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Link: http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... it/?page=1

Robert Swift was probably destined to hook on with the Celtics, even if just for the summer league in Orlando.

“We’ve always liked what he can do,’’ president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said. “I’ve liked him since the first time I saw him - in high school.’’

And Swift has long had an affinity for the Celtics.

“Great team, great coaches, great players,’’ Swift said. “It’s Boston. I don’t think there’s a better city, all around; it’s the best place you can be.

“I’ve been watching the Celtics the last couple years, but they’ve always been my team - before they were great and after they won, it’s always been the Celtics.’’

“This summer is about getting back in shape and showing everybody I’m healthy and ready to play,’’ Swift said. “My knee hasn’t felt better in a long time than it does now. I know I’ve felt better now than in the last five years. No problems, and having that time off - I’m 100 percent for the first time in a long time. A lot of people say it took them two years after ACL surgery to get back to where they were, and it’s just a little past two years now for me.

“The last few years, and all the rehab, gave me a chance to work on all the off-court stuff,’’ Swift said. “I’ve been in the weight room, working on my weight, agility, speed - all the stuff a high school kid really needs coming out, I got a chance to work on that. I also got a chance to study the game and work on the game from a coach’s perspective. So, that helped me a lot. It’s been about the same as having four years of college and nine months of rehab.’’

“He does have size. There are moments when he’s shown what he can do. We’re always looking for consistency. If Danny and Doc [Rivers] decide he’s the best guy, then it’ll be him.’’

Said Swift: “I’ve bounced around so much on teams I’ve been on. Anywhere they want me to play, I’ll make it work.’’

I would definitely give him a training camp contract. I would like to see him play when he is in shape...he could be a nice 6th-7th big man on our roster...

Clifford Ray would be prepared to work with him.

Danny and Robert sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. I hope we don't sign this guy, Robert Stiff isn't worth the paper he'd sign his name on.

Why not? He is young enough and it does take some time to recover from an ACL injury. What could it hurt?

I just don't see the point of bring in a sucky big man every year. Batista, O'Bryant etc. It would be better to sign a veteran who is able to fill in for Perk, KG or Rasheed if one of them gets injured.

If he's this season's project...after the off season so far by Danny (with more to come) I'm fine with it.

Ray has been great working with the bigs........

I'd much rather go with a vet like P.J. Brown. He actually helped us win the title unlike O'Bryant who had his thumb in his ass most of the time.

the real question isn't Swift vs PJ Brown or someone like that.

It's Swift vs Scal for the 5th big spot.

In a dire emergency, would you rather bring in Swift or Scal?

I say Swift. At least there's potential there. Most of them don't work out, but every once in a while you get one who does (Perk) and then he becomes your starting C on a championship team.

Just because you strike out a few times doesn't mean you stop swinging.

ParticleMan wrote:
In a dire emergency, would you rather bring in Swift or Scal?

I say Swift. At least there's potential there. Most of them don't work out, but every once in a while you get one who does (Perk) and then he becomes your starting C on a championship team.

I'd actually rather have Scala, at least we know he's not going to be injury prone. If Swift would have gotten a concussion like Scala did it probably would have ended his career. The guy is softer then a baby's ass.

i honestly would not mind him on the team with KG, PERK, AND SHEED. He wont need to come in and be the starting center or come in here and put up 10+ or do n e thing crazy. give him a 1 yr contract at the exception and a team option for a 2nd yr. See what he can do in practice and with Clifford Ray. it is a low risk high reward we sign him and keep him around let him bang with the best front court bigs in the Association, if he does pan out trade him at the deadline get no one back and then sign Powe back and u r good like nothing happen. At least invite him to trainning camp and see what happens.

Swift before his ACL injury >>>>> Patty O'Bryant

If Swift can get to the level he was on before his injuries, I'd love to have him here. Solild 5/5/1 (blocks) off the bench (if he was back to form). I also say bring him in for training camp and see where he's at.

ParticleMan wrote:
I say Swift. At least there's potential there. Most of them don't work out, but every once in a while you get one who does (Perk) and then he becomes your starting C on a championship team.

Just because you strike out a few times doesn't mean you stop swinging.

this is exactly how DA views the POB's and Robert swifts...these guys are lottery talents...one of them has to bloom late and Danny is going to capitalize...if Danny is so in love with someone which is the case with swift why the hell would you not trust his player evaluation? I am all for this...the kid was plagued by injuries came out of hs and should have went to college...he's a mcdonalds all American that went in the lottery it's worth a shot...oh yea and he's a legit 7 footer

I've been on Scal's case since we signed him.

But if the debate is Swift vs Scal, than it has to be Scal. Before the concussion he performed way better than anyone could expect. I expect him to go back to where he was at. While Swift is just a bust with potential.

We're going for a championship, we don't need a project. That's like taking the bar exam while trying to chisel the michelangelo out of a big block of stone.

Its good to see I'm not alone on this one. I say F the kids, we need to win titles now, we can't waste any of the big 3's prime time.

I think we at least have to bring him to training camp. It seems like every big man looks terrible in summer league. I remember Al Jefferson used to seem like he stank in summer league.

If Scal does end up in a Pacer uniform, then I wouldn't mind seeing this kid get a shot. Ainge might have taken this guy ahead of Al Jefferson, and I remember Paul Pierce saying good things about the kid before the draft. Pierce used to play against him during pickup games in the Cali and said he had held his own against JO.

cfan79 wrote:Its good to see I'm not alone on this one. I say F the kids, we need to win titles now, we can't waste any of the big 3's prime time.

it's exactly BECAUSE we can't waste the big 3's prime that we need guys like swift.

look at it this way. if Scal is playing big mins, we're not winning squat. we know this because Scal ain't getting any better than he is now.

OTOH, there's a chance that Swift could be pretty good. If he's healthy he's a good player, a starter-quality guy. he's had some bad luck with injuries (well just 1 really, but it was an acl) but there's still a lot of growth potential.

so by the time the playoffs roll around, it could be swift is actually good enough to contribute. then suddenly if Perk goes down or BBD (say we retain him), we can throw a guy who's actually decent out there instead of Scal.

If nobody is injured, neither Scal nor Swift will see any time anyways, so it's irrelevant, and we might as well develop a young kid. but if they are, i'd rather take a chance that swift might be able to improve enough to step in, then have scal who we KNOW isn't good enough.

ParticleMan wrote:it's exactly BECAUSE we can't waste the big 3's prime that we need guys like swift.

look at it this way. if Scal is playing big mins, we're not winning squat. we know this because Scal ain't getting any better than he is now.

OTOH, there's a chance that Swift could be pretty good. If he's healthy he's a good player, a starter-quality guy. he's had some bad luck with injuries (well just 1 really, but it was an acl) but there's still a lot of growth potential.

Swift has had 5 yrs to show something and hasn't. I'd rather see a proven player hitch his wagon to a title. Swift is as injured prone as Pollard was and he's much younger then him. So what's he going to be like when he's in his 30's.

This guy is just gonna give us a headache. We think Clifford Ray can fix everyone. And then when the big gets put in the game. We're all screaming about how much he sucks.

Obie
Mikki

hopefully the list stops there.

He didn't look any good in summer league, but you can't conclude much from that. I wouldn't mind signing him to an unguaranteed training camp contract and see if he can contribute. Maybe also sign Sweetney to an unguaranteed contract and let them try to compete for a spot.