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A great win today against phoenix. Rondo had a huge game his best regular season game perhaps however it is clear we need a backup because Gabe Pruitt is just not the answer for that position. I think the talent is there but the confidence and experience are not there yet. We need to get a backup and either Starbury or Jwill would be a good for this team. When are the knicks going to release Starbury? JWill is available as of Feb 27th as far that he is unretired, but do the clippers own his rights? Hopefully one of these guys get let go they both hopefully keep with the team concept and don't screw it up but we need onr of them like soon.

I agree. Pruitt has been playing scared and looks nervous out there over the last few games. He is choking now, imagine when it's play time. He isn't much of a play maker either. We need to upgrade that postion with a vet that can play 10-15 minutes a game.

sox839 wrote:JWill is available as of Feb 27th as far that he is unretired, but do the clippers own his rights?

I actually would prefer to sign Marbury if he were bought out as oppose to Jason Williams since the former is healthy and would've fresh legs for the stretch run of this season.

Even so, the Los Angeles Clippers would have exclusive rights to Williams, but it’s doubtful in their losing and cost-cutting state they would want to do anything but negotiate a buyout with him.

Williams signed with the Clippers last summer, but retired before the start of training camp. After filing retirement papers in the preseason, he sent a letter to the league office on Feb. 6 and asked to be removed from the voluntary retirement list.

Williams needs a unanimous vote of the Board of Governors to waive a one-year mandatory waiting period to return from the voluntary retired list. Teams have until Feb. 27 to cast a vote, the memo said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=y ... &type=lgns

Pruitt is so scared of making mistakes he doesnt really do anything productive... we definately need an upgrade

Getting White Chocolate is just a bad idea. I really don't get why that would appeal to anyone.

I do agree that Gabe's not gonna cut it.

Well, this week ALL questions will be answered---Teams have til next Monday to sign players for the playoffs.

MaxwellSmart wrote:Well, this week ALL questions will be answered---Teams have til next Monday to sign players for the playoffs.

That is not true. Players need to be waived before March 1st but they can sign with teams and still be eligible for the playoffs until the last day of the regular season.

Oops...I guess I misunderstood the playoff roster rules.

Pruitt needs to play. and Doc needs to instill confidence in him.

Maybe we should have drafted Mario Chalmers...

Let me tell you guys something that most of you already know but several in this thread don't understand. It is really hard to just start playing a game at the NBA level. Pruitt has such minimal in game experience that it shows. Look at how much Scal has progressed. Scal is terrible, but after playing minutes (both starting and off the bench) he has dramatically improved. Scal always looked scared out there and worried about F-Ing up. Pruitt has skill and he is suffering from inexperience. I agree he is no starter, but he is suffice to relieve Rondo and House. He is only going to get better in time and since he has got all of 280 minutes so far this year he needs more time to improve, sharpen his skill. and learn how to run a team.

Just give him time he will be fine remember the guy makes all of 700k and Marbury will probably demand something like 3.5-5.5 million and Williams probably 3.5-4.5. So it just makes to keep Pruitt.

Well, if you're going to help Pruitt build up his confidence. You can't play him at a position other than point guard. And did he pull a disappearing act in today's game? I mean one minute I'm watching him play in the back court with House. The next minute I believe he was pulled in favor of Ray. What to do with Pruitt? I'll like for him to get an opportunity to get better and gain more confidence in his game. But, how does Rivers do so? I think he can be more of a point guard than House. I think Rivers sees him as a combo guard. I don't. Or maybe he is. But, he doesn't score or have many opportunities to. A combo guard is a scorer as well.

It's becoming evident that Rondo's like Nash in importance on this team. Things aren't the same with the offense when he sits. In the games that Boston builds a substantial lead. It's always the third quarter where that lead is most chipped away by the opposing team. What relationship that has to Rondo and who comes in to back him up. I'm uncertain. Something "happens" in the third quarter of these games that Boston seemingly has well in hand.

Will Starbury even be available for the playoff roster if/when he's bought out?

BlameTheRefs wrote:Will Starbury even be available for the playoff roster if/when he's bought out?

If the Knicks waive Steph by next Sunday
he will be eligible for the playoffs,
regardless of when he signs with a team.

That's why it's so friggin obvious that if a buyout's gonna happen,
it will be before the Arbitration hearing on Tuesday.

My prediction is that the Knicks just accept Steph's last offer.

If they play a game of chicken, thinking that Steph will blink
if they push it to next Sunday's drop dead waiver date to be eligible for the playoffs,
they'll find that Steph doesn't operate that way (meaning blink),
which they should well know.

Pruitt was great in the preseason and Doc gave him too many DNPs during the regular season. I simply don't trust Doc with young players. Forget draft and get veterans until we collapse. If Ainge wants to continue with the youth program, Doc is not his guy.

Marbury or bust. No to J Will. I'd rather have Pruitt manning the backup point than an overconfident 30+ year old point guard running on bum legs. I'd rather bring in Cassell again.

GreenGrizz wrote:Pruitt was great in the preseason and Doc gave him too many DNPs during the regular season. I simply don't trust Doc with young players. Forget draft and get veterans until we collapse. If Ainge wants to continue with the youth program, Doc is not his guy.

I'll see your Pruitt and raise you Rondo. Powe and Baby aren't superstars but they haven't done so bad as second picks, either.

And gpguy, thanks for the condescension. I guess Gerald Green's problem was not enough minutes? I'm not ready to totally write Gabe off but we're talking about this year. Besides blind hope, what basis do you have for thinking that all Gabe needs to become a playoff contributor is more minutes?

I posted this about two weeks ago when I said Pruitt was blowing his opportunity. YOu have to wonder exactly how good Doc really is in developing point guards. Telfair suffered under Doc but now that he's in Minny his play has taken off. He now looks like the pg Ainge thought he could be. I'll give Doc props on Rondo but Rondo is tough enough to take it and stubborn enough to do his own thing. Pruitt is more like Telfair and Doc is in his head right now such that he's scared to death to make a mistake. Gabe needs to just play and if he screws up he screws up. IN fairness to him he's not a natural PG and his ball handling still needs work. I still believe in the kid but he needs to get going right NOW. It's clear that if Marbury joins the team Gabe won't play much if any. How about the end of the game last night when GIddens FINALLY gets into his first real NBA game and Gabe holds the ball for 23 seconds and then launches a 3 at the shot clock. WHy not give the ball to Giddens and let him get his feet wet?

BTW I agree about Doc and yong players but if you look back over time the celts have always brought young players along slowly. I really thought though that giddens and walker would have gotten some pt at this point in the season. Walker had a nice put back last night. Doc is going to have to play those guys tonight against denver

return2glory wrote:I agree. Pruitt has been playing scared and looks nervous out there over the last few games. He is choking now, imagine when it's play time. He isn't much of a play maker either. We need to upgrade that postion with a vet that can play 10-15 minutes a game.

I agree, this is a prime opportunity for Gabe to get some legit PT and show what he can do, and he's falling flat on his **** face...