Point men

Maybe it’s because tomorrow is Opening Day (spring, optimism, all that crap), but I’m really not upset that the Celtics will miss the playoffs this year. And that’s because I’m already picturing how good the 2006-’07 Celtics can be.

There are three ways this Celtics team can make changes for next year: through the draft, through free agency, and through player development. It’s that last one that gets me most excited, because it requires no personnel changes on a team already filled with young talent. The bulk of Boston’s success next year will most definitely be determined by the play of D-West, Perk, Al, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes and Tony Allen. If those guys are good, the Celtics will be good.

Rather than do a sweeping analysis of every offseason possibility, I’ve decided to break it down by position, starting at point guard. I’ll give my thoughts on each of the other four positions in the coming days.

Player development:

The Celtics have their point guard of the future in Delonte West, who I think has more upside than all but one other player on this team (Gerald Green has nowhere to go but up, and all indications point to him becoming a dominant player within 3-4 years).

To put it in the simplest of terms, Delonte is a basketball player. He’s an above average shooter for a point guard, is an exceptional passer, and has the size and quickness to become a great NBA defender.

Delonte West will run the show for the Celtics next year. (AP)

Delonte doesn’t do anything fancy. He doesn’t blow people away with killer speed, and he rarely puts more than 20 points up on the scoreboard. But it’s the fact that he can do everything pretty well, not one thing spectacularly, that makes him so tough to defend. There’s no doubt that this is Delonte’s team next year.

The two other point guards already on the team for next year are Orien Greene and Dan Dickau. Green was a late draft pick, and Dickau was one of Danny Ainge’s free-agent failures. Neither player should figure prominently into the team’s plans next season.

Draft:

There are several point guards, most notably UConn’s Marcus Williams and Villanova’s Randy Foye, who figure to be available late in the lottery when the Celtics should pick. Both are talented players (Williams is the better passer, Foye is the better scorer). Either would serve as a decent backup to West (I would prefer Williams), but the Celtics can’t afford to groom another young point guard for 2-3 years while Paul Pierce is in his prime.

Free agents:

The best option for the Celtics at backup point guard would be a veteran free agent. Speedy Claxton, 27, comes to mind as the perfect change of pace to West. An unrestricted free agent after the season, Claxton is more of a drive-and-dish player (think Marcus Banks with much more consistency and much less baggage) who can change the pace of a game with his defense.

Another unrestricted free agent who would be a good fit is Bobby Jackson, who, at 32, can still fill up a stat sheet. Jackson is an injury risk, however, and it’s not clear whether he would welcome a move to the Eastern Conference. Sam Cassell and Mike James are also free agents after this season, but they may be too high profile for what the Celtics are looking for.

Have an idea about the Celtics point guard situation for next season? Let us know what you think.