he can win next year and hell be damned if it kills us for the next 4 years after that because we got a championship? As much as I might be tempted to so yes, I'm pretty sure the answer is no. No don't mortgage the next 10 years for another banner but I say that only because with the talent currently on this team, I don't think you have to overspend for years to win it all in just the next year.

But make sure you do get what you want Danny and do so with a purpose. Play the game Danny, don't let it play you. Get your guys that mean a lot to you early and then save money on the further back positions of your roster. get Wallace and Hill early and then let the trees shake loose the guy or guys that will be willing to take less.Just please, I beg you, don't sit back and wait for the prices to fall and outsmart yourself because even the most intelligent of people are stupid enough to outsmart themselves. If your recent history has taught you anything it's to go get your needs and do it within your plan and do it fast.  This year it is really the way you need to go. That is, if you have learned from your two previous seasons.