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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/7
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
by FLCeltsFan 4:11 PM
Herald Young Celtics know score
Brandon Jennings says he’ll learn from YouTube incident
AP source: Hawks reach deal with Mike Bibby
Marcin Gortat is ready to cash in Mark Cuban’s millions
Jason Kidd rejoins Mavs
Magic GM downplays interest in Big Baby
Globe Wallace's Celtics news conference TBD
Globe 10.0: Will Wallace be a good fit?
Hill is Ainge’s new target
MetroWest Daily Rasheed Wallace chooses relevance
CelticsBlog Summer League Game 1 Recap
Conflicting Big Baby Updates
Sporting News Knicks Offer Grant Hill One-Year Deal
LOY's Place Celtics 87- Jazz 56 Day 1 in Orlando
The Rumor Mill Churns Along
Red's Army Just how much interest is Big Baby generating?
Random thoughts: Would Artest make up for losing Ariza AND Odom?
Perkisabeast This week in celtic nation
Green Street Former Celtics O’Bryant, Wallace to play in Vegas
Celtics Circuit Is Summer League Even Important This Year?
Celtics Hub Could the Celts get another Miles?
NESN Johnson won’t be Pistons coach, door still open for Thibodeau
Garden to change names again, Wonka-like promotion ensues
Over the Hill? Celtics might not be
Sheed good fit for Celtics?
Celtics Town Bill Walker, Lester Hudson Shine in Summer League Game One
North Station Sports Welcome to Boston Rasheed Wallace!
Lex Nihil Novi Rasheed Wallace, North Carolina
You Should Be Dancin', Yeah
Speaking of Payton and Malone
The Lakers "Tried" to Improve
Rasheed Press Conference Contingent on . . .
Artest and a Naked Zen Mistress?
Detroit Free Press Celtics’ Ainge happy to add Rasheed Wallace to fold
Avery Johnson out as Pistons coaching candidate
'Sheed's performance was offensive at times | Freep.com
NBA.com Eight thoughts to ponder in a summer full of big-name deals
CSNE Grant Hill Update
Yahoo Sports Wallace gives Celtics 'K.G. Insurance'
Rasheed Wallace on the Celtics? Not bad - Ball Don't Lie
ProJo Ainge confirms interest in Grant Hill
Glen Davis finding a tight market for his services
Waiting for Next Year NBA Free Agents: Who’s Left For Cleveland?
NY Times For N.B.A. Free Agents, Midlevel Exception Seems Like the Norm
New England Sports 24/7 The Celtics Still Need Another Inside Presence
NBA Musings sheed = manny?
My San Antonio No Big Baby offer imminent
Entertainment Rundown Ray Allen And Wife Welcome Third Son
Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz lose by 31 in Maynor's debut
Detroit News Pistons' Dumars is in a tight fix with coaching job | detnews.com
ESPN Source: LeBron James tells recruit he'll stay with Cleveland Cavaliers
David Thorpe Livetweeting from Summer League
PBN Summer stuff: Dribbling through Orlando's first day
Addition of Hill would turn Boston into the Senior Celtics
CSN Philly NBA Notebook: A Feast in the East
NBADraft.net Orlando Summer League: Day 1
Sports Jabber The Stacking Of Teams Continues In The NBA As Rasheed Wallace Has Signed With The Celtics
Pistons Nation Blog A very dark day, Sheed to sign with Boston
The Knicks Blog Hill “Very Serious” About Knicks
Bucks Diary The NBA's 10 best outside jump shooters
Boston Sports Media Spears Leaving Globe for Yahoo! Sports
NY Daily News Knicks get another shot at Grant Hill, nine years after Ewing deal nixed
Dime NBA summer league tips off; Lakers bring back another piece
Orlando Summer League: Roster check
Cleveland.com Notes Heading into Day 7 of Free Agency
Hoopsworld NBA AM: Summer League Underway
Loscy The Sheed Train is heading to Boston
NBA Roundtable Summer League — Day One
NBA.com Summer League Post Ups
CSNE Rasheed Wallace Move Leaves Gamblers in a Tizzy
WEEI A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Sheed
Examiner Sheed is on board, is that necessarily a good thing?
Just what they 'Sheed: Rasheed Wallace should put the Celtics back on top
Bleacher Report Boston Celtics Bring Rasheed Wallace to Redemption Town
Boston Celtics Wont Win the East: Three Reasons
ProJo Celtics aren't concerned about tomorrow, as Rasheed signing shows
SI.com Rasheed Wallace may be missing link for Boston Celtics
CBS Sports Technically speaking, Boston's dysfunctional with or without 'Sheed -
Fox Sports Reviewing the big offseason moves this year
Slam Online Links: Lions and Celtics and L-Wolves
Minor League Hoops Red Claws Go High Tech for Ticket Holders
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The Rumor Mill Churns Along
by FLCeltsFan 12:28 AM
After Gary Tanguay's announcement that Grant Hill would be a Celtic by the end of the week, apparently the waters have gotten a little more cloudy as to Hill's intentions.
We do know that he is considering the Celtics, Suns and Knicks and all 3 have their selling points.
Suns- He played there last year and is in a familiar setting and wouldn't have to move. The Suns can also offer him a starting role.
The Celtics offer the best chance of getting a ring. On the Celtics, he won't be starting but at his age, coming off the bench could give him an extra year or two on his career. In Boston he would be reunited with his former coach, Doc Rivers.
New York is the pick of his wife as she is a singer and New York City offers her more opportunities to advance her career. In New York, Hill would be reunited with his former coach, Mike D'Antoni.
As far as money is concerned, it is all pretty much equal. Boston has a bi-annual exception which is worth approximately $3.9 million over two years to offer. New York has its mid-level exception and bi-annual exception and will probably offer either the bi-annual or a portion of the mid-level. Since the Suns used their bi-annual exception on Hill in 2007, they are expected to offer a similar portion of the mid-level exception to try to lure him back into the fold.
Hill had dinner with Doc on Sunday, met with the Knicks on Tuesday, and is expected to meet with the Suns on Wednesday. The one advantage the Celtics have over the other two teams is a real shot at a ring.
Also on the rumor mill is Big Baby Davis's status. Tanguay mentioned that Big Baby was on his way to the Spurs and then said that Dallas and the Magic were also interested. Both the Mavericks and the Magic have denied any interest in him. Apparently the Spurs are still interested in Big Baby, but they have agreed to sign 6'10" Marcus Haislip who has been playing in Europe. According to the San Antonio papers, though, their main target is Antonio McDyess. I guess Big Baby is plan C. They have their entire mid-level exception to spend on another big man.
More to come. Stay tuned.
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Celtics 87- Jazz 56 Day 1 in Orlando
Monday, July 6, 2009
by FLCeltsFan 11:50 PM
The Celtics first summer league game ended in a rout. Here are some impressions from the game vs the Jazz:
Bill Walker and JR Giddens both played well. Walker still has a penchant for hard fouls and ended up fouling out but showed some good things as he scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting to go with 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 21 minutes. The best player of the game in my opinion was JR Giddens who finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in 32 minutes. At times he still plays out of control but shows great athleticism and a nice all around game.
The Gabe Pruitt and Lester Hudson battle may have come down to a draw with Hudson slightly edging Pruitt. In the first half, Hudson struggled with his ball handling but showed a better handle as the game wore on. He has a nice shot as advertised and is a very good defender, although sometimes he gambles too much when going for the steal. Hudson finished with 11 points (4-6), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block n 19 minutes. Gabe seemed to force things a bit in the first half but like Lester, settled down into a nice rhythm in the second half. Pruitt finished with 11 points (3-6), 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 22 minutes.
As far as the big men go, I would say that Nick Fazekas looked the best of them all. He finished with 13 points (5-10) and 5 rebounds in 21 minutes. He has a nice shot but was questionable on defense. Robert Swift was really out of shape. He was huffing and puffing after just 5 minutes in the game and often could be seen standing with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. He finished with 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist in 20 minutes. He really has to show a lot more than that for me to believe that he can help the Celtics this season. Mike Sweetney is still pretty heavy but did look pretty good on the court. He finished with 3 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
Kevin Rogers showed some potential as he scored 9 points, pulled down 6 rebounds, dished out 1 assists and blocked 2 shots in 22 minutes. He has a decent jumper and showed a willingness to battle inside for rebounds. Chris Lofton and Bryan Mullins didn't look all that bad, but didn't impress either. For them to have any chance to make the team, they need to really impress, and they didn't do it.
Coby Karl, Bryce Taylor, and Darius Washington didn't play in this game but we will probably see them against the Magic. Even though they didn't play at a high level and things were sloppy most of the time, the Celtics dominated this game from start to finish.
The announcers were the worst I have even heard. Sure, this is just a summer league game and things get sloppy and the action drags at times, but these guys were unprofessional and while their banter is ok on a post game radio show, it really has no business during a game. Once in a while they would mention the game and a play that caught their attention but the majority of the time was mindless rambling, insults aimed at the players, and complaining about having to call the summer league games and how boring they were. These players are fighting for their careers and fans are interested in how their team's players are doing and it would be nice to have someone semi serious about doing a play by play calling the game.
Recap
Box Score
Next game is on Tuesday at 3:00 PM vs the Magic. The Magic roster includes:
Maurice Ager
Lance Allred
Ryan Anderson
Brian Chase
Ronald Dupree
Courtney Fells
Levance Fields
C.J. Giles
Richard Hendrix
Stevan Milosevic
Jeremy Pargo
Kasib Powell
Milovan Rakovic
Jeremy Richardson
Russell Robinson
Darian Townes
The Magic lost on day 1 to the OKC Thunder 88-77 but should give the Celtics more of a fight than they got from the Jazz team. Once again, all games will be streamed on both Orlandomagic.com and Celtics. com.
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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/6
by FLCeltsFan 4:01 PM
Herald Rasheed Wallace now going Green
Doc Rivers’ OK on Leon Powe call
Incumbents already battling hard
Dwyane Wade says he’ll stay if Heat a title contender
Jason Kidd set to return to Dallas Mavericks with three-year, $25 million deal
Initial bids due this week to buy The Boston Globe
Globe Nomar, Rasheed, and a tale of two Bostons
Hard Celtic press picks off Wallace
CelticsBlog Tanguay Rumor: Grant Hill In; Big Baby Out
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Sheed
Sheed In, Hill Next, Big Baby on the Way Out
LOY's Place Summer League Starts Today
Celtics 17 How Good is Portland?
Wallace Committing to C's
Red's Army Where we stand right now, and our biggest weakness
Hey... we can watch basketball tonight!
Hudson impresses Coach Rondo
Courtside View The right time for Rasheed
Celtics Circuit Wallace Accepts Contract, Will Become a Celtic
Celtics Hub Sheed: Please Don’t Be a Carlos Baerga
Cuban Tweets Down Tanguay
NESN Powe an unfortunate casualty of Celtics’ cap
Sheed: Big gamble, with big upside
Rivers: If healthy, Powe has chance to rejoin Celtics
Celtics Town Steph On Way Out, 'Sheed On Way In, Big Baby Situation
Celtics Sign Rasheed Wallace, Gain Championship Swagger
Lex Nihil Novi Best Sixth Man Since Bill Walton?
The New Big Three
The Arms Race Continues
Grant Ain't Over the Hill
Quick, Someone Contact New England Flag and Banner
Green Street Wallace to sign two-year deal with Celtics
Giddens eager to prove himself
The need for Sheed
Getty's Angle Therein Lies the Rub
My San Antonio Spurs miss out on Wallace, get Haislip
NBA.com Hope of title leads Wallace to commit to Celtics
Connecticut News Grant Hill a Celtic? Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis a Spur?
Dime Boston fills its need for ‘Sheed; it’s safe to watch the WNBA again
Bleacher Report Recent Moves Have Not Shaken Up the NBA's East as Much as You Think
The Celtics Are Now The Team to Beat
Boston: The Best of Fans, The Worst of Fans
Cleveland.com Ferry, Brown head to L.A., court free agents
Shaq's 'Big Freeze' moniker is already taken
FanHouse Celtics No Better With Rasheed Wallace
Wallace Makes Celtics NBA's Best Team
Report: Rasheed Commits to Celtics
Ridiculous Upside 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League - What To Look For?
Need4Sheed No Need4Sheed in Green - Rasheed is Boston Bound
Examiner Rasheed Wallace headed to Celtics
New England 24/7 Uhh…We Just Got Really, Really Good…Again
WEEI Meter and Felger talk Sheed with Gar Bear on WEEI
Dueling Couches Glen Davis To Spurs?
Every Joe Rasheed Wallace to Beantown old folks home
LeeInks LEEInks Gets Technical Introduction to ‘Sheed
My SouthEnd ’Sheed signing perfect necessity
Enterprise Free-agent Wallace agrees to deal with Celtics
Newsday Hill to visit Knicks after flirting with Celtics
SacBee Avery Johnson seems to fill Pistons' bill, or does he?
Howard the Dunk Vince Wants Rasheed, Big Baby Backup Plan? The Next Gortat?
JR On Fire Ben Pepper - Getting Some NBA Love
Full Court Pest LayMan's Math: Wilt Chamberlain's Sexual Statistics
Craigslist Huge BRIAN SCALABRINE HEAD! - Get on the Jumbo-Tron Next Season!!
Detroit Bad Boys Avery Johnson favored but not a shoe-in
Cavman Considers Considering the Celtics’ Moves
Hoopshype Artest will star in L.A.
Sports of Boston Stephon Marbury: 2008-2009 Celtics Review
NBA Roundtable Glen Davis
Hoopsworld Free Agent Watch Day 5
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Summer League Starts Today
by FLCeltsFan 1:39 PM
In the midst of all the excitement of Sheed committing to the Celtics, don't forget that the Celtics Summer League Team will be in action in Orlando. These games will be exciting to watch to watch as there will be some stiff competition going on for roster spots.
Bill Walker and JR Giddens will be competing basically for one back up wing spot. Both showed some good things in the D-League last season. Bill Walker got some time with the parent club as he was deemed further along than Giddens. There was also some question about Giddens' attitude that moved him behind Walker in the depth chart. It will be interesting to watch these two players in these summer league games to see if one or the other stands out.
There will also be a head to head competition between the Celtics lone draft pick this season, Lester Hudson, and Gabe Pruitt. Pruitt has the advantage of having been with the club for a couple of years but he just hasn't been able to crack the rotation. We know that Hudson can shoot, but he needs to prove that he can also run a team.
With the prospect of Big Baby leaving for the Spurs, there will also be a competition between the bigs as there may be a position for another big open if either Swift or Sweetney can impress the coaches sufficiently to warrant inviting one or both to training camp.
The Celtics tip off at 7:00 PM ET tonight vs Utah. Here is the week's schedule:
July 6, 7pm vs. Jazz
July 7, 3pm vs. Magic
July 8, 5pm vs. Thunder
July 9, 7pm vs. Pacers
July 10, 1pm vs. Nets/76ers
Utah's Roster will include
Jim Baron
Andre Ingram
Kevin Kruger
Wes Matthews
Eric Maynor
Cedric Bozeman
Josh Duncan
Kevin Lyde
Derrick Brown
Gary Wilkinson
Goran Suton
James Augustine
Kosta Koufos
Larry Turner
Both the Magic and Celtics websites will be streaming the games online. They will not be televised.
To check out all the games you can go to Orlando's webite HERE and in the upper right corner you can click to watch the games.
Celtics.com will also be streaming the Celtics' games HERE.
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Sheed In, Hill Next, Big Baby on the Way Out
Sunday, July 5, 2009
by FLCeltsFan 10:14 PM
On Sports Sunday with Tanguay and Felger they just said that by the end of the week Grant Hill will be a Celtic along with Rasheed Wallace. Doc has had several meetings with him and according to Tanguay it seems to be a done deal.
The bad news was that Big Baby is on his way to San Antonio. They said that with the Sheed signing, Big Baby's minutes would go down and he sees a better situation for himself elsewhere. Maybe now Danny will reconsider bringing Leon back.
If Tanguay's information about Grant Hill is correct, then the Celtics have addressed two of their needs so far and have just the back up point guard to work on. The one question about Grant Hill will always be his health. I see Bill Walker as the insurance just in case Hill has to miss games. Things are shaping up quite nicely.
On Twitter, Stephen A Smith had this to say:
Rasheed Wallace is Heading to Boston. The Celtics are officially the favorites for the NBA Crown.
NICE!
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Sheed Commits to the Celtics
by FLCeltsFan 8:58 PM
Per the Boston Globe:
An NBA source said tonight that Detroit free agent forward Rasheed Wallace has committed to sign with the Celtics on July 8 when free agents are able to sign. Wallace is expected to get a two-year deal using the mid-level exception (expected to be about $5.6 million to $5.8 million). Celtics All-Star trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, owner Wyc Grousbeck, coach Doc Rivers and president Danny Ainge met with Wallace last week. Wallace turned down overtures from Orlando and San Antonio to commit to Boston.
Good News. One down and one or two more to go. Hopefully Sheed took long enough to consider it he won't pull a Turkoglu and change his mind. The Celtics now have to find the back up for Paul Pierce and figure out who will back up Rondo. They just have the bi-annual exception along with veteran minimum contracts to offer, but the lure of a ring for some veterans could be all they need to entice them to Boston.
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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/5
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Summer League Roster and Updates
Saturday, July 4, 2009
by FLCeltsFan 10:25 PM
While we wait on Rasheed Wallace's decision, we will have Summer League to take our mind off of the waiting. The Celtics will be participating in the Orlando Summer League that goes from July 6-10 or Monday through Friday of next week. The Celtics will play one game per day as follows:
July 6, 7pm vs. Jazz
July 7, 3pm vs. Magic
July 8, 5pm vs. Thunder
July 9, 7pm vs. Pacers
July 10, 1pm vs. Nets/76ers
I have been checking for coverage of the games but haven't had much luck. NBA.com and NBA TV will be covering the Vegas Summer League but not Orlando. I had written to the Magic about whether they would be allowing spectators and I received this reply:
The Summer League is closed to the public but we offer a live broadcast
for the games on www.orlandomagic.com.
But on their website, they have this posted on their schedule:
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. Games will begin at 3 p.m. from July 6-9, and at 11 a.m. on July 10. Box scores, game recaps and cumulative statistics from the event will be made available by visiting www.orlandomagic.com. This doesn't mention streaming the games, but just posting stats, box scores and recaps so I guess we will have to wait to see if they are available anywhere.
The Celtics' roster includes both old and new faces. Here's a look at who we will see playing for the Celtics in the Summer League.
Gabe Pruitt Guard 6'4" 170 lbs
Pruitt spend his first year with the Celtics mostly in the D-League and his second season was spent mostly on the bench. He has yet to convince Doc that he can contribute on a level to warrant being the back up point guard or get regular minutes. The Celtics have until August 1 to decide whether to pick up Pruitt's option for next year. He will be playing for a roster spot in these games and needs to make a statement with his play or he could be looking for a new team.
JR Giddens Guard 6'5" 215 lbs
The Celtics' first round draft pick from last year spend his first season in the D-League and was fairly impressive there, showing athleticism and a well rounded game. He averaged 17.2 points per game, 6.30 rebounds per game, and 3.0 assists per game. He has the potential to be a very good defender and has an all around game but needs to show that he is coachable and has the maturity to play at the NBA level.
Bill Walker Forward 6'6" 220 lbs.
Bill Walker split his time last season between the parent club and the D-League. In his 15 games with the Utah Flash, he averaged 18.9 points. He is an incredible athlete and finishes strong at the rim along with shooting well from mid-range. He has a knack for getting under opponents' skins with his energy and tenaciousness. In my opinion, Walker is ready to contribute on this ball club and could be the back up for Pierce that we need. He should dominate in summer league games.
Lester Hudson Guard 6'3" 190 lbs
Lester Hudson was the Celtics lone draft pick this year and could be a steal at #58. Hudson can score and was second in the nation in scoring last year. He owns the only quadruple double in division 1 history. He is also a pesky defender who pressures the ball and gets a lot of steals. Hudson is fighting for a spot on the team. Look for a particularly strong competition between Hudson and Pruitt as one will probably make the team and the other one will more than likely be cut.
Nick Fazekas Forward 7'0" 235 lbs
Fazekas is a great shooter and he has a high basketball IQ but isn't particularly athletic. Fazekas was in the Nuggets training camp last season, but was cut before the season. He then spent the year with Oostende in Belgium and ASVEL in France. He has NBA potential but just hasn't put it all together yet. He is a solid 7 footer, but Mikki Moore and Olowokandi have both proven that height isn't everything.
Coby Karl Guard 6'5" 215 lbs
Coby Karl is the son of Denver coach George Karl. For the last couple of years, Karl has spent time with the Lakers, the D-League, and playing overseas. He began last season in the D-League and averaged almost 19 points and 6 assists playing for the Idaho Stampede. He left mid-season though to sign with DKV Joventut Badalona. where he averaged less than 5 points per game in limited minutes. He is a long shot to make the team.
Chris Lofton Guard 6'2" 200 lbs
Lofton is a prolific scorer, but is not quick enough to defend guards on the NBA level. Lofton played in Turkey last season where he averaged 20.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2 assists per game He shot 46.1% from three point range and broke the Turkish league single game scoring record with 61 points including 17 three pointers in that game. He is a tough kid and played his senior season while recovering from cancer.
Bryan Mullins Guard 6'3" 190 lbs
Mullins is one of those rare student athletes who was actually better as a student than he was as an athlete. He averaged 9.3 points, 5.6 assists and 2.0 steals last year for Southern Illinois while carrying a 4.0 average in finance. Maybe if the basketball thing doesn't work out, he could be a good agent. Mullins is a solid defender and a decent player and while he may catch on with an NBA team, I doubt it will be this one.
Kevin Rogers Forward 6'9" 250 lbs
Rogers is an undersized power forward who is good in several areas like shooting, inside play, defense, etc, but he doesn't excel in any of them. He is quick and will use his bulk to help on defense, but I don't see him making it on the NBA level. He may able to be an enforcer in Summer League, but I don't see the skills to make it on the next level unless he has improved a lot since leaving Baylor.
Bryce Taylor Guard 6'5" 210 lbs
Taylor can score the ball and is a very skilled offensive player. He was on the Timberwolves summer league team last year but didn't catch on with an NBA team and spent last season playing in Italy where he averaged 13.0 points, 2.4 rebounds .5 assists and 1.6 steals a game. He should do well in Summer league, but I don't see him making a big enough impression to make the team ahead of Hudson, Pruitt, or Giddens.
Mike Sweetney Forward 6'9" 270 lbs
Sweetney is a very intriguing player and will be worth watching. Sweetney was the 9th pick in the 2003 Draft. He played a couple of seasons with the Knicks and then played a couple more seasons with the Bulls. Sweetney is a very good low-post scorer with soft hands and a good inside moves. He battled weight issues during his first few years in the league before disappearing off the NBA radar. If he has solved his weight problems and is in good shape, he may have an outside chance to make the team, especially if Big Baby chooses to go elsewhere.
Robert Swift Center 7'1" 270 lbs
Danny has been said to be enamored of Swift since he came out for the draft directly from Bakersfield High School. Danny was rumored to be very high on the kid and was all set to take him in the draft when Seattle stole him with the pick right before the Celtics' pick. Danny then took Al Jefferson, which didn't work out all that bad for the Celtics. Now, he is a free agent and Danny finally gets his chance. However, Swift has spent much of his career so far dealing with injuries. His most recent injury was a tear in his right meniscus in 2008. He also had an ACL tear in the same knee. Last season he played for the Thunder on a qualifying offer but played in just 21 games, averaging 3.3 points and 3.4 rebounds and struggled to come back from the injury. When healthy, Swift can be a physical presence around the basket and a very good rebounder. If he has recovered from his injuries, he may be the biggest surprise in Orlando and Danny may finally have his man. But, he is injury prone and unlike Leon, hasn't yet proved that he can come back from injuries to play at a high level.
Darius Washington Guard 6'2" 195
Washington played with the Bulls in training camp last season. He played in Russia and averaged Washington averaged 13.1 points per game in the Russian league. He is not a great shooter but can run a team and has shown flashes of NBA level talent. If he has improved his offensive skills he has a chance to catch on somewhere in the league but I very much doubt that it will be with the Celtics as he would have to beat out Hudson and Pruitt to stick with the team and I don't see it happening.
Summer League is almost here. Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.
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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/4
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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/3
Friday, July 3, 2009
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Things are Heating Up
Thursday, July 2, 2009
by FLCeltsFan 10:54 PM
Things are heating up in the free agent market and dominoes are beginning to fall. There have been several big free agent signings so far. The Celtics are putting all their eggs in the Rasheed Wallace basket right now and Sheed has said he would take his time deciding so all the Celtics can do is wait.
Danny offered Sheed a 2 year contract for the MLE and I have read in a couple places that Sheed is looking for 3 years at least. He is 35 and he has slowed down somewhat in recent years and he may see this as his last big contract. I just get visions of James Posey all over again. The Spurs and Cavs are both after him and the fact that he is taking his time deciding tells me he is looking for the team that will give him the most security. All they have to do is give him that extra year and no matter how much he likes the idea of playing with KG, he is going to go for the money and security. Also, the Spurs will offer Sheed a starting role whereas with the Celtics, he will come off the bench, which may sway him toward the Spurs. But, at his age, coming off the bench may be a welcome change, who knows.
Loscy has an open letter to Danny on his decision not to sign Leon Powe. In all my 40+ years of following the Celtics, I don't think there has ever been a decision by a Celtics GM that has disappointed me more. The Contra Costa Times has an article with some quotes from Leon that just really make you hurt for the guy. The whole time he has been rehabbing, he expected to return to the Celtics. Doc told him he wanted him back and then Danny dropped the bombshell on him.
"First he said it was money issues ... then he said I'm going to take up a roster spot and that he's not and the owner's not willing to wait," Powe said. "He said they've got a two-year window to win the championship and they wanted someone who could play right away."
"They gave me a lot of reasons why. It's not like I'm asking for $30 million a year. That would be hard," Powe said. "Just give me something for one year, just to show y'all that I'm going to work hard and when I come back I'm going to be right."
"I thought, 'I've been with the team, they know me, they know I'm a hard worker. I've done everything I've been asked. I was playing hurt when I did it,'"‰" he said, referring to the anterior cruciate ligament injury.
"They told me I need to go find another team. I didn't think they'd do anything like that."
"You always want to be somewhere you're appreciated. At that time I didn't feel appreciated," he said.
"I got a lot of motivation right now," he said. "I love the work, it's just a challenge for me. I've been down this road. It's nothing new.
"I ain't got no doubts. I know as soon as I get back on the court I'm going to be ready to play and play good."
I just love this kid. He has battled back from ACL injuries in both high school and college and played at a very high level. Leon played for 3 minutes after tearing his ACL because his team needed him. You just don't find guys with that much heart every day. Miami, Orlando, Oklahoma City and Memphis know what kind of player Leon is and have all contacted Leon's agent about possibly signing him. I have no doubt that Leon is going to come back and play at a high level again this time. As for Danny's excuse that he needs the roster space, he carried Sam Cassell most of last year and he never suited up, not even once. He also carried Patrick O'Bryant who didn't contribute and was an obvious bust from the beginning. Tony Allen has been injured for much of his career so far and Danny has carried him even though he has regressed instead of getting better. All I know is that Karma is not a nice thing to mess with and by turning his back on Leon, Danny messed with Karma big time. Leon would have worked his heart out to rehab his knee and right after the all star break would have been back and ready to play at a high level and would give the team a boost going into the playoffs. That's more than I can say for Sam Cassell, Patrick O'Bryant, Mikki Moore, or Tony Allen, all of whom have occupied Danny's precious roster spots. If another team signs him, it will be a huge loss for the Celtics in more ways than one.
What is it with all these teams signing free agents so quickly. Detroit had Gordon and Villanueva on the first day. Artest agreed with the Lakers after just a couple of contacts. Ariza agreed with Houston like almost immediately. Yet here the Celtics sit hoping Sheed will pick them. Could it be that other teams are willing to go that extra year and pig headed Danny is not and therefore we are stuck with the Patrick O'Bryants who are willing to sign for 1 year at the veteran's minimum?
Speaking of the other signings. The Cavs big score so far is Shaquille O'Neal. They were all so ecstatic when he was announced today. But Suns fans would like to warn them not go be too giddy about it in an open letter on Deep Purple.
Today he told reporters “I’m not here to demand 40 or 50 shots. Thirty (laughing). I’m just coming in to do my part.” Funny because during his introduction in Phoenix he said almost the identical thing, “I’m not a ball freak I’m not going to be asking for 30 or 40 touches. I just want to fit in”. We all saw how that worked out for the Suns. By the 2008-2009 season Shaq was demanding more touches than a frat boy at a strip club and instead of advancing the Suns fans’ dream of a title, he and his personality helped to dash them.
Don’t get us wrong Cleveland, stay optimistic as long as you can. Try not to lose faith until it becomes abundantly clear that you have to. Just remember, when Shaq came to the desert, the Suns were a first place team in the west, they were a title contender for four years running and they just couldn’t get over the proverbial hump to win it all (sound familiar?). One hundred and three games, thousands of tweets and one playoff win later the Suns are no longer a contender and are on the verge of losing one or two of their stars, Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash, (if you’re not careful it will sound familiar sooner than you think). Buyer beware, because once you buy into the hype that is Shaq the process begins and, at least in Phoenix, it ends with the fans still urning for a ring and with the feeling of a “Big Disappointment”.
As for Artest to the Lakers. during the playoffs, as I was doing the comments from the other side, I would peruse the Rockets' boards and they weren't very happy with Ron Ron and his need to be in the spotlight. Here are a few comments from Rockets' fans after learning that Ron Ron was going elsewhere. Here is mini comments from the other side edition on Ron Artest to the Lakers:
Looks like I can go back to hating Ron Artest on the court. I disliked him on the court for the Rockets
Good Riddance! this guy was a locker room cancer
I won't lie, I'm happy he's not a Rocket....not so happy he's a Laker though, unless he implodes that team like he has every other team he has been on.
I couldn't agree more. I think he has a good chance of imploding that team. His horrible shot selection isn't going to sit well with Kobe
I'm glad he's gone. He sucked on the court.
no idea what actually took place, but the Lakers are absolute idiots if they chose to give Ron Artest the MLE in lieu of Trevor Ariza. I'm guessing though that Ron was plan B after Trevor gave word that he wouldn't be back. I can't see them being that stupid.
Good, someone to keep the ball out of Kobe's hands.
he will implode that team. ariza was a better fit for them b/c he only shoots when he's wide open and NEVER creates his own shot (even if he can b/c he has that ability sometimes). ron dribbling and going nowhere will piss kobe off.
Nice, Artest the chemistry killer will destroy the Lakers.
Agreed. There is no way in hell that Kobe is going to put up with that crap when not even Rafer Alston could. Ron doesn't even bring defense anymore.
This is an atrocious signing by the Lakers, especially coupled with the fact that they're losing Ariza, a guy who fit like a glove on that team.
I don't think they repeat next year, just based on this.
I can honestly see Ron, Kobe, and Odom fighting in the locker room. Something will happen in that locker room before the season ends.
there is nothing special about artest. his selfish play was detremintal to the Rockets. So long Artest. I really don't care where he ends up. as long as it isn't here.
I think this great news. I had hopes for Artest when he came over but was really disappointed in his play.
Agreed, his toughness/attitude was better than his actual play on the court, I can't wait to see him implode that team.
Ron is gone so what. He didn't do anything here anyway. He wasn't the Ron Artest that we saw. Good ridance. We were suppose to have 2 shut down defenders. I found it funny how we still only had 1. Every guy Ron guarded just went right by him. Hmmmm some great defender. He use 2 be good but the past 2 1/2 years his defense has slipped.
Artest can't guard anybody anymore that has a quick first step. Lakers should have gone with Ariza imo.
i imagine Kobe fighting to get the ball from his teammate Ron
Artest is not the caliber player he thinks he is. And his Robert Horry imitation grew old fast.
honestly this is probably the best case scenario. artest has the best potential to internally destroy the lakers.
Part of the reason both the Cavs and Lakers were so good last year was their chemistry. Both teams are making moves that could seriously affect that chemistry. It is going to be an interesting season with all these big names changing teams. One thing that I saw on the Houston boards was the feeling that if they signed Ariza Shane Battier was likely on his way out and they would be looking to trade him. Maybe they would like Scal or Tony or some good young talent like Giddens or Pruitt. I'd love to get Shane Battier. He would be the defensive 3 that we need. He played Kobe as well as anyone in the playoffs.
There are several teams who are very interested in Big Baby. Among them are Detroit, Memphis, New York and San Antonio. Detroit especially is serious about making him an offer and they still have money to spend. Not to beat a dead horse, but if Big Baby signs elsewhere, Danny may be sorry he was so quick to write Leon off.
Finally, today was my birthday. A year ago I got a ton of Celtics championship gear for birthday presents. Next year I will be putting in my wish list for 18th championship gear again but this year this is what I got.
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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/2
by FLCeltsFan 10:39 AM
Herald Thunder’s B.J. Mullens overcomes tough times
Glen Davis monitors offers
Pistons take fast action
Sweetney joins Celts for summer league
Leon Powe, Celtics say goodbyes
Celtics to court Rasheed Wallace
Globe Globe 10.0 - Sports video with Bob Ryan
Ainge on NBA offseason
Powe headed to open market
Celtics have target
Hudson on upcoming Celtics season
CelticsBlog Taking Stock of a Wild July 1
Get To Know Your Summer League Roster
Wojo Was Wrong - No Midnight Sheed Run
Phone Calls And The Waiting Game
LOY's Place Sign the Re-Sign Leon Powe-tition
Danny Finally Gets His Man (Sort Of)
MetroWest Daily Celtics Notebook
Megliola: C's pick Hudson living a dream
Celtics.com Hudson Meets Press as Summer Roster Takes Shape
New England Sports 24/7 A Steady Pursuit of Rasheed Wallace
Report: No Personal Visits from Management or Players
Red's Army Oh yeah... Lester Hudson was in town today
Welcome to Massachusetts, Sheed
Courtside View Waiting game could be in store for Baby
Green Street Powe sponsoring basketball camp
Celtics Announce Summer League Roster
Celtics Hub Contemplating ‘Sheed
Farewell, Leon
NESN Pistons begin rebuilding process by landing Gordon, Villanueva
Despite Shaq, VC trades, East still up for grabs
Ainge pulling plug on the Powe show?
Questionable move to let Powe go
Examiner Will Stephon Marbury return to the Cs?
Bleacher Report Bibby, Battier, Bass to Cavs? LeBron to PF? Championship in Cleveland
Where Do The Cavs Go After Day One?
Boston Celtics Get Steal of the Draft at No. 58: Lester Hudson
Free Agency Players: Cavaliers, Celtics, Magic...Pistons?
Fool Me Once, Shame On You, Danny Ainge. Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me
CSNE Exclusive: Ainge 1 on 1
Yahoo.com Celtics continue to recruit Wallace
Suicide lines: Rockets pursue Gortat; Knicks want Lee cheap
Pistons strike deal with Gordon
Florida Today Gortat drawing interest
Connecticut News Kevin Ollie Available Kevin Ollie Available
Celtics Get Busy in Free Agency - First Targets Known
Delaware Online Egerson flattered by Celtics, but may sign overseas
Basketball Geek Measuring 3pt Shooting Ability With a Multilevel ModelMeasuring 3pt Shooting Ability With a Multilevel Model
RGJ Former Pack star gets tryout with Boston
Dime Detroit makes first free agent splash, and Z-Bo finds a home
The Knicks Might As Well Spit In David Lee’s FaceThe Knicks Might As Well Spit In David Lee’s Face
World’s Biggest Goth Kid joining the Celtics
Inquisitr Trevor Ariza out, Ron Artest in for LA Lakers?
48 Minutes of Hell Sheed’s Attitude
Hoopsking Paul Pierce Academy Recap
Mass Live Report: Rasheed Wallace will meet with Boston Celtics on Thursday
Chicago Tribune Former Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon on verge of signing with the Pistons
Hoop Doctors What’s Next For Stephon Marbury?
Press Box Rent-A-Shaq Experiment Comes To Cleveland
News OK Gortat & Powe intriguing free agents for Thunder
Bennington Banner SHORT but SWEET: Celtics' draftee Hudson makes climb to NBA
Dueling Couches The End Of The Hard Work Era?
Sports of Boston The Celtics Have Market Options
KOLO TV Fazekas Set To Join Celtics Summer League Team In Orlando
Texas Sports T.J. Ford hosts Celebrity Bowl-a-Thon in Houston on July 11
Stet sports Wizards Should Be a Go For Leon Powe
NY Post STEPHON MARBURY SAYS STARS SHOULDNT SIGN WITH NEW YORK KNICKS
Slam Online Entertainers Basketball Classic
FanHouse Leon Powe Will Prove the Celtics Wrong
Hoopsworld Dented Cans In NBA Free-Agency
Real Hoops Fan Rudy Fernandez is mad that Blazers are pursuing Hedo
ProJo Ainge hopeful Celts can re-sign Glen Davis
Mass live Boston Celtics announce Orlando Summer League roster
ESPN Ainge: Boston Celtics' Big 3 can stay beyond contracts
NBA Ruondtable Leon Powe Done In Boston?
Daily Thunder OKC talks with Millsap, Gortat; Danny Ainge finally gets his man
CSNE Ainge Confirms Interest in Wallace; No Timetable for Visit
AP General Manager Danny Ainge says Big 3 may play beyond current contracts
MLive Pistons' coaching search includes Bill Laimbeer
My San Antonio Spurs get in line to woo Wallace
With Malice SA or LA - who really IS the team of the decade?
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Sign the Re-Sign Leon Powe-tition
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
by FLCeltsFan 11:46 PM
Jeff on CelticsBlog posted this petition and I think it is a good idea. If you would like the Celtics to bring back Leon Powe, please sign this petition to be sent to the Celtics organization.
Go here to add your name to Celtics Fans who want Leon back.
This guy gave all he had to the Celtics and now Danny is just casting him aside. He said he can't use a valuable roster spot for him. He didn't seem to be concerned about using a roster spot for Sam Cassell, who never played a minute for the team. And we used a roster spot for Patrick O'Bryant, who might as well have been injured for all he contributed. And then there is Tony Allen, who has been kept on the roster even though he has been injured much of his career and didn't add much when he wasn't. Leon deserves better than what he is getting from the Celtics. Add your name to the petition to let Danny know how Celtics fans feel about it.
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Danny Finally Gets His Man (Sort Of)
by FLCeltsFan 3:46 PM
From the Herald:
The Celtics also added free agent center Robert Swift to the roster. The former Oklahoma City/Seattle seven-footer, who joined the league straight out of high school, has always intrigued Ainge.
Anyone who has followed the Celtics for any time at all know that there have been rumors every year about how Danny coveted Robert Swift. Back when Danny drafted Al Jefferson, word was that he really had wanted Robert Swift, who the Seattle Supersonics took with the pick before Danny got to pick. There were even rumors that Danny was trying to trade Jefferson along with others to Seattle to get Swift, even after the draft. Just about every year, Danny's name has come up in trade rumors to get Swift.
Now, Swift is an unrestricted free agent and Danny has tagged him to play on the Celtics' Summer League team. We finally get to see Robert Swift in Celtics green. I have a feeling that with his red hair, he will be a favorite of Tommy's too.
Other players tagged for the Celtics Summer League Team include rookie guard Lester Hudson, guard Chris Lofton (University of Tennesee, Turkish league), Coby Karl (son of Nuggets coach George Karl), Darius Washington (University of Memphis, Spurs, Czech Republic league), Bryce Taylor (Oregon, Italy), Kevin Rogers (undrafted out of Baylor), Bryan Mullins (undrafted out of Southern Illinois) and four-year NBA veteran Michael Sweetney.
The same article in the Herald has this little tidbit about Bryan Mullins
Mullins, who came in early last week for a pre-draft workout, startled the coaching staff when he broke the Celtics record for the three-minute run - a staple for everyone during training camp.
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