Now that the draft is over, the Celtics can look to free agency and trades to shape up the team for next season. Despite all the rumors that Perk, Rondo and Ray were on the block for a draft pick in one of the weakest drafts in recent years, the starting lineup is still one of the best in the league.
The biggest need that Danny needs to address is to get some quality players on the bench. They need a back up center, a big defensive 3 to back up Paul Pierce, and a back up point guard. Even if the Celtics re-sign Big Baby, they should be looking for another big as well. If last year taught us anything, it is that the team should go into the season with more than enough bigs.
There are rumors floating around with a few players that the Celtics are keeping an eye on Rasheed Wallace, Grant Hill, Anthony Parker, Antonio McDyess, Bruce Bowen , Chris Anderson, Linas Kleiza, and Francisco Oberto. According to a Tweet from Ric Bucher, Rasheed is deciding between Orlando and San Antonio and in spite of a call from KG, he is not interested in Boston. Chris Anderson is likely to re-sign with Denver. There are rumors that Anthony Parker is thinking of going overseas for a lucrative contract.
Free agent centers and power forwards that Danny may be considering along with their stats from last season. Zaza Pachulia 6'11" 6.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, .3 BPG Joe Smith 6'10" 6.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, .7 BPG Brandon Bass 6'8" 8.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, .7 BPG Chris Anderson 6'10" 6.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.5 BPG, and a ton of energy Antonio McDyess 6'9" 9.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, .8 BPG Rasheed Wallace 6'11" 12 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.3 BPG Lamar Odom 6'10" 11.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG Jamaaal Magloire 6'11" 2.9 PPG, 4 RPG, .5 BPG Jason Collins 7'0" 1.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, .4 BPG Sheldon Williams 6'9" 4.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, .4 BPG Robert Swift 7'1" 3.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, .7 BPG
Of that list, my first choice would be Chris Anderson. Why didn't Danny grab him last season when he could have gotten him for next to nothing? But, word is that Anderson loves Denver and they love him and he will stay there. My second choise would be Antonio McDyess, if he could be pried away from Detroit. I don't ever see Lamar Odom signing with the Celtics. Danny has been rumored to love Swift since he was taken by Seattle just before Danny got to pick. Will he try to get him now that he is a free agent? He wouldn't be my choice but then again, neither was Patrick O'Bryant.
Small Forwards who are free agents that Danny could be looking at include
Dahntay Jones 6'6" 5.4 PPG, 1 APG, 64% 3PT Ron Artest 6'7" 17.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.3 APG Trevor Ariza 6'8" 8.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.8 APG Anthony Parker 6'6" 10.7 PPG, 3.4 APG, 39% 3PT Matt Barnes 6'7" 10.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.8 APG Grant Hill 6'8" 12 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.3 APG Shawn Marion 6'7" 12.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1 BPG Travis Outlaw 6'9" 12.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1 APG
Outlaw isn't a free agent but is reportedly being shopped and may be bought out. He would be great if the Celtics could get him. There have already been rumors of Danny going after Jones but he is lower down on my list of players I would want. Shawn Marion reportedly is willing to accept the vet minimum to play for a contender and after playing in Toronto, Boston may not look all that bad. I'd love to have Grant Hill but there have been reports that he loves it in Phoenix and would like to stay there. Anthony Parker would be ideal but the word is that he is looking at going overseas for a lot of money. I like Matt Barnes and he would be a great signing. I'd love to see him in green next year. The Lakers really want to re-sign Ariza and I doubt he would play for the Celtics anyway.
Free agents can talk to teams on July 1 and can sign as of July 8. Hopefully Danny will be busy and bring in a few quality players that will give us a strong bench next season. Without quality backups, we are likely to see the starters worn down with little left to give in the playoffs again.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT LESTER HUDSON (going off of statistics)
-he's a good shooter. Lots of guys can knock down shots if they throw up a million attempts, but looking at Hudson's stats, he not only has a good percentage for 2pt shots (better than 50%), but he's also a terrific FT shooter (83% 2 years ago and 88% last year). That, to me, is a mark of a guy who is a good shooter.
-he's an aggressive rebounder. That's the only way a 6'1" guard is going to be able to pull down nearly 8 rebounds per game two years in a row. We've seen Rondo come down with tons of rebounds because he aggressively goes after them, and I'm getting the impression that Hudson is like him.
-he's a ball thief. To me this shows he puts forth a lot of effort defensively. He's averaged 2.8 and 2.3 spg the past 2 years.
I hope we see this guy explode onto the scene in the summer league
Talented combo guard with excellent NBA potential ... Prolific scorer, (over 25 ppg) ... Has a quick first step and a killer crossover allowing him to blow by defenders and get into the paint ... Does a good job of creating baskets for himself and others ... Has precision passes for ally oops even from well beyond the three point arc ... drives exceptionally well, with defenses collapsing on him ... Has a great shot off the dribble, and is able to hit it going straight up or fading away ... Has a terrific body for a point guard with size, length and strength ... Can put points up in a hurry. Advanced mid-range game ... Shows excellent vision and passing ability ... A great defender. A bigtime ball hawk, fourth in the nation in steals ... Shows great anticipation and his quick hands and feet make him a tremendous on ball defender ... Gets good lift on his shot and shows a solid shooting form ... An excellent shooter with 3-point range and consistency on his shot. Shoots threes at a high volume and great efficiency ... His form and strength should allow him to step back 5 feet and hit the pro three with consistency in time ... His body strength allows him to finish after contact, play physical and also helps his range ... Knocks down free throws at a high percentage >80% ... Solid rebounder for his position. Plays bigger than 6-3 with his long wing span ... Unlike many prolific scorers, Hudson is unselfish getting teammates involved offensively, creating easy baskets for them ... Clutch player who comes up with big shots when his team needs them ... Highly competitive ..
Sounds really good. Actually, he sounds just like a Rajon Rondo but with a shot.
Here is what they list as his weaknesses:
Has not played at a high level of basketball, with just one season of Div 1 under his belt at UT Martin ... Playing in the Ohio Valley Conference, his exploits are questioned ... It's tougher to project him for the next level playing against lesser players ... Ends up playing off the ball a bit because hes so effective scoring ... He shows quality passing and ball handling ability, but can he run a team? ...Must develop his point guard instincts, controlling tempo and overall PG duties ... Still needs to prove himself as a floor general. Very creative passing the ball, but will need to cut down on turnovers ... Not incredibly explosive. He's a strong athlete without question but is quicker and stronger than he is explosive ... Will turn 24 in August, which diminishes his intrigue some ... His long road to Div 1 basketball is a story of perseverance, but also leaves scouts with cause for concern ... Having lacked structure and discipline for a few years following high school, Hudson appears to be a changed man with a new found maturity ..
Here is a video of Hudson in action:
We can find the story about Hudson's resolve and perseverance in a 2008 story on ESPN. Hudson came out of one of the roughest neighborhoods in Memphis. Hudson didn't go to school often, and even when he did, he didn't always go to class. Most of the time he'd find his way to the gymnasium, which was his sanctuary. He played only one year of high school basketball and was walking the halls when Central High coach Andre Applewhite found him. Applewhite took an interest in Hudson.
Hudson starred on Central's team as a junior, averaging double figures in points and rebounds. But he had already repeated one grade by then and turned 19 that summer, making him ineligible to play as a senior. He remained in school, but his academic struggles continued -- especially with basketball being taken away. He left Central without his high school diploma and seemingly without much of a future.
Applewhite, who played at Southwest Tennessee Community College, was able to convince his alma mater to take a look at Hudson in a tryout of sorts. Hudson spent the next two years playing at Southwest, and earned his high school GED his first semester there. He excelled on the court and also maintained a 2.5 GPA. But he came up short on the necessary core requirements and failed to graduate from junior college.
Several Division I schools had shown interest in Hudson, but most of those backed off when it became apparent that he wasn't going to receive his junior college degree. The one school that stuck with him was UT-Martin. Once again Hudson's resolve was tested. Because he didn't graduate from junior college, the only way he would be eligible to play at UT-Martin was to sit out his first year and pay his own way through school. Hudson took out a student loan and applied for every bit of financial aid he could find.
On those days Hudson felt himself wavering, he thought back to his childhood, one that saw him bounce around to different family members in different housing projects. He thought back to the harrowing shootouts he witnessed, the gangs that ran the streets, the drugs that infested his neighborhood, and all those people he grew up with who weren't fortunate enough to make it out. His desire and drive got him through 4 years of college and now a chance to prove himself to the Boston Celtics.
Three games into his UT-Martin career,, Hudson became the first men's player in Division I history to record a quadruple-double with 25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals in a 116-74 win over Division II Central Baptist College.
I love players who overcome the odds with heart and drive and work ethic to make it. I'm pulling for Lester to make it! Welcome to the Boston Celtics.
This is shaping up to be a very busy day. I am going to use this thread to update with trades as they happen today.
I'll start with the Suns sending Shaq to Cleveland for Pavlovic, Ben Wallace, a second round pick and cash.
Then came New Jersey sending Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to Orlando for Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie. With the Magic getting Carter, it looks like they may be prepared to let Hedo Turkoglu walk.
Right on the heels of the Carter trade is this one: The Warriors have traded Jamal Crawford to the Hawks in exchange for Acie Law, and Speedy Claxton.
The Knicks have traded Quentin Richardson to Memphis for Darko Milicic.
This trade has been reported but not finalized. ESPN’s Ric Bucher reported that the Warriors and Phoenix have agreed to the basic terms of a trade that would send Andris Biedrins, Kelenna Azubuike, Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli and the No. 7 pick to Phoenix for Amare Stoudemire. The deal is still pending Stoudemire agreeing to a contract extension with the Warriors or at least giving them an indication that he will agree to one.
First rumor being passed around comes from a quote by Cedric Maxwell on WEEI. He said that he had talked with Rondo about his contract and was told that Rondo feels that $50 million over 5 years is a good offer. That seems fair to me for a point guard of Rondo's caliber. He has improved every season so far and there is no reason to think that he won't continue to improve in the future.
Big Baby was officially named to the USA practice squad. Congratulations to him.
Another blockbuster trade that will affect the Celtics key rivals. First it was Shaq to Cleveland. Now it appears as though Orlando has traded guard Rafer Alston, forward Tony Battie and guard Courtney Lee for Vince Carter. It seems as though every one of the Celtics chief rivals in the East are making improvements in their teams. Danny needs to stop playing games with Rondo and find a way to make the Celtics better next season. I believe that the starting 5 is as good as any in the league but the team needs bench help. He has to do better this season than Patrick O'Bryant as his big free agent signing.
Finally some more information about the Orlando Summer League games from Inside Hoops:
The Orlando Magic will host the 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League at the RDV Sportsplex from July 6-10. The 15-game event will feature the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics and a split squad between the New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
Due to space limitations, the event is not open to the public and will be open only to the media and professional team/league personnel.
Monday, July 6, 2009 Visitor Home 1st game 3:00 p.m. NJ/Phil @ Indiana 2nd game 5:00 p.m. OKC @ Orlando 3rd game 7:00 p.m. Boston @ Utah
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 1st game 3:00 p.m. Boston @ Orlando 2nd game 5:00 p.m. Utah @ NJ/Phil 3rd game 7:00 p.m. OKC @ Indiana
Wednesday, July 8, 2009 1st game 3:00 p.m. Indiana @ Utah 2nd game 5:00 p.m. OKC @ Boston 3rd game 7:00 p.m. NJ/Phil @ Orlando
Thursday, July 9, 2009 1st game 3:00 p.m. OKC @ NJ/Phil 2nd game 5:00 p.m. Utah @ Orlando 3rd game 7:00 p.m. Indiana @ Boston
Friday, July 10, 2009 1st game 11:00 a.m. Utah @ OKC 2nd game 1:00 p.m. NJ/Phil @ Boston 3rd game 3:00 p.m. Indiana @ Orlando
(12-minute intermission between completion of games)
The Celtics will play 5 games between July 6th and 10th, one per day. In an email from the Magic, they also informed me that they will be streaming the games live on their website. I haven't heard of any schedule of them being televised as yet. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
I don't remember ever seeing as many conflicting stories and rumors surrounding the team as I have seen this off season. It seems as though every day there is a new trade rumor and every day there is a new denial or conflicting statement from Danny Ainge.
It all started with the rumor from the Suns that Danny offered Rondo and Ray for Amare Stoudamire, Leandro Barbosa and the 14th pick in the draft. Next came the rumor that Danny was offering Kendrick Perkins and Bill Walker for the second pick in the draft. Next up was the rumor about Danny offering Ray and Rondo for Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey. Finally we have the story circulating about Danny offering Ray and Rondo for Rudy Gay and Mike Conley.
Amid all these rumors, we have gotten mixed messages from Danny. It's almost as though he has a split personality as one minute he says he loves Rondo and the next he is saying how immature he is and how he needs to work on several things. Here is a sampling of quotes from Danny: First from his press conference yesterday.
“He showed up late for a playoff game so we’re going to trade him. None of those things is true. We love the kid and we think he’s got a very bright future. I don’t anticipate any trades happening this offseason involving any of our core players.”
“The notion that we might be trading him for some reason other than we think that we could be better or trading any player because of some reason (like) his contract,” Ainge said. “I’ve heard speculation of we’re dissatisfied with him or his attitude. That stuff is so false.”
That sounds simple enough. Danny loves Rondo. There is no problem with his attitude or upcoming contract extension.
Then, Danny was on Dennis and Callahan the next day and had this to say about Rondo:
Rondo, as we saw in the Orlando series, they left him wide open. His presence hurt us in winning right now. His man left him and doubled Ray or Paul. It made it difficult for us.
I don’t think that Rondo’s a max contract player. I think it’s a good goal for Rondo to have from a monetary standpoint, to be that kind of player that warrants a max-contract player. I certainly don’t see Rondo as a max contract player today.
There was just a couple of situations where Rajon was late. I don’t know if he was sitting in his car, but he showed up late and the rest of the team was there, and he was late. There are team rules in place and he said he was in traffic. That was unacceptable.
While he also still has some positive things to say about Rondo and repeated that he doesn't plan on trading Rondo, it is clear that there are some problems and he does expect more out of his point guard. There are reports that Rondo has an attitude problem. Here are some quotes from Chris Broussard on the ESPN Buzz.
"Rajon Rondo is definitely on the market. I'm told he's very hard for Doc Rivers to coach, and that although Rondo gets along OK with his teammates, he's far from a great teammate. The fear in Boston is that if Rondo is this difficult to handle on a rookie-scale salary, he'll be a monster once he earns big money.
One GM told me, "They won a championship with this guy, and he's coming off a tremendous playoff performance ... and they're looking to trade him. That tells you how bad things are."
We hear all of the rumors with a new one seemingly popping up every day. We hear Danny saying that he loves Rondo on one hand but that he needs to grow up and be a leader and learn to shoot and he isn't going to get the max contract he is hoping for on the other hand. And then, tucked in Marc Spears' article in the Globe, we see this little bit:
One NBA GM said that he asked Celtics president Danny Ainge about Rondo and Ainge said he didn't want to trade him.
What all this says to me is that Danny really doesn't want to trade Rondo, but sees an opportunity to get the price down on what it will take to sign him. However, he may be opening a can of worms with the way he is handling this because Rondo's agent, Bill Duffy, isn't too happy with Ainge's comments:
"I am just surprised that Danny is speaking, even if he considers it constructively, in a public setting,'' agent Bill Duffy said to Marc J. Spears of the Boston Globe. "I don't think that it's appropriate to say that about one of your top players. Even if it's spoken constructively, I don't think it should be done in public. I don't think he would like it if Wyc was talking about him in public."
In other news, the Bucks and Spurs have made a significant trade sending Richard Jefferson to the Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, and Kurt Thomas. Oberto has already been traded to Detroit for Amir Johnson and there have been reports that they may buy out Bowen. This doesn't make much sense for the Bucks as they seem to have gotten very little in return for a key player. But, it gives them them some cap space next year so it may have been mostly a financial move. It makes the Spurs a contender in the west again.
After sending Foye and Miller to Washington for the 5th pick, the Wolves now have 4 first round picks, including the Celtics pick from the Garnett trade. Rumors are that they are looking to make even more trades before the draft is over. They are offering the 5th and 6th picks to try to entice the Grizzlies to give up the second pick.
I'd love to see Chris Anderson as the back up PF/C for the Celtics next season. I still don't know why Danny didn't sign him last season. He was definitely a better choice than O'Bryant and he signed with Denver for only $998,398. I'd love to sign him as a free agent this off season but word is that re-signing Anderson is one of the Nuggets' priorities this off season.
Apparently, the Nuggets want Dahntay Jones back as well. There were rumors around that Jones was the Celtics target in free agency but the Denver Post has this to say about him.
Meanwhile, the agent for unrestricted free agent Dahntay Jones said the "goal" is for Jones to return to Denver, but that Jones desires a multiyear deal. He signed with Denver last summer for one year at $926,678.
"I think Dahntay would like to make a home, feel like he'll be a part of something for a long period of time," agent Mark Bartelstein said. "We're not going to rule out anything else, but he'd prefer a lengthy deal. . . . We'll go through the world of free agency. He's proven he can be a really valuable piece to a very good team.
In other Celtics' news, they are expected to give Big Baby a qualifying offer making him a restricted free agent. They could then match any offers that he receives from other teams. It will depend on how crazy other teams get with their offers as to whether the Celtics see fit to match them. Also, Eddie House is still deciding whether to take his player option with the team for next season or try to get more money elsewhere. Both the offer for Big Baby and the option by House have to be made by June 30. Free agents can begin negotiating on July 1.
In the bizarre category, Phil Jackson is considering coaching next season without any travel. He wants to coach the home games and then when they go on the road, Rambis would be the coach on site but Phil would still be making the calls from home via computer and telephone. Now that would be weird. I wonder if they would hold up a picture of Phil when they do the introductions on the road.
Bill Simmons isn't a big fan of what Danny is doing. Here is what he had to say on Twitter.
Danny: You're handling this Rondo thing poorly. You don't want to pay him + are ACTIVELY shopping him to other teams. Stop saying otherwise.
Tomorrow's the big night and I expect it to be a busy night but Danny still insists it won't be one for the Celtics: http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2009/06/ainge_to_stay_p.html
Celtics general manager Danny Ainge acknowledged via text message tonight that he doesn't expect his franchise to make any trades to get into the first round, acquire a second round pick or to get a player. Boston currently only has the 58th overall pick in the second round.
But then again, it may just be smoke and mirrors as he said pretty much the same thing before he traded the 5th pick for Ray Allen a couple years back. There certainly has been plenty of smoke. Now it's time to see if there is any fire behind it.
Lot of links today and lots of goings on. A couple of big trades yesterday along with a couple of new Celtics rumors and Danny Ainge spoke out at a news confrerence. Haven't had time to post comments on everything but you can find plenty of comments in today's links.
Another day and another Ray and Rondo rumor. This one is from Yahoo:
The Boston Celtics appear willing to make major roster changes to balance a chance for a championship run and future financial flexibility.
The Celtics offered Ray Allen(notes) and Rajon Rondo(notes) to the Detroit Pistons for a package that included Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Boston general manager Danny Ainge and Detroit’s Joe Dumars never spoke, but rather the Celtics had a lower-level executive make the pitch to a Pistons official over the past weekend, league sources said. Detroit immediately rejected the idea, and it never advanced to the two top executives speaking about particulars.
Danny says that he isn't shopping Ray and Rondo. A team source says Rondo isn't going anywhere. But these rumors from league sources keep popping up that Danny is indeed shopping both. I still don't understand trying to blow up a team that started 27-2 last season and still won 62 games even with their best player out and other key injuries down the stretch.
On the day that the Metro West Daily has an article on how absurd the trading Rondo rumors are, the internet is a-buzz with this "report" that Danny is indeed offering Rondo. In Fenton's article, he has this to say:
Among the most ludicrous tall tales making the rounds in recent days has the Boston Celtics shopping point guard Rajon Rondo. The chances of Rondo being on another team next season are about the same as Daisuke Matsuzaka being the Red Sox ace heading into in the postseason.
Where does this stuff come from? And why do people pay any attention to such nonsense?
There will be no major overhaul for the Celtics this summer, just some strengthening of the bench to provide depth to help Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rondo and Kendrick Perkins.
We put that with that quote from the Herald a week or so ago and you have to wonder what is going on.
Though Ainge declined to discuss the rumors involving Rondo, a team source sniffed at the speculation involving the young floor leader, saying, “Rondo’s not going to be traded.”
But, these rumors keep popping up. And as the old saying goes, where there is smoke, there is fire. It does indeed seem that Danny is shopping both Ray and Rondo, in spite of what he says in the interviews.
The draft is almost here and the rumors are still swirling about the NBA. The Washington Times is expecting a very busy draft night with lots of trades.
In 2006, there were 15 draft-day trades, and this year's draft is expected to rival or surpass that. Some teams low in the draft - or without a first-round pick - badly want to move up to upgrade their rosters. Some teams higher in the draft would prefer to move down to get more picks and bolster their rebuilding projects.
There certainly has been a lot of smoke swirling around picks from 2 on down. I haven't heard many rumors about the #1 pick being up for sale, but I imagine that even that would be on the block for the right price. This is certainly a draft that you wouldn't want to miss because there are sure to be more than a few surprises.
Chad Ford has the Celtics picking former Southern Illinois standout point guard Bryan Mullins with the 58th pick. Mullins started a three-day workout with the Celtics on Sunday. On Monday, Mullins worked out with Notre Dame’s Kyle McAlarney and Missouri’s Leo Lyons among others. Mullins had this to say about his workout with the Celtics so far:
“I thought I did pretty good. They were impressed with my defense and my passing.”
The 6'2" Mullins played 4 years as a starter at SIU where he was most known for his defense and his teamwork. Mullins is one of only two players to tally more than 500 assists and 250 steals in Missouri Valley Conference history. If you are unfamiliar with Mullins, here is a video with some highlights.
Here's another trade rumor from the Star Tribune: The Timberwolves send Mike Miller, Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes to Boston for Ray Allen. The Wolves GM denied that there is any truth to this one. But then again, who believes GM's these days?
The latest rumor comes from something Stephen A Smith tweeted on Twitter via Hoopshype. Somehow, tweeting seems like a very accurate description of something Stephen A Smith might say. I don't put much stock in what he says, so take it with a grain of salt.
Celts won't need to make a deal. Their plan is to grab Dahntay Jones from the Nuggets and make sure KG returns 100 percent healthy.
This guy keeps showing up in Boston. They drafted him with the 20th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, and then traded hisrights, along with the rights to Troy Bell, to the Grizzlies for the rights to Kendrick Perkins and Marcus Banks. Then, he was brought into training camp in 2007 but was cut before the season. I'm not sure why he would be the one that the Celtics target when there are much better free agents who might be persuaded to play for the Celtics for the vet minimum in hopes of getting a ring but it is worth thinking about. He might make a good replacement for Tony Allen, but that is about it. Another reason I take this with a grain of salt is taht the Celtics need more than just a back up SF/SG. They need a back up center and a back up point guard. So, they need more than Dahntay Jones and a healthy KG.
Dates to keep in mind: June 25 Draft June 30 Date that Eddie House needs to decide on his player option June 30 Teams need to give qualifying offers to restricted free agents July 1 Teams can start negotiating with free agents July 6 Orlando Summer League begins July 8 Teams can sign free agents
The Celtics are the most storied franchise in NBA history. The 17 banners hanging from the rafters attest to this. No other NBA franchise can boast that many. 1981-1986 were very good years for the Celtics and for Celtics fans. In Larry Bird's second season, the Celtics won the championship. And with Kevin McHale and Robert Parish joining him, the Celtics dominated as they won again in 1984 and 1986.
On June 8, 1986, the Celtics beat the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. They were on top of the NBA world. They were World Champions and owned the 2nd pick in the draft that season thanks to the trade of Gerald Henderson to Seattle. I remember being so excited about that draft. The Celtics had never had a pick that high as long as I was following them. A little more than a week after the Celtics won their 16th championship, they selected Maryland star Len Bias with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
I remember being so excited. Len Bias was an exciting player and the talk was that he could be even better than Michael Jordan. The sky was the limit. The Big 3 were getting older and Bias would come in and be able to contribute right away and then would be the anchor of the next championship. It was an exciting time to be a Celtics fan. They were champions once again and they had just drafted one of the most exciting young players ever to come out of college.
On the morning of June 19, less than 48 hours after he was introduced by NBA commissioner David Stern as the Celtics pick, Bias was dead of heart failure brought on by cocaine use. He was just 22 years old. The basketball world would never get to see what he could do at the next level. He would be remembered only by what he had accomplished at Maryland, where he transformed himself from an athletic freshman who could do little more than dunk into one of the most explosive offensive players in Atlantic Coast Conference history.
Bias had spent hours working on that picture-perfect jumper and building that power-forward physique. By the time he was finished playing for Lefty Driesell at Maryland, Bias had become the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,149 points, a record that stood until 2002 when it was broken by Juan Dixon.
Though we will never know what kind of player Len Bias might have been if he had he lived and played out a full career in the NBA, those who played against him in college and those who would have played a part in his life as a Celtic feel that he would have developed into one of the most dynamic NBA stars of his era, maybe in league history.
The Big Three were aging and the Celtics looked at Bias as the link to the future of the 30-year Celtics dynasty that began with Bill Russell in 1956 and continued to the glory days of the 80's culminating with the 16th championship in 1986. It was even felt that Bias could have been the rival that Michael Jordan never really found during his career. Bias was a better outside shooter than Jordan. He didn't handle the ball as well, but he was bigger and tougher and every bit as athletic, perhaps even more so.
As a rookie in Boston, Bias would have assumed the role of the team's sixth man, a much vaunted tradition in Boston. He would have provided young legs and instant offense off the bench to back up a starting lineup that featured Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish in the front court and Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge in the back court. It is widely believed that had Bias lived he would have been able to prolong the careers of the Celtics Hall of Fame starting five and because he was so talented, he would have worked his way into the starting lineup before long, continuing the dominating play that people had come to expect from the Celtics.
As a Celtics fan, I have never gotten over this tragedy. I remember the elation I felt when I saw the Celtics make that pick. And I remember all too well the heartbreak of hearing the news that Bias had died. Not much is said these days about Len Bias but every year as the draft nears, thoughts of Len Bias and the senseless tragedy that took his life always come back to haunt me. I have to admit that even now, whenever it gets close to the draft, or when I see videos of him in college, I get tears in my eyes, thinking of what might have been.
I remember... and it still hurts even 23 years later.
