My Free Agent Wish List

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

Who says Christmas comes only once a year? Despite it being the tail end of June and officially summer, with moratorium set to begin tomorrow, I can't help but feel like we're in the midst of those ever important weeks before Christmas, when you're dragging your completely suspecting parents through the toy stores, ferociously jabbing at all of the action figures, video games and LEGOS you just can no longer live without.

We've all made a Christmas list before, and if you have not, I apologize for you missing out on your childhood. Well, this list might not be Star Wars or Super Mario, but it deals in something absolutely superior: free agents. While I might have tossed some names at you before, here is my official list of the free agents I would love to see the Celtics make a run at. Let's step into Free Agents "R" Us:

1) Antonio McDyess - McDyess sits atop this list ONLY if it is crystal clear that Glen Davis will not return next season. If the Celtics bring back Davis, there is next to no point in attempting to sign McDyess. Why? Because then the Celtics will be left with three power forwards who are all capable of scoring inside, but, for whatever reason, prefer to hang out 15 feet from the rim and throw up jump shots. Two per roster is quite enough. If the Celtics and Davis cannot come to terms, where's the harm in signing a guy who's been playing Davis's game better than Davis himself for 13 NBA seasons?

2) Grant Hill - Many a fan trashed Hill's name when he was first mentioned as a possible backup to one Paul Pierce. For whatever reason, the majority of those who voice their opinions as fans do not seem to appreciate what Hill brings to the table. By all means, if you naysayers have someone better in mind, please speak up (and he has to be willing to accept the mid-level exception or less). Remember, we're looking for quality, because finding a suitable backup for Pierce remains one of the Celtics' top priorities this offseason. Long gone are the days when we can afford Pierce to play 40 minutes for 82 straight games when our focus lies squarely on the postseason.

3) Tyronn Lue - Much like Mr. McDyess, I would only like to see the Celtics pursue this classy backup point guard if another could-be former Celtic is completely out of the question: Stephon Marbury. I'm a firm believer in the theory that a summer of legitimate basketball, tied in with a full length training camp, could mean a world of difference for Marbury (and an improved Stephon Marbury means an improved Eddie House). But if the fates do not have the formerly disgruntled guard in our future, Lue is arguably the best backup point guard available. Remember, we don't necessarily need an All-Star filling these slots. We just need quality talent, and Lue fits such a description.

4) Chris Andersen - I'd be flat out shocked if he elected to leave Denver at this point, but I'd find myself getting over that surprise quite quickly if there was even the most remote possibility that Andersen could wind up in Boston. Who wouldn't love a high energy, explosive inside presence, who will be adored by the fans more than the thought of their own faces on the jumbotron?

5) Rasho Nesterovic - If Andersen cannot be had, bring in this seven-foot, 255 pound mammoth of a man. Nesterovic might never "wow" you with his low post game, but he'll put the ball in the basket nonetheless, gobble up enough rebounds to hold off the critics, block a shot or two and won't talk smack in the locker room. As a backup to Kendrick Perkins, you've gotta love him.

6) Matt Barnes - I feel as if two things could happen for Barnes this summer: He either breaks bank in the first day or two of free agency, or he drifts along until late July or early August, before settling for a more reasonable dollar amount. At 6-7, Barnes has the potential to be another suitable backup to Pierce, possibly instead of his teammate from last year, Hill. Barnes can score inside and out, will bang inside for rebounds and can dish the ball once in a tight spot. He's the "total package" role player that many a team would be fortunate to have.

7) Brevin Knight - Quicker than Lue, but carries a subpar jump shot, Knight might be a better fit than Lue for Eddie House in particular, specifically because of the quickness advantage he possesses over Lue. He's much better suited for the "drive and dish" game that Marbury and House played so well towards the tail end of last season, but he might not come as cheap as some other names on this list.

Seeing as the economy won't be cooperating any time soon, I shan't get too greedy and list names like Ben Gordon and Hedo Turkoglu. We most likely cannot afford names like those, nor would we have space for them in the final two minutes of a tight ball game. We're not the Portland Trailblazers after all and we have all the clutch star power needed in our starting lineup.

But if two or maybe even three of these names could be added to the roster (and that includes Davis and Marbury), I would be very excited about waking up Christmas morni-er-next season.

Stay Tuned.

Some Interesting Notes to Digest from ESPN

(Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand)

By: Greg Payne

I just happened to catch a few of SportsCenter's opening segments, two of which dealt specifically with NBA free agency.

As you might have read/watched/heard, Gary Tanguay expressed his optimism in a Rasheed Wallace-Celtics reunion this summer, but Chris Broussard (who I trust much, much more in these scenarios, especially considering Tanguay never cited any sources) seemed almost certain that Wallace would end up with San Antonio.

Secondly, Broussard also reported that if the Rockets don't make a qualifying offer to Ron Artest (which they should, considering the news of Yao Ming's severe foot troubles), he would be practically forced to accept a full mid-level exception at around 5.6 million dollars. He cited Cleveland as the primary candidate to sign Artest if Houston does not, but what's the difference between 5.6 million in Cleveland and 5.6 million in Boston?

Stay Tuned.

Eddie House Will Stay In Boston

From the Globe:

Guard Eddie House has decided to stay with the Celtics next season, his agent, Mark Bartelstein said this afternoon. House, who will earn $2.86 million on the second year of a two-year deal, could have declared himself a free agent tomorrow.

Make Your Case For Your Favorite Young Gun

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

With moratorium set to take off on Wednesday, I figured we could have a little bit of fun for one last night before the really juicy stuff gets going this offseason. If you thought you dealt with rumors before, just wait for this Wednesday through next Wednesday.

So, with that in mind, Comcast SportsNet has conveniently compiled a list of New England athletes from all of the professional teams, deemed the "Top 20 Under 25". Basically, the list takes a look at the promising young talent of the four major sports teams in New England.

I'm proud to say the Celtics had some nice representation on the list in the forms of Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis and Bill Walker.

So how would you rank these four players? The obvious answer might be...

1) Rajon Rondo
2) Kendrick Perkins
3) Glen Davis
4) Bill Walker

...but I encourage those of who who are sincere fans of the bottom three to make your personal cases for each and every one of them.

For example, I could say: Well, Glen Davis clearly benefited from Kevin Garnett suffering his right knee injury. If Garnett hadn't gone down, there's now way we'd be regarding Davis so highly right now. Now, if Pierce had gone down, it seems very reasonable that Walker would have stepped in for him and then we would have had an ample opportunity to see what the kid's got.

I don't care how many flashes of pure basketball brilliance Walker showed us in his selective stints on the court last season, there was no possible way he'd receive minutes over a healthy Pierce. Forget about it.

And you could also say something like: Well, as great as Rondo is, Kendrick Perkins had to go up against the NBA's premiere center in the second round of the postseason, and look what he did to Dwight Howard. Not just anyone could do that. And look what happened when Rondo met Derrick Rose! I can clearly remember Rose exploding for 36 points and 11 assists in his very first playoff game with Rondo guarding him.

Feel free to state your cases in the comments section. Keep it clean, but don't back down, either.

Stay Tuned.

Davis to Receive Qualifying Offer

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge confirmed Monday the team will make a qualifying offer to forward Glen Davis.

And free agent guard Stephon Marbury said he would like to re-sign with the Celtics if he is offered a fair deal. Marbury will be an unrestricted free agent beginning Wednesday and is excited about the possibility of making a title run again next season.

‘‘I’m not trying to get a bunch of money,’’ Marbury said. ‘‘I know Boston doesn’t have a bunch of money. I’m not seeking out teams with more money. I want to play for a championship-contending team. I can’t play for a young team that’s not in a position to compete for a championship.

Rumor: Sheed On His Way In?

According to CelticsBlog, Gary Tanguay of CSN just reported the following:

It looks like he'll be a member of the Celtics...I'll leave it at that.

Contract negotiations cannot begin until Wednesday, but I'm sure text messages from Kevin Garnett and co. aren't considered illegal.

More on this as information becomes available.

Update: Apparently that was just Tanguay's personal "gut feeling", rather than a legitimate rumor. Oh well, so much for that. For now.

Stay Tuned.

I Start Work Today

I do need to say that I start my summer day job today and will be working 8:30am to 3:30pm five days a week from here on out. Unfortunately running this blog pays next to nothing, and seeing as I'm a poor college student, I need to take the money where I can get it. But don't worry, I still have you covered.

Thanks to the beauty of technology, if any breaking news happens, please continue to check out Celtics Circuit, but if it's between the aforementioned hours, simply look over at the Boston Globe widget on the right hand side, which will be much closer to the top of the page, starting tomorrow. Their running blog will have all of the breaking news as soon as it happens, so you can still use Celtics Circuit as a reliable source for the good stuff.

I'll elaborate more on this later.

Have a great day and stay tuned.

Are We Completely Sold on Glen Davis?

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

Maybe I'm just trying to direct the focus away from Rajon Rondo for the first time in what seems like months. Perhaps I'm just in a Glen Davis-type of mood lately. Or maybe, I'm not entirely convinced that he's the player we need to sign in order to win a championship next season.

Call me a pundit, a blogger, a reporter or whatever, but it's essentially my job to raise these questions and answer them in my own way as best I can. The more I thought about this one earlier, the more I began to question it.

Is Glen Davis the ideal free agent for the Boston Celtics? Is he the guy we really, really want? Is he worth us shelling out a hefty portion of our mid-level exception in order to re-obtain his services?

Let's try and look into the future a little bit here. If we do sign Davis, he will, without a doubt, be pushed back to the pine next season. While we wouldn't consider it a demotion, simply because of Kevin Garnett's return to health and the starting lineup, would we consider it the best place for Davis?

Was the "Ticket Stub" that we saw in this most recent postseason (the one who averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds, while consistently knocking down his 15-foot jump shot, including one of the buzzer beating variety) the real Glen Davis? Or was it an average NBA player thrust into a starting lineup of superior talent, whose game was subsequently raised because of the strength of his court mates, rather than his own innate ability?

When he finds his minutes slashed and his opportunities cut short, how plentiful will his production be? Surely we can't expect 15 points per game from him, but will he fade into obscurity as a result of this shift?

While it could ultimately depend on the strength of his bench mates around him, it would appear that Davis would have to act as something of a rock for the second unit. Surely, when in need of offense, they would have to look his way, right? At least try and run his classic pick-and-pop play in an attempt to free him up 15 feet away from the rim?

While I can't speak for opposing coaches and their defensive schemes or principles, wouldn't it be fairly easy to devise a scheme that combats Davis's pick-and-pop play? And if you take away a guy's bread and butter, what does he have left? Sure, Davis will bang inside for the occasional layup or up and under move, but that jumper is what he covets. It's what he's worked so hard for, no?

Will Davis simply have to refine his game? Instead of being a classic "impact" player, he might need to transform into a classic "scrappy/energy" player, while scoring most of his points on putbacks and free throws, resulting from the fouls he would have to draw from the offensive rebounds he would be securing.

And what if things don't go so well for Davis off the bat? What if he rejoins the Celtics, without signing a whopping contract and ends up a shade of the player we all witnessed last postseason? Wouldn't we all be disappointed? And wouldn't Davis be left sitting there, not thinking about that night's opponent, but rather the contract he didn't sign with that Other Team - the one he'd be starting for right now and making five or six million dollars? Isn't that only human nature? And doesn't Davis exemplify human nature better than most? How would a third-year player, who had an opportunity to sign his first significant contract feel if he missed out on all that money and ended up playing poorly for the team he did sign with for considerably less?

I suppose now we're at that point where we stop rooting for the guy because he's no longer that innocent rookie or second year player, comfortably under contract. Because two years ago we always pumped our fists when Davis put in a bucket and we were generally excited when he entered game because we loved all our young guys getting opportunities to strut their stuff with the big boys.

But now that Davis has something of a chance to rob the Celtics, we aren't necessarily so supportive. Because if we sign him now, we expect him to make a sincere difference. It can no longer be, "Let's see if Glen Davis gets in the game tonight!", but it must rather be, "Wow, Glen Davis had another great game last night!" at the water cooler the next morning. Is one post season with four very good players beside him enough to prove his worth? Or do the question marks still envelope him?

Only time will tell. But is it time the Celtics can afford to spend finding out?

Stay Tuned.

A Glen Davis Departure Could Break A Child's Heart

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

Alright, time for some role play. You've got two options: You can take the form of the father in this scenario or you can take the form of his young son, who's Glen Davis's biggest fan. The following comments from Davis appeared in today's Globe, and, while not surprising, they did shed light on the his future in green, which could very well be decided in the coming week.

“I’m eager and kind of curious,’’ said Davis. “I don’t know where I’m going to be. I like security. Not knowing where I’m going to be is scary. But at the end of the day, I’m in a good position where I’m going to make more money.

“I’ll be very excited to come back to the Celtics or go to a team where I might start. Wherever I’m at, I’ll be happy.’’

"I'm in a good position where I'm going to make more money." That was a beauty. Keep that one in mind.

So, it's opening night of the 2009-2010 NBA Season, and this father and son duo have terrific loge seats just to the right of center court, about twelve rows up, directly across from the players' bench, which the father shelled out nearly $500 dollars in order to obtain.

So the game tips off, and by the end of the first quarter, the Celtics are leading the Toronto Raptors 32-18. All is well, right? Well, in the back of the father's mind, something's nagging at him, and he's merely hoping his young son won't notice. But then, with 10:47 left in the second quarter, his son drops the bombshell.

SON: Dad, where's Mr. Davis?

It was the one question he was hoping to avoid. It was the one thought that would put a damper on the entire night. He was sincerely hoping his son would just forget about Davis and accept Kevin Garnett as a suitable replacement (I bet you never thought anyone would ever type that!), but no. So what now? Does he tell his son the truth? Does he lie? Does he try and cover for Davis in order not to crush his son? Does he wait until after the game? Yeah, waiting until after the game sounds good.

FATHER: Oh, he sprained his ankle in practice yesterday, buddy, so he's not going to play tonight. But look at Kevin Garnett! Watch this!

Kevin Garnett catches an alley-oop pass from Rajon Rondo solely with his right hand and slams it home in Chris Bosh's face, causing his finger bands to explode from his digits.

SON: Wooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww.

The father smiles to himself, hopeful that that very play could begin the cycle. He would need to wean his son off of Glen Davis, and he would need many more monster plays like that one from Garnett.

The game ends in a 109-84 bashing, but not before Garnett threw down two more slams and ferociously swatted three of Bosh's attempts. The father and son walk back to their car, with the son excitedly jumping up in the air, pretending to slam an imaginary ball through an imaginary hoop.

SON: Look dad! I'm Mr. Garnett!

Success!? Was this game all it took? The father finds out the answer as the pair pulls out of the garage.

SON: That Mr. Garnett was great, dad! But I can't wait to see Mr. Davis play again!

The father curses slightly to himself. He has to break the news to him now. He has to.

FATHER: Son, Glen Davis won't be playing for the Celtics this season.

SON (with the smile slowly fading from his face): Why not, dad?

FATHER: Well, it's kind of difficult for you to understand, but players don't always stay with the same team forever.

SON (in denial): But why'd he leave? Mr. Davis was sooooo great! Remember when he hit that jump shot at the buzzer? Remember that, dad? Even mom was jumping up and down!

FATHER: Well, son, I know to you basketball is a game, but in the big leagues, like the game we just watched, it's also a business. And those players make a ton of money. And sometimes, that money gets in the way of things...

SON: So the Celtics didn't pay him enough money then?

FATHER: Well, it's more like another team just paid him more. The Celtics thought that team's offer was too high. They thought Davis wouldn't have been worth THAT much money.

SON: But we're going to win the championship, dad! The championship! Remember two years ago?! You remember it better than I do, but it was soooo exciting, dad! Even mom was jumping up and down! Why wouldn't Mr. Davis just take less money and come back and help us win the championship?

FATHER: I guess sometimes money is more important to a professional athlete than winning is.

SON: That's silly. Then why do they always talk about how much they want to win? Why don't they just come out and say they want to get paid a buncha money?

FATHER: Because it makes them look bad, son. An athlete's image is sometimes even more important than money.

SON: So this whole time, he never really cared about us? He just cared about money?

FATHER: Well I think he really cared at first. But when it came time to make money again he just cared about that more...

SON (crestfallen): Oh...

Here's hoping no father and son actually have to have such a conversation at the start of next season.

Stay Tuned.

Don't Tell Anyone...But the Celtics Are Flying Under the Radar Right Now!

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

Yesterday, I lost count of how many times I heard ESPN's secret organization of analysts mutter something along the lines of: "Cleveland acquired Shaquille O'Neal to combat Dwight Howard."

Then of course, there was Vince Carter migrating down to his native Florida, to team up with the aforementioned Howard to supposedly compete for next year's NBA Championship.

So, if you're keeping score, two of the Eastern Conference's top three teams from last season just made significant changes to their rosters. Hence all the buzzzzz. With Mike Brown sitting on a very hot seat in Cleveland (has any coach who's never won had more pressure on him? It's win or go home, as in pack your bags, you're fired, for Brown next season) and Howard (you would think) aiming to improve that despicable offensive repertoire, both Cleveland and Orlando should come out guns blazing next season, right?

And then there's Washington, who, with a simple swap of players, transformed into the fourth best team in the east, which is tremendous for the Celtics (who I'll mention in a minute), seeing as, for whatever reason, Washington has served as a 12-man kryptonite to the Cavaliers for the past several seasons, even when the likes of Gilbert Arenas, Brendan Haywood and Antawn Jamison were down with injuries and JaVale McGee was their starting center.

But, to my knowledge, no one has mentioned any of the previously discussed trades in order to bring down the Boston Celtics, who will be retaining the best starting five in all of basketball. Right now, Boston is simply floating along under the radar, possibly even creating some poor press with all of the trade talk that recently clouded Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen's futures.

Can Shaq even handle Howard? Let's say he can. (He can't). Can Shaq handle Kevin Garnett? Can Shaq step out 12-15 feet and guard a KG step back jump shot? Or a KG upfake and subsequent drive to the basket, culminating in a ferocious slam that both Gatorade and Comcast SportsNet will proudly display in their next commercial? Of course not. And who do the Cavaliers have to stop that? Anderson Varejao (assuming they can even re-sign him)? Puh-puh-puhlease.

But none of these teams are making moves to combat Boton's best players. Sure LeBron will always be a handful, but didn't last season's early postseason exit show just how important real teammates can be? Especially when facing a near superior opponent? So what are these teams doing to slow down Garnett? Or Allen? Or Rondo? And we haven't even added free agents to our bench yet!

Sure, the attention scale could shift to Boston once the weight of free agency comes knocking on their door, and I'm sure once one, two or even three quality players (because something like that WILL happen this summer) sign with us in the coming weeks, the focus train will be set to head our way.

But to me, Cleveland and Orlando can hog all of the attention for now. Heck, they can take it all season. We'll just play basketball. Because you know, once Cleveland drives over a few bumps in the road with Shaq at the helm, the critics will start weighing in. And you know once Carter starts air balling 35-foot three-pointers there's going to be some trouble (even on a team that LOVES the three-point shot).

And you also know that everyone will start talking about the Boston Celtics once our early season record looks something like 26-1 or 24-0 or 25-3. Unless we sign a player with a history of troubled baggage (Rasheed Wallace, anyone?), we should enter this season squeaky clean, like a well tuned engine, and if anything starts to sputter, there won't be any finger pointing with this group. Why? Because they've all been there before. And sputtering for this team typically means a two-game losing streak anyway...

So go ahead and have it, Cleveland and Orlando. Steal all the national headlines and the entire right side of ESPN's NBA Home page. Take it all. If this were divorce court, we'd give you everything. We'll just take back the Eastern Conference crown late in May as compensation.

Stay Tuned.

Some More Good News on Kevin Garnett

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

Danny Ainge appeared on WEEI once again and had this encouraging news on Kevin Garnett's recovery. Enjoy this, all of you who voted for KG's health on the poll.

Kevin, it was amazing. His entire countenance over the last six weeks of the season, he was just kind of down and grumpy and uncomfortable. I think he felt pressure to try to come back and he had all this pain in his knee.

Right after the surgery – I mean three days after the surgery – a smile on his face, he can bend his knee all the way. He can straighten it out all the way. He just went back to the West Coast the other day. Before he left, I saw him doing full weight workouts. He was doing squats – one-legged squats, two-legged squats – he was doing most of his whole routine again. His spirit is returned: his enthusiasm for the upcoming season, his hope.

All of a sudden, he’s back to being the real Kevin Garnett. His personality has returned. You could just see that once he had that bone spur on the back of his knee, that that was really bothering him.

Stay Tuned.

Bill Walker or J.R. Giddens?

By: Greg Payne

This current Celtic team fails to be a suitable location for a newly signed rookie, hoping to make a splash in his inaugural NBA season. Unfortunately for last year's rookies, Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens, the scenario wasn't any different.

While Walker might have taken his initial step into the rotation once Kevin Garnett was forced out with his knee injury, his minutes weren't enough to even guarantee a spot on next year's squad.

Speaking to the Globe, Doc Rivers dropped this comment that suggests only one of these two will be impacting the Celtics in the coming years.

“I don’t know if both have a chance to play,’’ Rivers said. “They are almost the same position, they are almost playing against each other. One of them will help us. Billy was ahead last year, but J.R. works his butt off. He’s as hard-working a kid as I’ve seen.’’

Take your pick.

Stay Tuned.

Danny Ainge Might Have Just Saved the Celtics A Lot of Money

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

Stand up and applaud Danny Ainge right now. I'm serious. Stand up and clap your hands a few times. He deserves it. Because in the aftermath of Rajon Rondo averaging 16.9 points, 9.8 assists and 9.8 rebounds in this most recent postseason, everyone appeared blinded by the numbers, the triple-doubles and the double-take plays, while conveniently ignoring the shortcomings that came along with those. Everyone except Danny Ainge.

As fans or wannabe members of the media, it's extremely simple for you and I to ignore the business side of basketball. We see a player we like and we want to keep him around. Plain and simple. Our first thoughts are always, "He's our point guard of the future!" and not, "Wow, we need to sign him to a contract extension this summer before he tries to test free agency for a max contract in 2010!" It simply doesn't work that way for you and I.

But it's a different story for a general manager. Sure, you might not have applauded him at the beginning of this article because he might have simply been doing his job, but Ainge's track record sits much prettier than those of most other general manager's around the league (see Steve Kerr for reference).

So once the playoffs ended and we were in the midst of hyping Rondo up as our version of Chris Paul (I'm guilty to a fault), it was Ainge who brought both Rondo and us back down to earth. While not trying to downplay Rondo's immense upside or bash him in any specific light, Ainge brought up Rondo's weaknesses, if for no other reason than to save the Celtics some needed cash.

"As we saw in the Orlando series, they left him wide open," Ainge recently told WEEI. "His presence hurt us in winning right now because his man went and doubled onto Ray [Allen] and Paul [Pierce] and made it difficult for us."

Then of course, the issue of Rondo's stubbornness was brought into the equation and how it hurts both him and the team at times.

"He's got to grow up in some cases, and I think he is, too," Ainge said. "Slowly but surely Rondo is maturing. He's getting a little bit more control over his emotions and he's responding in a more positive way as he gets older and more mature in the league."

Why say these things? Because Rondo's agent, Bill Duffy, can smell cash better than Jaws can smell blood in the ocean. In the course of two months his client went from the B (possibly even the C)-list to the A-list. It was like his client suddenly won the lottery and he knew the distant relatives would suddenly start calling to get a piece of that prize. Just like other teams (Sacramento, Detroit, Memphis) would start demanding Rondo's services in potential deals with the Celtics.

With Rondo's stock at an all time high, Duffy could easily have advised his client to not sign an extension with the Celtics before the start of next season, allowing him to become a restricted free agent at the beginning of next summer. Then, they could demand some real money, possibly even a max contract in Duffy's mind, which is why Ainge might have said the following on WEEI:

"I think it's a good goal for Rondo to have just from a monetary standpoint, but to be that kind of player that warrants a max contract -- I certainly don't see Rondo as a max-contract player today," Ainge said. "Next summer is a summer where we'll probably have to make some financial decisions on Rondo if we don't come to a conclusion this summer."

So now, as a result, everyone must be curious about the supposed "dark side" of Rajon Rondo. Why would a GM spend so much time appearing to berate him to the public media? Why question his jump shot and his role with the team? Why mention the fines for being late and the maturity level?

Why do all of this? So the Celtics could have Rondo all to themselves, and save some money for the future in the process. Kudos, Danny Ainge. I will now stand up and applaud you for an encore.

Stay Tuned.

Doc Was Confident No Deals Would Be Made

By: Greg Payne

We're pretty much beating a dead horse at this point, but allow me to get one final whack in before I kiss this specific topic goodbye forever. From the Herald:

Doc Rivers sounded confident that Rondo and Ray Allen - the two players most often attached to recent trade rumors - weren’t going anywhere.

“Oh yeah, absolutely,” the Celtics [team stats] coach said before last night’s draft. “I have no doubt about that. There’s always the chance someone could get traded, but it would have to be an amazing deal. But I like our team.”

And we were worked up over Darius Songaila and Etan Thomas?

I found this quote from Doc very interesting:

“You can be a loner as long as you’re not a loner on the floor,” Rivers said. “One thing I’ve told Rondo is that they don’t have to love you off the floor. They don’t have to respect you all the time, but they have to love playing with you.

“He’s still working out how to be a great player, and sometimes there’s some growing pains. I have no problem with that.”

I would love to get the entire Celtic team in a room together, without any cameras or anything, just to see how they interact with one another. At this point, with everything that's gone on, wouldn't that be a fascinating experiment? And we can stick Bill Duffy and Danny Ainge right next to each other!

Okay, I know this horse is dead, but even I feel bad that we continue to beat on it. It's done now.

Stay Tuned.

A Near Flawless Draft Night

(Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand)

By: Greg Payne

Well, to me, last night could not have gone any better. Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen are both currently still members of the Boston Celtics, which was my primary concern heading into last evening.

Allow me to give a shout out to the newest Boston Celtic, Lester Hudson of Tennesee Martin. We did in fact use our 58th overall selection to select this "combo" guard who averaged a very impressive 27.5 ppg last season.

Did you hear that sound? That was me jump starting the Lester Hudson bandwagon. I don't know too much about the guy (make that nothing), but I'm officially a fan because he's one of my guys now. BUT at the same time, I'm not looking at him as next season's savior, and neither should you.

Danny Ainge had some nice comments about him though:

"I like his toughness, and his ability to score. He's one of those guys who really knows how to score the ball."

"He's a terrific shooter and a physical scorer. He can shoot over the top of the defense."

While Hudson might be able to score the ball, it's extremely unlikely he'll play anything close to significant minutes next season, and he might not even make the team come October. We'll see if he can find a way onto the summer league team so we can watch him play alongside Billy Walker, J.R. Giddens and Gabe Pruitt. If Hudson does make that cut, we should have a pretty explosive summer league team. This could be some pretty powerful television, or a strong series of live web broadcasts, if nothing else. Alley-oop anyone? Why thank you. May I have another? Sure. In fact, take two.

But no, now that this night is behind us, the real work begins. Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers have expressed publicly before that the free agent market has held their interest all along and once moratorium (when teams can begin negotiating with players) begins next Wednesday, look for the smoke to start flying and the fire to really begin heating up.

Are we having fun yet? I sure am. I'm ecstatic that our core is still in tact, I'm pumped we picked up a scoring bruiser who looks like he could own Chuck Liddell in a UFC match and I'm electrified at the fact that the best is yet to come this offseason.

Good work, Danny. Sometimes, the best moves are the ones you don't make.

Stay Tuned.

Orlando Summer League Schedule Set

InsideHoops has the information regarding the Orlando Summer League:

Due to space limitations, the event is not open to the public and will be open only to the media and professional team/league personnel.

Monday, July 6, 2009
Visitor Home
1st game 3:00 p.m. NJ/Phil @ Indiana
2nd game 5:00 p.m. OKC @ Orlando
3rd game 7:00 p.m. Boston @ Utah

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
1st game 3:00 p.m. Boston @ Orlando
2nd game 5:00 p.m. Utah @ NJ/Phil
3rd game 7:00 p.m. OKC @ Indiana

Wednesday, July 8, 2009
1st game 3:00 p.m. Indiana @ Utah
2nd game 5:00 p.m. OKC @ Boston
3rd game 7:00 p.m. NJ/Phil @ Orlando

Thursday, July 9, 2009
1st game 3:00 p.m. OKC @ NJ/Phil
2nd game 5:00 p.m. Utah @ Orlando
3rd game 7:00 p.m. Indiana @ Boston

Friday, July 10, 2009
1st game 11:00 a.m. Utah @ OKC
2nd game 1:00 p.m. NJ/Phil @ Boston
3rd game 3:00 p.m. Indiana @ Orlando

(12-minute intermission between completion of games)

Draft Day Updates

By: Greg Payne

Any blockbusters so far? Well, there could be a few in the making...

Let's start off with Amare Stoudemire. Apparently the Suns might just try and gut the whole roster by 7:30pm tonight:

League executives say the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors have discussed a possible trade that is centered around sending Amare Stoudemire to the Warriors for a package that would include Andris Biedrins and the No. 7 pick in the draft. But Warriors coach Don Nelson is telling friends that there’s nothing seriously brewing there.

And seeing as Hedo Turkoglu wants to test the free agent waters, the Magic might just trade him in like a leased car, as they are actively pursuing Vince Carter:

The New Jersey Nets are in serious talks with the Magic about a deal that will send Vince Carter to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee, two league sources told ESPN.com.

You know, I wouldn't want Vince Carter to actually win, because that would mean the Celtics didn't win, but I'd love to see him have the CHANCE to win.

Marc Spears just reported that this trade was just made official. I'll post further confirmations as they become available.

ESPN also confirmed the Carter trade.

You've got to love Orlando's treatment of Alston in this situation. Talk about back stabbing. "Hey, thanks for filling in admirably for Jameer Nelson and helping carry us to the NBA Finals. We appreciate it. Now, go away."

I'll keep these updates coming as they become available.

Stay Tuned.

What Do I Expect to Happen Tonight?

(Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand)

By: Greg Payne

Nothing!

But please, feel free to continue reading, because I do have more than that. Yes, draft night is upon us - a night where in recent years the Celtics have focused more on trading players than drafting them (Raef Lafrentz, Dan Dickau and the sixth overall pick for Sebastian Telfair and Theo Ratliff in 2006 and Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak and the rights to Jeff Green for Ray Allen and the 35th pick (Glen Davis) in 2007).

With that said, I feel like everything will stay in tact tonight, specifically the core of this basketball team. Our starting five next season will be Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. There is no feasible scenario that Danny Ainge can stumble upon that will magically make us better now and in the future, specifically because in our starting five we have top five (possibly top 3) players at each position. Which means, you're only going to potentially get better when you trade for other top five talent and such a scenario would be borderline impossible tonight (or even next week, for that matter).

Sure, if Ainge tried to swing a deal to replace the aging Ray Allen, Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett, we MIGHT be better off three years from now, but there will be such a significant dropoff next season that such a move would truly jeopardize our championship aspirations.

The Celtics do need to be careful tonight, because other teams are obviously on the hunt to better themselves and some have already done so. The biggest threat to the Celtics has to be Shaquille O'Neal moving to Cleveland to team with LeBron James but we've also seen Richard Jefferson, Jamal Crawford, Mike Miller and the fifth overall pick switch zipcodes. And don't be shocked if the Timberwolves make another substantial move before the day is over.

Some teams might be able to better themselves through trading on draft day because of weaknesses at certain positions in their starting rotations (Cleveland at center), but the right way for the Celtics to better their team is through free agency. Unless by some divine miracle the expiring contracts of Tony Allen and Brian Scalabrine are miraculously coveted by every single team with an intangible player the Celtics could use, nothing interesting will happen with our team tonight.

Because after all, when Washington made its recent deal to take on Miller and Randy Foye in exchange for three no names (Darius Songalia, Etan Thomas and Oleksiy Pecherov) along with the fifth overall pick, the pick itself was the main incentive of that deal. The Timberwolves now actually hold some leverage with the fifth and sixth overall selections tonight.

But seeing as how the Celtics would be unable to trade the 58th overall selection for Mickael Pietrus or Jason Terry or anyone else worth mentioning, they are much better off leaving it alone to face free agency and inevitably the luxury tax.

Oh, and don't be shocked if Tracy McGrady switches teams, either.

But no, the core of the Boston Celtics today will in fact be the core of the Boston Celtics tomorrow. Remember back when this team was 27-2 to start last season? Even with a pretty weak bench, last year's team was ridiculous. As long as we bolster our bench in the coming months, there's no reason to believe we can't see numbers like that again to start next season.

Danny Ainge, I wish you a very boring, unexciting, uninteresting, humdrum, lifeless and vapid day.

Stay Tuned.

Ray Weighs In

(Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand)

By: Greg Payne

Rajon Rondo might be a hot topic right now, but his name is not the only one to grace all of these recent trade rumors. As you remember, Ray Allen's game would have been a key part of that Rajon Rondo + Ray Allen for Richard Hamilton + Tayshaun Prince + Rodney Stuckey deal (the one the Celtics supposedly put on the table). Well, at a celebrity golf tournament, Allen discussed all of the recent rumors with the Hartford Courant:

"I spoke with my side of the equation and for right now there is no desire to move me," Allen said. "We're in a great position to win a championship again this next year."

"I've said for the last day that I have a very attractive contract," Allen said. "I think there are disgruntled players around the league, so there is a lot of speculation about players being tossed around. Guys want to leave certain teams.

"I obviously think my contract is attractive to a lot of teams that want to get money off their books from the following year. It's part of the business."

"Anything can happen. I've been traded twice in my career," Allen said. "Being part of an organization where you're a cornerstone, anything can happen."

And it certainly seems like he wants to be in Boston:

"I'm happy where I am — I love Boston," Allen said. "The city has been great to me. Honestly, we can win another championship this year, and that's what I look forward to doing, and that's where I want to be."

As far as I'm concerned, I am the conductor of the "Bring Back Ray Allen" railroad, so I'm glad he wants to be here and I'm glad it appears the Celtics won't be handing him away anytime soon.

Stay Tuned.

Rondo's Agent Speaks Out

(Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand)

By: Greg Payne

Marc Spears of the Globe reports:

“I am just surprised that Danny is speaking, even if he considers it constructively, in a public setting [about Rondo],’’ agent Bill Duffy said in a phone interview. “I don’t think that it’s appropriate to say that about one of your top players. Even if it’s spoken constructively, I don’t think it should be done in public. I don’t think [Ainge] would like it if [Celtics managing partner] Wyc [Grousbeck] was talking about him in public.

“What they’re saying about him critically is actually an asset to him. He is feisty. He is competitive, yes. Last time I checked they won a world championship with him at point guard. If the team wasn’t hurting they might have done it again this year. Rondo’s tough love from Danny isn’t necessary. He’s self-motivated and a self-starter.’’

Duffy said Rondo learned about Ainge’s interview after working out at the Celtics’ practice facility in Waltham. Rondo declined comment. As of last night, neither Duffy nor Rondo had spoken to Ainge. When asked how Rondo felt about Ainge’s comments, Duffy said: “He knows. He’s all right.’’

We certainly don't want a war of words to erupt over this and we do not want tensions rising, particularly if Rondo is indeed being shopped by the Celtics. Let's also hope Duffy doesn't begin to advise his client to demand a trade at this point. Hopefully this will either boil over or the two parties, if necessary, can come to some sort of understanding. We'll see.

Stay Tuned.

Ainge Doesn't Expect To Make Any Moves

The latest from the Globe:

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge acknowledged via text message tonight that he doesn't expect his franchise to make any trades to get into the first round, acquire a second round pick or to get a player. Boston currently only has the 58th overall pick in the second round.

The Latest Danny Ainge Comments Regarding Rajon Rondo

(Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand)

Danny Ainge spoke on WEEI's "Dennis and Callahan" show earlier today and had some rather blunt comments in regards to his current starting point guard. All of the following quotes come courtesy of the Globe:

"We expect him to play by the rules and be a leader as a point guard. We need him to be more of a leader," Ainge said. "There were just a couple situations where he was late this year, I don't know if he was sitting in his car, but showed up late and the rest of the team was there. We have team rules and you have to be on time. He was fined for being late, he said he was stuck in traffic, and it's just unacceptable."

"As we saw in the Orlando series, they left him wide open," Ainge said. "His presence hurt us in winning right now because his man went and doubled onto Ray [Allen] and Paul [Pierce] and made it difficult for us."

"He's got to grow up in some cases, and I think he is, too," Ainge said. "Slowly but surely Rondo is maturing. He's getting a little bit more control over his emotions and he's responding in a more positive way as he gets older and more mature in the league."

"I think it's a good goal for Rondo to have just from a monetary standpoint, but to be that kind of player that warrants a max contract -- I certainly don't see Rondo as a max-contract player today," Ainge said. "Next summer is a summer where we'll probably have to make some financial conclusions about Rondo if we don't come to a conclusion this summer."

Squashing the Latest Rondo Rumor

(Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand)

By: Greg Payne

Marc Spears reported this earlier today:

While there has been talk around the NBA from several scouts that the Celtics have been shopping guard Rajon Rondo, he isn't expected to be dealt. While unlikely, one Eastern Conference executive said the latest trade rumor included Rondo and forward Brian Scalabrine going to Memphis for guard Mike Conley and swingman Rudy Gay.

My good friend Pat (whose opinion I highly respect) is pitching Conley's case to me as I write this, but I'll use some of Danny Ainge's quotes from yesterday's press conference to help make my case. The first of which is:

"The first criteria that any trade rumor has to pass: Is it going to help us win a championship this year?"

How does this specific deal help us win a championship this year? We currently possess the point guard of the present and of the future with this team, and is that worth giving up to acquire a scorer for the future in Gay and an underachieving point guard in Conley? According to Pat, Conley shined once Memphis brought in Linoel Hollins to replace Marc Iavaroni, but to me, half a season of solid point guard play isn't enough for Rondo.

I said it in an earlier post today, but Rondo is now at the point where you need to be getting legitimate, legitimate help in return for his services. I know Gay has a bright future, but you're much more likely to pick up a versatile perimeter player than a top 3 point guard in the coming years.

Which brings in this quote from Ainge:

"This opportunity is unique. We have an opportunity to win with this team we have. We don't want to jeopardize that for the future."

Wouldn't this move be jeopardizing a championship or two for the future? Aren't rumors like this one exactly what Ainge is talking about here? I mean, no one wants to see a dramatic free fall off a cliff once this championship window closes, but aren't we more likely to accept a year or possibly two of mediocrity, knowing that the reason we won two more banners was because Ainge and management went for it and it paid off?

And finally, this one, which sums it up better than most others:

"I don't anticipate any trades happening in this offseason, regarding any of our core players."

I'll leave it at that. For now.

Stay Tuned.

Let's Try and Help Al Jefferson Win

(Photo courtesy of uskgrub on Flickr)

By: Greg Payne

So Minnesota made something of a splash last night by agreeing to ship Randy Foye and Mike Miller over to Washington, while taking the No.5 Pick, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, Oleksiy Pecherov back as compensation.

So, that leaves Minnesota with Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Ryan Gomes and...uh...anyone got anything else? Didn't think so. Okay, so now that Kevin Love is arguably Minnesota's second best player, they obviously have a lot of work to do. But they now hold four first round picks at No. 5, No. 6, No. 18 and No. 28, and Marc Spears reported earlier that while Memphis is expected to draft UConn center Hasheem Thabeet at 2, there are rumors that Minnesota could be interested in trading its newly acquired 5th and 6th picks for the No. 2 pick to get Spain guard Ricky Rubio.

If Minnesota truly has a distinct interest in Rubio, Memphis doesn't appear to be their biggest competition and I still don't necessarily see the sense in Oklahoma City picking Rubio, simply because they already have their young, promising point guard in Russell Westbrook. Drafting Rubio would mean the Thunder are just stocking up on pure talent, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but with a player like James Harden available, they could draft a young shooting guard to further bolster their already power packed starting lineup.

But it looks as if Sacramento could end up being The Wolves' biggest threat in terms of acquiring Rubio. The spanish point guard participated in his first US workout on Monday - with Sacramento. New Kings coach Paul Westphal had this to say on the workout:

"We wanted to get a feel for just interacting with him, watching him up close," Westphal said. "(But) is there anything that's going to tip the scale as to whether we draft Ricky Rubio or not from that workout? Absolutely not."

But the interest is most definitely there, so with Memphis, OKC and Sacramento all having a chance at Rubio, is it likely that the Wolves will dodge three consecutive bullets? Will sheer luck and good fortune bring Rubio to their franchise? For a team that's never exactly been on the lucky side of things, I'd say: no shot.

So Minnesota can try and shop their first two picks, which, in this draft, still don't necessarily add up to too much, or they can use the picks themselves and hope to acquire two quality young prospects, such as Memphis's Tyreke Evans, Davidson's Stephen Curry or possibly UCLA's Jrue Holiday.

But Minnesota also has a trio of contracts that will expire for the summer of 2010: Brian Cardinal, Mark Madsen and Craig Smith's deals are all up at the end of next season, leaving Minnesota the option of competing for one of the highly regarded free agents sure to be available that summer.

So new president of basketball operations for the Wolves, David Kahn, must be trying to add a quality piece or two (or four, with all of those picks), while possibly adding another free agent this summer (because under no circumstances, there is no conceivable way Minnesota can head into next season with their current roster, plus only the four picks, right?) in order to at least remain competitive to show their fans and that great city of theirs that they are at least attempting to head in the right direction.

But Kahn will need one hell of a sales pitch to lock up a major player in the 2010 free agent class, because unless Minnesota makes a huge splash this coming season, besides money, what would entice an All-Star caliber player to head to Minnesota now?

Al Jefferson, I feel like your immediate future is looking pretty bleak.

Stay Tuned.

ANOTHER Rondo Rumor

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

Marc Spears has this:

While there has been talk around the NBA from several scouts that the Celtics have been shopping guard Rajon Rondo, he isn't expected to be dealt. While unlikely, one Eastern Conference executive said the latest trade rumor included Rondo and forward Brian Scalabrine going to Memphis for guard Mike Conley and swingman Rudy Gay.

Danny Ainge mentioned something yesterday about the media sifting through the most unlikely rumors in order to not stir up any more controversy than what's already out there. He also said, "The first criteria that any trade rumor has to pass: Is it going to help us win a championship next year?"

So, that means this rumor cannot have any merit because, while Rudy Gay would be a tremendous backup to Paul Pierce (and I can't necessarily see him enjoying that role so early on in his career), Conley is too much of a step back at the point guard position.

My guess would be, if a deal like this actually went through, Gay and Conley wouldn't be here for too long. They'd probably be packaged in another deal to a team with a quality point guard (and it had better be a legitimate point guard, because Rondo is now at that level where getting rid of him requires some serious talent coming to Boston in return), in desperate need of some scoring (hence the Gay incentive), who will take that scoring and accept a less talented point guard in the process.

I say this rumor has no legs, but then again I've gone on record saying that nothing major will happen between now and Thursday's draft.

Stay Tuned.

WOLVES AND WIZARDS MAKE DEAL

The Wizards and Timberwolves have agreed in principle to a trade involving Washington's No. 5 pick in Thursday's draft, a league source told SI.com.

The Wizards will receive Randy Foye and Mike Miller while the Timberwolves will get the No. 5 pick, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov.

The trade leaves Minnesota with the Nos. 5 and 6 picks in the lottery.

Bucks Trade Jefferson to Spurs

From ESPN:

The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to trade Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto a Bucks source told ESPN.com.

The two teams have agreed to the deal in principle. A trade call to make the deal official is coming later Tuesday.

Hmm...At this point in his career, I can't see Kurt Thomas taking this trade too well. I wonder if the Bucks will somehow buy him out or he'll opt out himself. I wouldn't be shocked if he was suddenly available and, Kurt, you know, the Celtics are in the championship conversation, so, you know, if you want to win, you could, you know, always come to Boston...

Stay Tuned.

A Great Collection of Danny Ainge Quotes

By: Greg Payne

At long last, Danny Ainge comes clean about everything we've been discussing for the past two months.

If you're too lazy to read, here's the link for the video.

All quotes via Celtics Twitter:

"KG's coming along very well. He should be 100% by the time we start training camp. He just went home to L.A."

(Terrific news. All of you who voted for KG's health on the poll should be thrilled.)

"This opportunity is unique. We have an opportunity to win with this team we have. We don't want to jeopardize that for the future."

(Thank you!)

"The first criteria that any trade rumor has to pass: Is it going to help us win a championship this year?"

(So far that means...none, right?)

"I've heard speculation we're dissatisfied with him; we're gonna trade him because he was late for a playoff game? That's not true."

(I suppose it doesn't take a general manager to come to that conclusion.)

"I'm not sure why his is popping up, but we love Rajon. It doesn't seem like you have to have any source any more (to report rumors)."

(Yeah, who started those rumors anyway? It sure is a good thing we never looked too much into those...)

"Most of the players in the first round I wouldn't trade for J.R. Giddens or Bill Walker..."

(That's either a pat on the back to Walker and Giddens or a slap in the face to this year's draft class...)

"We have not made any effort to get to any of the top picks. We've had discussion, but we have not tried to get a top pick."

(Good.)

Stay Tuned.

The Steal of My Generation

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

I wasn't alive in 1987. So I guess that means I wasn't alive in 1965, either. Many more of you were around for '87 and some of you still remember '65. I salute you. Because in Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals, "Havlicek stole the ball!" and back in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, you might have heard, "Now there's a steal by Bird!"

Two immortal calls by the immortal Johnny Most, but more importantly, two of the greatest defensive plays this league has ever seen, that drastically changed the course of the future for those two respective teams. While the 1987 Celtics might have eventually lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals that year, the 1965 team didn't.

No one knew it in 1987, but the Celtics' championship in 1986 would be the last one for quite some time. 22 years dragged by before the green and white could even sniff the Larry O'Brien trophy again, and while an abundance of factors entered into their 2008 championship equation, one small, almost incidental moment on May 30, 2008, with 1:39 left in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, happened.

Despite the Celtics' 66-16 regular season mark, their 14-game playoff total heading into the ECF, left them as the underdogs. Six of ESPN's top 10 basketball writers/analysts were favoring the Pistons in this playoff series, and those odds might have been even greater had they known heading in that Detroit would steal away home court from the Celtics for the first time in those playoffs in Game 2 with a 103-97 win in Boston.

With 10:45 left in Game 6, Boston faced a 10-point deficit (70-60), and, as improbable as it seemed at the time, it appeared that another Game 7 was on Boston's horizon. But Kevin Garnett drained two jump shots, Kendrick Perkins dunked the ball and Paul Pierce sank a free throw, and suddenly, the Celtics led 75-74 with 5:24 remaining.

Jump to just about four minutes later. The Celtics are cradling a meager four-point advantage (83-79), when Rajon Rondo misses a 19-foot jump shot. Tayshaun Prince of the Pistons secures the board, turns, faces upcourt, and then: POKE. James Posey's hand jabs the leather of the officially licensed NBA basketball and it vaults out of Prince's hands. Posey secures it and Boston reclaims possession.

It took mere seconds for the entire play to unwind. Seconds. There were no famous broadcasters screaming into their microphone that "Posey stole the ball!" and no highlight reels have been dedicated to a poke the Pillsbury Dough Boy would have been thrilled to receive, but the importance of that play tolls out louder than Big Ben itself. A 22-year championship drought stared them in the face, eye for eye. The Detroit Pistons were on the hunt, desperate to escape the Eastern Conference Finals curse that enveloped them since their title in 2004, easily capable of erasing that four-point deficit they faced. A truly hostile Palace of Auburn Hills crowd bared down on the C's like a pack of rabid dogs, hungry for playoff blood. Could the Celtics potentially survive three straight game sevens in the first three rounds? How many times could they tempt fate and playoff execution? No, this one had to end in six. And Posey's poke helped take care of that.

"He looked to his left, put the ball out and I just snatched it," Posey said afterward.

It's tough to compare similar plays when the generations themselves are so different. All three of these steals rang true for the teams whose fortunes were changed by them, but seeing as I missed both of those oldies live, that Posey steal is the single most important in my still brief history as a Celtics fan.

People love to mention the Game 4 comeback against the Lakers and the Game 7 dismantling of the Hawks, along with Pierce's 41-point effort in Game 7 against LeBron in the Semi-Finals. And while those respect moments were incredible in their own right, arguably the simplest of all the fantastic plays of the Celtics' 2008 playoff run held the most merit.

Stay Tuned.

Celtics and Pistons Spoke about Ray and Rondo

Adrian Wojnarowski reports:

The Boston Celtics appear willing to make major roster changes to balance a chance for a championship run and future financial flexibility.

The Celtics offered Ray Allen(notes) and Rajon Rondo(notes) to the Detroit Pistons for a package that included Richard Hamilton(notes), Tayshaun Prince(notes) and Rodney Stuckey(notes), league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Boston general manager Danny Ainge and Detroit’s Joe Dumars never spoke, but rather the Celtics had a lower-level executive make the pitch to a Pistons official over the past weekend, league sources said. Detroit immediately rejected the idea, and it never advanced to the two top executives speaking about particulars.

I still don't see the sense in a deal like this, which makes me question the basic idea behind it in the first place. But then again, I haven't exactly leaped onto the rumor bandwagon anyway. Oh well, I'll take my guys. Let's go Celtics.

Is Rumor Season Officially Over? (Maybe Not...)

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

The great thing about sports blogging is the freedom to write about anything and everything without any backlash from a higher authority. I suppose we're arguably at our best during this so-called "rumor season", when speculation and interpretation are at an all time high.

Even professional newspapers will not necessarily dive into the vicious trade rumors that appear so outlandish because it would almost be foolish to embed any unnecessary thoughts in the public minds. And since for the time being we're merely bloggers with very few, if any, "sources" within or around the league, we're very unlikely to unearth any dirt worth writing about. Which is why we resort back to speculating, interpreting and inevitably, forming our own opinions and defending them by attempting to spin the rumors we hear in our personal favor.

But the professionals do understand these rumors will spiral out of control one way or another, so they, like us, turn to Celtics' management for answers. We understand that only guys like Danny Ainge, Doc Rivers and Wyc Grousbeck can squash or cement any such rumors, because they are the very men responsible for making the moves.

So while none of the writers have tried to halt the rumors on their own with stories or columns, they let the whispers grow into dinner talk and eventually into legitimate discussion because only then will someone from management come forth to extinguish the early fabrication flames before they have to deal with a full fledged fire.

A classic example was yesterday's Boston Globe, where Marc Spears dedicated the gut of his Sunday column to the NBA Draft, which takes place on Thursday, before adding the following morsel at the very end:

Celtics president Danny Ainge said yesterday that he doesn’t expect to make a trade during Thursday’s draft, and any roster additions will likely come via free agency, which starts in July. The Celtics have only the 58th pick in the draft, in the second round. “We have nothing close to happening,’’ Ainge said. “I would guess that there would not be anything [on draft night]. We like the free agent market of veteran players much more than we like the draft.’’ On the wild trade rumors concerning some Celtics, Ainge said, “I just assume all of them are jokes when I read some of the junk out there and some of the things involving us that seem invented out of the blue sky."

So, with those comments now out on the table, can we wave the rumor season checkered flag? Because when you add those comments to all of the ones here, it seems extremely unlikely, damn near impossible actually, that any deals will be executed before, during or immediately after the draft on Thursday. Because after Thursday, only five days remain before moratorium begins, and the Celtics can finally begin negotiating with the free agent class that Ainge likes so much.

So thank you, rumor season, for holding our attention and entertaining us these first few weeks off the offseason. But, we don't need you anymore. The real stuff, the good stuff, is about to begin.

UPDATE:

But then of course, this happens:

* There’s another trade rumor floating out there seemingly even more far-fetched than the Al and No. 6 to Phoenix for Amare: This one says the Wolves send Mike Miller, Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes to Boston for Ray Allen.

Since Kahn lamented Friday how nobody in the media business calls anymore for confirmation and denial of such rumors, I texted Kahn about this one and asked if there was possibly any truth to it.

He sent back a one word answer:

“No.”

Good.

Stay Tuned.

Further Comments from Danny Ainge

From Marc Spears:

Celtics president Danny Ainge said yesterday that he doesn’t expect to make a trade during Thursday’s draft, and any roster additions will likely come via free agency, which starts in July. The Celtics have only the 58th pick in the draft, in the second round. “We have nothing close to happening,’’ Ainge said. “I would guess that there would not be anything [on draft night]. We like the free agent market of veteran players much more than we like the draft.’’ On the wild trade rumors concerning some Celtics, Ainge said, “I just assume all of them are jokes when I read some of the junk out there and some of the things involving us that seem invented out of the blue sky."

Rajon Rondo’s agent, Bill Duffy, said via text that all the wild trade rumors surrounding the Celtics guard were simply “not true.’’

Other Suitable Point Guards the Celtics Should Consider

(Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand)

By: Greg Payne

Yesterday I discussed the possible return of Stephon Marbury to fill in as a suitable backup point guard to Rajon Rondo. Well, while Marbury could be considered a reasonable solution to a rather glaring problem, there are still a slew of other point guards testing free agency that the Celtics could consider. Since a free agent being classified as restricted or unrestricted holds some weight, I'll separate them into two categories.

RESTRICTED

Raymond Felton
Sean Singletary
Jarrett Jack
Chris Quinn
Ramon Sessions
Nate Robinson

UNRESTRICTED

Mike Bibby
Lindsey Hunter
Jason Kidd
Anthony Carter
Allen Iverson
Tyronn Lue
Andre Miller
Bobby Jackson
Jacque Vaughn
Brevin Knight
Juan Dixon

I'm a believer in proven veterans, myself, even if they aren't always the most entertaining players at times. But seeing as Danny Ainge is looking to build a team to win, I care less about showmanship and more about success. Sam Cassell won't be throwing down a tomahawk dunk anytime soon, but he did his job when it mattered most and became an integral part of the 2008 championship team. And another great thing about quality veterans is they won't always command a hefty paycheck, meaning the Celtics won't have to dish out their entire mid-level exception to acquire their services (especially considering they also need to find a quality backup at the small forward position and another big man).

Looking back at that list now, there are several names on there I for one would scratch off right off the bat, simply because I don't want to place them in the driver's seat of a reserve unit that the Celtics need legitimate production from night in and night out. Those names are: Sean Singletary, Chris Quinn, Ramon Sessions, Nate Robinson and Anthony Carter.

There are also a number of point guards on that list who are unlikely to settle into a backup role, no matter their age, and will also command too much money for the position we need them to fill. Those names are: Raymond Felton, Jarrett Jack, Mike Bibby, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson and Andre Miller.

Jack's on the bubble, as he could settle for a backup gig, but I still see him demanding some money and seeing as he's of the restricted grade, the Pacers will be free to match any offer Jack receives, which I expect them to do.

As for Iverson, forget Marbury being the cancer of the league. Sure Iverson's found enough personal success for us to bypass his name when this topic is brought up, but he's destroyed his past two teams and seriously makes you doubt the, "You always bring in a Hall of Fame player when you get the chance", line.

And then there's Bibby. Can't the Celtics not sign him at the risk of suddenly having the most hypocritical fan base in all of professional sports? After the way Celtic fans deservedly treated Bibby in the '08 playoffs, what would happen if they suddenly started screaming and clapping in his favor? It'd be like Rocky and Mr. T from Rocky III suddenly teaming up to take on the Russian in Rocky IV.

Finally, we come to the jewels of that list. The players who are quality veterans, would assume a backup role without protest and will not ask the Celtics to surrender their MLE. Those players are: Lindsey Hunter, Tyronn Lue, Bobby Jackson, Jacque Vaughn, Brevin Knight and Juan Dixon.

I for one think Hunter is a terrific choice, but at age 38 right now, going on 39 in December, I suppose you have to question whether or not he'll be able to play effectively night in and night out and on back to back nights. But, he is well known for his rigorous offseason workouts that keep him in tremendous shape even at that older age. He helped stabilize Vinny Del Negro's bench last season, particularly at key points during the Bulls' playoff run against the Celtics.

Brevin Knight really intrigues me, but he could have been placed on the too expensive list. He's 33 right now and will turn 34 in November, so the Celtics, if interested, will have to watch his price tag and then haggle with his agent like scalpers at a ball game.

Tyronn Lue is my sleeper. My dark horse. While it's not exactly difficult to get on Doc Rivers' good side, it only took Lue one season to do that, and it was a season when Rivers ended up losing his job in Orlando. I know Anthony Johnson played well for the Magic in Rafer Alston's absence, but I was still shocked Lue didn't play more. He's a pass-first point guard with a reliable jumpshot which he can and will rely on when necessary. I'll be really surprised if Doc and the Celts aren't looking to buy his services.

So, my top three looks like this (in no distinct order): Tyonn Lue, Brevin Knight and Lindsey Hunter. All reliable. All proven. All veterans. All (hopefully) cheap. All (will be) winners.

Stay Tuned.

Lofton to Play for Celtics in Summer League

Chris Lofton said he’s ready to play for the Boston Celtics — at least, this summer.

“Boston got in contact with my agent when I was playing Turkey and said it was interested,’’ Lofton said. “I’m definitely planning on going to the (NBA) summer league with Boston.’’

A Stephon Marbury Return Will Come Down to Cost

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

His best days must be behind him. "Starbury" has left the building, right? We're never going to see another All-Star season from the formerly disgruntled Timberwolves/Nets/Suns/Knicks/Celtics guard Stephon Marbury, for the remaining duration of his NBA career. At least, not if last season's stint with the Boston Celtics was any indication.

Thomas Edison once said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

So perhaps Marbury didn't fail. Maybe his method just didn't work. Maybe trying to jump back into the NBA mid-season after going a full year without it was not the proper course of action. Perhaps he would have been better off continuing his grudge match with the Knicks, spending the summer training with other NBA folk and making a dominant return to the court at the start of next season.

Well, it's too late to burn back time, so where should Marbury go from here? Should he simply go after the largest contract offer extended, thus turning the rest of his career into a series of business deals? Should he re-sign with his most recent former team, the Boston Celtics? Well, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, Marbury's telling his buddies that he believes the Celtics want him back.

And there could be much more to that supposed rumor than just Marbury spewing words around. Back on June 15, C's coach Doc Rivers discussed the possibility of Marbury returning to his team with the Globe: "Absolutely. I thought he will be great and better next [season] through training camp. He'll look and see what he can get at this point of his career and see what he can do."

"Great" could be a stretch for a man who averaged just 3.8 points and 3.3 assists for the Celtics during the regular season and 3.7 points and 1.8 assists during the postseason.

But Rivers might have a point, in the sense that a full summer of working out alongside his Celtic mates, followed by a full fledged training camp in Newport could very well spin this whole experiment in Marbury's favor. Both parties in this scenario have an advantage: The Celtics would not be requesting Marbury's services for the starting role, with the responsibility of driving the entire offense. For that, they can thank Rajon Rondo. And Marbury won't have the pressure of being the starting point guard on a team poised to reclaim the NBA championship next season. For that, he can thank Rajon Rondo.

If Marbury can essentially give the Celtics a line closer resembling the 8-5-3-1.5 brand, then this situation should be considered a success. But the C's cannot deal with next season what they endured from Marbury during the months of March, April and May - hoping he would finally break through his now passive shell and become the torrid scorer and slasher that originally helped him find his place amongst the big boys. If there is such a thing as a sure thing in sports, the Celtics need it with Marbury. Especially because the Celtics expressing interest in a backup point guard essentially proves that Gabe Pruitt (if he's not traded) will be set for another season on the bench.

So now comes the aspect of this deal that ruins everything about sports: money. How much will the Celtics offer? How much will Marbury demand? Is Marbury even in a position to demand anything, or is he like a beggar on the streets, happy to take whatever he can get? Because his play last season, as mentioned before, is not worthy of any healthy portion of the Celtics' mid-level exception. At all. And certainly Marbury is not this mystery free agent that Rivers, Danny Ainge and Wyc Grousbeck all have in mind. Right? (gulp) Keep your fingers crossed on that one.

As buyers in this market, it's only natural for the Celtics to at least entertain the idea of an outside presence at the point guard spot coming in to back up Rondo. Allow me to throw some names at you: Juan Dixon, Brevin Knight, Jacque Vaughn, Bobby Jackson, Andre Miller, Tyronn Lue, Ramon Sessions, Chris Quinn, Jarrett Jack, Anthony Carter, Jason Kidd, Lindsey Hunter, Raymond Felton, Sean Singletary and Mike Bibby. That's essentially your 2009 point guard free agent class. Not a bad list, either.

But before we pick our dream player, let us remind ourselves that there are no Chris Pauls or Derron Williams's on that list. And it's highly unlikely we'll see the likes of Kidd, Felton or Bibby joining the ranks. No, the back up point guard will not have to work miracles for this team and that has to be brought into consideration here. Their requirements would consist of: Breaking pressure and bringing the ball past half court, initiating the offense, driving and kicking to open men, driving and scoring when lanes are available to them and playing with a past-first mentality.

The Celtics need not spend an absurd portion of their MLE on a backup point guard when they still need to find suitable support for Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins, all while most likely attempting to re-sign restricted free agents Glen Davis and Leon Powe. So if the price for Marbury is indeed favorable and CHEAP, he could essentially fill this gaping void for the Celtics, supplying everything they would need at that position.

And hey, if the Celtics throw some legitimate pine help into battle alongside Marbury, the deal could very well turn from acceptable to successful.

Stay Tuned.

Celtics guard Ray Allen(notes) has expressed a desire for a contract extension, league executives say, but that isn’t happening in Boston. … Stephon Marbury(notes) is telling friends he believes that the Celtics want to re-sign him.

Rondo Addresses Rumors on WEEI

(Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand)

By: Greg Payne

Rajon Rondo appeared on Dennis and Callahan earlier this morning and addressed the various rumors that he has been involved in over the past few weeks:

"I have heard those trade rumors, but I don't think much of it. I've been in the gym every day with the Celtics this offseason and I'm looking forward to doing great things next year. Hopefully trying to win a championship. So if a trade happens, it happens, but I think we have a championship team here, so I don't think that would happen."

"I would be (disappointed about a trade), but this is a business, so you never know what happens in this game. All great players become traded one day, but like I said, you never know."

"Danny was talking to me and he was like, 'You see what happens when you rise above your game a little bit in the playoffs and trade rumors start to happen. For example, it happened a couple of years ago with Paul (Pierce), so you never know until it actually goes through, so you just gotta stay focused."

"This is all new for me. Like I said it's actually the first season where teams are trying to call and ask for my trade, but you can't guarantee nothing in this game, so I've talked with Danny, he can't guarantee that he's not going to trade me, but he feels we have a championship team here and we have a lot of great pieces here and I think I'm one of them."

Some other interesting quotes Rondo dropped:

"Actually, I want to be the best point guard in the league next season."

"I can be stubborn. I think that's one of the trademarks for me because I love to compete so much. I love to win and I'm always studying the game and I'm a student of the game. The point guard and the coach aren't always going to see eye to eye, but at the end of the day, Doc (Rivers) and I have a strong relationship to where we do and we can talk to each other on and off the court. Each point guard, you go down the list, a guy is going to have conflicts where I may disagree with what Doc says, but at the end of the day, as long as we're on the same page and we're both trying to win and do the best for the team, that's what it's all about.

"Some great players are going to be stubborn at times. You're not always going to be a 'yes' man or always go with the flow. To be a leader you have to stand out on your own sometimes and do what you want to do. But as far as the team aspect, you have to stay with the team goals in mind, but at the same time, I don't know what Kevin, Paul and Ray do, but I'm sure at one time during their career, because they're such great players, they have gone off and try to do things and be a leader. It's a thin line, but at the end of the day, somebody has to do it."

"Danny and my agent are going to talk. I'm going to be involved a little bit, but I just try to focus on basketball. A lot of people may put their contract first and not team first, but I'm trying to stick to basketball. I think the more wins I have, the better contract I'll talk. I'm the youngest point guard to win a ring in the league right now, so if I can continue to put a couple of those together, I think it'll help my resume during contract time."

Stay Tuned.

Keeping Tabs on the Comments of Celtics' Management

(Photo courtesy of DGA Productions)

By: Greg Payne

Back on Monday I wrote this piece, chronicling the various comments from the Celtics' brass (Danny Ainge, Doc Rivers, Wyc Grousbeck) that dealt specifically with free agency, the mid-level exception and the various rumors that have surfaced over the past several weeks. Well, I'll recap a few of those and induct a few more into the archives.

ON FREE AGENCY:

Doc Rivers, Boston Herald, May 21: “I’d say we have to get a (center) first, and we have to get a small forward. Then there’s the point guard situation.”

“We have to add shooting, and Paul (Pierce) needs a solid backup, which would help Paul drastically."

“One thing we have to absolutely add is a veteran."

Doc Rivers, Boston Globe, June 15: On the arrival of free agency next month, Rivers said: "[Celtics president] Danny [ Ainge] and I are talking every day. The free agency part I'll be very involved in since NBA players are someone I see every day. I know what I want."

On what exactly he wants during free agency, Rivers said: "I'm not going to tell you. I want to get better and we will. We have areas where we have to improve in. We can in free agency. We'll be aggressive. That doesn't mean we will come up with something."


ON THE MID-LEVEL EXCEPTION:

Danny Ainge, Boston Globe, June 14: "We'd spend it on certain players," said Celtics president Danny Ainge. "We are not going to spend it for sure, but we would spend it on the right person."

Danny Ainge, Boston Herald, June 14: “We would spend the (full) mid-level on the right player,” Ainge said. “But we’re just not going to spend it to spend it.”

Wyc Grousbeck, Boston Herald, May 31: Grousbeck also said the stated intentions of Ainge and Rivers to sign a veteran free agent or two this summer are not hollow.

The checkbook, he said, will be open for the right player, regardless of luxury tax ramifications.

"We’re planning to look for ways to improve our team," Grousbeck said. "We’re willing to invest in the right way. If it’s the right situation and the right player, then we’ll do it.

"I think we all have someone in mind right now," he said of some of the names that are about to become free agents. "We’re willing to consider all sorts of ways if it means winning Banner 18."

ON THE VARIOUS RUMORS INVOLVING SEVERAL CELTIC PLAYERS:

Doc Rivers, PTI, June 11: "No I don’t, but we’ve got a huge trade we’re going to announce. I’m just joking. There’s no trade coming. (Laughs) No, no we’re good. I like who we are. I think we do have to add some length to our basketball team as well, especially with Leon Powe maybe not coming back for at least til midseason or later. We’ve got to add one more big to our team. Other than that, I love our basketball team, I love our guys, and I think we’ll be in great shape next year."

Doc Rivers, Boston Globe, June 15: On the trade rumors surrounding the Celtics, Rivers said: "I think they're silly. Rumors are rumors. Nothing you can do about it. We don't comment on it. I read one recently and I just said, 'Wow, that's crazy.' But that's the era we live in now."

And the newest members:

Danny Ainge and an Undisclosed Team Source, Boston Herald, June 18: “I think it’s unlikely,” Ainge said of trading up. “It’s possible, but unlikely.”

Though Ainge declined to discuss the rumors involving Rondo, a team source sniffed at the speculation involving the young floor leader, saying, “Rondo’s not going to be traded.”

As for the speculation that the Celtics are trying to make moves now that will clear space for a shot at a member of 2010’s highly anticipated free agent class, Ainge said, “We’re trying to win a championship next season. That’s my goal this summer.”

I'll continue to archive these quotes as they continue to become available.

Stay Tuned.