Mutombo: It's Boston or San Antonio by New Years

[DieselCeltic]

Spurs are still a great team so I actually see him signing with them instead of us. He doesn't like the cold weather and San Antonio is closer to his home in Houston. But who knows, maybe he wants a ring.

[bruno sundov]

I'd prefer PJ Brown, but Mutombo would be a huge upgrade over Big Baby or O'Bryant.

+1 on having Brown instead. How does this work with having a full roster?


BTW Pruitt looks nasty. He can really shoot and handle the ball.

[canman1971]

Well, FWIW, there are a lot of organizations that deal with the genocide in Darfur and crisis's in other African countries around the Boston area. So, if that is important to him, maybe it sways him here. A lot more publicity as well. But, in the end, the warm weather will win and why wouldn't it. Cold sucks, but I live and love it.

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

John Thompson used to be a Celtic, so maybe we can get him to place a call to Mutombo.

[Red2]

I'm not as sold on this move as everyone else. Sure he's an upgrade in terms of size and shot blocking but he has zero offense , he's 40+ years olf, hasn't played in 9 mos and commits a ton of fouls. PJ to me is a far superior player and fits our needs better. If there is any chance that PJ comes back I would wait for him. I wonder if sam will ever play a game? it sure doesn't look like it. I have to believe that Danny hopes either giddens or walker can make it to the big league this year to give Pierce a proper back up at the SF position. I think Walker at the 3 with the second unit would give us anotherplayer who can get to the line when Pierce isn't in the game. Too bad Miles didn't pan out becuase he is exactly the size player we need

[Prophet_C]

Something interesting....

PJ Brown –
Last year: 11.6 min, 34%fg, 3.8 reb, 2.2 points, .4 blocks

Mutombo
06/07-17 min,56%fg, 6.5 reb, 3.1 points, 1 block,
07/08-15.9 min, 54%fg, 5.1 re, 3 points, 1.2 block

I know PJ really showed his worth in the playoffs and I'd love to have him back but Mutombo plays a different game and we really need his size backing up Perk. We don't need him to score. Mutombo would be huge for us.

[Dave_From_NB]

There hasn't been even the slightest hint that PJ would return. Given he now has his ring, I don't know what his motivation would even be to return. The older you get, the harder it is to get back in game shape, and it wouldn't surprise me that with nothing left to prove, that PJ is done.

A Mutombo who wants to play, a Brown who doesn't. It wouldn't surprise me that the reason there are Celtics offers out to Mutumbo, is because after Ainge checked in with Brown, that he had no reason to expect Brown to change his mind.

[Willie Beamen]

From all the things I read and heard about the guy Mutombo is a great guy. But IMO he is not the right guy for this team. The Celtics need a big guy who can not only help out on defense but also can help out on offense. I'm not sold on Mutombo who at this point can give you maybe 10 minutes a game. They guys I really would wait and see on is Joe Smith. To me Joe Smith is that missing link we need to help us in the play-offs. Also another guy nobody is talking about and I can see the Cs going after to help out at the 3 spot is Bonzi Wells. The Celtics need to build a team that can shut down LeBron James. Because when the play-offs come I think were going to miss James Posey the most.

[ShaY]

I think the Rockets are back in the race now that we cleared some salary by trading Francis.

[cfan79]

Mutumbo will have plenty of big money players to ask for donations on the C's. The Big 3 could save a country with how much they make.

[BillessuR6]

I think the Rockets are back in the race now that we cleared some salary by trading Francis.

We can pretty much forget about Mutombo now...

[cfan79]

We saw with Mcdyess how players like to stay in the same area. Who knows? I'm hoping he wants a chance at a title above stability.

[Jammer]

Apparently the Celtics still have a shot at Mutombo, even after
the Rockets traded Steve Francis to Memphis.

According to Shamsports.com,
the Rockets were $2,109,167 over the luxury tax threshold before the Steve Francis trade,
meaning that even after the trade, the Rockets are only $525,313 under the threshold.

This lets them avoid the dollar for dollar luxury tax to receive $4 to $5 million
in distributions from teams over the tax to teams under the tax.

Now, even though Mutombo's salary would be prorated, they'd still go over the tax
at this point to sign him, forfeiting $4 to $5 million in distributions from
the Knicks, Mavericks, Cavaliers, Celtics, Lakers, Nuggets, Suns and Blazers.

Now, for those who question Mutombo's presence at age 42,
Prophet_C explained on page 2 of this thread that Dikembe is way better than PJ.

Think of it this way.

Dikembe Mutombo is 6 inches taller than Glen Davis,
4 inches taller than 1995 #1 Draft Pick Joe Smith,
3.5 inches taller than PJ Brown,
2 inches taller than Kevin Garnett,
with super long arms,
a much better vertical than Glen Davis,
experience,
and the guy can finish and block shots in the interior.

There is really no comparison between Glen Davis and Dikembe Mt. Mutombo.

The one wrench the Rockets can still throw,
with 13 players under contract,
would be to cut their one non guaranteed contract,
Von Wafer,
and add Dikembe.
That would allow them to offer a full season salary of $1.32 million to Deke,
and still stay under the luxury tax threshold,
which would be more than the prorated vet minimum that the Celtics could offer
(if Deke signed in December the Celtics could offer 0.75 x $1,262,275 = $946,705.50
which is about $373,293.75 less than what the Rockets could offer
if the Rockets released Von Wafer, whose contract is not guaranteed).

About 40% of the vet minimum that the Celtics could offer would be paid by the league.

[Truthiracy]

I bet Mutombo signs with a team on the 29th, 30th at the latest, right after the weekend and the NBA offices are open.

I have no idea why Deke would resign with Houston, they have no chance to win a title IMO.

[Kefa461]

I think the Rockets are back in the race now that we cleared some salary by trading Francis.

We can pretty much forget about Mutombo now...

That's what I'm thinking too......