This operating catch phrase for the 06-07 Boston Celtic s is ?separation.? That is what Danny Ainge is looking for among his young players. The Celtics have only two veterans on the team who are starting caliber players, Pierce and Szczerbiak. And none of the other three veterans, Ratliff, Scalabrine or Olowokandi, would get rotation time on a legitimate contender.

So the team is young, absurdly young. Ten of the team?s 15 players under contract are 24 or younger, hence making the Cs one of the youngest teams in league history. Most if not all of these ten players will have solid 10 year careers in the NBA. The question is whether they will be stars, starters, or journeymen. With Paul and Wally injured, the team put on the floor is arguably as young as any in the history of the NBA. Seriously young, and also with talent. As Danny likes to say, this means the team must be patient. Lack of patience with struggling kids sent Chauncey Billups and Joe Johnson packing, and the Cs having nothing to show for it.

The flip side of patience is separation. This year and next year the Cs need to have some of these kids assert themselves, and show just how good they can become. They have to step out form the pack. The key to the Ainge era will be that taking place. It is beginning this year, but will take at least another year or two. Conversely, some of these kids will fall by the wayside or be sent packing. This is the most important story line of this season.

So where do the kids stand on Christmas Day, 2006? A brief assessment: Here they are, in rank order.

1. BIG AL JEFFERSON??.age 21, 3rd season??The return of Big Al is the most important story of the year. After grappling with injuries the first two years of his career, Al is healthy. He has become a lovely scorer in the low-post, a top-notch rebounder, and an improving defender. It is not ridiculous to see Big Al as a 20-10 guy, because that is pretty much what he has been averaging the past three weeks. He has separated the most, and is going to be a superb power forward in the NBA for a long time, if he stays healthy. His emergence has been the most important development for the Cs this season. He is not far from being an all-star caliber player. And he is only 21.

2. GERALD GREEN??..age 20, 2nd season??.The question with Gerald was never talent, it was focus. He seems to have it. He works hard and plays with competitive fire. We will learn a great deal over the next two weeks as Gerald gets a lot of Paul?s minutes. He is a legitimate starter, a possible all-star. He has extraordinary talent. The jury is more out on Gerald than Big Al, but right now he looks to be in the midst of seriously separating himself along with Big Al from the next seven guys. The future of this team, right now, looks like a Pierce--Big Al--GG troika for the next three years.

3. TONY ALLEN??.age 24, 3rd season??..Who?d have thunk it? Eight weeks ago Allen would have been at the bottom of this list, and the most likely to be thrown under the bus. Now that he has come back and gotten minutes we see why he was considered out best kid in his rookie season: he plays D, he makes things happen, he has reminded us of what he can do. He will never be an all-star, but he is a good complementary starter. Tony?s limitations are his lack of focus. For every remarkable gutsy and athletic play he makes there seems to be a bone-headed play. How much he reduces the bone-headed plays will determine just how successful his career will be. But right now he is a classic case of proving Ainge?s point: be patient. When these guys get significant minutes they will have a chance to show what they can do. Tony has thrived as a starter.

4. DELONTE WEST??age 23, 3rd season??.His shooting percentage is down, and he will never be an all-star. He is not an especially good scorer. It is unclear, at 6-1? in his bare feet, whether he can play the 2, and he is not necessarily a 1. But he plays with brains and heart. He will never get any higher on this list because there are guys who may have more talent below him, but he is exactly the sort of glue player teams need to win. Good things can happen when he is on the floor. He is a keeper.

5. RYAN GOMES???age 24, 2nd season??.Very similar to West, in that he is a heady, complementary player who doesn?t really have a position. Gomes stands 6-6? in his bare feet and has no vertical game to speak of, so he has real limitations as a 4. But he has a nice shot and does not make bonehead plays. I wish he could ramp up the rebounding a tad. He has established himself as a rotation swing forward in the NBA for many years. It remains to be seen if he will separate enough to become a quality starter or if he will be a scrappy journeyman. Right now I would bet on the latter.

6. KENDRICK PERKINS??.age 22, 4th season??.Ok, I admit it, I love this guy. I have a soft spot for guys who rebound, block shots and play hard. It is still unclear if he will ever develop much of an offensive game, or if he will ever be a starting caliber center in the NBA. He has shown signs of a shootings touch and nice passing skills. And big men who play with passion tend to improve. Right now it is on the fence whether he is a legitimate starter or a solid rotation big. But he is going to be in the league for another decade. I wouldn?t mind seeing him paired with Big Al during the remainder of the season. Let?s see what happens when Al has some muscle covering his backside.

7. SEBASTIAN TELFAIR??.age 21, 3rd season??..He is in a slump, and has fallen down the list, but we should be patient. Recall that at the beginning of the season, Pierce identified Telfair (along with Green and Rondo) as one of the guys with the best bet at becoming a superstar. He is a much better shooter than advertised, but he is now in a shooting slump. But he is hardly the Steve Nash playmaker or the Sherm Douglas penetrator we had been led to expect. His playmaking so far is journeyman caliber, not all-star. But he is 21 and patience is more important at the point than any other position. We need to give Telfair a lot of rope. At the same time, it is painful when his playmaking and shooting are sub-par, because he gets abused at the defensive end by any point guard over 6-2.

8. RAJON RONDO???.age 20, 1st season???In the pre-season he looked like a potential superstar. Now he can?t crack the rotation. Moral of the story here is the same as above: be very extremely patient. Rondo has rare talent. He simply needs playing time, lots of it, to get comfortable on the floor. Like Tony Allen, getting three minute shifts every second game are basically worthless for his development. He needs big chunks of time. Unless there is an injury to West or Telfair it is hard to see where he gets those minutes this year. So the jury is way out on this guy. But he is the best bet of the players ranked no. 3-10 on this list, to jump to the first tier with Big Al and Green. And if Rondo does do that, the Danny Ainge era will be a success.

9. LEON POWE???..age 22, 1st season??..Another favorite of mine. He is a legit 6-7 power forward who can rebound, block shots and score. A pretty impressive athlete, too. I guess two bad knee injuries are what let him fall deep into the 2nd round of the draft, but I?ve seen no indication of aftereffects. I really like what he has shown in limited minutes and would like to see more. He is not Brandon Hunter.  But the jury is way way out on this guy, and once Perk returns it is hard to see where he gets any minutes this year. Like Rondo, he may have to wait to next year to make a claim to rotation minutes. His best hope may be to see a deal that clears space on the roster and open up a place for him in the rotation. But, having said this, as easily as I can see him becoming a quality player, he could also have a short career and end up in Europe or the Philippines.

10. ALLEN RAY???..age 22, 1st season???He is a super-longshot, a 6-1 shooting guard. He is a good athlete and apparently works his tail off. It is hard to see where he possibly can get any minutes on this roster. If he makes it as a legit player, and remains the last player on the=is list, then the Cs are pointing to 17.