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Celtics' offseason needs
April 24, 2002

Pierce
The team's first playoff appearance in seven years has convinced the Celtics that building around power forward Antoine Walker and swingman Paul Pierce was the right thing to do. As recently as the middle of last season, when former coach Rick Pitino left the team and was replaced by Jim O'Brien, that nucleus still was a question mark. 

Walker
Still, the Walker-Pierce combination probably isn't enough to get the team to the Finals. To become a true title contender, the Celtics must upgrade the talent at point guard and center and maintain the solid group of role players they have assembled. 

Anderson
Given that this year's draft is expected to be deep in point guards, the team might have a chance at finding an eventual replacement for starting point guard Kenny Anderson. Anderson's eight-year, $50.6 million contract finally expires at the end of next season, and he never has fit in naturally as a third scoring option or a leader in the Boston offense. 

Rogers
The team also has two key free agents it would like to re-sign to maintain the bench strength it built up when it traded for small forward Rodney Rogers and shooting guard Tony Delk in February. Rogers and backup point guard Erick Strickland helped give Boston one of the better benches in the Eastern  Conference late in the season, and Boston would be foolish to let either player go.