With all the attention given the mouth and the girth of Glen "Big Baby" Davis, Leon's competition for rotation minutes in the front court, I'm sure that a lot of observers have already conceded the battle, but I'm sure of one thing, Leon will test Davis' resolve and perhaps even make him question whether he should have gone back to college for one more year.... Leon is a hardened man. He will give no quarter. He also has some talent. ...I'll be watching Powe intently, in those summer league games, but what I really wish I could see are the practices. "Good morning Mr. Davis, my name is Powe, welcome to the NBA. I hear you are going to take my job."

Thinking further about Steve Bulpett’s story in the Herald today about Ryan Gomes, you have to give a nod to the front office for signing a second-round draft pick to a three-year contract. In a summer when the Pistons are going to have to decide whether to offer high schooler Amir Johnson - he of a 30-point night against the Celtics in the season finale, but only 11 career games played over two seasons - a multi-million dollar, multiyear deal, Gomes is back in the fold for less than $800,000.
Some have questioned why Danny Ainge takes up chunks of his mid-level exception to sign second-rounders every year, but this is an example of that working out about as well as possible. With buyout clauses, there isn’t much downside to the move when it doesn’t work out as well (Where have you gone, Orien Greene?).
The problem comes next year when the Celtics have to decide whether to give a huge raise to a player they have been paying near-minimum money - a stumbling point that often makes it hard to re-sign a second-round steal.

Gabe Pruitt, selected No. 32 by the Celtics in the NBA Draft last Thursday, had to cope with the death of his backcourt partner at the University of Southern California.
Ryan Francis, who would have been a sophomore point guard at USC in the 2006-07 season, was shot in May 2006 while visiting his family in Baton Rouge, La.
When he met the media at the Celtics' practice facility Monday, Pruitt was wearing a wristband with Francis' name on it, and he later told a reporter, “I'll never forget him.”
After starting his career as a point guard in 2004-05, Pruitt moved to the shooting guard spot the next season to accommodate freshman Francis.
Following the death of Francis, Pruitt played more of the point last season when he averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds.
“He was so young and you expected him to be there for three more years,” Pruitt told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. “It was kind of awkward. This was supposed to be Ryan Francis' position, so I just tried to do whatever I could to carry his legacy on.”