SG on why Cassell is back

3pt % · Post #1 » by **3pt %** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:10 am

" By the way, after spending $21 million on a Doc Rivers extension and making Tom Thibodeau one of the league's richest assistants, the Celtics still had to bring Sam Cassell back because Cassell and Ray Allen are the only two people who can get through to Rondo. I thought that was funny."

Bill Simmons maybe presenting an insight as to why the Celtics brought Cassell back, even though he was horrible last year and has a 4 foot fork sticking out of his shoulder blades.

I wonder how true it is?
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/081024

e in boulder · Post #2 » by **e in boulder** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 2:04 am

I am one who buys into the whole "we had a gentlemen's agreement when we signed Cassel that we would give him a 2nd guaranteed year."

but I got 3 beefs with his top 10...

1. Dwayne Wade 2nd overall? I have no qualms with this statement in the context of a real basketball game. But common Bill, for someone who claims to be such a Fantasy Guru... Wade turns the ball over 4 plus times a game and hits less then half a 3 a game while shooting 25%. Is Dwayne Wade a good number 6 pick overall? Sure, but if you have number 2 and you pass on Kobe, Paul and Amare for someone who is abysmal in 2 categories...you're crazy.

2. His argument against Chris Paul... "ESPN.com has him ranked second. Really? Let's say he averages a 21-12 with three steals and world-class shooting percentages. If that's what I'm getting from the No. 2 pick in my draft, I'm losing my league." If I'm getting 21 points, 12 assists, 3 steals, 4 rebounds, 48 % shooting, 85% FT's, with a respectable 2.2 turnovers a game from ANY player, I am going to have a very GOOD chance of winning my league. I don't see his argument at all.

3. Dwight Howard 5th? Anybody who has had Shaq in his golden years knows...60% FT's doesnt hurt you in that category, it KILLS you. Especially when he shoots 10 a game. Of course the rebounds and blocks help ... but I believe that your number one pick should never KILL you in a category. Seriously, I have spent the number 1 pick on Shaq 2 or three times early this decade - and those teams never got higher then 4th place. If you take Dwight Howard over Dirk... you're crazy.

Rocky5000 · Post #3 » by **Rocky5000** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 3:05 am

He must play in a league with some low scoring on assists or category based. Paul is easily a number 2, and I'd actually take him over Lebron in the league I played last year, where turnovers were unscored, points are worth their value, and assists, blocks, and steals are worth 2 points.

3pt % · Post #4 » by **3pt %** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 4:12 am

The column itself has a 'thrown together at the last moment' feel to it, like someone else was supposed to do it and SG got handed the poison chalice at the last moment.

That said, I'd like to know if/why Ray and Sam are the only ones getting through to the Rondo Show

LenBiasBaller · Post #5 » by **LenBiasBaller** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:14 pm

Has anyone else heard whether or not this is actually true?

bawstin · Post #6 » by **bawstin** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:49 pm

I haven't heard about this specifically but I have heard that Rondo's "attitude problem" is thinking that he knows more about basketball than anybody else. I put "attitude problem" in quotes because he's not destructive he's just very, very proud. This report fits with that.

Yes, this info is from somebody who works with the players. No, I won't say who. They also say that Rondo is really smart and does know a sh-tload about basketball. Just maybe a little less than his former all-star point guard coach.

3pt % · Post #7 » by **3pt %** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:38 am

I'm hoping its true, makes the Cassell signing easier to handle.. if it was on purely basketball terms, then it was a bad, bad choice.