Of the two major deals the Celtics explored before the trade deadline, general manager Chris Wallace made the right choice in engineering the five-player exchange with Phoenix. By acquiring Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk from the Suns for Joe Johnson, Milt Palacio, Randy Brown and a first-round pick, Wallace improved his team without disrupting its core.

Had they acquired Nick Van Exel from Denver, the Celtics would likely have dealt Johnson and Kenny Anderson among others. It's always a risky proposition at this stage of the season to deal away a starter, while acclimating a new one. With the Phoenix deal, Anderson stays aboard and the Celtics' starting lineup remains in tact. Meanwhile, Delk and Rogers, two capable scorers who will help take the heat off Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce, get to work their way into the mix with the second unit. That's a good setup.