(Thanks to westthebest and Celtics Blog for the picture)
The Celtics made a big move on draft night to bring in another All Star talent in Ray Allen. But where do we go from here? Ray Allen will make Pierce happy and should improve the offense on the team, but we still have some big needs. We need a back up point guard and another defensive big.
As of now, without signing either of our rookies, the Celtics payroll stands at $63,407,925. The salary cap for the '06-'07 season was $53.125 million with the Luxury Tax threshold at $65.42 million. We can expect the salary cap and luxury tax to increase for this coming season. So, we will be looking at approximately $66-$68 million for the luxury tax threshold for the upcoming season.
We have 13 players on the team as of right now, not including Pruit and Davis. I didn't see it in the Boston papers, but NBA.com has that the Celtics picked up Powe's option on June 12. If they didn't pick it up by July 1, he would have been a free agent. I didn't see anything about Allan Ray's option being picked up. We should be able to sign both of our rookies without going into the luxury tax territory.
But how do we address our other needs. I don't believe that the draft filled the needs even though Danny took a PG in Pruitt and a defensive big man in Davis. Pruitt is more of a shooter than a playmaker and both will need experience before contributing on a regular basis. Danny has chosen the win now route by signing Ray Allen. We will need a player who can contribute now. There are a few different ways we can go.
The Garnett rumors still won't go away. Although Minnesota is now making noises like they are planning on keeping him. Sure, Garnett is a talent and one of the top players in the NBA, but he is on the tail end of his career. We would have to give up Al Jefferson to get him and Al will be a top player in the NBA for many years after Garnett is retired. In his interview on WEEI, Doc said that Al is going to be a Celtic for many years to come. To get Garnett, we would have to gut this team in the trade and then would have to go over the luxury tax threshold to replace those players. I just don't see a Garnett trade happening at this point.
We could go for a big and a point guard in a trade. There are rumblings about another trade with Seattle that would bring Ridnour and Swift for some type of package of players and future picks. Danny has wanted Swift ever since Seattle plucked him from the draft before Danny could get to him. He wanted Swift included in the draft day deal, but Seattle was asking for Rondo and Danny wouldn't give him up. This is a possibility and and given Danny's affinity for Swift, I can see him pursuing this one.
We could pursue a sign and trade with another free agent. Some of the better defensive bigs available would include Magloire, Eddie Jones, PJ Brown, Motumbo, and Gerald Wallace. Rumors have also swirled about Rashard Lewis in a sign and trade, but that wouldn't address our needs for defense and size.
There are other players who are available in trades such as Kirilenko, Dalembert, Camby, Posey, Pavlovic, and a few others. A lot of rumors have swirled around AK47 as Utah has been shopping him and he would probably be a good fit in Boston. We could even go for a three way trade by combining a few rumors. Kirilenko is on the block in Utah and struggled playing out of position this past season. Seattle is rebuilding a young team around Durant and trying to dump salary. Boston needs a low post player. We could send Theo and a young player to Seattle. Seattle would do a sign and trade and send Lewis to Utah while Utah would send AK47 to Boston. This could work to fill needs for all 3 teams.
We could also claim Brevin Knight off of waivers. He has one year left at 1.5 million dollars. He could be a veteran back up PG for Rondo and wouldn't put us over the salary cap. This would solve our PG need.
We may find a diamond in the rough in Summer League. Word is that Albert Miralles will be coming over for a look. There may be other free agents and undrafted players who come in and wow Danny and will fill the needs that we have.
Of course, we could just stand pat from here also. We upgraded our talent considerably by bringing in Ray Allen. Each of our young players will come back better this year after a summer of hard work. Today's Herald had an article that presented the fact that Theo Ratliff may not be just an expiring contract. He has been working out and rehabbing and is ready to play ball this season. This would give us another big and a defensive presence in the middle. We still have Telfair who could play back up point guard and who has a lot to prove at this point. There is also the possibility that Pruitt and Davis may be able to come in and contribute. We can start the season off with this roster and see how Theo plays. His contract will be worth even more at the trade deadline if he doesn't play well.
Danny has been saying that he isn't through yet, though and I imagine that he is trying for another deal to address some of our needs. I don't see another blockbuster going down, but rather one or two smaller trades or moves. With free agency starting tomorrow, we should see a lot of action over the next week. Friday we will see our draft picks in action as summer league begins and then things will be a little clearer as we see what strides our young players are making.
We previously reported that FSN will be carrying all of the Celtics Summer League games live. Now we have great news for those who can't get FSN. From NBA.com:
You can watch every game of the 2007 NBA Summer League live! NBA TV will be carrying 28 games live, and all 55 games will be available as a live video webcast on NBA.com.
So, you can watch every game live via your computer this year.
NBA-TV will be carrying 5 Boston games: 7/6 10:00 vs Portland 7/9 4:00 vs San Antonio 7/11 10:00 Vs Chinese National Team 7/13 8:00 vs Milwaukee 7/14 4:00 vs Dallas
LSU Beat has a good article on "Big Baby" Glenn Davis. Like two other big men on the Celtics, Perk and Powe, Davis had a rough time growing up and has had to overcome much to get to where he is.
Davis' mother Toyna Davis was as disappointed as her son but put on a stiff upper lip. "It's more adversity for him," she said. "He's used to that." Davis spent a lot of his childhood in and out of foster homes and the homes of relatives as his mother was often in jail for drug-related charges. "He's come back from a lot of things," his mother said.
Collins Temple, who helped to raise Davis had this to add.
"I'm not disappointed, but I'm surprised," Temple said. "He'll be fine. He's just a player or two away from the first round. He knows what he's got to do. This will make him hungry because he's mad."
He had worked out for 14 teams prior to the draft, but Boston was not one of them. His agent was given a guarantee from two teams that he would be taken in the first round but obviously they didn't keep their promises.
"Two teams guaranteed me they would take him in the first round," said Hamilton, an old friend of Davis who is a sports agent out of Baton Rouge. "I'm pretty angry about that. I think everybody gets caught up in the first round, and I tried to prepare Glen in case it didn't happen. But he's still in the top five of the second round and will have a great chance at a guaranteed contract."
It is understandable that Davis is disappointed since he expected to go in the first round. First round contracts are guaranteed but second round players have to prove themselves to earn their contracts. But Davis is ready to prove himself to Boston and make the teams who passed on him sorry they did.
"There's a difference in money," Davis said. "And as a kid you dream of being a first-round pick. But it's not over yet. The draft is only one day. I've just got to keep fighting." "I don't know a lot about their team, but I don't care," Davis said. "I just want to play. That's all I want to do. Because I'm ready."
If he keeps this attitude and catches on to Perk and Powe's work ethic, Big Baby may just be able to help the Celtics and may also make the teams who passed on him in the first round sorry they did.
2TheAdvocate also has a good article on him. After the disappointment of not being picked in the first round sunk in, Davis is reportedly upbeat and ready to show the Celtics what he can do in the Vegas Summer League.
“He’s good now. He’s back up and back to his old self,” said Collis Temple, Davis’ mentor and father figure since he was 9. “He knows what happened is really a blessing in disguise as far as the opportunity to go to a team that needs some help. He’s ready to show the Celtics what he can do.” The wait to do so won’t be long. Davis flies Sunday to Boston, meets the media there Monday and then flies to Las Vegas with fellow draft pick Gabe Pruitt from Southern California to participate in the Reebok NBA Summer League.
Davis and his agent have already been in talks with the Celtics about how he can fit in and help the team. He will be wearing #11 for the Celtics. I think he is going to prove to be a very good addition to a team who needs big inside players.
Here is a look at the Celtics 35th pick back in 2003 while he was a senior at University HS in Baton Rouge, LA and playing in the ABCD camp, including some thoughts from our own Sebastian Telfair.
And if you thought that Antoine's wiggle was great, wait till you see "Big Baby" in action. I think I am going to like this kid.
This morning, Doc was on with Dennis and Callahan on WEEI. Some of the high points of the interview were: -Doc expects a small to medium deal yet to come rather than another big deal. We still need a back up PG and a big. -Ratliff is healthy and playing well right now but we don't know how long that will last. -Al is not going anywhere and he expects Al to be a Celtic for a long, long time. He and Al are close and he told Al that they would do everything they could to shelter him. -Al, Rondo, Gomes and the other young guys are working very hard. -Big Baby Davis is very quick for his size. Like Barkley you want him to keep his size while staying in shape. -Pruitt is a replacement for Delonte for the time being -They aren't sure who all will be in Vegas. They are looking at undrafted players. Green, Rondo and Powe should be there. Click here to listen to the interview.
Then, Dale and Holly had an interview with Ray Allen. I was impressed with him. He is ready to come in and do whatever it takes to win. He will defer to Paul as the leader but yet, I believe he will be a leader in his own way. A very classy guy. Here are the highlights of the interview:
-Seattle has been getting younger and he didn't fit there anymore. He looks at Boston as a very good situation. -New England is his favorite part of the country and he has family there. -He feels that we look at 32 as old because of all the kids who have come in to the league at 19. He feels he has many years of good basketball ahead of him. -He takes very good care of himself. He is an avid cycler and runs. He stays away from fried foods and eats right. Junk food for him is blueberries. He likes salmon. (He and Tony will have to dine together). He loves Boston Clam Chowder and feels that Boston is the only place to eat it. -Nobody is guaranteed a championship. Everybody has the same chance going in. It starts with how hard you work in training camp and how you become a team. Click here to listen to the interview.
I can't help but feel that somehow we didn't address any of our needs in the draft. Going into the draft, we needed size and defense. We addressed neither. In the meantime, we lost a good defender who played with heart and was a fan favorite. I am going to miss Delonte in green.
Questions about Ray Allen are his health and age. He is coming off the best season of his career, but he also had double ankle surgery in April and has yet to work out. He is 32 years old and at that age, may not heal as well as if he was in his 20's. One plus is his attitude. He is very happy to be coming to Boston and was very positive when interviewed by phone by the Globe.
"I could not be more excited about coming to Boston to play for the Celtics." said Allen. "I am glad to be back in the New England area and cannot wait to get onto the floor with players the caliber of Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson."
With regard to playing alongside Pierce, Allen, when reached by telephone last night, added, ‘‘I’m a chameleon. I’ll adapt wherever I go. One of my best attributes is to assess the situation and not try to force my personality on the team. I know it’s Paul Pierce’s team. I just want to fit in and make the team better the best I know how.’’
While Allen has averaged 21.5 points over a 10-year NBA career and shot 45 percent from the field, including 45 percent from 3-point range, the seven-time All-Star believes he can contribute more than offense.
‘‘There’s more to me than the ability to shoot it,’’ said Allen, who has three years worth $52.2 million remaining on his contract. ‘‘It’s about being professional and doing your job every day. I can teach young players to step up and be great at their jobs. I can [be a part of] providing leadership, giving Paul that help.
‘‘We both can score, but I don’t think we have to have the ball in our hands to score. I can score without the ball. I look at scoring in different ways. The ball doesn’t have to be in my hands. I have a responsibility when I’m on the floor to know what every other player can do and put them in good situations.’’
Hopefully, Allen can come back healthy and will help the team. He would be an upgrade over Wally, but I just can't help but think that we passed up something special by passing on the players who were available in the draft. The addition of Ray Allen if he comes in healthy, though, should be enough to make us a playoff team. But the feeling is that Danny isn't done dealing and there is more to come.
In the second round, we took Gabe Pruitt with the 32nd pick. Gabe is a 6'4" guard out of Southern California where he averaged 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Nicknamed "Smilin' Gabe, he is a combo guard with good quickness and acceleration. He is effective with the cross-over dribble to shake defenders. He shoots with range, but is streaky. He is an active defender who plays the passing lanes well. he is still relatively inexperienced at the point, as he was utilized more as a scorer in the prep ranks, but has shown improvement in this area and more creativity as a junior. He still needs to refine his skills at the point, but even while developing them, he can give decent minutes sharing playing time at the next level. He should be put into service as a replacement for Delonte West.
With the 35th pick that we received in the Ray Allen trade, the Celtics picked "Big Baby" Glenn Davis who is a 6'9" forward out of LSU who averaged 17.7 points and 10.4 rebounds in 29 games this past season for the Tigers. Davis led the SEC in rebounding this past season and ranked third in scoring. The former Tiger recorded 15 double-doubles, including 10 games in which he scored 20 or more points. Davis finished as the 10th all-time leading scorer in LSU history with 1,587 points. "Big Baby" earned Second Team All-America honors from The Sporting News and Third Team honors from the Associated Press as a sophomore. He is a skilled BIG man with a feathery touch in the post. He has excellent athleticism for someone so big. he is a polished low-post scorer and a good rebounder. Has a real feel for the game. His weight has been a huge issue for him. It bothered him in the NCAA tournament and scouts are concerned as he gets older it will take its toll on his body and he'll have a harder time keeping the weight off. He lost 45 pounds prior to the predraft camp which gives hope that this may be a problem of the past. Though word is that he has gained some of that weight back.
All of the post draft interviews, including Doc, Danny, and Mike Gorman, voiced the opinion that we are not done yet. Danny expects to tweak the roster a bit more before the season starts. Personnally, I hope that we don't make any trades that will cause us to give up Al Jefferson. I think another minor trade for a big who isn't making max money will be the smartest thing we could do. According to most sources the Garnett deal is still in play, but if it costs us Al Jefferson, I don't think we should do it. Also, taking on Garnett's deal would financially criple us for years to come. We need another big and more defense. It is time to see who we can bring in to give us those qualities without giving up the future to get them.
One immediate question is the #34. Both Ray Allen and Gabe Pruitt wear #34 now but we all know that it is already being worn on the Celtics. What numbers will Pruitt and Allen pick? Glenn Davis wears #0 but Leon Powe is wearing that number for the Celtics and I, for one, hope he continues to wear it for the Celtics. We need to pick up his option by July 1 and I haven't heard anything about that as yet. With Davis' weight being a concern, I don't want to give up on Powe as yet. Another side note of this team is that now we have Ray Allen to go along with Allan Ray. That has to be a first. Although, Allan Ray's option needs to be picked up by July 1 as well. If Danny goes for Garnett, it will have to be a 5 or 6 for 1 deal and we will need all the cheap players we can get.
The next big thing is Summer League which starts on July 6 where we should be able to get a look at our 2 second round draft picks in action. Reports are that we will get to see Albert Miralles in action in summer league as well.
The Celtics traded the 5th pick, with which they took Jeff Green, along with Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West for Ray Allen and the 35th pick. Ray Allen is 32 years old and coming off double ankle surgery but is coming off his best season as a pro. In 10 seasons with the Bucks and Sonics has averaged 21.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 3.9 apg. He is coming off a career-high 26.4 ppg last season in only 55 games, having ankle surgery in April. He is a career 39.7 percent shooter from three-point range.
Reports are that Pierce is very happy with the trade to bring Allen to Boston. There is a lot of speculation that the Celtics are going to make another move before the season. Ray Allen was in Mexico when he heard about the trade. Allen said that he was happy to be coming to Boston. Allen is owed 52.2 million over the remaining 3 years of his contract.
In the second round, the Celtics took Gabe Pruitt, a 6'4 guard out of USC, with the 32nd pick. He is more of a shooter than a distributor but did play the point in college. With the 35th pick, we took "Big Baby" Glen Davis, a 6'9" forward out of LSU. He sprained his ankle in his last workout before the draft. He has struggled with his weight and reportedly lost 45 pounds to get down to 280 before the predraft workouts.
Danny is still insisting that he is planning to make the pick tonight and that no trade is in the works. But if I remember correctly, he said the exact same thing going into last year's draft and we all know how that ended up. ESPN reported that Danny has said that the pick is off the market. So, either he has someone he really wants or he is trying to up the value of the pick in a trade.
The Olympian is reporting that the Sonics have offered Ray Allen for the 5th pick and Theo's contract. So far the rumors are that the Celtics have said no thanks. Danny may have something else in the works or really wants someone in the draft.
WJMK 104.3FM out of Chicago is reporting that the Knicks and Wolves are trying to get a trade done with Boston as a third team.
The T-Wolves would send Kevin Garnett, Mark Blount, Troy Hudson and Marko Jaric to New York. The Knicks would send Steve Francis, Channing Frye, Nate Robinson and David Lee to Minnesota; and would send Stephon Marbury, Quentin Richardson and Mardy Collins to Boston. The Celtics would send Sebastian Telfair to New York; and Wally Szczerbiak and Theo Ratliff to Minnesota.
This definitely sounds like someone making up a trade for the sake of making up a trade.
After many reports saying that Atlanta was leaning toward Yi, Chad Ford is reporting that they are back to Horford as their choice.
The first trade of the draft has gone down, albeit a minor one. Houston has gotten the 54th pick from Orlando for cash considerations.
WEEI's draft show is on now. You can stream it live online here.
6 hours until the draft and I am as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. To make it worse, a thunderstorm is moving in and I have to worry about the power going out. Stay tuned for news as it happens.
There will be draft coverage on several media outlets including CelticsStuff Live, ESPN radio, FSN, NBA TV, and WEEI. Here is a summary of where you can go to get the latest news on Draft Day.
WEEI will start the festivities with the Big Show that will broadcast live from the Garden and Celtics Draft Headquarters from 2pm - 6pm. The Big Show's guests that day will include Doc Rivers, Danny Ainge, and Wyc Grousbeck. After the Big Show, Sean Grande & Cedric Maxwell will team up for a Celtics Draft Special show, 6pm -9pm, live from the Garden. After all the dust has settled and Celtics have made or traded their pick, Jon Wallach will host a Celtics Post Draft Special starting at 9pm.
Celtics Pride with Jeff Hickman and Patrick Gilory will be broadcasting on ESPN Radio on Draft Night starting at 7:00 PM EST. Guests will include Dee Brown, Mike Gorman, and Steven A. Smith. They will be giving away tickets to opening night, pieces of the parquet floor, and more! You can catch the show on the radio (890AM or 1400AM) or by selecting them on the CelticsBlog Radio function.
Gold Rarities Celticsstuff Live NBA Draft Show will be broadcasting from their home on CelticsBlog from 6 pm till 12 pm. Guests will include Henry Abbott, Steve Bulpett, Mike Gorman, & more! They will be giving away free tickets and more. These guys are always a lot of fun and it should be a great show!
Television coverage begins with a 6:00-7:00 Pre-Draft Show on NBA TV. They will also have draft coverage from 9-12 pm.
At 6:30, FSN will have Gary and Greg along with Ryen Russillo on checking in with Mike Gorman and Donny Marshall live from the Garden. At 7:00 they will be offering live updates from their draft experts. At 10:00 they will have a complete recap of the draft including reaction from Doc and Danny.
ESPN will have a Draft Preview Show on from 7:00-7:30. The Draft will be on ESPN live at 7:30 and they will offer draft coverage until 12:00am
This is going to be a very important time for the Celtics and so every Celtics fan will be on the edge of their seats to see if Danny uses the pick or trades it. Also if he uses it, who will he pick? So pull up a chair and enjoy the roller coaster that is the 2007 NBA Draft.
Celtics Summer League games will be televised live by FSN this year. This is great news. I am excited about this team, trade or no trade. We should pick up a player who will be able to make an impact right away. All of our players are a year older and more experienced. Hopefully we will be healthy. I can't wait for July 6 to see the difference in them and what they have been working on.
Celtics Blog has posted the following news release from FSN:
(BURLINGTON, MA) – FSN New England, the 27-year home to Boston Celtics basketball, will telecast every Celtics Summer League contest from Las Vegas beginning, Friday, July 6. The action begins when the Green battle consensus No. 1 pick Greg Oden and the Portland TrailBlazers.
FSN’s schedule includes a live telecast and one replay of each game. All telecasts will be produced by the NBA.
Starting Friday, July 6, and throughout the Celtics’ stay in Vegas, Celtics play-by-play man Mike Gorman will provide reports during Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight at 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Celtics sideline reporter and Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight co-host Greg Dickerson will also check in from Vegas throughout the week.
FSN’s Vegas Summer League schedule (after the jump):
- Friday, July 6 – Celtics vs. Portland @ 10 p.m. (live)*
- Saturday, July 7 – Celtics vs. Portland @ 2 a.m. (replay)
- Monday, July 9 – Celtics vs. San Antonio @ 4 p.m. (live)
- Tuesday, July 10 – Celtics vs. San Antonio @ noon (replay)
- Wednesday, July 11 – Celtics vs. China @ 10 p.m. (live) *
- Thursday, July 12 – Celtics vs. China @ noon (replay)
- Friday, July 13 – Celtics vs. Milwaukee @ 8 p.m. (live)
- Saturday, July 14 – Celtics vs. Milwaukee @ 2:00 a.m. (replay)
- Saturday, July 14 – Celtics vs. New York @ 4 p.m. (live)
- Sunday, July 15 – Celtics vs. New York @ 2 a.m. (replay)
*Late Edition of Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight to air at 9:30 p.m. due to live Celtics basketball
FSN New England begins its 27th season of Boston Celtics basketball in November. Its partnership with the Celtics is the longest running regional sports network-team affiliation in New England and pre-dates any affiliation in American sports with the exception of MSG and FSN New York’s partnership with the Rangers, Knicks, and Islanders.
FSN New England reaches more than 3.7 million households in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. FSN New England’s programming includes Boston Celtics, Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight Presented by the Boston Herald, Twin River New England Tailgate, Tweeter Presents 4 Downs with Felger, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, and The Sports List. FSN New England is owned and managed by Rainbow Sports Networks. Visit www.fsnnewengland.com for more information. -FSN NEW ENGLAND-
Only one more day to wait until the draft. It seems as though every time we turn around there is another trade rumor. The newest one on the Garnett front is a three way trade between Phoenix, Minnesota and Atlanta. According to Yahoo Sports:
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett is close to going to the Phoenix Suns in a monumental three-way trade that would send Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire to the Atlanta Hawks, league sources said Wednesday. Atlanta would move the Nos. 3 and 11 picks in Thursday's draft, as well as Zaza Pachulia and Anthony Johnson, to Minnesota.
Garnett to Phoenix has never made sense to me. Phoenix has insisted that they want to clear salary because they are in luxury tax territory. I may be wrong, but trading Stoudamire for Garnett gets them nowhere. They were very close to going to the Western Conference Finals and very well may have made it if it wasn't for the suspensions. They are close, so why ship out a young and talented center for an old one. I just don't understand this one.
In the meantime, Danny is saying that he will will more than likely keep the pick. ESPN reports:
"I think [a trade] is unlikely. I'm expecting to make our pick," Ainge, the Celtics executive director of basketball operations, said Wednesday. "I've felt that way from the beginning, that these trades are hard to come by." Still, Ainge said, he's confident the fifth pick will make a major contribution next season to a very young team that is seen as many years away from contending for a title. That bothers Pierce, who has won just three playoff series in nine seasons with Boston, but Ainge said he spoke to Pierce on Tuesday and there was no trade demand. "It was a great conversation and Paul was very enthusiastic," Ainge said. But would Pierce be happy if the Celtics kept the No. 5 pick? "It depends," Ainge said. "There's a lot of depends and it's a long time before October, so we'll talk about that later." The Celtics could trade for a veteran between the end of the draft and the start of training camp Oct. 1 in Italy.
The article also reports that Ainge is spending a lot of time on the phone, which means that he still may make a trade before the draft. Or maybe not.
I am beginning to think that there are people whose job is to float rumors about trades and players just to keep people off balance. Yahoo reports that Garnett to Phoenix is close. In the meantime it is reported on Phoenix radio that there are no deals on the table for Marion or Amare. And it makes you wonder just who these league sources are who say all these things. As Alice would say, "Curiouser and curiouser."
With the trade rumors going hot and heavy and most of them are lopsided against the Celtics, it is a good time to continue with our look at Celtics history and the players who have had their numbers retired in Boston.
Number 16 was retired on January of 1973 for Tom "Satch" Sanders. Satch grew up in Harlem and played basketball for Seward Park High School and New York University before going on to play in the NBA. He played all of his 13 years with the Celtics and was part of eight championship teams from 1961 through1969. In NBA history, only teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones have won more championship rings during their playing careers. He retired in 1973 and went on to coach the Celtics for a brief time in 1978 and 1979. Today, 'Satch' is the NBA's Vice-President and Director of Player Programs. Based in New York City, his birthplace, 'Satch' designs programs to help both veteran and rookie players take advantage of their unique status as professional athletes and to assist them in coping with the special pressures they face. Player Programs is responsible for facilitating the following: post-career counseling; educational and employment opportunities; the NBA/PA (Players Association) Anti-Drug and Alcohol Programs; advice on dealing with celebrity status and media attention and a nonprofit foundation that benefits former players.
Number 17 was retired on October 13, 1978 in honor of the legendary John "Hondo" Havlicek. Even though Havlicek is considered one of the best players in NBA history, he was mostly overlooked as a college player because he was on the same team as Jerry Lucas at Ohio State University. That team, which also had future coaching legend Bobby Knight as a reserve, won the 1960 NCAA title. Havlicek was drafted by both the Celtics and the NFL's Cleveland Browns in 1962. After competing briefly as a wide receiver in the Browns' training camp that year, he focused his energies on playing for the Celtics. Head coach Red Auerbach later described him as the "guts of the team". He was also known for his stamina, with competitors saying that it was a challenge for them just to keep up with him. Havlicek The 6-5 Boston Celtics star was a perpetual-motion machine, a human dynamo who was legendary for wearing out opponents with his relentless baseline-to-baseline efforts. A star at both forward and guard, Havlicek's versatility made him perhaps the finest all-around player in the history of the NBA, according to Sports Illustrated. Hondo revolutionized the sixth man role and became the prototype Celtics' sixth man. Johnny Most's legendary call, "Havlicek stole the ball," remains a classic description of a memorable moment in NBA history. Havlicek owns three Wendy’s restaurants and a piece of a food company in Ohio. He also handles public relations for a company in Leominster and listens to any freelancing opportunities that come up. Dave Thomas, owner of Wendy's, is a friend of Hondo's and his daughter Wendy, for whom the recipe is named, used to baby sit for him.
Number 18 was retired on February 8, 1981 for Dave Cowens. Cowens' playing credo was all-out intensity at both ends of the court, a style that never wavered during his 11-year NBA career. Cowens played aggressively, often recklessly, and with great passion. He always gave fans their money's worth. At 6'9 he was considered by some to be too short to play center, but he played 11 years in the league, 10 with Boston and 1 in Milwaukee, and he averaged 17.6 points and 13.6 rebounds per game over his career. For a time during the early part of the 1977 season, Cowens left the team and started driving a cab. He went AWOL from the Celtics for a short time just "to clear his head." He later explained that he was "suffering from burnout." He began his coaching career by serving as a combined player/coach for the Boston Celtics during the 1978-79 season, but he quit as coach after the season, and returned as a full-time player before retiring in 1980. However, he was coaxed out of retirement by the Milwaukee Bucks, and played for them during the 1982-83 season before retiring for good. He returned to the NBA coaching ranks by serving as an Assistant Coach for the San Antonio Spurs in 1994-96, and became Head Coach of the Charlotte Hornets from 1996-99 and had a brief tenure as head coach with the Golden State Warriors from 1999-2001 which only lasted 105 games. He was the head coach of the WNBA Chicago Sky for the 2005-06 season. He left the Sky to return to the NBA as an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons last season.
Number 19 was retired for Don Nelson. Don Nelson personifies the hard-working, blue-collar roots of the Midwest where he was raised. Whether he was playing on the hardwood or coaching from its sidelines, Nelson, or "Nellie" as he is often referred to, has carved himself a place in NBA history as one of league's toughest competitors. Nellie played for the Chicago Zephyrs (which later moved to Baltimore and became the Bullets) and the Lakers before coming to the Celtics. He played 11 years with the Celtics and won 5 Championships with them. After he retired as a player, he has coached for 26 years with Milwaukee, Golden State, Dallas, and even a brief stint with New York. He stepped down from his coaching position in Dallas due to health issues as he was facing a bout with prostate cancer. Now healthy, and at 66 years of age, Nellie coached the Golden State Warriors to an exciting playoff run last season.
Number 21 was retired on October 15, 1966 for Bill Sharman, who played ten seasons with the Celtics from 1951 through 1961, and helped lead the Celtics to four NBA world championship titles. Arguably the greatest shooter of his era, Bill Sharman was one of the first NBA guards to push his field-goal percentage above .400 for a season (.436 in 1952-53), and he still ranks among the top free-throw shooters of all time with an .883 lifetime percentage. After retiring as a player in 1961 Sharman distinguished himself as an inspiring and innovative coach, the only one to win championships in three professional leagues-the American Basketball League in 1962, the American Basketball Association in 1971 and the NBA in 1972. He guided the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers to the best regular-season record (69-13) in NBA history until the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls finished 72-10. He introduced an innovative training device on game days called the "shootaround," in which players went through a light morning practice session prior to the day's contest. He felt that getting his team's mind on the game early, going over strategy, and loosening the muscles, were excellent ways to prepare mentally and physically for a game. Today most (if not all) NBA and college teams use shootarounds as a regular part of their training regimens. Sharmen was GM and club president of the Lakers and later remained with the team as a special consultant. He was only 1 of 3 people (the others being John Wooden and Lenny Wilkins) who was enshrined in the Hall of Fame as both player and coach.
Number 22 was retired on October 16, 1963 for "Easy Ed" Macauley who was a member of the Celtics for six seasons from 1950 through 1956. He had his Celtics No. 22 retired at the same time as Bob Cousy's No. 14. They were the first two to have their numbers retired by Boston. Easy Ed” retired as the NBA's third all-time leading scorer trailing only George Mikan and Dolph Shayes at the time. MacAuley was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1960 at the age of 32 and to this day he is still the youngest player ever enshrined. There is a story behind Easy Ed that is worth recounting here. In 1956, Ed's son Patrick became ill. They took him to a Boston doctor, who after some time diagnosed Patrick with spinal meningitis. Ed and his wife had to take Patrick back and forth to St. Louis for treatment, which was a tremendous drain on them, both physically and financially. Ed was close to the Celtics' owner, Walter Brown, and requested a trade to the St. Louis Hawks, to make getting treatment for Patrick easier for them. Although Brown didn't want to trade him, he understood the personal difficulties and agreed to seek a trade. McCauley and Cliff Hagan were traded to St. Louis for the second pick in the draft that would become Bill Russell. Ed went on to star for St. Louis and sadly Patrick died a few years later. But had Ed not requested the trade, the history of the Celtics, and thus the league, would probably have been much different. These days, “Easy Ed”, who is 79, resides in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife Jacqueline. The two of them have been married 52 years. MacAuley is retired and previously he was a Sports Director for two television stations in St. Louis. With retirement, MacAuley is currently very involved with his church serving as a Deacon and has written a book entitled “Homilies Lives” with Father Francis Fredle.
Number 23 was retired for Frank Ramsey who played nine seasons in the NBA, all with the Celtics. He was the Celtics original sixth man. Red Auerbach, is often credited throughout basketball with creating the sixth man. Though Ramsey was one of the Celtics' best players, he felt more comfortable coming off the bench and Auerbach wanted him fresh and in the lineup at the end of close games. Ramsey was the first in a series of sixth men who won championship rings with the Celtics. After playing his rookie season with the Celtics (1954-1955), Ramsey spent one year in the military before rejoining the team. In the eight seasons he played after military service, he was a member of seven championship teams. Ramsey was also a head coach for one season (1970-71) in the ABA with the Kentucky Colonels. On November 15th, 2005, Ramsey's house was destroyed in a tornado that hit his residence in Madisonville, Kentucky. One of his plaques was found miles away from his home, and Ramsey himself was found unhurt.
It is time for our final edition of Around the Mock Drafts. Only 2 days till the draft and it appears that things are still up in the air. To add to the uncertainty, trade rumors are swirling fast and furious which will further change the draft landscape. Here is the latest from the mock drafts around the web.
Draft Express has the Celtics taking Jeff Green at 5 with Atlanta taking Horford and the Grizzlies going with Conley. In the second round, they have the Celtics taking Kyrylo Fesenko, a 7'1" center from the Ukraine.
SI.com has the Celtics taking Corey Brewer with the Hawks taking Horford and the Grizzlies going with Noah. Here is what they have to say about the pick: "This pick is much more likely to be traded than retained, but it makes sense to keep Brewer in this spot because he is attractive to so many teams. Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge understands offense, and if he keeps his pick, he's unlikely to pass up a player with Brewer's expansive offensive repertoire and vast scoring potential."
On his mock draft, Chad Ford has gone back to the Celtics taking Yi Jianlian and has the Hawks taking Horford and the Grizzlies taking Conley. Here is what Chad has to say about the pick: "The skinny: I think this is where the draft gets really interesting. It appears that Danny Ainge is trying to decide between Yi Jianlian and Jeff Green. But I still think the odds are in favor of Ainge's trading the pick in an attempt to pick up a veteran. I had Yi at the No. 5 spot for a month, then I backed off in Mock Draft Version 4.0. Now I have him back here again. At the end of the day, most GMs say they take the best player available, regardless of need. In this case, Yi would be the highest-rated player remaining and he would fill a need, so I think Ainge swallows hard and pulls the trigger."
The Sporting News puts Green in Boston, Horford in Atlanta and Conley in Memphis. Here is their reasoning behind the pick: "Needs: PG, C. With Sebastian Telfair having screwed up his chance in Boston (we think), the Celtics are left with Rajon Rondo and Delonte West at point guard, and neither is really a point guard. They have Paul Pierce at shooting guard, and Al Jefferson had a breakthrough year at power forward. A center would be nice -- turns out Theo Ratliff and Michael Olowokandi weren't the answer -- but the Celtics will be looking for trades this summer and need to simply stockpile talent. The Pick: Jeff Green, SF, Georgetown. We're still on the watch for a possible draft-day deal involving this pick, but if Boston does hold it, the smart money is on Green. They will consider Brandan Wright, but Jefferson is the future at power forward. Green can be a sort of point-forward from the 3 spot, which might make a nice tandem with Pierce."
CBS Sportsline has Brewer going to Boston, Horford going to Atlanta and Conley going to Memphis. Here is their reasoning behind the pick: "Danny Ainge wants to force the action to land a veteran who can play wingman to Paul Pierce. Already the Timberwolves were tempted to trade Kevin Garnett to Beantown, but Garnett vetoed that deal. If Ainge can't find a match -- Phoenix and Shawn Marion was a rumor -- he'll keep the pick and go "safe" with Brewer over Yi Jianlian."
Inside Hoops has the Celtics taking Joakim Noah with the 5th pick, Atlanta taking Horford, and Memphis taking Conley.
Fox Sports puts Green in Boston, B Wright in Atlanta and Horford in Memphis. Here is their reasoning on the pick: "Green is extremely versatile and measured well down at the Orlando pre-draft camp. We feel it will come down to Green or Corey Brewer and while Brewer may be the better defender, Green is able to make his teammates better and is also a more adept scorer. He would be a nice complement to Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson."
Pro Basketball News has Boston taking Noah, while Atlanta takes Horford and Memphis takes Conley.
CollegeHoops.net has Boston taking Yi, Atlanta taking B Wright and Memphis taking Horford. They also have the Celtics taking Petteri Koponen with the 32nd pick.
RealGM's mock has the Celtics taking B Wright while the Hawks take Conley and the Grizzlies take Horford. Here is their reasoning: "Wright has been very impressive in his workouts and remains the unquestioned third best player in this draft in my estimation, as well as several college coaches that I\'ve talked to. No matter if the Celtics are trying to win now or win in the future, Wright will have the biggest impact on making the franchise a winner again. Wright, Al Jefferson and Paul Pierce may not exactly be Bird, McHale and Parish, but it is a frontline that will be amongst the best two or three in the entire NBA."
MSNBC has the Celtics taking B Wright while the Hawks take Horford and the Grizzlies take Conley. Here is their blurb: "Milwaukee would want him to pair with Andrew Bogut, but the next best player available on the board, Corey Brewer, doesn’t fit with Boston, so the Celtics claim Wright and look to trade for a veteran to go with their young talent."
NBC Sports has Boston taking B Wright, Atlanta taking Yi, and Memphis taking Horford. Here is their reasoning: "The skinny: The draft won't be the happiest time for Celtics fans, who were hoping a season of losing would net them a shot at either Oden or Durant. Rampant speculation has the Celtics looking to deal this pick as an answer to Paul Pierce's cry for immediate help, but assuming they stay put, the athletic Wright would be a nice complement to the more grounded Al Jefferson in the paint. Danny Ainge could also opt for Corey Brewer, a move which could have implications on both Pierce's and Gerald Green's futures in Boston."
Fanball has the Celtics taking Yi, while Atlanta takes Conley and Memphis takes Horford. Here is what they had to say about the pick: "Brandan Wright or Jeff Green here wouldn't be a surprise, but the Celtics have a glut of players at the position. Boston could be a bit hesitant because Jianlian hasn't worked out against other NBA talent, so we also wouldn't be surprised to see the Celtics trade this pick."
The Great Bloggers Mock has the Celtics taking Yi. Atlanta takes Horford and Memphis takes B Wright. Here is what Jeff had to say about the pick. "Danny Ainge will be trading for immediate help so he can afford to take the best talent available. Danny thinks Yi is the best talent available."
Hoopsworld has us taking 3 different players on their mock. 3 of the writers say we take Brewer, one says we take Green and the last one says we take Yi.
Ramblings from the Many Minds of Chris puts Green in Boston, Horford in Atlanta and Conley in Memphis. Here is what they have to say about the pick: "Just the player that the Celtics shouldn’t go for. We already have a jack-of-all-trades-and-master-of-none. His name is Ryan Gomes. I still think that either of the remaining Floridians would be the best pick here, but from every indication, the whoever is picked in this slot won’t be wearing green. The best trade scenario I’ve heard for the C’s and this pick would be to trade #5 and #32 to Charlotte for #8 and #22."
Stupid Sideline Reporters has a very different mock from most. They have the Celtics taking Horford, the Hawks taking Wright and the Grizzlies taking Green. Here is his reasoning for the Celtics pick: "Al Horford from Florida. Horford is a strong rebounder, but needs to improve on his free throws. Danny Ainge finds a way not to screw this draft up."
Immaterial Sports News puts Green in Boston, Horford in Atlanta and Conley in Memphis. Here is their blurb: "This is by far the toughest pick to project. Danny Ainge just doesn’t want to drop any hints at all. At first I heard that the Celtics were high on Yi. Then later I hear they aren’t so impressed. I have to switch this up to Green although Yi may still go here. I also heard that the Dallas Mavericks are looking to move into the top 10 to possibly take Noah. I believe Boston will likely trade this pick and if the Mavs offer them something good…they’ll jump all over it! I’ve also read that the Celtics/Wolves trade talks have not died down at all. Look for the Celtics to likely trade this pick. If they stay though, Green is the man."
Celtics Nation has Noah coming to Boston while Wright goes to Atlanta and Horford goes to Memphis. Here is their reasoning for the pick: "If Danny Ainge ultimately decides to keep this pick, he would be wise to pass on players such as Mike Conley Jr., Corey Brewer, and Yi Jianlian. Each is intriguing, and a case can be made for selecting any of them with this pick. Conley is gong to be a great point guard, but Boston appears committed to Rajon Rondo and Delonte West. Brewer defends at an NBA level, but the Celtics are flooded with wing players. Jianlian is an Ainge favorite, but Al Jefferson is the lock at power forward. There are also plenty of detractors when it comes to Noah - his offensive game is limited, and his body doesn't appear equipped to bang with the NBA's big boys. Besides, he plays power forward, Jefferson's position. So, why take Noah? The Celtics would be getting last season's Number 1 overall selection, which is where Noah would have been taken had he come out following his 2006 season at Florida. Boston needs a mature player on a young team, and Noah is definitely mature for his age. But those are just for starters. Noah is smart, unselfish, and passionate. He would provide the Celtics with an infectious spark, one that could carry over to the rest of the team. Those intangibles aside, Noah is hardly an unskilled banger with little or no upside. He is long, he runs the court extremely well, and he knows how to succeed on the basketball court. He'll add the requisite 20 pounds of muscle, just like some of the other guys coming out. But bottom line, Noah has the heart and head to be truly special in this league. You can't say that about Brandon Wright, but you can bank on it with Joakim Noah. He will play hard. He will find a way to win. He should have been the Number 1 selection in the 2006 NBA Draft, but he opted to return to college and help his teammates repeat as national champions. And it was his decision that affected the rest of his teammates. He was the unquestioned leader of that 2006 championship team. He proved his leadership mettle by coming back, accepting a slightly reduced role in Florida's offense and helping the Gators repeat as national champs. Noah is the pick at Number 5, should Ainge decide to keep it. If so, we'll be thanking him for years to come."
Ryen Russillo's Big Board has the Celtics taking Jeff Green with the Hawks taking Conley, while the Grizzlies take Horford. Here is his reasoning: "This pick is still very much for sale but if there is nothing out there that makes sense through a trade Green would provide help sooner than Yi Jianlian. Green is as well rounded a player as there is in this draft and his measurements give him an edge over the other small forwards. If Chris Wallace, the current Celtics GM, does land the job as the man in charge of the Memphis Grizzlies you would have to think that gives the Celtics some advantage as to how things are going to break at pick #5. Horford is more of a possibility as the draft nears, and if that is the case Boston should hold onto the pick."
BBallWorld has the Celtics taking Yi with the 5th pick, the Hawks taking Horford at 3 and the Grizzlies taking B Wright with the 4th pick.
MVN is the second mock to put Horford in Boston with the 5th pick. Yi goes to Atlanta at 3 and Conley goes to Memphis with the 4th pick.
2 days before the draft and everyone is as clueless as they were right after the lottery. There are still 6 different players being projected to go at 5. 8 mocks have us taking Green, 6 mocks say we take Brewer, 4 say we take Noah, 6 mocks put Yi in Boston, 3 mocks have B Wright as our pick, and 2 mocks say we take Horford. 3 mocks have the 2nd round and there are 3 different players projected to go there: Kyrylo Fesenko, Petteri Koponen, and Marcus Williams. They still don't even agree on whether Oden or Durant will go first. All but 2 mocks have Horford off the board before we pick at 5, and most agree that our pick is the most likely to be traded away. Just 2 more days... [Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]
The NBA has released the names of the players who have been invited to the Green Room for draft night. They will also be available on Wednesday for media interviews. They are pretty good about picking only players they expect to be in the lottery and most have been projected to go in the lottery except Rodney Stuckey. It makes me wonder if they have inside info that he will be going to a lottery team. Interesting choice, nonetheless. Georgia Tech's Thaddeus Young was invited but declined the invitation, choosing to stay home with his family and friends back home instead. Here is the list of players we will see in the Green Room on Draft Night:
· Corey Brewer (Florida) · Michael Conley (Ohio St.) · Kevin Durant (Texas) · Jeff Green (Georgetown) · Spencer Hawes (Washington) · Al Horford (Florida) · Yi Jianlian (China) · Acie Law IV (Texas A&M) · Joakim Noah (Florida) · Greg Oden (Ohio St.) · Rodney Stuckey (Eastern Washington) · Al Thornton (Florida St.) · Brandan Wright (North Carolina) · Julian Wright (Kansas) · Nick Young (USC)
Wow! Every time I turned around today there was a new rumor out there. It started with the Herald this morning that reported that the Celtics and Timberwolves are both still in talks and the Garnett to Boston trade isn't dead yet.
Despite reports to the contrary, sources confirmed last night there is still life to a Celtics [team stats] deal for Kevin Garnett. It was also stated strongly that the club would never make such a move before it had an agreement with the Timberwolves star on a contract extension.
Then, ESPN.com was reporting that the Lakers and Wolves were in talks about Garnett to LA and that a possible 4th team could be involved.
The Los Angeles Times cited league sources on Monday saying that the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves are in discussions that could bring Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles. Trade discussions have involved the Lakers, Wolves, Pacers and possibly a fourth team. The report says that the Lakers would get Garnett, while the Pacers would land Los Angeles forward Lamar Odom and center Andrew Bynum. The Wolves would likely acquire a lottery pick and young players. Another team would also have to be involved to make the deal work financially. Sources told ESPN and ESPN.com that the fourth team at this point is the Celtics, who would get Jermaine O'Neal from the Pacers.
For instance, here's one scenario that could work: The Wolves send Kevin Garnett and Marko Jaric to the Lakers. The Lakers send Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum to the Pacers and the No. 19 pick to the Wolves. The Pacers send O'Neal to the Celtics. The Celtics send the No. 5 pick, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green and Sebastian Telfair to Minnesota. The deal seems as though it probably would work for the Lakers, Pacers and Celtics. The Lakers would get the guy they want to pair with Kobe in KG. Surely that would end any talk of a Kobe trade this summer. The Pacers would get the two guys they want in exchange for O'Neal in Odom and Bynum. They've been waiting patiently for a straight-up swap with L.A. for weeks involving those three players (and a draft pick). The Celtics would get another star quality player to pair with Paul Pierce without having to give up Jefferson
Then, while everyone was still discussing these trade scenarios, and before the ink was dry on Ford's column, the LA Times reported that the talks broke down and it was back to 2 way discussions between LA and Minny.
The talks turned into discussions about a four-way deal among the Lakers, Minnesota, Indiana and Boston, in which the Lakers would have gotten Garnett. However, the deal broke down, reportedly because the Celtics didn't like what they would have gotten, ending the four-way negotiations. The Lakers are now back to direct two-team talks with the Timberwolves. However, sources say, Minnesota Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale wants young players and high draft choices and isn't keen on the Lakers offer of Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, plus another minor player to make the trade work financially.
AZ Central picked up on the trade talks and reported this:
The talks turned into discussions about a four-way deal among the Lakers, Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics, in which the Lakers would have gotten Garnett. However, the deal broke down, reportedly because the Celtics did not like what they would have gotten, ending the four-way negotiations. he Lakers are now back to direct two-team talks with the Timberwolves. However, sources say, Minnesota General Manager Kevin McHale wants young players and high draft choices and isn't keen on the Lakers' offer of Andrew Bynum, who is young (19), and Lamar Odom (27), who isn't.
True Hoop has this speculation to add to the smoke out there.
Also, I'm wondering if the Celtics would go for oft-injured Jermaine O'Neal when they have been dreaming about turning that fifth pick into the likes of Kevin Garnett or Shawn Marion. Also, have you noticed that the Suns are working out top lottery talent tomorrow? The workout reportedly will include studs like Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah, and Jeff Green. If agents think those guys might end up in Phoenix, I'm guessing that means those agents think a major Sun like Shawn Marion could be headed somewhere high in the lottery, and Boston has to be one of the most likely destinations.
ESPN was reporting two different versions of the trade on Sports Center with one including Jefferson and the other not including him. Also reported was that Kobe still wants out of LA even if Garnett comes there.
In the meantime, FSN is reporting that Danny will be going to Phoenix to view the Brewer, Noah, Green workout tomorrow. Rumors are already circulating that he is going to discuss a trade or try to convince Marion to come to Boston. Or, he may be planning to make the pick at this time and just wants to see these 3 guys work out, especially since Green didn't work out against competition during the first workout.
Things are changing every hour and it seems that every time I refresh my browser there is another new rumor out there. Do these rumors even have substance behind them? Who is putting them out to the media? I am starting to believe that most of them are just posturing by teams or some reporter reading a message board. Regardless, we will keep you up to date on any breaking news or rumors as we get them. 3 days until the draft and a lot could happen in those 3 days. Stay tuned.
The Celtics have taken a hit lately with first Garnett and then Marion saying they wouldn't come to Boston. We seemed to hit a low point last season with all of the injuries and the 18 game losing streak. We took another hit when the ping pong balls betrayed us, leaving us with only the 5th pick after a season of futility. But no other team has as much history as the Celtics. No other team can boast so many banners or so rich a history. The biggest quandary that players have when coming to Boston is trying to find a number that hasn't been retired. Consider that Telfair couldn't have the number he has worn since high school because it was retired. When Danny was trying to get Karl Malone to come to Boston, one issue was that his number was retired here. The Celtics have more retired numbers than any other team in the NBA. Each of these retired numbers represents a player who represents Celtics Pride. But who are the people behind all those retired numbers? I figured this is as good a time as any to explore all of the retired numbers since a good dose of Celtics history may be just what we need in this time of Celtics bashing by players who don't want to come to Boston.
Number 1 was retired on October 17, 1964 for the Celtics founder and the first owner of the franchise, Walter Brown. After succeeding his father as manager of the Boston Garden, he helped to found the Basketball Association of America in 1946, and was instrumental in merging the BAA and the National Basketball League into the National Basketball Association in 1949. He founded the Celtics in 1945, and helped to transform the team into a dynasty, as the Celtics won six championships in the seven years. He also was instrumental in the creation of the first NBA All-Star Game in 1951, which was played in the Boston Garden.
Number 2 was retired on January 4, 1985 in honor of Arnold "Red" Auerbach. Red is the face and the heart of the Celtics. The number 2 was retired for him to signify the fact that Red is second only to Walter Brown as the most significant person in the history of the Boston Celtics.... He was the Head Coach of the team from 1950 through 1966, during which he won nine Championships that included eight straight from 1958 through 1966...After his coaching career, he went on to serve as President and General Manager, leading the Celtics to an additional seven NBA championships. Red could always be seen in the stands lighting his trademark cigar at the end of every Celtics victory. Sadly, the Celtics lost Red just before the start of last season but he will forever be remembered as the architect of the Celtics dynasty.
Number 3 was retired on December 13, 1991 in honor of Dennis Johnson. DJ" played for the Celtics for seven seasons, from 1983 through 1990...He helped lead the Celtics to a pair of NBA world championship titles in 1984 and 1986. DJ was always a clutch player and seemed to step up his game in the playoffs. He was known for his defense and was a perennial fixture on the NBA all defensive team. Larry Bird called DJ the best player he ever played with and that is some very high praise. DJ was an Assistant Coach for the Celtics from 1992 through 1997. He also served as head coach of the LaCrosse Bobcats of the CBA and as an assistant coach for the Clippers for 4 seasons. In 2003, he was named interim coach of the Clippers. He then coached in the CBA and was the head coach of the Celtics D League affiliate, the Austin Toros. He died of a heart attack at the age of 52 in February.
Number 6 was retired on March 12, 1972 for Bill Russell, who is considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Russell anchored the Celtics teams that won nine World Championships, winning 8 in a row at one time. Russell is the Celtics all-time leading rebounder with 21,620 rebounds which is an astounding average of 22.5 per game. Russell was declared to be the Greatest Player in the History of the NBA by the Professional Basketball Writers' Association of America in 1980. He made the All Star team every year in his career except his rookie year. When Red Auerbach retired, Bill Russell became a player coach of the Celtics for three seasons, 1966 through 1969, finishing with a record of 162-83 (.661) and two world championship titles in 1968 and 1969. His awards and achievements include an amazing eleven NBA championships as a player with the Boston Celtics in 13 seasons (including two NBA championships as player/head coach), and he is credited with having raised defensive play in the NBA to a new level.
Number 10 was retired on April 9, 1982 for JoJo White, who was the point guard that led the Celtics offense and propelled the 1974 and 1976 teams to NBA world championship titles. JoJo played for the Celtics from 1969 to the 1979 season and was a member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team in 1968. JoJo was a seven-time NBA All-Star and he reached the pinnacle of his career in 1976. On June 4 at the hot, jam-packed Boston Garden in Game 5 of the NBA Championship Finals against the Phoenix Suns, White led the Celtics with 33 points spread out over 60 minutes in the now famous 128-126 triple-overtime victory and was named the Finals MVP. JoJo remains with the Celtics organization, serving as Director of Special Projects and Community Relations Representative. He was the Celtics representative at the 2006 draft lottery drawing where the Celtics drew the 7th pick.
Number 14 was retired on October 16, 1963 in honor of Bob Cousy. Bob Cousy was one of the greatest playmakers and passers in NBA history Cousy spent all 13 of his NBA seasons with the Celtics. He had the nickname of "The Houdini of the Hardwood" Anyone watching him play would know how that nickname came about. He helped lead the Celtics to six NBA world championship titles. Cousy was a 13-time NBA All-Star, making the team in each of his 13 seasons in the NBA. He remains the Celtics all-time assists leader with 6,945. Cousy has enjoyed a very public life in retirement. He made a cameo appearance in the movie Blue Chips, and has worked at different capacities for the Celtics since his playing days were over. He can often be seen with Mike and Tommy broadcasting the Celtics games.
Number 15 was retired on October 15, 1966 for Tommy Heinsohn. If anyone can be considered a Celtic for Life, it is Tommy Heinsohn. He helped the Celtics capture eight NBA world championship titles in his nine-year playing career, all with the Celtics...He was Head Coach of the Celtics for nine years from 1969 through 1978, and guided the Celtics to two more NBA titles as their coach. He was the NBA Coach of the Year in 1973. For the past 26 years, Tommy has paired with Mike Gorman as the TV analysts for the Celtics' games where he hands out "Tommy Points" to deserving players. He loves the Celtics and doesn't make any effort to hide it. Tommy was chosen by the franchise to represent the Celtics at the most recent lottery.
Lots of links today again. Seems like everyone is either talking about the Garnett thing or looking forward to the draft. I was very encouraged by the Herald article that reports that 90% of Celtics fans voted against trading Big Al. At least I am not alone not wanting to trade a player who is just scratching the surface of his talent for an aging star. We have done that way too many times in my book. I hope Danny takes it to heart and realizes that the fans have bought into the youth movement and we don't want to give up our blue chips.
The Globe has an article on getting to know Yi. Is this preparing us for Yi or a smoke screen to point away from who Danny likes. At this point, very hard to tell either way, especially since he will probably trade the pick. I just hope this time he gets something good for it. Danny's trades have been less than successful so far. This is one of the main reasons I just want to keep the pick.
Also in the Globe, Peter May has an article that touches on many things, the most notable of which is the desire to trade for AK47. BostonsportZ also has an article hoping to get AK47 or Gasol in Boston. I would much prefer either AK47 or Gasol in Boston than to bring in Marion or KG. It just makes more sense. But even then, I don't want to give up Green, Al, or Perk. I feel these 3 have the most potential and don't want to see them blossom on someone else's team while the player we get just gets older.
Hoopshype has a good article on how Dave Cowens helped to bring back Celtics Pride after Bill Russell retired. MetroWest Daily has an article on the Celtics hoping that Horford will slip to the 5th pick. I kind of doubt that but in the the article is this:
Following the season, the coach said he was looking for another big man with a long reach to play alongside Jefferson in the paint.
Couple this with Doc's comments that his top 2 have very high basketball IQ, and it sounds as though Noah has moved up into first place.
Star Telegram says that this year's draft will be both top heavy and deep. Why would we trade out of a draft that could give us a future all star with the 5th pick? Especially when we all know that Danny has never gotten equal value in any trade he has made.
Draft Ezpress has the word on the street. Phoenix is working out Brewer and Noah this week. This seems to point to the fact that Phoenix is planning on trading for a high draft pick. NBA Glue has a look at the 32nd pick. This is a very deep draft and we should be able to get a decent player with this pick.
Armchair GM points out that if Boston trades Jefferson and the 5th pick for the aging Garnett, the Wolves will have a great young nucleus to build around. I would much rather the Celtics keep Al and the pick and keep the nice young nucleus that we have been building. Our kids are young but no longer inexperienced. I would rather get a complementary veteran like Lewis, Gasol or AK47 and keep the core of our team together.
Don't forget CelticsStuff Live tonight. It promises to be a great show with Mike Gorman and Tim Weisberg. Celtics Blog is back up and running thanks to some very hard work behind the scenes by the Wizard of the Internet, Bob Day. Show will be 7-10 tonight. Don't miss it!!!
Like I said, there are lots of links today. You can check out my post at Celtics Blog to see them all. 4 days until draft night. So much can happen in these next 4 days. I just hope that Danny is sticking with his patience mantra and not acting out of panic. This week may be the most important in Celtics history in 21 years.
