NBA Trade Deadline News: 3 Team Trade & More!

There is always a moment that comes before a change, when the risk/benefit ratio is examined very closely by the deciding parties. But the amount of benefit was greater than the risk. And for the Boston Celtics, this meant a great alteration of appearance over their Playoffs-bound roster.

Celtics Receive: Roy Hibbert (C), Charlie Villanueva (PF)
Pacers Receive: Rodney Stuckey (PG), Ben Wallace (C), Draft Picks
Pistons Receive: Paul Millsap (PF), Derek Fisher (PG)

For the Boston Celtics, it was a difficult choice, even an abrupt one, to let go of recent addition Paul Millsap, who has played well for them since arriving in Beantown, but turned in some mediocre performances. Trading him to Detroit (the main interested party before the move was made) was only attractive because of Indiana's promise of budding big man, Roy Hibbert, in exchange for a more pass-first Point Guard than DJ Augustin and George Hill and some draft picks as the Pacers seek to rebuild. who is still raw but showing promise. Learning a few tricks of the trade from Kevin Garnett should speed up the developmental process.

By acquiring Millsap, Detroit gets back to their chippy roots, since Millsap likes to throw the ball down and play some finesse game, a hybrid quality that was missed in sendoff Villanueva, who reportedly impressed Boston's GM when Detroit pulled a stunner over the Celtics, because Villanueva is a better shooter with more range than Millsap.

The main reason this trade went through is because of the improvement on defense for Boston, adding height and raw physique to their roster by exchanging Hibbert for Millsap. After a crushing defeat to the Lakers, courtesy of Gasol & Bynum, the new twin towers in the City of Angels, the Celtics lack of size in the front court was exposed, especially when the shorter Millsap turned in one of those unpopular disappearing acts.

Recently, the stellar play of Kenyon Martin has helped eclipsed that of Millsap. Resulting from this trade, Boston now has two finesse players in Martin & Villanueva and two teeth-gritting skyscrapers like KG & Hibbert. Maybe one day, Hibbert will learn enough from the veteran to take his place and uphold the torch of titles in Boston.