Celtics GM Danny Ainge spoke with the media today.

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Danny Ainge spoke to the media today, and had some very interesting things to say about Tony Allen, the free agent market, and the Miami Heat. Read more »

Over the past day or so, the free agent market has dwindled considerably with signing after signing . Luckily, I’m here to straighten out where everybody is headed next season for you. And, if by some crazy mishap I overlook any signings, please let me know in the comments section and I will update the post. Read more »

"I'm looking at you, Boston."

Jermaine O’Neal has listed the Boston Celtics as one of the favorites to sign him this offseason, according to Mark Stein of ESPN.

Free-agent center Jermaine O’Neal said Wednesday that he expects to sign with one of the three following teams in coming days: Dallas, Denver or Boston.

“Those are my favorites,” O’Neal told ESPN.com “Those are teams that are going to compete [for a championship] next year.”

O’Neal said he’s still deliberating between the three teams — all believed to be offering a portion of the mid-level exception to sign him — and called the decision perhaps “the most important of my career because I know this is kind of my last run at it” in terms of title-chasing.

O’Neal’s interest in Boston–for only a portion of the mid-level exception– is great news for the Celtics and their fans. Because Boston is over the salary cap, they can only sign free agents (exluding their own) with their mid-level exception, or with minimum contracts. If O’Neal is willing to take less than the full mid-level exception, it would allow the Celtics to use the rest of the MLE on another free agent. Other potential big men the Celtics have showed interest in–Brad Miller, Shaquille O’Neal– would likely require th full MLE to sign.

O”Neal is an unrestricted free agent who started at center for the Miami Heat this past season, averaging 13.6 ppg and 6.9 rpg. O’Neal would provide much needed frontcourt depth for the Celtics who will likely be without starting center Kendrick Perkins until December because of a torn ACL and also lost backup center Rasheed Wallace to retirement.

Rondo fouling Brad MIller hard

The Celtics have targeted Brad Miller as their top free agent, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

With the recent retirement of Rasheed Wallace, and the season-ending MCL and PCL tear of starting center Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics will need a forward/center to fill in. Miller is a tough defender and cerebral offensive player with 11 seasons of NBA experience.

Ironically, Miller was the Boston Celtics’ and  its fans’ arch-enemy in the 2009 NBA playoffs. In last season’s seven game series, Rajon Rondo close-lined Brad Miller on a late-game shot, which infused animosity between Miller and the Celtics–animosity Miller thrived on.