Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Danny Ainge Scores Big, McHale Makes Assist
No, it's not the 1980s again.
If you've been reading this blog, you know about the deal that transpired between last night and early this morning. Rick Pitino was wrong, and Kevin McHale did walk through that door and along with him came Kevin Garnett. The Boston Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, the expiring contract of Theo Ratliff, and two first round picks, one of which came to Boston in the Ricky Davis deal that occurred in January 2006.
As far as the trade goes, in my mind it's a great deal because the Celtics rosters consists of three players who share 22 NBA All-Star appearances between them. The big prize for Minnesota was obviously 22-year-old power forward Al Jefferson who had a break out season last year, averaging a double-double. In the words of Jan Volk*, who succeeded the legendary Red Auerbach as General Manager of the Boston Celtics, "Jefferson is a very good player and might be a terrific player one day, but Kevin Garnett is a great player right now." I couldn't have said it better myself. Volk added that "Red used to say that if you could trade quantity for quality, you should do it."
Another player Minnesota is probably excited about is Gerald Green, the 2007 dunk champion. Green is only 20 years old and has tremendous upside, but the Celtics could not wait for Green to develop. Gerald Green might become a decent player, but until he improves his awareness on the court and improves his "basketball IQ," he's a project at best.
The Celtics probably did not want to include Ryan Gomes in the deal, but it seems it was necessary to do this because of Garnett's trade kicker. Sebastian Telfair was probably a throw-in even though he had made improvements so far this off-season, and Ratliff was only in the deal for financial purposes.
Anyway, with the combination of this trade, as well as the Ray Allen deal, Danny Ainge has not only saved his job, but he has also made the Boston Celtics a top team in the NBA and the Eastern Conference. However, if the Celtics really want to win now, they need to use their bi-annual exception (formerly the million-dollar exception) and their mid-level exception to add players to the roster.
The Celtics need another big man and a backup point guard.
Big man:
A guy I like off the bench is P.J. Brown because he can play little defense off the bench and helps keep Brian Scalabrine on the bench. The thought of winning an NBA title may be enough to convince him to sign at the veteran's exception, which is slightly over $1 million.
Chris Webber may also be an option here, but he would probably ask for more money than the Celtics could afford. Otherwise, he would be very valuable off the bench.
Point Guard:
The options at point guard are limited. Earl Boykins would probably be a good fit here since he is a veteran point guard who had a PER of 16.30 in the 2006-07 season and had a salary under $3 million last season. The Celtics could sign him for about the same salary he had a year ago by breaking up the mid-level exception, and they would still have about $2.5 million to work with.
Some may wonder why I say they need a backup and not a starter, but I really believe that Rajon Rondo is going to be a very good player. No, he is not a very good player now, but he's good enough defensively and has enough awareness on the court to run the point. Keep in mind that this won't be a situation where the point guard handles the ball 90 percent of the time, Celtics fans know that Paul Pierce touches the ball quite a bit, which of course is why Pierce is always among the team leaders in assists per game.
The Celtics roster following the trade is as follows:
Center: Kendrick Perkins, Brian Scalabrine
Power Forward: Kevin Garnett, Leon Powe, Glen "Big Baby" Davis
Small Forward: Paul Pierce, Brandon Wallace
Shooting Guard: Ray Allen, Tony Allen
Point GuardRajon Rondo, Gabe Pruitt
With the additions of a few decent free agents, Ray Allen, and most importantly Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and the Celtics have a realistic chance of winning the franchise's 17th NBA Championship.
P.S. I think I can retract my "Fire Danny Ainge" statement from a few months ago.
Other Information: NBA Salary Cap FAQ
*Jan Volk worked with the Boston Celtics from 1971 to 1997 and was GM from 1984 to 1997. During his time with the Celtics, the franchise won 5 of its 16 championships. Mr. Volk has also worked with the Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks.
If you've been reading this blog, you know about the deal that transpired between last night and early this morning. Rick Pitino was wrong, and Kevin McHale did walk through that door and along with him came Kevin Garnett. The Boston Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, the expiring contract of Theo Ratliff, and two first round picks, one of which came to Boston in the Ricky Davis deal that occurred in January 2006.
As far as the trade goes, in my mind it's a great deal because the Celtics rosters consists of three players who share 22 NBA All-Star appearances between them. The big prize for Minnesota was obviously 22-year-old power forward Al Jefferson who had a break out season last year, averaging a double-double. In the words of Jan Volk*, who succeeded the legendary Red Auerbach as General Manager of the Boston Celtics, "Jefferson is a very good player and might be a terrific player one day, but Kevin Garnett is a great player right now." I couldn't have said it better myself. Volk added that "Red used to say that if you could trade quantity for quality, you should do it."
Another player Minnesota is probably excited about is Gerald Green, the 2007 dunk champion. Green is only 20 years old and has tremendous upside, but the Celtics could not wait for Green to develop. Gerald Green might become a decent player, but until he improves his awareness on the court and improves his "basketball IQ," he's a project at best.
The Celtics probably did not want to include Ryan Gomes in the deal, but it seems it was necessary to do this because of Garnett's trade kicker. Sebastian Telfair was probably a throw-in even though he had made improvements so far this off-season, and Ratliff was only in the deal for financial purposes.
Anyway, with the combination of this trade, as well as the Ray Allen deal, Danny Ainge has not only saved his job, but he has also made the Boston Celtics a top team in the NBA and the Eastern Conference. However, if the Celtics really want to win now, they need to use their bi-annual exception (formerly the million-dollar exception) and their mid-level exception to add players to the roster.
The Celtics need another big man and a backup point guard.
Big man:
A guy I like off the bench is P.J. Brown because he can play little defense off the bench and helps keep Brian Scalabrine on the bench. The thought of winning an NBA title may be enough to convince him to sign at the veteran's exception, which is slightly over $1 million.
Chris Webber may also be an option here, but he would probably ask for more money than the Celtics could afford. Otherwise, he would be very valuable off the bench.
Point Guard:
The options at point guard are limited. Earl Boykins would probably be a good fit here since he is a veteran point guard who had a PER of 16.30 in the 2006-07 season and had a salary under $3 million last season. The Celtics could sign him for about the same salary he had a year ago by breaking up the mid-level exception, and they would still have about $2.5 million to work with.
Some may wonder why I say they need a backup and not a starter, but I really believe that Rajon Rondo is going to be a very good player. No, he is not a very good player now, but he's good enough defensively and has enough awareness on the court to run the point. Keep in mind that this won't be a situation where the point guard handles the ball 90 percent of the time, Celtics fans know that Paul Pierce touches the ball quite a bit, which of course is why Pierce is always among the team leaders in assists per game.
The Celtics roster following the trade is as follows:
Center: Kendrick Perkins, Brian Scalabrine
Power Forward: Kevin Garnett, Leon Powe, Glen "Big Baby" Davis
Small Forward: Paul Pierce, Brandon Wallace
Shooting Guard: Ray Allen, Tony Allen
Point GuardRajon Rondo, Gabe Pruitt
With the additions of a few decent free agents, Ray Allen, and most importantly Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and the Celtics have a realistic chance of winning the franchise's 17th NBA Championship.
P.S. I think I can retract my "Fire Danny Ainge" statement from a few months ago.
Other Information: NBA Salary Cap FAQ
*Jan Volk worked with the Boston Celtics from 1971 to 1997 and was GM from 1984 to 1997. During his time with the Celtics, the franchise won 5 of its 16 championships. Mr. Volk has also worked with the Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks.
Oh Danny Boy
Well it looks like the Garnett deal is basically done and although Ainge did have to give up Jefferson, Green and Telfair, I still love this move for Boston. The next step is to acquire a veteran point guard, as Rajon Rando can't lead this team, and with that they are suddenly a legitimate contender to represent the East in the NBA Finals. Congrats Celts fans! Enjoy these next few years cause after they're done things might get real ugly, real quickly.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Are The Celtics Back?
After trading for Ray Allen on draft night I assumed it wasn't a matter of if but instead when Danny Ainge would be fired. However, it appears that Ainge is on the verge of making the best trade of his tenure as GM of the Celts, Garnett for Al Jefferson, Rajon Rondo and the expiring contract of Theo Ratliff (and most likely a few first round draft picks). I still question how the T-Wolves don't demand Gerald Green in place of Rondo, but that is a different issue entirely.
If such a deal transpires it would certainly jeopardize the Boston Celtics say five years from now, but I think Ainge already did that when he traded Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West for Ray Allen, so why the hell not try to pry Garnett away from Minny while conceding even more of the future? At least this way the Celtics would become a legit NBA contender and wouldn't find themselves in nowhere land, somewhere in between playing for the future and trying to win now. Hold my horses please, did I just say the Celts are legit NBA contenders? Yes I did, and I believe it! If you win the Easy Eastern Conference you're in the NBA title game and anything can happen once you're there. I think a team of Allen, Pierce, and Garnett certainly elevates the Celtics into a class with the Heat, Bulls, Pistons and Cavs, no matter how bad of a supporting cast the team in green would have. In fact let's look at the likely starting lineup assuming the Garnett deal goes down...
PG Sebastian Telfair
SG Ray Allen
SF Paul Pierce
PF Kevin Garnett
C Kendrick Perkins
Top Reserve Players: Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Tony Allen, Brian Scalabrine, and Big Baby
The Big 3 of Pierce, Allen and Garnett is a frightening thought, and a trio that could compete with any of the other teams in the East. Although the reserves aren't anything worth writing home about, Garnett in the Eastern Conference is a scary, scary thought.
In the end, not only would a trade of this magnitude bring hope and enthusiasm to a dejected fan base, but it would honestly replace a team stuck in mediocrity with a new team possessing a 2-3 year window in which they would have a realistic chance of winning an NBA Championship...What a swing it would be.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Has Joel Freeland Made It?
As the Portland Trailblazers contemplate whether to send Joel Freeland back to Spain for another season, Wikipedia makes a strong point for why Freeland is ready for the NBA...
According to Freeland, he spent the season concentrating on conditioning and gained 20 pounds. Freeland will be a member of Portland's entry in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. During a practice on July 2, he dunked over Greg Oden.
Thanks for updating us on the Joel Freeland situation, wikipedia!
According to Freeland, he spent the season concentrating on conditioning and gained 20 pounds. Freeland will be a member of Portland's entry in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. During a practice on July 2, he dunked over Greg Oden.
Thanks for updating us on the Joel Freeland situation, wikipedia!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
NFL Meets Cool Runnings
When it comes to bobsleeding, most sports fans' knowledge begins and ends with Cool Runnings. And reminiscing on the Disney classic, with the exception of Yul Brenner ("Now look in the mirror and tell me what you see!"), I don't think a single actor portraying a bobsleeder could survive let alone thrive in the NFL. Well it appears that experiment is about to trasnpire as on Tuesday the Carolina Panthers signed former French National bobsledder Philippe Gardent.
Okay, okay they are just putting pads on the former bobsleeder and throwing him out there, he actually does have some football experience.
Gardent joins the Panthers after five seasons in NFL Europa, including the last three with the Cologne Centurions.
The 6-1, 240-pound Gardent had 77 tackles and one sack in 2007 to help the Centurions finish first in the league in total defense. He was recognized on the All-NFL Europa League team for the second consecutive year and was named the NFL Europa League National Player of the Week twice.
Hopefully Gardent makes the team and becomes a fan favorite. All I want to know is where will he keep his lucky egg?
Okay, okay they are just putting pads on the former bobsleeder and throwing him out there, he actually does have some football experience.
Gardent joins the Panthers after five seasons in NFL Europa, including the last three with the Cologne Centurions.
The 6-1, 240-pound Gardent had 77 tackles and one sack in 2007 to help the Centurions finish first in the league in total defense. He was recognized on the All-NFL Europa League team for the second consecutive year and was named the NFL Europa League National Player of the Week twice.
Hopefully Gardent makes the team and becomes a fan favorite. All I want to know is where will he keep his lucky egg?
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Pacman's Car Makes Headlines
Pacman is the Paris Hilton on the NFL. No matter whether the news is good or bad, though usually bad, he somehow can't evade the headlines. This latest instance doesn't involve Jones so much, but his old 2005 Chrysler Crossfire. Scott Parker, the owner of the vehicle after Jones, sold the black 2-seater on Ebay this past week for just over $20,000. What, no Pacman fanatics out there? Here are few specifics about the car.
The black, two-door coupe was registered to Jones when Parker made the purchase, and it had the Pacman video game character embroidered on both seats' headrests. It was listed as having 28,000 miles with no warranty and a clear title.
"He had spent a lot on it, from what I gathered," Parker said. "I'm not that familiar with that type of customization. I had to get a new speaker in it, and the stereo guy I work with said someone had spent several thousand dollars on the stereo alone."
Apparently the women who purchased the vehicle knew about its ties with Jones, which adds to the humor of this whole situation. Cruising down the road with stitchings of Pacman on your headsets, now that's the high life.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Apologies for the lack of posts
I have been on vacation in Bermuda. I figured you guys didn't want any sports reporting on the cricket situation coming up in the next few days, but if you do, just let me know! I am back now so look for posts to be coming on their normal schedule (once or twice a day). Thanks, Mini.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Your e-Bay find of the week
This beautiful BALCO-sponsored poster signed by Barry Bonds can be yours for only $10,000! Hurry now before Bonds breaks the record! And remember, steroids can't create champions, but BALCO can!
Monday, July 02, 2007
Barry Bonds Conspiracy Theory?
We all remember the all-star game blunder in 2002 when Commish Selig decided a tie was good enough. Selig was and still is harshly yet deservedly criticized for allowing the Midsummer Classic to end without an ending. Since then Selig has tried to provide fans with exciting, controversy free all-star games. He has been successful on that front, until this year:
The San Francisco Giants star overcame a 119,000-vote deficit in the final days of balloting and finished 123,000 ahead of the Chicago Cubs’ Alfonso Soriano yesterday to claim the third and final starting outfield spot for the National League.
I'm calling conspiracy theory on this one. Either that is the greatest all-star voting comeback in the history of the game or more likely Selig realized that the 2007 all-star game, hosted in San Francisco, needed Barry Bonds in the starting lineup. Sure Selig and Bonds have had their differences however perhaps Selig felt if he did not make Bonds a starter than Bonds might not have been the lone Giants representative (instead Matt Morris or Matt Cain). The last thing Selig wants is to upset the host city fans and be criticized for having another all-star game blunder. Did he tinker with the votes in an attempt to prevent such a slip up?
