Do we still sign a SF???

[GregB]

Ok So the roster is nearly done.

PG: Rondo / House / Pruitt
SG: R. Allen / T. Allen / Giddens
SF: Pierce / Bill Walker / Scal
PF: KG / Powe / Baby
C: Perk / Obryant

We have one roster spot. I think the Cs will eventually look to add a veteran C. Whether its during the offseason or near the end of the year. Which begs the question, Does Bill Walker end up in Europe or Do we use Scals salary in some trade??So we can free up a roster spot. We need a SF who can hit the 3 at a decent clip. Guys like Michael Finley, Ira Newble, and Devean George are what is available at the vet min. Darkhorse would be Ricky Davis with a 2yr player option half MLE deal. Kind of like Posey last year.

[Celts17Pride]

Michael Finley would be a great choice to replace the shooting of Posey.

[avi623]

I think Finley is staying in SA. Also, I think the Celts may still try to convince B Walk to play a year in Europe and keep his rights, which would give us two roster spots. Q Ross may not be a bad choice at this point.

I think we should still sign another center. O'Bryant may end up being a steal, but he has not shown enough in the league and is so young that I just cannot see him as a regular backup on a championship team.

[MVP16]

It depends on if Giddens and Walker are on the roster IMO. If we sign both then we have 14 players on the roster and I don't think we'll sign anyone else during the off season. We'll want to keep a roster spot open for flexibility and in case some one good gets bought out during the season or PJ Brown decides to come back midseason. If Walker agrees to go to Europe, then we should go after a sf who can shoot the 3...some one like Finley or Evans.

[cloverleaf]

Perhaps Walker hasn't been signed because Danny's hoping to have a sliver of the MLE for him with a 3-year deal?

[tombattor]

I don't think we need to sign anyone any more. Leon, Ray, Paul and TA can all play the 3 at times and we know that the bulk of the SF minutes will go to Paul. I expect Leon and TA's minutes to increase from last year to fill the void left by Posey. But honestly, I rather not tap into our cap room to sign someone right now, but instead wait to fill any holes as the season goes on.

[celticfan42487]

I just don't know. 3 point shooters were a big part of our team last year and so was defense. But we got lucky with PJ brown who added defense and a mid range game.

And we have no idea about Pruitt since he's shown nothing so far. So House may be our backup PG. I always felt if Tony was healthy (wich is never) that with House as the PG we don't need another shooter like Posey but another slasher like Tony.

I really have no idea whats going on, but I was looking foward to having a deep bench from teh start of the season and really limit Pierce,Ray,KG's minutes down to 32 mpg this year. Right now we have no one besides House on the bench that we can look too and say well he's a proven reliable piece. And even House had an abnormal year when it came to trying hard on defense and actually knocking down important shots... I just don't want to see Baby back at Center or KG there for that matter.

Looks like we'll have another learn as you go bench this year. We have a lot of pressure for the young guys to develop to make up for essentially a bench minus Posey.

Right now, if we sign Walker and he takes up a roster spot I think back-up Center is #1 priority. With House,TA,Giddens,Walker all possible wing rotation players I think we need some real length on this team for a ORL or CLE matchup in the playoffs.

[kmgarnett21]

sign quentin ross or maurice evans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dogen]

We still don't have that 'big SF' that the C's have lacked for years, but outside of Posey there aren't any players I get excited about. I would give Giddens and Walker an opportunity. And sign Birdman for a backup big.

[Rocky5000]

I'm pretty sure Danny sees O'Bryant being our backup center. According to the interview he has range out to 20 ft., so he should give us a nice mid range game from the center position that we lacked last year. There's really nobody that we can get for the center spot that is any better with the money we have left. Kwame will still probably get the MLE from someone, Kurt Thomas isn't likely to leave SA, and Mourning will need surgery during the season. Those are the only capable free agent centers out there that I think are a definite upgrade over O'Bryant. According to Danny, O'Bryant looked the best out of the players they worked out, and that includes "The Birdman."

[dsorc]

I think we're set. We'll sign Giddens and try to see if we can get Walker a stint in Europe.That would lead two spots open for midseason acquisitions to fill any roles that become evident by then. People complain about POB but forget we were doing just fine with Pollard for half a season so why would this year be any different. Let wait and see with POB and then if he's not good enough we'll coax a vet out of retirement again. Same goes for backup SF. Let's wait and see what TA and Giddens can give us there and if it doesn't work we still have a slot for a vet guy of needed.

Plus there's no point in getting our hopes up for the best FA wings left when either there won't be that much playing time to offer them anyways or they're just not better than TA. I mean Finley is good shooter and used to be great but his defense is much worse than TA and he's more of a SG than a SF anyways. Ross will be looking for more money and time than we can offer. George may be interested but he's no better than TA either though he is taller and may be better suited for SF minutes.

[GreenGrizz]

Darius Miles will do us good for a 15th spot but we could use another seven footer.

[sully00]

We need a SF or PG. I think we could try and use Leon as a big 3 at times and KG can spend some mins there as well so we could by at that spot.

Either way I think who ever we add should be a player not a scrub. I think Finley would be perfect, Wells is an ahole but would be alright, Ruben Patterson is a nanny raper but a good ball player, Miles is a pipe dream, then there is Devean George. Everyone else just doesn't fit or completely sucks. I will puke if we sign Quinton Ross, the only guy that could get Scal out of street clothes.

Apparently they are talking to Jason Williams who actually would make some sense, him and Eddie in the same backcourt could be fun.

[Rocky5000]

The only SF I'd want now is a healthy DariusMiles. Wells could also be decent, but I'd prefer Miles because he's a much bigger player than Wells. I never liked Devean George, Finley looked washed up last year, and Ruben is a good player, but way too much of a nutcase.

If Miles isn't healthy, don't bother signing anyone and just go with the Rooks and Scal.

[Al-Haqq]

Maurice Evans would be nice.

[campybatman]

Based on who's now under contract and the players we've at each of the five positions. I'm hoping Ainge isn't done and there's some free money left.

4 - Garnett, Powe, Davis and Scalabrine - Not much concern here except for Davis' weight.

3 - Pierce - Major concern here. No depth at all.

5 - Perkins and O'Bryant - Major concern here due to Perkins' health and fouls and O'Bryant remains a question mark.

1 - Rondo, Pruitt and House - Major concern here since Pruitt is a major question mark and unproven and House doesn't offer much when his shots aren't falling.

2 - R. Allen and T. Allen - Not much concern here as long as both remain healthy. Tony adds solid defense and another slasher besides Pierce.

I believe Giddens will eventually sign a contract and be another option at shooting guard. I've a feeling that Walker wil play overseas unless Ainge is convinced that he'll be healthy and ready to contribute as a rookie and add much needed depth at small forward.

Assuming that both rookies are signed... That brings the number of Celtic players under contract to fourteen. The maximum is fifteen, so I believe that one open spot will remain open all season or at least until the trade deadline. Overall, this roster isn't too bad, but I don't like that Ainge was unable to fill-in the glaring hole left by Posey at small forward. That really concerns me. I would prefer veterans over putting tremendous pressure on young players such as Pruitt, O'Bryant and Walker who happen to play positions that are important on this team. That's what you're looking at happening with no room for signing another veteran at either center, small forward or point guard. I hope Ainge's confidence doesn't become his downfall next season. This could all work out and it could all backfire. I guess you've to be patient and take a wait and see approach as the season goes on. Because you won't really see the error of your ways until the playoffs, anyways. So, Ainge could possible tweak the team here or there before then.

I wonder if Andersen can still be signed later in the season, if he's still available.

[Celtics_85]

There are 12 minutes on average behind Pierce and TA will see the bulk of these minutes. Giddens can play some SF also with those long arms and his rebounding ability. He can be what Baby and Powe were last year with spot minutes. If a team goes big at SF there is no reason Scal can't guard the bigger threes on the floor. I'm not much worried that we need to sign anyone else at this time unless it is a high reward type signing.
We don't need another bigman at this time as Powe and Baby will be in a battle for playing time this year and maybe for their futures on this team. If POB becomes a defensive minded Center for us he will get playing time and he is already a better offensive player than PJ. My guess is that Mourning, who will be ready in 6 months will be the guy we may pick up for the playoffs.
Going back to TA, Danny has stated that he is poised for a breakout season, and when a team says this they are generally right. If this happens he is going to eat those minutes behind Pierce and Ray. There aren't many guys who can guard TA one on one as he has a very quick first step and he will be the one who creates matchup problems for other teams if they can't guard him at the SF spot.

[Collinto]

Based on who's now under contract and the players we've at each of the five positions. I'm hoping Ainge isn't done and there's some free money left.

4 - Garnett, Powe, Davis and Scalabrine - Not much concern here except for Davis' weight.

3 - Pierce - Major concern here. No depth at all.

5 - Perkins and O'Bryant - Major concern here due to Perkins' health and fouls and O'Bryant remains a question mark.

1 - Rondo, Pruitt and House - Major concern here since Pruitt is a major question mark and unproven and House doesn't offer much when his shots aren't falling.

2 - R. Allen and T. Allen - Not much concern here as long as both remain healthy. Tony adds solid defense and another slasher besides Pierce.

This analysis is terrible, imho. You call 5 and 1 'major concerns' which is unjustified. Is Perk/OB that much a drop off from Perk/Pollard? Keeping in mind the Perk/Pollard combo won 66 games in the regular seaosn? How about the fact Perk is a year older? Is Rondo, Pruitt and House worse than '07 version of Rondo Pruit House? 66 regular season wins with that combo? And would you expect this years version of Rondo and Pruitt to give more or less than the '07-'08 versions? Do we think that Powe and Davis have better or worse years? Let's keep in mind that they both are going to sign new contracts next summer...

Let's just keep in mind that this basic roster minus Posey won 66 games last season. Four of our less experienced players are coming back with a year under their belts (and 3 are playing for thier first big contracts) and three new players who are unknowns (I add Pruitt in here because he was barely on the roster last year). The team will have a year playing together and, barring injury, will be fine. We will get a top seed in the playoffs and if there are injuries or issues with production, expect DA to tinker at the trade deadline like this year for the playoff push...

End of story, enjoy the rest of your summer.

[campybatman]

There are 12 minutes on average behind Pierce and TA will see the bulk of these minutes. Giddens can play some SF also with those long arms and his rebounding ability. He can be what Baby and Powe were last year with spot minutes. If a team goes big at SF there is no reason Scal can't guard the bigger threes on the floor. I'm not much worried that we need to sign anyone else at this time unless it is a high reward type signing.
We don't need another bigman at this time as Powe and Baby will be in a battle for playing time this year and maybe for their futures on this team. If POB becomes a defensive minded Center for us he will get playing time and he is already a better offensive player than PJ. My guess is that Mourning, who will be ready in 6 months will be the guy we may pick up for the playoffs.
Going back to TA, Danny has stated that he is poised for a breakout season, and when a team says this they are generally right. If this happens he is going to eat those minutes behind Pierce and Ray. There aren't many guys who can guard TA one on one as he has a very quick first step and he will be the one who creates matchup problems for other teams if they can't guard him at the SF spot.

A lot of what you're saying is based on "if" and assumptions. There's no room for second guessing in the NBA. Only certainties count... The Celtics don't have that right now. The only certainties are Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen when all are healthy. Everyone else is going to have to step up and overachieve. It's nice to have versatile players but I don't like when players are forced to play out of position on the Celtics like Garnett, Powe, Davis (neither is a center) and Ray (isn't a small forward or point guard) and Tony Allen (isn't a point guard). Ideally, players can play their true positions for a change.

[campybatman]

This analysis is terrible, imho.

You're entitled to your own opinion just like I've the right to ignore you.