Bobby Swift or Shelden Williams?

[darrendaye]

I have to think that one factor trumped all others in deciding which way to go here for Ainge, health. What happens if they lose a big man, specifically the somewhat injury prone Perk for an extended period of time? Rolling the dice and being dependant on Swift to play minutes for a significant number of games is a big risk given his history. It is the same reason Ainge wasn't going to sign Powe this far away from his expected return date.

And those who throw out more finesse big men alternatives are not really evaluating the roster in great depth. Ainge needed to bring in a 3rd post defender/bruiser for injury insurance.

I like Swift's potential more than Williams, but Williams was the more pragmatic move. I do agree with others in stating that if Ainge can shed one of the wings by the trade deadline, and if Swift remains available, there is a good chance he comes onboard.

[armageddon]

Swift makes the team as #15, why not.

There is nothing to lose having a 7 foot project on the team. He will be needed in practice because KG and Wallace will see very little practice time. Hell, Perk may not see all that much practice time.

He will not play in games for the first half of the season and maybe not at all this year.

This will not be a Williams vs Swift competition. Williams is a rotational player right now. Swift is a long term project. The question is, who do you keep as part of the 15....Swift, Hudson, Tony Allen, Giddens?

Allen has no future with Boston and no trade value. Hudson, who knows.

I like Swift at the end of the bench. Give him half a season to get in shape and show what he can do. Any #15 player is inconsequential this season.

[hiphop1]

Why not just keep them both, you can never have enough bigs.

[Joseph17]

Shelden

[Alan Ogg]

Why drop Paddy O'Bryant and add Swift? Is he really any better? I don't seem to think so.

[Andrew McCeltic]

I think Swift would make sense as a signing by the start of the season, depending on what happens in various training camps around the league. Someone else could sign him first- injuries could hit- teams could sour on players (or rosters) they previously liked. We could see TA and Scal get dealt for a back-up 1, 3, or 5- which would open up a roster spot.

You could argue that Swift and Perkins had/have the same sort of potential and developmental arc- but Perk was placed into an ideal organization for his development and Swift was not.

[Zin5]

Shelden

We know what Williams is, a decent 5th big (maybe fringe tbh), and nothing more. There's still some potential with Swift, but at this point I wouldn't really take him as a 6th big (I'd rather have Scal), and even if he reaches that potential, at this point it's only as a backup center. From what we saw in Summer League, he's just shot athletically. POB at least had legit potential still in my book, but I think Swift's just done. I don't really want to waste a roster spot on a guy who might project into the next Chris Mihm at best.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Re: Swift-

the longer I follow basketball, the more I realize that these 7-foot "projects" pan out almost never. That doesn't stop us from hoping for things from them- the occasional Ben Wallace, Ike Austin, etc. - but I'm past the point where Chris Wallace signing Reuben Wolykowski [sic] got me amped for the future.

[3pt %]

Re: Swift-

the longer I follow basketball, the more I realize that these 7-foot "projects" pan out almost never. That doesn't stop us from hoping for things from them- the occasional Ben Wallace, Ike Austin, etc. - but I'm past the point where Chris Wallace signing Reuben Wolykowski [sic] got me amped for the future.

I can't remember where I read it, but I think Hollinger pointed out that unless a 7 footer was drafted in the first few picks, it is very rare for them to be productive at all.

Then again, we aren't having the first few picks for a while, so if we want to find a 7 footer who can be useful, we need to have a revolving door policy on them until we hit pay dirt.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Then again, there's Perkins, Dalembert, Bynum, Marc Gasol, Kaman, Biedrins, Okur, Brook Lopez, Ilgauskas, Brad Miller.. still, only 4 of those went outside the lottery- 2 of those were foreign and the others were high school players who went late in high-school-deep drafts, which tend to be the least accurate in spotting talent

[campybatman]

Admittedly, I would prefer it if Ainge could add another veteran point guard to lessen the responsibilities of both Daniels and House. Ideally, with Daniels more at small forward, you've House and Tony affording Rivers the leeway to rest Ray more.

I like Swift's height and length and additional fouls. He isn't a terrible player.

Perkins' inability or uncertainty to remain healthy throughout the regular season is a concern, and S. Williams and Davis are both undersized (and potential liability depending on the opponent) at center.

[hiphop1]

Also with Shaq in the east we could always use another big body.

[armageddon]

If Perk has a long term injury, would Swift be needed, is he good enough to give us 10 minutes a game. That's the question. Or would a center combo of Davis and Williams be adequate.

[campybatman]

I don't think Swift could muscle up against D. Howard or S. O'Neal, but Boston needs another center (besides Perkins) who's capable of limiting their effectiveness offensively near the basket.

[bc legends]

shelden