Floating in limbo, waiting for the Celtics offseason to really get started

Boy are we spoiled. Ever since Kevin Garnett arrived in town, there hasn't been a lot of waiting around time between the end of our playoff run and the beginning of the offseason. Some years we barely had time to digest the Finals before the draft was knocking on the door.

This year, we've got quite a bit of time to wait before the draft begins. In fact, we're out of the playoffs before the lottery order has even been set. That's kind of humbling and frustrating. Even more frustrating because we seem to have a lot of big time decisions that have to be made this offseason and nobody seems to be in any hurry to make them.

Don't get me wrong. That is, of course, the wise and correct way to go about it. And I suppose that I should sit back and enjoy the ride because we've got a long offseason ahead. Still, I have to admit, the wait is driving me a little bit bonkers.

I'm kind of a "rip the band aid off" kind of guy, so if I have to say a tearful goodbye to Paul and Kevin, I'm ready to do so. Just don't draw it out over months (though you could argue that it has already been drawn out for 3 years and counting). I suppose that is one big reason why I'm not as excited about "running it back" as some people are.

Sure, we could bring Pierce and KG back for next year just by doing nothing. But that doesn't guarantee that they'll play out their final days in Celtic green and have a tearful ceremony at the end of the year. No, it merely kicks the can down the road another several months so that we can go through another trade deadline full of rumors and trade ideas.

Running it back might very well be the best course of action - especially if there aren't any trades that make sense. That's what it pretty much boils down to at this point. I don't buy that the Celtics will waive or buy out or amnesty Pierce. So as Flannery and others have pointed out, that means he'll either play of the Celtics next year or get traded somewhere. Finding a perfect fit for an aging superstar (as we've found out for the last 2 years) can be problematic.

We fans can get creative and propose ideas on the trade forums like I did here, here, and here. But it is all just wild speculation at this point. I don't have any inside sources because that's not all that important to me (not worth the stress). So I'm just passing the time playing armchair GM (which is humbling considering that a guy younger than I am is now the GM of the Phoenix Suns). It almost makes me hope that someone like Stephen A. Smith comes up with another off the wall rumor that we can make fun of. Almost.

Regardless, I suppose we should soak in these days. It might be the quiet before the storm or it might just be another day. But stressing over a decision that I have no part of really isn't going to help anyone.

Today Paul Pierce is still a Celtic and that's a good thing for the moment. Rondo and Sullinger are healing up and rehabbing - getting stronger by the day. The draft is coming up (eventually) and that will be a chance to meet at least one new Celtic to obsess over. Jeff Green's popularity is at an all time high and Avery Bradley at least finished on a high note.

We know that Ainge will look under every rock, knock on every door, and speed dial every GM every 5 minutes looking for a way to make the Celtics better. He may end up doing nothing, but it won't be for lack of trying.

All we can do is sit back and wait, and discuss, and speculate, and wait some more.