During the summer and fall of 1990, Jane Walker, the general manager of the Boston Celtics, was deep in a quagmire.
Four seasons had passed since they entered the NBA Finals in 1986, and in just four years, the green empire was visibly crumbling.
At the end of the 1986 season, they clearly had the league's most luxurious roster of five All-Stars, all in their prime.
Yet, in the following four seasons, the Celtics gained nothing, not even an Eastern championship, let alone a league title.
Marques Johnson, who they acquired by trading away their number two draft pick of '86, faded from the professional basketball world after his son's tragic drowning, leaving behind only a season and a half of impact with the Celtics.
Larry Bird, plagued by back injuries, could no longer play at an MVP level—although he still remained one of the best small forwards in the league.
