There has been a lot of talk about the Celtics window of opportunity with this team. Much has been made of the ages of Pierce who will turn 30 in October, Ray Allen who just turned 32 and Kevin Garnett who turned 31 in May. Do we have a brief window in which to win a championship with these guys?
First, we need to look at the condition that these three guys are in. They are all very conscientious about their conditioning and their health. Pierce and Allen are coming off injuries but both are in great shape now and there is no reason to believe that these injuries will resurface or hamper them this season. All 3 of these guys know how to take care of themselves and how to stay in the very best condition.
Last season, KG averaged 22.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.25 steals, and 1.7 blocks in just over 39 minutes per game. Pierce played 37 minutes per game and averaged 25.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. Ray Allen played an incredible 40 minutes per game and averaged 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals. These don't look like the stats of players who are slowing down.
I would say that with this group of players we have a 5-8 year window of opportunity. In 5 years, Ray Allen, who is the oldest will be 37. In 8 years he will be 40. There is ample evidence that a player who takes care of himself can play at a high level to the age of 40. In 8 years, Garnett will be 39 and Pierce will be 38 and there is no reason to believe that all 3 can't be still playing at a high level of play.
To back this up, I did some research on players who played very well at 37-40 years of age. First, is Robert Parish. He played until he was 44 years old. At 40 years of age, Parish was averaging 12.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 27 minutes per game. At 37, he averaged 18.6 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 30.3 minutes per game. Not too shabby.
Another player who took good care of himself and played very well at 40 years of age was Reggie Miller. At 40, he averaged 14.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 31.9 minutes per game. At 37, he averaged 16.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists,and 1.s steals in 36.6 minutes per game.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar played until he was 42. At 40 he played 31 minutes per game and averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.24 blocks. At 37, he averaged 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.7 and 3.7 assists in 35.9 minutes per game.
Karl "the Mailman" Malone played until he was 41 years old. At 40, he averaged 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 36.2 minutes per game. At 37, Malone averaged 25.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 35.9 minutes per game.
At 37, Charles Barkley played 31 minutes per game and averaged 14.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.
Finally, Michael Jordan played until he was 40 and averaged 20 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 37 minutes per game. At 37, Jordan played 38.8 minutes per game and averaged 28.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.7 steals.
There is absolutely no reason to believe that Pierce, Garnett and Allen won't be able to play at a high level until they are 37 and possibily even until age 40, just as the players mentioned above did. In the meantime, our other young players will be getting better and becoming stars in their own right and we will be able to add free agents who want to play in Boston. So, rather than a 2 to 3 year window as has been mentioned in several places, it is very feasible to believe that we have a 5-8 year window. Garnett is under contract for 5 years, Pierce for 4 years, and Allen for 3 years. Assuming we can resign Pierce and Allen and keep this group together for 5-8 years, we could see a few more championships and another Celtics dynasty for several years to come.
According to this report in the Houston Chronicle, the Celtics have made an offer of the veteran's minimum to Dikembe Mutombo. Since Houston has also made an offer of the veteran's minimum and it reports that there may be others looking at him too, Deke will have a decision to make. Will he go back to Houston or chase a ring with the Celtics?
Mutombo would be a great back up for Perk. He is 41, but is ageless. Last season he played in 75 games for the Rockets and averaged 3.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1 block in 17 minutes per game.
Chemistry is one of the most important but underrated pieces to building a championship team. The Warriors surprised everyone in the playoffs this past season when they knocked off the top seeded Mavs. In an article on SFGate, they mentioned the chemistry on that Warriors team.
Nelson calls the Warriors "one of the best chemistry teams (I've had), and I've been around a lot of good ones. But this one's really, really tight." "To see each guy kind of rely on each other, lean on each other, to have someone carry their weakness they struggle with and another guy pick them up? I think from that standpoint, it's been a truly team effort to get here."
It's not a stretch to believe that the chemistry that they had may have figured into their success in the playoffs. The Pistons are a team with great chemistry because of playing together for several years. Because of that chemistry, they were able to win a championship without a superstar. Players on that team knew their roles and they worked very well together. For the most part, this team has been together for several years and have developed great chemistry as a team and because of that have been able to contend for a championship year after year.
On the other hand, I think back to the Lakers team that had 4 future Hall of Famers on it in Shaq, Kobe, Payton and Malone. They even had a future Hall of Fame coach and should have been able to win the championship that year. Granted, Malone and Payton were older at the time, but they still were competitive. Payton went on to be instrumental in the Heat championship in 2006 and Kobe and Shaq were at the top of their games. On paper, they were a lock to win it all. But, they didn't have any chemistry. There was in-fighting and bickering the entire year and I believe that is what kept that team from winning it all. They had the talent but didn't have any chemistry.
And then there was the Rockets team back in 1996 when they brought their own big 3 trying to win it all. From the Sporting News:
One great player can get a team on NBC. Two great players will give a team an excuse to print playoff tickets But in today's NBA, a team needs three great ones to dream of a championship.That's why the Rockets are smiling in their sleep these days. With Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Clyde Drexler, they may not have guaranteed reservations for next June. But they won't be swept by the Super-Sonics again, either.
This trio never really meshed and Drexler retired at the end of the season. They then brought in Scottie Pippen to team with Barkley and Olajuwon and the result was the same. The trio never meshed and the Rockets didn't win the championship.
I believe that the reason that our USA teams have fallen from prominence is that they aren't together long enough to build any chemistry between the players. You throw together a group of players used to playing against each other and let them practice for a few weeks and expect them to develop chemistry. These teams have the best players in the league on them and should be able to dominate. European teams are together for years and just have better chemistry and that translates into a stronger team. I believe that with the current team, they are taking a better approach by having the core group together for several years, but they still won't have the kind of chemistry that many of the international teams have built by playing together day in and out for years.
Most often, the cause of chemistry problems is player attitudes. Players either have a higher opinion of themselves than they should or just aren't team players. Egos often get in the way as they did on that Lakers team. In putting this team together, Danny has not only brought in good basketball players, but also good character guys.
Before the draft, Tommy Heinsohn had this to say on the subject:
An often missed element of picking players, Ah and everybody starts going like the football coaches used to go by. Times and by how fast they were in the forty and what have you. Been my experience that the players with the best character, the players that truly love to play, the so called gym rats, who may not quite have all the talent these other guys have, but that by the end of their careers they will work themselves in to be great contributers to a program. And I've seen many players like that help a basketball program. They are not the star, but end up being great contributers. And so, the character guys, the guys that are willing to work, the guys that love to play the game, the guys that would pay ownership to play. Those are the kinda guys that you want to pick and that should be an important part of the mix.
I believe that Danny has brought in 2 stars who can leave their egos behind and do whatever it takes to make this team a winner. The young guys like Perk, Powe, Davis, Pruitt, Wallace, and Rondo are all great guys as well. They work hard, they love to play, they are team players, and even more are good people. Tony Allen has learned his lesson after his brush with the law and I believe that it has built good character in him as well. Scal, for all of his criticism, is one of the best character guys in the NBA. And that brings us to Garnett and Allen. These are two of the classiest guys in the league. They both have great work ethics and their passion for the game is infectious. They want to win and will do whatever it takes to do so.
Pierce, Allen, and Garnett all have labored for years without complaining (as Kobe has) on losing teams and in rebuilding programs. All are hungry for a ring. These three go back to high school with each other and are all friends. They play together in the off season and know each other well. It was very obvious in the press conference that they already have chemistry off the court and the fact that they all have something to prove and would do almost anything to win a championship almost guarantees that this chemistry is going to carry over to the basketball court.
One of the keys to winning a championship will be whether this team can develop the type of chemistry where they have each other's backs and trust each other. Pierce, Allen and Garnett have games that complement each other and all have a great feel for the game. Each is willing to mentor the younger players on the team and this will make each of them better. I have a feeling that this will translate to a very close knit group and will bring championship #17 to the Celtics.
Everyone has been wondering what Tommy's take was on the trade. Before the trade, he was solidly against trading Big Al and we all wondered how he felt afterwards. Tonight on FSN Sports Tonight, Tommy finally spoke about his thoughts on the trade. Here is a transcript of what he had to say.
Tommy: Enthusiasm that's generated in the city of Boston is just amazing now. There's a tremendous amount of Celtics fans just dying to see them play the same type of ball as years ago. This type of thing happened when Bird first showed up. We won a couple of championships when I was coach and there was a down turn for a couple of years. And all of a sudden people said to themselves "Hey we had a good thing going there." And when Bird showed up just the anticipation of them really being an upper echelon team and turned out in droves. And I think the same thing is happening here. They've turned on the Celtic fandom that's been laying in the weeds.
Dickers: What do you like most about KG? Tommy: He's a dedicated player and what he does... I think he's got the numbers. He'll get on the boards. He's got sort of a low post game. he'll block shots and he's got a temperment to blend in with other people and he is a player you can expect to handle pressure the farther along you go.
Tanguay: How do you coach Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett with the same offense? Tommy: Not that big a deal. If you run, that solves all the problems and when you get down into key situations in the game, that's when you run plays for guys. Whichever player has got the best situation - the best matchup, that's who you go to. But if you run, which you heard me talk about innumerable times, that's one of the benefits - that if you execute and get up the floor, if they really work hard at getting up the floor, they'll get easier baskets than they got in the half court offense and you won't have to feed them the ball.
Tanguay: Lets go on the other side of the coaching. How do you defend these 3 guys? Tommy: They have inside outside. You have one guy that can knock down threes. They have another guy who can drive and slash and they have another guy that's an inside player and if he goes you've got two other guys he can kick it out.
Tanguay: You can't double off anyone on this team. Tommy: Yeah, you could. Not off those other 2 guys. But I'm sure until Rondo proves one thing, they will be doubling off him. But Rondo's gonna be a key guy. You hear me talking about running basketball. Rondo's gonna make sure that these guys run. I watched him in summer league and he pushed the ball and got it to the right people. He kept them running and he made them run. He didn't stop and he didn't walk it up the floor. He pushed the pace of the game and that's something the Celtics haven't had for a long, long time.
Tanguay: What does Rondo have to do to get the respect of these veterans? Tommy: Just get them layups, that's all, which he'll do. I tell you Paul Pierce sat on the bench last year after he got hurt. Paul Pierce was playing half court basketball as Rond was playing up tempo in the beginning of the season and they kind of looked at Rondo and they said I'm not getting the ball... I'm not getting the ball. And all of a sudden Paul Pierce when he got hurt aaid, "Hey, if I just get my tail up the floor I'll get easier baskets than I did when we were running these half court offenses because I'll only have to go against one guy instead of 3 guys.
Dickerson: We'll all miss Al Jefferson. Thankfully we'll just have to watch him against the Celtics twice because he is in the Western conference. How much did you fall in love with Al last season? Tommy: You know, what he does is such a rarity. He is a low post player that I think is destined for stardom. Last year he proved to me, if not to other people, that he was one of the top 5 low post players in the game. And he's just a kid. He's just learning. I think he was further ahead than Garnett was at the same stage. Why I liked Al so much is because he gave you the low post game. He didn't just talk about it. He was taking it to the guy from the Spurs, everybody, and he was scoring against everybody. He was a bonifide force which would have also helped Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
Tanguay: Is Paul Pierce still the leader? Does there have to be a leader with this type of team? Tommy: The leader is the coach. Ok. On the floor, if you get it worked out properly and you do what I just said about running and everybody hustles and gets easy baskets. There is apoint in the ball game when you go to certain guys: after time outs, after free throws, when you want to change the complexion of the game. Instead of walking it up the floor the entire game, that's when you use a set play and you use it against the best matchup. You ask the guys, and I hope they start asking the guys, who thinks they can get the shot off. Ant then that's when these guys can really start to contribute. I don't think any of them wants to take all the shots. I think they will all defer to the best situation.
Dickerson: Doc Rivers can coach. He's a very good coach. But it hasn't shown up on the court because you have 21-22 year olds who don't always execute his game plan. It's different now. Tommy: Yeah it is. I think all the people who were rapping Doc last year, you gotta look and see what he did in developing all these young players to the point that we were able to enhance the value of the entire team.
Dickerson: And that team never quit on him once the entire season, even during that 18 game losing streak. Tommy: Absolutely. They just didn't have enough experience. I mean we got 5 guys. I mean we had Allan Ray having to score 20 points. He was the 15th guy on the roster at one point and he had to be the go to guy. Come on. I mean and they were still in the games. I think he did a great job. He created the value that made these guys tradable so they could end up with the 2 guys they did.
Tommy sounded pretty positive about the team and he is very high on Rondo. I agree that we need to run this season but I don't have much faith in Doc being able to institute a running game. It was good to hear Tommy talking and being positive about this coming season. I just know he is going to have a lot of fun calling the games. Winning is always fun!!
As a Celtics fan, I am having some bitter sweet feelings these days. I miss the players we traded away. I miss Delonte, Big Al, Gerald, and Gomes. These guys were drafted by the Celtics and in a way I feel like we helped raise them as we watched them grow and watched Al break out last season, Gomes become a solid player, and Gerald win the Slam Dunk championship. I miss them and feel like I have lost a member of my family. But at the same time, I am excited at the possibilities that this season holds for us. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are two very classy guys as well as being hall of fame talents. I get goose bumps just thinking about it. Even as excited as I am about KG and RA in Boston, I felt very sad when I saw the pictures of Big Al in a Wolves uniform. Here are some pictures to convey the bitter sweet feelings that many Celtics fans are experiencing.
Gomes will be wearing #8 for the Wolves (that is if the rumors about him being cut and coming back to us aren't true). Here he is talking to former Celtic Kevin McHale.
Is it me or does Al look a little sad too? I think I feel the worst about Al having to play with Blount again. That shouldn't happen to anyone let alone a nice guy like Al.
Gomes has grown to be a very solid player. He has court saavy and a nose for the ball. I am going to miss him.
Bassy wasn't a home grown Celtic like Gomes, Green and Jefferson, and his off court troubles and poor play last year might make us forget him rather quickly, but after all the talk about how hard he was working out this summer, I had high hopes for him this season. He certainly looks like he has been working out.
Big Al will be wearing #25 for the Wolves. He wore that number in high school, but it wasn't available in Boston as it was retired for KC Jones.
Al is looking good but it looks so strange to see him in a Wolves uniform. It just looks plain wrong. I can't help but feel that giving up Al is going to come back to haunt us. There were no pictures of Green and I am not sure why other than maybe he couldn't get to Minny for some reason because of his work out schedule with John Lucas.
That was the bitter... now for the sweet...
Kevin Garnett is already embracing the Boston area and fans and tips his hat to the crowd before tossing out the first pitch at Fenway.
KG pumps his fist after tossing out the first pitch in last night's Red Sox game. I love his passion and energy.
The Celtics two newest stars chat after the press conference. These are two very classy guys who will add to the character of the team as well as on the court.
It was amazing how much these 3 smiled at the press conference. They were acting like Rookies and they must feel like rookies with their first real shot at a ring.
KG was all smiles and I truly believe that he is very happy to be in Boston. He was very loyal to the Wolves and he is going to be very loyal to the Celtics as well. Going back to the bitter side for a second, it will be sad to see Green defend his slam dunk championship in a Wolves uniform.
This is a sight that is enough to give any Celtics fan goose bumps. What an impressive basketball trio.
Last season we didn't have any TNT or ESPN games and the one ABC game we were scheduled for was cancelled. This season we have 19... yes, 19 national television appearances scheduled.
Our opening night game against the Wizards is scheduled for ESPN along with 6 others throughout the season. TNT will carry 3 of our games and NBA TV is scheduled to carry 9 of our games. The Celtics have no scheduled ABC TV appearances.
Here are a couple of highlights from ESPN. Nov. 2: Washington at Boston The Celts and their new big three have to wait until the fourth night of the season to play their opener. Yes: We're already worried about KG (and Bill Simmons) holding out that long.
Nov. 23: Los Angeles Lakers at Boston It's a tad premature to say that the preeminent rivalry in league history is all the way back, but Lakers-Celtics got a lot more interesting with KG -- the fantasy trade target of Lakers fans and management for years -- joining Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in green. (The teams meet on Dec. 30 in L.A.)
Dec. 27: Boston at Seattle The Sonics are going to show up on this list more times than I would have ever imagined. This time it's because of Ray Allen's return.
Feb. 8: Boston at Minnesota The Wolves (or what's left of them) play 47 games before playing host to Garnett for the first time. Care to guesstimate how many games under .500 they will be at that point? (For the record, Boston hosts Minnesota on Jan. 25.)
March 17: Boston at San Antonio KG's first St. Patrick's Day as a Celtic pits him against his long-time nemesis TD.
April 1: Boston at Chicago The best offering from an eight-game April Fools' Day slate has to be KG's going back to his old high school turf.
I have seen several posts asking for information about Eddie House and Jackie Manuel and we here at Loy's Place aim to please.
Eddie House is a 6'1" point guard. He is a shoot first, shoot second, shoot third, pass fourth type of point guard, though and not a playmaking point guard. House was a 4 year player at Arizona State University. He finished his four-year Arizona State career as the school's leading scorer with 2,044 points (11th on Pac-10 career list) and also the school's all-time steals leader with 258 (third on Pac-10 career list). He was just the second player in Pac-10 history to notch 2,000 points and 250 steals (Gary Payton is the other). He did not miss a game in 124-game career and earned All-Pac-10 honors twice in his career. He posted 12 30-point games in his career in seven arenas and in six states. He played for three coaches in four years and earned Pac-10 Player of the Year honors in his senior year, the first Sun Devil to earn the honor.
His toughness was never in doubt, as in his junior year he broke his jaw in practice on October 22, 1998, and had it wired for the first six games. Living on a diet of milkshakes and soup he averaged 19.3 points, including a 31-point effort vs. Kansas State when he played all 45 minutes of an overtime game. Had 39 points vs. UNLV in the first game back from having the wiring removed. In his freshman season (1996-97), he suffered chipped teeth and had to get three root canals following a 2 p.m. game in the Great Alaska Shootout, but he had seven three-pointers the next day vs. Maine in a noon tip-off.
He was selected by the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft with the 37th pick. He was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2003. the Clippers traded him with Melvin Ely in 2004 to the Charlotte Bobcats for second-round draft choices. The Bobcats waived him in December of 2004. He was signed as a free agent by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2004 and was waived just over a year later. He was claimed off waivers by the Sacramento Kings and spent the rest of the season there. He signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Suns in September of 2005. Finally, he was signed as a free agent by the New Jersey Nets in August of 2006.
House is known as a 3 point specialist and last season shot 42.8% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc. He also shot 91.7% from the line. He averaged 8.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in just over 16 minutes per game last season in New Jersey. House is not really a point guard but has always played the under-sized 2-guard role, which may be why he has bounced around to so many different teams. He is an average defender. I see his role as a spark plug off the bench to give us some offense. He can handle the ball but is not a playmaker. House is known as a good locker room guy and a quality person.
House married his wife, Charlsie, during rookie season with Miami in 2000-01. The couple has three sons, Jaelen and twins Kaden and Kalek. His brother-in-law is Kings guard Mike Bibby and he is the son-in-law of former Southern California head coach and NBA player He likes watching movies and has an extensive collection of DVDs.
Jackie Manuel is a 6'5" shooting guard who is known for his defense and hustle. He graduated from Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Florida where he won 2 state championships. He went on to attend college at the University of North Carolina. He played in 89 career games at UNC and made 48 starts, most at the off-guard position. He averaged 6.5 points per game but developed into one of the finest defensive players in the country during his college career. He took 1,000 shots a day in the offseason to try to improve his shooting. He emerged as a fan favorite at the Smith Center because of his great attitude, hustle and defensive presence. He became the second Tar Heel to earn All-ACC Defensive Team honors. Manuel was a key member and one of three captains of the UNC's 2005 National Championship team.
Manuel went undrafted and was signed Fayetteville Patriots of the NBDL in 2005 (the same team that Gerald played with). He didn't play with the Patriots, though, due to injury. In 2006 he was selected by the LA D-Fenders in the NBDL where he averaged 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.09 steals per game in just over 28 minutes per game. According to Draft Express, his strengths are
An outstanding athlete who can jump with the best of them. Has great instincts on the defense end, terrific lateral movement and can guard the 1-3 positions. Has a good wingspan; blocks shots, gets in the passing lanes and can provide a good sparkplug off the bench if needed. High character player who will do whatever is asked of him. Has 4 years of experience playing at the highest level NCAA basketball has to offer. Has been asked to guard all the best perimeter players in the ACC over his collegiate career. Very competitive player, attacks the rim and does a great job on the glass because of his tenacity, wingspan and athletic ability. Not afraid to sacrafice his body to come up with the charge
It seems as though these two players are the opposite of each other. House is a scorer and a 3 point specialist who isn't very well known for his defense while Manuel is a defender not known for his scoring. Both were signed to one year deals. [Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]
According to the Boston Herald, the Celtics have signed guard Eddie House to a one year contract to back up Rajon Rondo at the point. House is a 6'1" guard who is more of a scoring point guard than a playmaking guard.
The Celtics also signed Jackie Manuel, a 6-5 wing player who played for Los Angeles in the NBDL last season, and is considered a solid defensive player. He was named the ACC’s defensive player of the year two seasons ago while at North Carolina.
With the point guard and wing positions shored up somewhat, the Celtics need to find a back up center. According to the article, PJ Brown is seeking the full MLE at this time and if so, would be too costly for the Celtics who are seeking to split the MLE among a couple of players. The team is checking into Dikembe Motumbo.
I just finished watching the press conference and I have to say I am very, very excited. These are exciting times to be a Celtics fan. I have to say that I feel very drained after the past few days. I have gone from extreme sadness at losing Al, Green and Gomes to elation at watching the press conference. Today's article is just a very disjointed collection of thoughts on the press conference, the trade, and the Celtics.
First of all, watching KG, Pierce, and Ray Allen up there at the press conference, I got the feeling that chemistry won't be a problem. They seem to genuinely like each other and they have all been friends since high school. I just loved seeing how much the three of them were smiling throughout the press conference. They were like rookies holding up their jerseys. These 3 are going to bring out the best in each other and the rest of the team.
I am going to miss Big Al, Gerald and Gomes. Al really loved being a Celtic and didn't want to be traded. During his time with Boston, whenever he was asked about trade rumors, he always said he loved the tradition of the Boston Celtics, and wanted to be part of the next generation of that tradition. It might not be so bad, but I keep thinking of poor Al having to play with Mark Blount again. Gerald is kind of the forgotten man in all this because I see a lot of posts and articles about how we will miss Al and Gomes but very few have mentioned Gerald. I will miss Gerald. He had that youthful enthusiasm that made him exciting to watch. I believe he is going to get it and within the next couple of years be a really good player. Gomes was just a great person all the way around. He was just so solid and a very good guy too. I felt like they were home grown Celtics and it would have been nice to let them grow up Celtics just like the Celtics in the old days. But, I know that when you can get a player like Garnett you have to go for it.
I wish Al, Gerald and Ryan the best of everything in Minnesota and maybe one day they will come home to Boston again. I know one thing, I will be watching the Wolves this season along with the Celtics.
It will be sad seeing Gerald defend his slam dunk title in a Wolves uniform.
Kevin Garnett has a collection of Red Sox hats and is a big Red Sox fan. He will fit in Boston quite well.
KG's wife is very pretty. It was nice to see them walking around the Garden hand in hand, checking out their new basketball home.
At the press conference, Wyc mentioned the time that Pierce lost some teeth in a game and the next day sat in the dentist's chair for 7 hours and still played again that night. Wyc said that it was then that he decided to build the team around Paul Pierce.
All 3 players at the press conference said that they had never played with anyone of the caliber of the other two in their careers.
Pierce couldn't stop smiling. He said that the fact that the Celtics decided to build around him and win now makes him feel awesome.
Pierce had this to say about his 2 new teammates: "We all compliment each other very well. KG does it all, can defend, rebound. Ray is one of the greatest shooters ever, moves well without the ball. I'm a slasher who can shoot a bit. KG is a great passer." I really feel that these 3 are going to check their egos at the door and do whatever it takes to win this year. That makes me very excited.
There were a couple of rather light moments at the press conference. One was when KG said that he called Pierce's 4 phones and left messages and Pierce said that he didn't recognize the area code. Also when Garnett said that he has never been on a cruise and it is the other Kevin on the cruise and just the way he looked at the reporters when he said that had everybody cracking up. Another moment was when KG described his last 72 hours like riding in a Lambourgini at 200 mph with your head out the window. I just love the obvious chemistry between these 3 already.
Powe, Big Baby, and Wallace must be beside themselves with their luck after these trades. Before the trades they were buried behind existing roster players on a team that was on the cusp of even making the playoffs. Now, they will be playing with some of the best talent in the league and learning from them on a team that is expected to be playing for a title.
Pierce said that he will be 100% healthy for training camp. Ray Allen said the same thing and said if he had to play tomorrow he could. Both said they are going to work on being in great shape for training camp and can't wait for it to start. KG looks like he is never in anything but great shape.
Ainge drafted the guys he traded for KG at 15 (Jefferson), 18 (Green), 50 (Gomes) and traded the #7 pick (along with Raef and Dickau) for Telfair and Ratliff. That is pretty impressive. Ainge will have 2 #1 picks and 3 #2 picks in the next 3 years in order to continue building the team as KG, PP, and RA age and slow down. Plus, what free agents wouldn't want to come to Boston to play with these guys. Already there are free agents calling us and asking to play here. Wow!
We should give Danny credit. He has taken a lot of heat through these past 3 seasons but he did say when he took over that he was gathering chips that he would use to trade at the right time. His trade for Telfair was booed and he took heat for it but without that trade and Ratliff's expiring contract, we don't do this trade. Danny had patience and waited till the right time and has now built a winner that everyone is talking about. The Celtics went from 80-1 odds to win the East to favorites.
Danny said that he would have 13-14 guys on the roster by the time that training camp started. They are already working on it as Dave Wohl was watching film and talking to free agents during the press conference and couldn't be there. With a couple of good free agent signings we should have a decent bench as well as an impressive staring 5.
We still need to sign a back up point guard. Everyone made it clear that Rondo is the starting PG and they would be lookiing for a back up for him. We also need more depth at center to back up Perk. With KG here now, we have a shot at whichever free agents we target since most would want to come here for a chance at a ring and to play with RA and KG. Motumbo and PJ Brown have been mentioned at center and Knight, Hudson and Navarro at the point.
I have noticed a lot of new posters on the boards. Get ready for an influx of KG fans and Ray Allen fans and just a bunch of bandwagon fans. I welcome KG fans and RA fans, but I just bristle a bit at people who just cheer for the teams that are winning. If you are a fan, you should be a fan through the good and the bad. Here's to the fans of the Celtics during the Pitino years and the ML Carr years. Those are the REAL Celtics fans.
Keys to winning this season are Rondo's ability to run the point, finding a capable veteran backup for Rondo, having everyone stay healthy, Perk having a break out season and getting a back up center, and seeing if Davis, Powe and Wallace can contribute this season. They will have 2 great teachers in KG and Clifford Ray.
62 days until training camp. Anyone else getting very excited? I can't wait till this season starts.
WEEI is reporting that KG has arrived in Boston and that Paul Pierce is on his way to Boston to attend the press conference. Ray Allen also will be there according to WEEI. There is a press conference scheduled for 5:30 pm this afternoon. Reports are that he will wear #5 for the Celtics since his #21 was retired for Bill Sharman.
There was a lot of speculation because Pierce wasn't more vocal about the trade for Ray Allen, but there is no question this time. Pierce has to be elated and his coming to Boston proves this. Even though I was skeptical of the trade to begin with, I am getting excited about the possibilities. Now we need to sign a veteran center and point guard and we will be all set. 63 days till training camp and I can't wait!!
Mark Murphy posted at 1:01 that the deal has been finalized and Garnett should be in Boston this afternoon. We knew it was coming, but now it seems so .... well, final. I will miss Al Jefferson, especially when he is putting up big numbers for the Wolves in 6 years and the Celtics are back to rebuilding again. But if we can win a championship, we had to go for it.
A league source just confirmed that the Celtics and Timberwolves have finalized a deal that will bring Kevin Garnett to Boston in exchange for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and two first round draft picks.
Garnett is expected to arrive in Boston this afternoon for a physical. Garnett has agreed to a three-year extension with the Celtics beyond the two remaining on his contract, guaranteeing that he will be a Celtic for the next five years.
One reason for prolonged negotiations was the Celtics’ attempt to lessen the luxury tax hit this team will take next year, with Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen scheduled to earn a combined $54.4 million - the highest of any three-player combo in the NBA.
This will involve finding a way to lessen the impact of a 15 percent trade kicker in Garnett’s contract.
It appears from all the articles I have read that the deal is done to bring KG to Boston with only a few contract details to be worked out. A lot of us hate to give up Al Jefferson and it certainly seems that we are giving up a lot to get him. But just how good is Kevin Garnett, anyway?
For starters, KG is the first player ever to average 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists over 6 consecutive seasons. He is the first player ever to average 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists over 9 consecutive seasons. And, he is the first player ever to average 18,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 4,000 assists, 1200 steals, and 1500 blocks over his career. This is impressive when you consider that none of the NBA greats before him, including, Russell, Chamberlain, Jabbar, West, or any of the other greats, accomplished these feats.
Garnett has been very durable over his 12 year NBA career. In only one season, 1998-99 did he miss any considerable time. In the other 11 seasons, he missed only a total of 22 games, 12 of which were in the last two seasons when Minnesota was taking the last 6 games of the season. That is pretty impressive. He keeps himself in top condition and should be very durable over the remainder of his career as well.
Garnett has averaged 20.5 points,11.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 blocks over his career. Last season he averaged 22.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 blocks in 39.4 minutes per game. He has played more than 38 minutes per game in every season except his rookie year. He has been very consistent and very durable over his career right up until this past season.
Garnett was named the MVP of the league in 2004. He is a 10 time All Star. He was named to the All NBA team 8 times. He was named to the All Defensive team 8 times. He led the league in rebounds per game 4 times and in total rebounds and was the scoring leader once. He was a member of the 2000 Olympic Gold medal winning team. But his awards were not all on the court as he won the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2006.
His numbers and achievements are impressive. But if you've ever seen him play, or heard him speak, you know his character and personality are the things that make Garnett so special. KG oozes energy and emotion. His enthusiasm and passion are second to none and his drive is contagious to all those around him.
He is well liked by his teammates. Trenton Hassell had this to say about him:
"He's No. 1. He passes, rebounds, defends, scores — and there aren't a lot of players in the league who can do that. He makes the players around him better, and players feed off that. I think he is the best all-around player in the league."
and another former teammate, Sam Cassell had this to say about him:
"He is a guy who treats the 12th man on the team like he is a starter. He treats everyone the same. He's a very giving person, and you can go to him for advice, anything. He welcomed Spree and me with open arms and when we got here he said, 'I'm glad you are all here.' And that was big. Not too many superstars are going to say things like that, but that is just his makeup. You don't find that in people — not just professional basketball players, but people in general. He's not a saint, but he has a trait that a lot of people in this world don't have. I've never met anyone like him. Ticket got me coming -- and wanting to come -- to practice. I've never liked practice. But since I've been [in Minnesota], seeing what he does everyday, how hard he works everyday, man, psssh...and I'm supposed to be the veteran with two rings, right.
Kevin Garnett assumed legal guardianship of his younger sister Ashley and, a few years later, adopted an at-risk teen, Michael Mason -- aka: Lil' Hype -- to go along with his close-knit crew of friends habituating in his Minneapolis home. The fact is that there hasn't been a day since he was 13 years old that KG hasn't worked. Everything from bagging groceries to washing cars, anything legal to stay out of the system and to keep himself and Ashley fed. He started a company which will provide jobs and clothing and opportunities to many. He also started the 4XL Foundation to help develop a nationwide Internet search engine for professional mentors for young people who want to do something with their lives but have limited or no outlets or direction.
Almost everyone is familiar with Ray Allen's portrayal of Jesus Shuttlesworth in the movie "He Got Game," but KG also has a movie to his credit. He portrayed Wilt Chamberlain in the movie "Rebound." KG posted a blog about his travels last summer. He has his own official website.
It is no doubt that Kevin Garnett is a franchise player. He is one of the best all around players in the league. He is a natural leader and brings a lot of energy to the team. He is also one of the best defensive talents in the league. Even at the age of 31, Garnett will be a force to be reckoned with and will bring the Celtics to another level. He is a classy indivisual as well as a great basketball player. Even those who don't like giving up Al Jefferson have to be excited about what KG will bring to the Celtics. If you are excited about KG after that last video, you should check for a pulse. [Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]
Al Jefferson is back in the trade talks between the Celtics and Timberwolves.
As the trade currently stands, the Celtics would send Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, and two first-round picks to the Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett.
That seems like a lot to give up for Garnett. Some reports were saying that Jefferson wouldn't be involved if an extension couldn't be agreed on for Garnett. Or, Shira just made a mistake and corrected it. [Discuss this topic on the Celtics Green Forums!]
Kevin Garnett soon could become the newest member of the Celtics, multiple league sources said this afternoon but two of the sources cautioned that any trade may not be as imminent as some early reports indicated.
As the trade currently stands, the Celtics would send Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and two first-round picks to the Timberwolves for Garnett.
Al Jefferson is not included in the deal at the moment.
It is uncertain how the teams would deal with Garnett's trade clause that calls for a 15 percent salary increase.
As of this morning, there still remained issues on the table to negotiate, not the least of which is the player option worth $24 million that Garnett holds for the 2008-09 season.
I don't see how they can get Minny to do the deal without Jefferson but if they can, I am all for it. This deal sure has taken a lot of twists and turns.
Sources this morning are confirming that the Celtics’ deal for Kevin Garnett is essentially completed.
One involved source said the final package will have the Celts sending Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and a No. 1 pick to Minnesota to acquire Garnett.
Further word is that the Celts and Garnett have reached an agreement in principle on a contract extension. You may recall a report here that Danny Ainge would not do the deal without such a guarantee of Garnett’s presence, and it appears now that the perennial All-Star is willing to forego the opt-out in his current deal for next summer and cast his lot with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and the Celtics.
With Bulpett reporting that it is essentially done, I guess the formal announcement is soon to follow. Al, Gomes, Green, Ratliff and Telfair seems like an awful lot to give up even for Kevin Garnett.
The Celtics and the Timberwolves could reach agreement on a deal that would bring Kevin Garnett to Boston as early as this afternoon, according to league sources. Executive director of basketball operations/GM Danny Ainge would send Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff and Sebastian Telfair to Minnesota in exchange for Garnett. But as of this morning, there still remained issues on the table to negotiate, not least of which is the player option worth $24 million that Garnett holds for the 2008-09 season.
When trade talks between Minnesota and Boston took place before this year’s draft, the option plus Garnett’s hesitancy to play in Boston, as relayed through his agent Andy Miller, were considerable sticking points. The Celtics did not want to part with Jefferson and his long-term potential if Garnett would stay in Boston for just one season. If Garnett agrees to take his player option as a condition of the trade, the Celtics also will likely look to come to reasonable terms on an extension as another condition of the deal.
“There are serious discussions in place,” said Miller this morning.
When asked about the option as well as Garnett’s willingness to play in Boston, Miller added: “Part of the discussion that is taking place is addressing those issues as well as others to see if the destination makes sense for all parties. Everything is part of the overall picture as to how to bring this to a conclusion or go in a different direction.”
"I can confirm we're talking, sure," Ainge told the Pioneer Press. "We're in discussions about K.G."
Ainge declined to discuss details of the talks, including which Celtics players might be involved in a trade for Garnett or how close the Celtics and Wolves might be to completing a deal. But the teams were reportedly close to a deal last month that would have included young forward Al Jefferson, and Celtics veteran Theo Ratliff has a salary-cap friendly contract that could be included. "I'm sure we're one of a few teams that are in discussions with the Timberwolves," Ainge said.
WEEI is reporting that the deal is Al, Green, Telfair and Ratliff. The sticking point now is the contract extension for Garnett.
Jackie McMullin was on ESPN's First Take and reported 3 sticking points in the deal. McHale is still pushing for Rondo, Danny is standing firm in not trading him. So far, Danny is winning that argument. Glen Taylor, the Wolves owner might still say no to trading KG. If he gets cold feet, he could still stop the deal. Finally, Money is a concern. With KG asking for a 5 year 125 million dollar extension, will Wyc commit to this and agree to pay luxury tax for years to come? Will they do the deal without an extension? We should know more as the day goes on and definitely within the next 24 hours. We will keep you up to date on the latest so stay tuned.
Last night I posted the rumors, which seem to have legs and this thing may really happen. Today the regular media have picked it up but it is still at the rumor stage, but the rumors are saying it is a done deal. I have been listening to WEEI and they have said that it is a done deal with Ratliff, Green, Al, and Telfair being traded for Garnett. They reported that the deal would have been done a week ago if Danny had agreed to include Rondo instead of Telfair, but he held out and the deal is going ahead without Rondo. They also said that the Celtics are working on an extension for Garnett because they wouldn't do the deal without being assured that he was going to stay. Although Jeff Goodman said that he just talked to KG's agent who appeared fairly oblivious as to what was going on.
Fox Sports is reporting that the trade will be Al, Ratliff and Rondo for Garnett. I don't like this one little bit. It is bad enough to give up Al but to give up Rondo too, that is too much. They report that the deal is basically done.
The deal would give Ainge a team that could compete with anyone in the Eastern Conference with the trio of Paul Pierce, Garnett and Allen. The Celtics would also have nearly $60 million in salaries between the three players for next season alone. The Wolves would get one of the league's top young players in the 22-year-old Jefferson, who averaged 16 points and 11 boards in 69 games a year ago, and a second-year point guard in Rondo with plenty of potential. They would also get Ratliff's $11.7 million salary, which will come off the books after this season.
Multiple sources close to the situation told DraftExpress Sunday that the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves have come to terms on a trade exchanging Kevin Garnett for a package including Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, and Theo Ratliff. The exact details of the trade aren’t known at this point, but it is believed that the deal will be completed shortly with similar parameters.
This is a little more palatable but not much. We give up two players who have a very high ceiling and will be playing at that level for long after KG is out of the league.
It is believed that the latest incarnation of the deal would have Boston adding Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair and multiple future draft picks to Jefferson and Ratliff in exchange for Garnett. It's also likely that other players would have to be added to the deal, since the salary-cap math involved would require both teams to account for Garnett's $6.75 million trade kicker.
This is a lot to give up for a 31 year old player who has been in the league 12 years already. The main question in all of this is does Garnett want to go to Boston now and will he sign an extension to stay there? I don't want to give up our future for a one or 2 year rental.
Personally I don't like this trade. Al Jefferson is only 22 years old. He was hampered by injuries his first two seasons and last year, when he was finally healthy, he had a break out year. He averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds last season, in spite of facing double and triple teams for much of the season when Pierce was out. He has worked hard all summer and should come back even better. He and Perk have developed great chemistry. Kevin Garnett is 31 years old and has put in 12 hard years in the NBA. He is definitely one of the top players in the league but for how long? Al has 9 years to play before even getting to Garnett's age. I just don't want to watch Al Jefferson tearing up the league for years after KG is retired or goes to another team while the Celtics are back to square one and rebuilding again. Al Jefferson has been the epitome of Celtics Pride. He loves the Celtics and wanted to stay here for life. On the other hand, we bring in a player who openly voiced his opposition to coming to Boston. Do we really want a player here who doesn't like Boston and doesn't want to be here?
In fairness, I want to post reasons on both sides of the issue. After reading through about 50 pages of commentary on this subject on various message boards, I can say that Celtics fans are definitely divided on this one. billfromBoston gives the positive side of this better than anyone:
1. The Celtics will be contending for a title 2. National interest in the team will increase 3. The Celtics will have an easier time attracting FA 4. The team will have a lot of room under the cap when KG/PP/RA deals expire 5. KG/PP/RA could easily be contributing members of a rotation until their LATE 30's (37-3 6. With Bird rights and team success, the Celtics should be able to attract a big name FA or two to "take over" for the aging stars 7. Rondo/TA/Gomes/Powe/Perk are not chopped liver, they may not be super stars, but they can certainly be a winning veteran core while the team looks to add star talent to them 8. It won't take "10 years" to rebuild when KG/PP/RA retire if their is a solid core of role players still with the team. 9. If the team doesn't lure a star FA while KG/PP/RA are here, they'll have the money to shop when they're gone and a young veteran core with a lot of playoff experience. 10. If the team does lure a young star FA while KG/PP/RA are here, then the team is looking at LONG-TERM competitiveness at a championship level ...bottom line, titles are hard to come by no matter what. While Al Jefferson is surely the team's best prospect, the Celtics would still be left with a nice group of young role-player types who have talent and will improve as well...Gomes and Tony Allen are very good offensive players and Rajon Rondo is a very nice young PG prospect. Perk and Powe are very nice rebounding/defensive types in the frontcourt. I wouldn't worry about the long-term future of this team if this trade goes down. The reputation of the team and the flexability that Bird rights gives the club will allow them to add players and avoid any major meltdown...
On the other side of the issue, last week on CelticsStuff Live, Mike Gorman stated that he didn't want to trade Big Al. He said that during the 08-09 season Big Al will become the equal of Garnett on the court. He also said he feels that Al has the potential to become even better than Garnett. Once he hits his peak, he will have about 10 years left at a high level of play while Kevin Garnett will be out of the league. Trading Al for Garnett would be a short sighted move that would give us a 3 -4 year window at the most to win a championship. With 3 max players on the team, that doesn't give us much money to fill the two needs that we actually have. We would still need a back up center and a veteran point guard. We would also have a weak bench after having to give up so much to get KG. Also KG isn't exactly known as a good locker room guy, having punched out teammates on more than one occasion.
Both sides of the argument have merit. Only time will tell which side is right, or maybe both will be right in the long run. Al Jefferson may be a perennial all star and the Celtics may win that 17th championship. Or, Al may be a very good player but not near the level of KG. Or, and this is what I am afraid of, the Celtics won't be able to find that chemistry needed to win a championship. KG will retire as will Pierce and Allen and the Celtics will be back to the beginning and rebuilding all over again while Al is an All Star and winning championships for someone else. One thing is for certain, if KG does come to the Celtics, we will definitely get a lot of media attention and the Celtics will finally be relevant again. But, that may or may not be enough to win a championship.
You know the old saying, "Where there is smoke, there is fire." Well, it sure is getting smoky around here. To bring you up to date, here is what has gone on around the Celtics nation today. First Jeff over on Celtics Blog posted this on the forum.
so I got a mysterious email from someone claiming that someone claimed to have a source saying that the KG for Al Jefferson deal was getting done and includes 2 first rounders and a "host of others"
That in itself isn't enough to get much more than a good discussion going, but almost the same time, this was posted on the Celtics Nation forum.
never been on this board before im from minneapolis....i am very close to the situation and have been told that kg to boston is done. this is from the horses mouth...dont know for who yet....will post more info when i get it...this should breathe alot of life into the celtics....piece, ray allen...and kg...makes you guys the fav in the eastern conference in my opinion...
So, there are two separate sources posting that a deal to send Al to Minny for KG is imminent. But, that still could be a coincidence as these rumors get spread all the time. But, there's more. Then, this was posted on the Globe message boards.
A friend of mine who has a source deep inside the Celtics organization told me the deal that would send Garnett to Boston in exchange for Jefferson, Green, Ratliff and a first rounder (not sure what year) will be announced on Wednesday. I cannot confirm this but the source is pretty high up in the C's organization.
More smoke... Now, we get to the fire. Kingly, a friend of Al's and a poster who has never posted anything that wasn't true confirmed this.
I'll put it like this. Your boss calls you and tells you how much he likes you and what you do for the company and is willing to help you in any way in the future. But this is a business and we have a chance to get a very special employee and the only way we get him is trade a valuable commodity such as yourself. Be on standby b/c we could make this move within the next 24hrs but there is a chance things don't work out. If your boss told you that in so many words, what would you think.
Now, this carries some weight. Kingly is a very reputable poster and this gives legs to this rather than it simply being an internet rumor. There is too much smoke on this one to just be a rumor. There is some fire under it.
“I thought we were going to get at least No. 2,” he said. “But when it went down like that, I just said, ‘All right, let’s go.’ ” Perkins seems determined to prove the C’s already have a good big man - himself. “Going through the season, it was frustrating for us to keep hearing about how guys who were in college were going to come in and change our team,” he said. “Guys can be good college players, but that’s not on the same level as the NBA. I mean, you take the best college guys right now and put them into an NBA workout, and certain guys will look OK. But I don’t think, except for a few guys, that most of them are ready. Perkins might be speaking out of frustration, but he is determined to back it up.
I just love Perk. He works harder than just about any player on the team except Powe and I truly expect a break out year from him this season. There is also another article on Rondo and his desire to be a leader this season.
There’s no question the Celts need Rondo to take a giant step forward in his development in his second season if the club is to play anything more than a cameo role in the Eastern Conference playoffs. And he seems to grasp that fact of Green life. “I definitely feel a lot more comfortable with my role,” Rondo said. “During the end of the season, I started getting a lot more playing time, and my confidence grew as a player. I just want to go out there and build on that.
In the same article, Gomes tells us not to count Telfair out this season.
Speaking of point guards, Ryan Gomes checked in to say Celtics Nation shouldn’t write off Sebastian Telfair [stats]. Gomes worked out with Telfair in Las Vegas (the latter stayed behind to work on his conditioning and his game) and came back with a strong endorsement. “I think people might be surprised by (Telfair) this year,” Gomes said. “I thought he did very well out there. A lot of people say in the summertime you’re more loose and you just go out there and play, but (he) was working hard. “He just seems more confident now. He seems very level-headed. It was a tough situation that he went through right after the season, and I think personally, from what I’ve seen, he’s done with all the outside world of basketball. . . . He’s staying out there the whole summer so he can just focus on basketball. That should tell people something.”
In the Globe, Peter May discusses Jefferson's contract extension and the fact that it may be better for both sides to hold off on it for awhile. He also discusses the Sonics/Suns trade, the USA team hopes, Garnett, Marion and more. In the Metro West Daily, Scott Souza is still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Or you can accept that a team pushing the luxury tax threshold that has already made a significant upgrade this summer will have a very hard time making another one, particularly as a contract extension looms for its brightest young talent in Al Jefferson. It could come out of the blue on a hazy August day, or as recent history has shown (see: Allen Iverson, Carlos Boozer last summer) it may be a lot of talk that never adds up to anything at all. Just remember that there's a long way to go to be holding your breath until September.
Fox Sports mentions Big Baby at the photo shoot wearing a Larry Bird jersey and a Santa hat. Can you guess which Celtic is going to be a favorite of the media this season? Along those lines, The Dallas Morning News is bemoaning the fact that the Mavs didn't take Big Baby.
Thanks to Red's Army for pointing out this article on Ray Allen receiving a role model award. He is a definitely going to add some class to the Celtics this season.
A member of the All-Star Advisory Council for the Jr. NBA and the Jr. WNBA youth basketball support program, Allen was named The Sporting News' "Good Guy" in 2000 and 2001. He was named honorary captain for UConn's All-Century Team and was the NBA spokesman for the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. Allen initiated the Ray of Hope Foundation, which assists charities in several communities. Middlesex Chamber of Commerce President Larry McHugh said, "We are excited to have Ray Allen as speaker. He's a great person to look up to for his support of the Ray of Hope Foundation."
NBA.com has a good article on the USA team. ESPN.com reports on the DLeague all star team's loss in China.
In closing, Jeff over on Celtics Blog posted this to the forum:
so I got a mysterious email from someone claiming that someone claimed to have a source saying that the KG for Al Jefferson deal was getting done and includes 2 first rounders and a "host of others" I can't put ANY stock into this rumor, and it is 3rd party anyway, but I thought it was important to tell you folks to keep your ears open
Nowhere on the web will you see the split personality I mention in today's article than in this thread that follows Jeff's post. I am personnally on the don't trade Al Jefferson side of this discussion. Not even for KG. I have seen us trade future all stars away for a quick fix too many times to want to see it again. I can look ahead to 3 years from now. The Celtics made it to the ECF but didn't win a championship. KG leaves the team. Al is a perennial All Star and we all lament his loss as we do Chauncey Billups now. And the Celtics are back to square 1 and building through the draft only to trade those players away before they reach their peak.
65 Days till Training Camp and the rumors are coming hot and heavy.
