Boston Celtics: All-time starting lineup of almost acquired stars

Point Guard – Chris Paul

The Boston Celtics almost had the “Point God” Chris Paul in their lineup for the 2011-12 season. If you remember, the C’s owned a 3-2 series lead that year on the Miami Heat. Could Paul have provided the extra nudge necessary to take down his good friends LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in the Eastern Conference Finals?

According to Ray Allen‘s recent book, Paul was close to becoming a member of the Celtics in an exchange that would have sent Rajon Rondo to the then New Orleans Hornets. Ultimately, Doc Rivers decided against it because of his relationship with Hornets coach Monty Williams.

"“In the end, Doc decided he couldn’t do that to their coach, Monty Williams. Doc was a mentor to Monty, having coached him in Orlando,” Allen explained."

Paul went on to revolutionize the pick and roll in the modern era of basketball alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan for the Los Angeles Clippers. Ultimately, the Hornets agreed to the deal because LA’s package was future-centric as opposed to keeping the team competitive. That is why they didn’t agree to the famously vetoed deal that would have put Paul in Lakers purple and gold.

If this deal had gone down, perhaps the championship window of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett‘s teams would have been opened wider and lasted longer. Instead, the Rondo era in Beantown lasted until 2014 before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks after his relationship with the franchise deteriorated.