NBA.com Damon Stoudamire looking for team. The Celtics?

[Mr October]

Stoudamire showed literally nothing last year.  He'd probably have less of a chance of making the team than Pruitt does.  As soon as Danny finds vet frontline help, Pruitt is history.  No chance on Stoudemire.

I love how people have this inside track on pruitt, and apperntly the C's have been lying all summer when they say they like him and he'll be competing for the backup job this year.

What do you have against gabe pruitt? or do you have information the rest of us don't?

if he falls flat, the above may prove true, but i fully expect him to get time this year as part of the rotation. i doubt danny is already forming his "get gabe out of here!!!!" plans after developing him for 2 years and liking what he sees (from all reports)

True. I'd like to see what pruitt has too. None of us have much to go on. All we have to go by is observations from garbage time minutes.

But, if Pruitt doesn't prove himself worthy of the 3rd string spot this year, then i would agree it is time to move on.

[Chris]

Ask me again in January.  For now, I think the C's have every intention of giving Pruitt the chance to prove himself (with House solidifying the position, and playing some SG).  If that doesn't work out, then they can look for guys like mighty mouse at midseason...but for now, they are pretty set.

[Chris]

Stoudamire showed literally nothing last year.  He'd probably have less of a chance of making the team than Pruitt does.  As soon as Danny finds vet frontline help, Pruitt is history.  No chance on Stoudemire.

I don't agree with this at all.  They are giving Pruitt an open tryout.  If he doesn't show that he is ready to help the team, you are right that he will be gone, but it will be to bring in another PG, not frontline help.  Without Pruitt, this team has only 2 (and that is assuming you consider House a PG...which I don't) PG's. 

Right now the team has the most depth at the SF and PF position (Pierce, T.Allen, Giddens, Walker, Miles, Scalabrine, Garnett, Powe, and Davis).  If they need to make roster room for another big guy, one of those guys (or O'Bryant) would be the ones leaving (whether through a trade or being cut).

[Finkelskyhook]

On a team that seems to stress defensive intensity, Pruitt showed none of that in either his NBDL games or NBA games.  I don't see him making the team, either.

No on Stoudemire.

[Chris]

On a team that seems to stress defensive intensity, Pruitt showed none of that in either his NBDL games or NBA games.  I don't see him making the team, either.

No on Stoudemire.

Really?  I thought he looked pretty good on defense.  He had some trouble fighting past picks and knwoing the rotations, but in general I think he showed good intensity, did a good job pressuring the ball, and generally showed that he has the tools to be a good defender.

[celtpinoy]

with no contracts to speak of....wouldn't delonte be an option (fat chance)

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9919

[jdub1660]

I'd love to see Delonte take on the backup PG, bet we don't have the money left over to make that happen without Cleveland matching it. As for Pruitt being cut, I think the best chance of that would be whenever they start their late Summer/Preseason games. If Pruitt still looks lost, then expect him to be cut and players like Damon Stoudamire, Darrell Armstrong, Alvin Williams, etc trying out. If all else fails, then Sam could be back. We could use a big, but we'd have to trade one of those small PFs for a roster spot.

[Tradetime]

I think we have our team right now as is.

No way on Stoudemire.

[P2]

I agree, the C's don't need to add another guard. They need to add another big, prefferably a mid-season re-aquisition of P.J. Brown.

And who do you think will they waive when they have 14 players with guaranteed contracts and the non-guaranteed contract of Darius Miles? Miles can't be waived, because we would have a deep hole at backup SF, and I don't think Miles was signed for the fun factor.

Miles isn't even going to make the team. He's this year's Brandon Wallace.

And who told you that? I think there was a reason we signed him. We signed Wallace before the Garnett trade, so he was really redundant after the trade. And who do you think our backup SF is? Miles was signed for that role. If Amare Stoudamire can come back from that injury, so can Darius Miles.

On a team that seems to stress defensive intensity, Pruitt showed none of that in either his NBDL games or NBA games.  I don't see him making the team, either.

Just a little reminder: Pruitt has a guaranteed contract and won't be cut.

[nickagneta]

I agree, the C's don't need to add another guard. They need to add another big, prefferably a mid-season re-aquisition of P.J. Brown.

And who do you think will they waive when they have 14 players with guaranteed contracts and the non-guaranteed contract of Darius Miles? Miles can't be waived, because we would have a deep hole at backup SF, and I don't think Miles was signed for the fun factor.

Miles isn't even going to make the team. He's this year's Brandon Wallace.

And who told you that? I think there was a reason we signed him. We signed Wallace before the Garnett trade, so he was really redundant after the trade. And who do you think our backup SF is? Miles was signed for that role. If Amare Stoudamire can come back from that injury, so can Darius Miles.

On a team that seems to stress defensive intensity, Pruitt showed none of that in either his NBDL games or NBA games.  I don't see him making the team, either.

Just a little reminder: Pruitt has a guaranteed contract and won't be cut.

Why does anyone have to tell me something in order for me to have an opinion on it?

Miles had three medical experts look at his knee and declare it unfit for NBA basketball. Not one like Reggie Lewis had with Dr. Mudge. Three. The team doctor, the insurance company's doctor, who by the way has all the motivation in the world to try to find him fit for play so that they aren't responsible for millions of dollars worth of payments, and a third party arbiter doctor from the league all ruled that he was unfit to continue an NBA career.

Does that mean he can't look really good in a couple of short tryouts? No.

But when it comes to whether he can perform and practice on a day in and day out basis and perform at a level where he will be able to be productive for a team, it probably means he won't be able to do that. I expect that Miles will be exposed as training camp and preseason wear on and that he won't be able to do what is needed and will be cut.

Obviously Danny thinks it is a very real possibility or else he would have guaranteed the contract.

Just my opinion, but I would be highly surprised if Miles is on the regular season roster this year.

BTW, Amare's injury wasn't nearly as severe as Miles. Miles' injury was called the worse microfracture injury that a few surgeons had ever seen. A knee replacement was recommended for Miles. Amare's injury was never discussed in that vein.

[PRIDE]

I don't think theres ANY need for another PG on this team. Rondo will be even better this year and will play more minutes. Eddie House is fully capable of playing PG for short stints. He has Pierce or Ray Allen to help him get the ball up the floor if needed. KG can also set screen all the way up the floor to help Eddie out. Past House and Rondo there isn't really a need for a PG. Then we have Gabe Pruitt, who was late first round material in last years draft and now has LONG NBA season under her belt. I think most of us would agree that Pruitt will get a chance to prove himself this season. He should get extended minutes if we have as many blowouts as last season.

I liked Damon Stoudamire when he played for the Raptors back in the day. But he is too old to make a defensive contribution on this team and he just doesn't belong here. Delonte West on the other hand....if only we didn't have and backup PG's. I was really hoping DA would try to bring him back this year. If Gabe Pruitt can be half as scrappy as DWest then he could probably take Eddie Houses job.



I don't expect Miles to make it past the preseason. I would love it if he proved me wrong but I dont think he'll outplay TA, Giddens or Walker in camp and I think he'll get the boot pretty quick. There is a lot of talent at the end of this roster and Miles is going to have to be on top of his game if he wants to make this team. I just don't see it happening.

[Finkelskyhook]

Just a little reminder: Pruitt has a guaranteed contract and won't be cut.

So did Orien Greene.  While Pruitt's salary would be something most of us would dream of, it's a blip on the C's payroll.  If Danny finds somebody he thinks will contribute this season, I doubt that Pruitt will be around.  Unless O'Bryant or Miles doesn't pan out. 

[CoachBo]

The odds are far greater that Paddy and/or Miles won't make the club.

Mighty Mouse is old, but he brings a veteran presence and some outside shooting, the latter we need desperately.

Not a perfect addition, but one that deserves a look given the off-season we've had.

[P2]

Just a little reminder: Pruitt has a guaranteed contract and won't be cut.
If Danny finds somebody he thinks will contribute this season, I doubt that Pruitt will be around.

Danny has said that he feels really comfortable with Pruitt as the backup point guard.

[nickagneta]

I like Pruitt. I saw a bunch of his games at USC and just really like his game. If the NBDL and some off season work has transferred some of what I saw at USC into a pro game, I think Pruitt could be the biggest surprise of the season fr this team.

He brings a lot of what Rondo doesn't. He has a 2 guard's mindset with ball handling skills of a PG. He can create some offense off the bench unlike most of the guys the Celtics will bring in off the bench. His walking into the NBDL and averaging 18.5 PPG with 4 APG and 3 RPG while shooting 43% and 36% from three point range was no accident. He definitely has NBA game.