IMO, your third point guard is Arroyo or House

[Celtics_85]

Rondo isn't a great true PG in this offense either, as his assists come from fast break opertunities or dishes off his drives. Our offense is based on ball movement as many players on this team at different time lead us in assists. So I don't get where we need a true PG per say to run this team. Our PGs need to pressure the ball and get the offense set in a timely manner, that is all we need from them besides the other little things that come with offense and defense.

[shackles10]

I'm not sure how we had nothign to lose last year. All we heard from the moment we got Garnett through the Finals was that we needed a more experienced pg to win it all. Not to crack .500, make the playoffs, or win the conference even, but to win it all. Sounds like we had a lot to lose then.

As big of a Rondo fan as I've always been (look back and you'll see as a huge UK fan I said we should get him with the #7 pick even) I really don't see much of a difference between asking what we did of Rondo and asking Gabe to be a backup. Yes, Rondo had a half year of experience playing quite a bit but it was on a lousy team without playing with any of the contributors of this years team. Gabe has little playing time, but an entire year of watching the same core of guys he'll be expected to play with. We're also asking Gabe only to backup for a guy in Rondo that we expect to play a lot next year as he'll be more experienced. In the end, it all comes down to trust on the part of Danny in both cases. I think we're actually asking much less of Gabe than we did of Rondo.

[Gomes3PC]

Why play a combo guard as the backup PG? Because if a PG is a quality, true PG, he will be a starter somewhere. There just aren't anywhere near enough PGs (or big men) in the NBA nowadays.

Plus, I think it's pretty clear that Ainge values having a PG who can pressure the ball and play high-intensity defense at the point. And I'm sure Thibodeau seconds that. While Pruitt is not a true PG on offense, he has more than enough quicks to stay with small guards and is strong enough to handle guys like Kidd and Deron.

Plus, he is a great shooter. With focal points like PP, RA, and KG on the floor, we need guys in the other spots who can shoot really well and space the floor. Pruitt can absolutely do that for you.

If we were asking Pruitt to play 30 MPG at the point, or were paying him $4-5m a year to be a backup, then yeah, I understand your frustration that he's not a true PG. But as a minimum salary player, he can give you a lot.

Alos, I think Spears was being a bit hyperbolic- Ainge probably didn't literally sit down with Gabe and say 'the backup spot is yours, good luck!' Odds are House and maybe a guy like Dooling or Arroyo will get a chance to take the backup spot. However, he's not going to use the MLE on a PG, since he apparently likes Pruitt's size, defensive upside, and dead-eye shooting.

[buckner1976]

No offense to Pruitt, but hasn't Ainge learn anything from the Telfair experience? You don't guarantee minutes to a young player who's unproven on your team. In the case of Telfair, he got to start right off. Whether that decision was do to the trading of the sixth pick in exchange for him isn't as important as the experiment not working out.

rondo says hi

Rondo wasn't the full time starter as a rookie. You aren't talking about the same thing, says hi. This season Ainge and Rivers trusted Rondo to be the full time starter because he'd proven himself as a rookie, improving in the second half of last season. What did Pruitt do last season to justify handing the back up role to him next season? Suddenly, it got quiet.

Why are people comparing Pruitt to Rondo when their situations aren't the same? Both cases are under different circumstances. The Celtics had nothing to lose last season and could afford to play Rondo more once it was determined that the goal was to get as high in the lottery as possible. Whereas this season, and heading into next season, the Celtics can't afford to have a drop-off at the back up point guard position. House filled in well for what he'd offered. But, you should still have a better option than Cassell. Hence, House got his opportunity to play significant minutes in the finals because neither Rondo nor Cassell were keeping the Lakers' defense honest by providing a consistent perimeter offense. Who's to say that Pruitt can be a play maker next season? If not, he's a younger House. So, you still haven't addressed the problem of having one true point guard and nothing but scoring guards behind him. There's a drop-off in the flow of the offense when Rondo sits. I believe Perkins was one Celtic to echo that point. The players need a back up they can trust to find them and get the the ball to each of them in the right places on the court and understand their tendencies and can read the defense. Rondo's the only point guard that can do this. Pruitt to me, right now, is West: A combo guard at best but not a true play maker. Why do the Celtics always try to force a square into the circle hole? Why not sign a true point guard instead.

huh?? rondo had PROVEN himself?? he started 35 games on a last place team arguably trying to tank at the end of the year to get a higher draft pick. what exactly did he prove? every preseason media outlet, pundit and analyst including our own local papers now say hi. rondo hadnt proven a GD thing last year and everyone knew it. now granted pruitt didnt start nor play in 35 games this year but i hardly thing rondos situation was that different given the circumstances. if rondo had been the new draftee and pruitt the incumbent on THIS team i doubt rondo wouldve been playing major minutes too. as it is were now talking about 10-15 when rondo will be on the bench. i mean i agree with bringing house back and letting them both handle the backcourt job together with jr getting in there as well but i think the "true" backup pg issue is way overblown. especially in light of the fact that i trust paul pierce implicitly as de facto backup playmaker when rondo is on the bench as much as if not more than any pg we could sign.

[campybatman]

For some reason, I don't want Lue. I supposed Jason Williams is still an option. But, he and Lue are both coming off of significant injuries. I read elsewhere, that Arroyo has quite the ego. Ugh. Is there not anyone...? House isn't bad but he's more of the fall back plan.

Lue said Phoenix is appealing because of his friendship with Shaquille O'Neal and that he is ''best friends'' with Boston's Kevin Garnett.

Lue, 6-0, said he would be willing to accept the Heat's $1.9 million biannual exception, which is the only exception money the team has left after spending its $5.6 million mid-level exception on James Jones and rookie Mario Chalmers. The Heat also can sign players to the veteran's minimum, which tops out at $1.3 million.

http://www.miamiherald.com/594/story/603702.html

[sully00]

Whether or not you want Lue I think he will be the guy. First off somebody has to iron KG's gear and organize his DVD's and if you aren't going to bring back Sam I Am then Lue is next in line.

The other issue is that Pruitt is perfect as the back up pg, as far as offense off the bench with the ball in his hands. But not perfect for the guy who is going to step in for Rondo in case of injury and feed the ball to PGA. Even if he was then who would do his job? This team will be better off with Pruitt and Lue than they were with Allen and House and even better if one of them comes back.

[campybatman]

That remains the biggest mystery in the NBA: How did Garnett come to befriend Lue. They've never been teammates in the NBA, but I think Lue was the other player besides Billups to encourage Garnett to go to Boston from Minnesota. Actually, Lue did play for Rivers briefly before Rivers was fired that same season.

Lue is like Orko to Garnett's He-Man.

But, I believe Lue signs with Phoenix since S. O'Neal was said by Lue to be upset when he'd signed with Dallas and not Phoenix.

[celticfan42487]

idk but anyway I think we are going to be fine, I think we are just waiting to see wich one will take the vet min to save some $$$. The owners are paying all these signings out of the ass and they brought home a championship so idk how desperate they are to sign someone with the LLE or another with teh Bi when you have to expect we will be using the full MLE.

BTW don't believe anything Spears says. Honestly, it doesn't make sense with any other reports out there.

[Celts17Pride]

Whether or not you want Lue I think he will be the guy. First off somebody has to iron KG's gear and organize his DVD's and if you aren't going to bring back Sam I Am then Lue is next in line.

The other issue is that Pruitt is perfect as the back up pg, as far as offense off the bench with the ball in his hands. But not perfect for the guy who is going to step in for Rondo in case of injury and feed the ball to PGA. Even if he was then who would do his job? This team will be better off with Pruitt and Lue than they were with Allen and House and even better if one of them comes back.

Lue will only be the guy if they can't work something out with Eddie House. I think Danny Ainge would love Rondo the starter, Pruitt the backup & Eddie House splitting time between PG & SG like last year. Posey resigns and the Celtics wave goodbye to Tony Allen. This is all I am expecting for the rest of the off-season. Ainge has already come out and say there will be no more big men added.


Everybody brings something different to the table, and we really like Patrick’s potential for us,” Ainge said. “We’ve looked at him and watched a lot of tape. We feel like he’s got a very good upside and we think he can help us now with his length and his skill. When we finished his workout and convened, all the coaches were excited about the chance that he would be with our team.

“I think Patrick’s matured a lot both physically and mentally since we visited with him when he was coming out in the draft.”

As for whether the Celtics are still in the market for a veteran big man, Ainge said, “We’re satisfied with the players we have now on our front line.”

[sully00]

See I think Ainge has done well to create a fluid situation. If Lue sings he can bring back either House or Allen because they will be backing up the SG spot and Lue can shoot as well as House. Boston also seems interested in Snyder who is kind of a combo of Allen and Posey on the defensive end but lacks the shooting so then bringing back House would make more sense.

[campybatman]

I wouldn't mind having some height at point guard. It sure wouldn't hurt on defense. Both House and Lue are shorter than Rondo. A lot is made of Pruitt being tall but the NBA teams exaggerate players' heights. But, it probably doesn't matter much if you've quick hands and long arms. And Rondo tends to disrupt as oppose to stopping his opponent out right.

[shackles10]

I don't think Ainge saying he's satisfied with our frontline rotation is quite closing the case on another addition upfront. We were satisfied with our team last year and then added Cassell and PJ. To me anyways satisfied just means he's good with it if that's what we go into the season with. If an opportunity presents itself he's gonna do it. Plus, I dont' see Ainge as a GM who is really ever fully satisfied with anything.

Now onto our backup... Lue has been quoted as saying he thinks something will get done in Phoenix when he's there next week. It's not saying he will sign with him, but it sure leads one to believe so. It could also mean they get first crack to present a contract and explain his role with the team. If he doesn't like it then he comes our way.