Celtics fans dream of drafting Kansas center Joel Embiid, Kansas guard Andrew Wiggins, Duke forward Jabari Parker or Kentucky forward Julius Randle in June, but the team's radio voice has a Plan B.

Sean Grande would like to see the Celtics repeat what they did so successfully in the summer of 2007 — package their chips to acquire a proven All-Star. That summer, they traded for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett and won a title the following season. This summer, Grande would like the Celtics to acquire — get ready to be shocked — Carmelo Anthony. Before you throw a fit, there's a method to Grande's madness.

He believes if Anthony came to Boston, the Celtics would be able to persuade Rajon Rondo to sign a contract extension, and then Kevin Love might be interested in joining them when he can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2015.

It's a wild, but intriguing possibility, but it's probably a long shot.

"The Knicks will not do what's logical, but the Knicks must rebuild," Grande said.

The Knicks don't have the players to build around Anthony and they've traded their first-round picks in 2014 and 2016.

The Celtics could include some combination of Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, the expiring contracts of Kris Humphries and Keith Bogans and draft picks to New York in a deal for Anthony, the NBA's second-leading scorer. The Celtics would have to work out a new contract — and it would be an expensive one — with Anthony, who can become a free agent this summer if he doesn't pick up the option on his contract.

The Celtics couldn't sign Anthony as a free agent because they'd go over the salary cap.

"Will this be Phil Jackson's first move," Grande wondered, "trading Carmelo for young players and assets? It's not very sexy, but it's the smart thing to do, and they need to do it."

Trading Al Jefferson and other young, promising players to Minnesota for Garnett wasn't popular at first.

Like Anthony, Garnett had never won anything, but Grande was one of the few media members who approved of the deal at the time. He knew Garnett well from having served as the Timberwolves' TV announcer.

"Everyone was against me then," Grande said, "so when I say Carmelo Anthony, you can better believe that everyone will be against me, but I see Carmelo differently than other people do."

Grande sees acquiring Anthony as a way to lure Love to Boston. Even if Anthony and Love don't end up in Boston, Grande believes the Celtics will try to rebuild around Rondo the same way they rebuilt around Paul Pierce. He thinks Rondo will re-sign with the team.

Grande believes the Celtics could rebuild if they hold onto Sullinger and Olynyk, but he thinks it would take longer, just as it would have taken longer if the Celtics hadn't acquired Garnett in 2007.

"If the Celtics got Kevin Durant in 2007," Grande said, "in 2008 instead of being the best team and one of the best in NBA history, they would have been one of the worst. People don't realize that even if Jabari Parker or Joel Embiid or (Australian point guard) Dante Exum comes walking through that door, we're not going to be better next year because of that."

Teams usually win with experience, not rookies.

Anthony turns 30 in May, so he'll be a year younger than Garnett was when he joined the Celtics.

In his best Lloyd Bentsen impression, Grande said, "I know Kevin Garnett, Kevin Garnett is a friend of mine, and there is no other Kevin Garnett."

But Grande still believes Anthony could win in Boston if he was surrounded by the right players.

If Ainge can't acquire Anthony or another All-Star this offseason, Grande believes he could try again in 2015. Then again, Ainge could decide to keep his chips and continue the rebuilding process with younger players.

"Danny is ready to go in either of those directions in my view," Grande said.

Brad Stevens has impressed Grande with his coaching.

"I don't think there's any doubt," Grande said, "that Danny made the right choice in hiring Brad Stevens."

Last weekend, Grande called Celtics games on radio in Boston Friday and Sunday nights and traveled to Washington Saturday morning to handle the play-by-play on the CBS Sports Network of Holy Cross's 57-48 loss at American in the Patriot League semifinals.

"I was really impressed with coach (Milan) Brown," Grande said, "just the way he carries himself and what he's built here for the next couple of years."

Contact Bill Doyle at wdoyle@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillDoyle15.