Finally some news on Tony Allen

[return2glory]

Lot of Tony Allen haters out there. The guy was one of our best players off the bench last season before we got Marbury. He is an upgrade over Giddens and Walker. It's too bad he can't stay healthy. He makes Bill Walton look like a durable player.

He was our best bench guy (and I even said this at the time) last year...for about 2 months. By December he was back to being his sucky thing...and what does that tell you about our bench last year if TA was at one point considered the best on it?

We had Leon Powe, who is better than a 36 year old Sheed. We had BBD who is better than Sheed. We still had House.

[MyInsatiableOne]

Lot of Tony Allen haters out there. The guy was one of our best players off the bench last season before we got Marbury. He is an upgrade over Giddens and Walker. It's too bad he can't stay healthy. He makes Bill Walton look like a durable player.

He was our best bench guy (and I even said this at the time) last year...for about 2 months. By December he was back to being his sucky thing...and what does that tell you about our bench last year if TA was at one point considered the best on it?

We had Leon Powe, who is better than a 36 year old Sheed. We had BBD who is better than Sheed. We still had House.

Seriously?

[BakersDozen]

Lot of Tony Allen haters out there. The guy was one of our best players off the bench last season before we got Marbury. He is an upgrade over Giddens and Walker. It's too bad he can't stay healthy. He makes Bill Walton look like a durable player.

He should be better then Giddens and Walker. They are in their second year in the nba and have never had any meaningful minutes. This is what TA's fifth or sixth year?

[MVP16]

Have people seen Giddens play? Getting TA back and putting Giddens further away from the court will better the team.

[GuyClinch]

^^^ Yup hate on him all you want but he is better then Giddens or Walker. I think he is better then Scalabrine as well but that's more debatable...cause they have different strengths and weaknesses. I know this - I never seen Scalabrine take over several games like Tony Allen once did..

[armageddon]

Problem with TA is his supporters keep using that 5-year old line that we need his defense. Since his surgeries, and now his age (yes, he's not a first or second year player anymore), his defense isn't anything special anymore.

[loscy]

Id rather see him then Giddens and probably Walker, but not over Scal. If we can find some useful minutes for him here and there, so be it. I'm really not too concerned about TA. He will be somewhere else far away next season. Whatever he contributes this year is an unexpected plus at this point.

[armageddon]

I don't want to see Giddens anymore either.

[ryaningf]

Lot of Tony Allen haters out there. The guy was one of our best players off the bench last season before we got Marbury. He is an upgrade over Giddens and Walker. It's too bad he can't stay healthy. He makes Bill Walton look like a durable player.

He was our best bench guy (and I even said this at the time) last year...for about 2 months. By December he was back to being his sucky thing...and what does that tell you about our bench last year if TA was at one point considered the best on it?

Yeah, the 'sucky' thing coincided with an ankle injury that turned out to be torn ligaments--an injury TA fought through for the rest of the year until offseason surgery repaired the problem.

The same old refrain still applies--when healthy and given consistent playing time, TA is an above average NBA player. Personally, I'd welcome him back for 5-10 minutes a night because it would mean we'd have a viable solution to overplaying Ray/Paul. Relieved of de facto point guard duties (foisted up him by House's incompetence at point), TA can be a very effective player, one who can create his shot, get out in transition for easy buckets and play good perimeter defense.

[SichtingLives]

Our rotation is 9 deep. 10 if you count Scal, 11 when BBD returns. That leaves one more spot and I'd rather see it TA then Giddens or Walker. Let's be honest, Lester is headed straight for the D-League. And even if he isn't, Doc ain't giving him minutes.

If there's one thing this team is going to hurt for as the season progresses, it's athleticism. That's one thing TA's got. We're still thin at the guard spots, and Eddies D has (somehow) gotten worse this year. This team could use a boost of energy right about now. Even if that boost of energy still dribbles the ball off his foot, it could be better than the alternatives.

Tony (and Glen Davis) have been valuable to this team in the past. Most of our guys have been ineffective at points so far this year. Adding a little extra depth may not ultimately change anything, but it's not going to hurt either.

[MyInsatiableOne]

Problem with TA is his supporters keep using that 5-year old line that we need his defense. Since his surgeries, and now his age (yes, he's not a first or second year player anymore), his defense isn't anything special anymore.

No kidding...he had a stretch of good games several years back...it certainly hasn't been during recent times...

[GuyClinch]

Even his "average" defense is better then Walkers or Giddens. He will get minutes ahead of those two - which isn't saying much. MD basically took his job - and happily does it better.

[darrendaye]

Even his "average" defense is better then Walkers or Giddens. He will get minutes ahead of those two - which isn't saying much. MD basically took his job - and happily does it better.

This sums it up well, imo. Though Tony was, at times, more of a gamechanger than Marquis is capable, championship teams are built on consistency. I wish the C's had that excitement factor in a more dependable player. That's why I hold out SOME hope for Bill Walker. Walker brings the same toughness, determination, and explosion that was so tantalizing about TA. Now, is he a student of the game? That will be the most determining factor in his success. He would be a great addition to this bench. If he can hit some jumpers, play aggressive, and not appear totally lost on defense at the SF, he would be a perfect fit.

[MyInsatiableOne]

I'm still scratching my head trying to remember "game-changer" TA...he played decent D and could score when his head was in the game, but I've never felt he's more than a mediocre guy who had occasional flashes of very goodness (not greatness)...

[return2glory]

MyinsatiableOne,

Yes, seriously about Powe and BBD being better than Sheed. Why do people still think Sheed is the player he was 5 years ago? At this time, BBD is better player that him. Look at what BBD did in the playoffs and look at what Wallace did. BBD averaged 16 points a game, gave you hussle, and hit a game winning shot. Wallace, not so much. He averaged about 7 ppg and disappeared. McDyess was the better player of the two on that team last year.

Sheed can't play any defense any more. He has lost his lateral quickness. Watch him closely. Anytime a defender tries to get by him, they do. He doesn't move his feet. He just hacks them so he won't get dunked on. It was the same thing vs the Cavs in the playoffs last year.

Can Sheed still help this team? Yes. Is he better than BBD at this point in his career? No. Again, see the 2009 playoffs for proof.

[return2glory]

MyinsatiableOne,

Yes, seriously about Powe and BBD being better than Sheed. Why do people still think Sheed is the player he was 5 years ago? At this time, BBD is better player that him. Look at what BBD did in the playoffs and look at what Wallace did. BBD averaged 16 points a game, gave you hussle, and hit a game winning shot. Wallace, not so much. He averaged about 7 ppg and disappeared. McDyess was the better player of the two on that team last year.

Sheed can't play any defense any more. He has lost his lateral quickness. Watch him closely. Anytime a defender tries to get by him, they do. He doesn't move his feet. He just hacks them so he won't get dunked on. It was the same thing vs the Cavs in the playoffs last year.

Can Sheed still help this team? Yes. Is he better than BBD at this point in his career? No. Again, see the 2009 playoffs for proof.