CELTICS GREEN BLOG by and for boston celtics fans: Rumors and Free Agent Updates

Wow! It sure is quiet around the NBA. The biggest news I found today is that Celtic Hall of Famer, Robert Parish, turns 55 today. Parish still works with the Celtics behind the scenes and works with Clifford Ray summers in their big man camp in Florida. With Clifford Ray and Robert Parish working with new Celtic Patrick O'Bryant on a regular basis, you have to wonder if maybe another center traded to the Celtics from the Warriors may surprise people. When the Celtics got Parish from the Warriors he was considered an underachiever and a trouble maker. While O'Bryant was never a trouble maker, he certainly has been an underachiever. I'd love to get some of that old Robert Parish magic in the Celtics newest center.

Shaun Livingston is getting a lot of attention. He's a very intriguing prospect. If he is healthy, he could be one of the top point guards in the league with his size and ability. But the question is going to be if he can bounce back from that devastating injury. Chris Mullen visited one of his workouts last week. Now there is word that the Heat are interested in the 22 year old point guard to back up Marcus Banks and rookie Mario Chalmers. If healthy, Livingston could beat both out for the starting job. But, Dwyane Wade has been very impressed with Chalmers and is pushing for him to start.

The Cavs are still in the market for a big man after trading Joe Smith to Milwaukee and are considering Lorenzen Wright. Wright had also worked out for the Heat but lost that job to Jamaal Magloire. In his career, he has averaged 8.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. They are also considering Juwan Howard Juwan Howard, who played only 7.1 minutes per game for the Mavericks last season.

Word out of New York is that Marbury has dropped to 200 lbs. I don't think I ever heard that weight was an issure with him but he is doing his best to insure the Knicks that he is serious about playing. His future with the Knicks is still very much in doubt. I have a feeling that Donnie Walsh is trying to exorcise as many remembrances of Isiah that he possibly can and Marbury and Isiah will forever be linked. There had been some pretty good rumors that the Celtics were interested in reuniting Marbury and KG in Boston but with 15 on the roster right now and Danny expecting big things from Pruitt this season and Eddie House back in the fold, I just don't see it.

There are lots of questions surrounding Monta Ellis' injury. There was a report on Saturday that they had sent their trainer, Tom Abdenour, to Mississippi to check out the injury. In fact, Abdenour is in Johannesburg, South Africa getting ready for the Basketball without Borders camp that begins Wednesday. The Warriors are questioning the injury because it was so severe and they may have sent someone to check on it, but it wasn't Abdenour.

See #22 there on the right in that photo. That's the new Republican VP candidate, Sarah Palin. I don't like to get into politics on a basketball blog but this is all about basketball. Sarah Palin was the point guard on her high school team and led them to the state championship. She was nicknamed "Sarah Barracuda" for her tenacious defense and play. I heard that she even played in the championship game with a stress fracture in her foot. All politics aside, I had never heard of her before Friday, but the more I hear about her, the more I like her. She is quite a woman!

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