Dear Danny: Cut Cassell, Sign "The Defender"

[indeedproceed]

With the signing of free-agent guard Alex Acker, it appears likely that Lindsey Hunter will not return to the Pistons this season. The backcourt defensive specialist would have been entering his 16th season. -- Detroit Free Press

Seems like kind of a no brainer, right? Lindsey Hunter would go on these Celtics like Lamb and Tunafish.


What, you prefer spaghetti and meatball?

[Steve Weinman]

With the signing of free-agent guard Alex Acker, it appears likely that Lindsey Hunter will not return to the Pistons this season. The backcourt defensive specialist would have been entering his 16th season. -- Detroit Free Press

Seems like kind of a no brainer, right? Lindsey Hunter would go on these Celtics like Lamb and Tunafish.


What, you prefer spaghetti and meatball?

"I'll come out there and give you a crew cut..."

Who doesn't love a good Big Daddy reference to start the morning?  TP for ya, IP...and yes, Lindsey would be quite a fit here.

-sw

[CelticsWhat35]

I may be paraphrasing, but I believe Hunter's words when he was traded here in the Rasheed Wallace deal back in 2004 was "There was no way in hell I was going to play for them."

[indeedproceed]

I may be paraphrasing, but I believe Hunter's words when he was traded here in the Rasheed Wallace deal back in 2004 was "There was no way in hell I was going to play for them."

I believe Kevin Garnett said something along those lines in early June too...but point taken. I do think perception of our squad has significantly changed though

[nickagneta]

Playing the Devil's Advocate, doesn't this team need more offense off the bench not more defense? Lindsey Hunter is an exceptional defensive one on one PG, but his ability to run an offense has always been rather questionable and the last thing anyone can expect from Lindsey at this point in his career is that he will suddenly become a scoring force.

Now, I'm not to thrilled with Sam coming back but, even in his diminished capacity, he is still 10 times the offensive player that Hunter is and if Sam can actually not shoot 20% and shoot more around 40% he would be 100 times the offensive player that Hunter is.

I am just not thrilled with the offensive firepower coming off this bench. House is a gun but if he shoots like he did from March on, that could be problematic. Tony Allen is as inconsistent as they come and has a horrible outside shot. Neither BBD nor Powe will light up the scoreboard consistently. O'Bryant is as unknown an offensive entity as the two rookies and Pruitt are. Let's not even talk about Scal's shot or if Miles will even be able to play.

Hunter is not going to help that group play better offense. As bad as Sam was last year, and I doubt he could replicate being that bad again but anything is possible, he should play better this year and benefit some from an entire year and preseason and training camp with the team.

Honestly, I don't like either option and would give my man Pruitt some long run in the preseason and see if he is capable. I loved his game at USC and word from the NBDL was that he has definite pro game. Let's hope so.

[Oldschoolkid]

Is Jason Williams playing....he is younger than Sam...can he play D...? I always thought that he was wild but as a 3rd choice PG...maybe a good deal.?  Sam should be let go, I think he is just getting a old buddy treatment from Doc....Sam cannot help this team at all...!

[GroverTheClover]

Is Jason Williams playing....he is younger than Sam...can he play D...? I always thought that he was wild but as a 3rd choice PG...maybe a good deal.?  Sam should be let go, I think he is just getting a old buddy treatment from Doc....Sam cannot help this team at all...!

Jason Williams retired last week.

[indeedproceed]

Playing the Devil's Advocate, doesn't this team need more offense off the bench not more defense? Lindsey Hunter is an exceptional defensive one on one PG, but his ability to run an offense has always been rather questionable and the last thing anyone can expect from Lindsey at this point in his career is that he will suddenly become a scoring force.

Now, I'm not to thrilled with Sam coming back but, even in his diminished capacity, he is still 10 times the offensive player that Hunter is and if Sam can actually not shoot 20% and shoot more around 40% he would be 100 times the offensive player that Hunter is.

I am just not thrilled with the offensive firepower coming off this bench. House is a gun but if he shoots like he did from March on, that could be problematic. Tony Allen is as inconsistent as they come and has a horrible outside shot. Neither BBD nor Powe will light up the scoreboard consistently. O'Bryant is as unknown an offensive entity as the two rookies and Pruitt are. Let's not even talk about Scal's shot or if Miles will even be able to play.

Hunter is not going to help that group play better offense. As bad as Sam was last year, and I doubt he could replicate being that bad again but anything is possible, he should play better this year and benefit some from an entire year and preseason and training camp with the team.

Honestly, I don't like either option and would give my man Pruitt some long run in the preseason and see if he is capable. I loved his game at USC and word from the NBDL was that he has definite pro game. Let's hope so.

I just see Lindsey Hunter playing man D and shutting down Tony Parker this year in june...makes perfect sense

[nickagneta]

Playing the Devil's Advocate, doesn't this team need more offense off the bench not more defense? Lindsey Hunter is an exceptional defensive one on one PG, but his ability to run an offense has always been rather questionable and the last thing anyone can expect from Lindsey at this point in his career is that he will suddenly become a scoring force.

Now, I'm not to thrilled with Sam coming back but, even in his diminished capacity, he is still 10 times the offensive player that Hunter is and if Sam can actually not shoot 20% and shoot more around 40% he would be 100 times the offensive player that Hunter is.

I am just not thrilled with the offensive firepower coming off this bench. House is a gun but if he shoots like he did from March on, that could be problematic. Tony Allen is as inconsistent as they come and has a horrible outside shot. Neither BBD nor Powe will light up the scoreboard consistently. O'Bryant is as unknown an offensive entity as the two rookies and Pruitt are. Let's not even talk about Scal's shot or if Miles will even be able to play.

Hunter is not going to help that group play better offense. As bad as Sam was last year, and I doubt he could replicate being that bad again but anything is possible, he should play better this year and benefit some from an entire year and preseason and training camp with the team.

Honestly, I don't like either option and would give my man Pruitt some long run in the preseason and see if he is capable. I loved his game at USC and word from the NBDL was that he has definite pro game. Let's hope so.

I just see Lindsey Hunter playing man D and shutting down Tony Parker this year in june...makes perfect sense

As I said, Lindsey is great at that, but is that what we need? I'm pretty sure when Tony Parker will be on the floor, 90% of the time, so will Rondo. Rondo will do just as well as Hunter will guarding Parker, if not better.

But what happens when both are on the bench. Hunter will provide very little except being able to make the opposition's back up PG's job harder. Personally I'd rather my backup PG be able to maintain offensive flow in the game. I'm not saying Sam will do that, but he could and Hunter never will.

[indeedproceed]

Playing the Devil's Advocate, doesn't this team need more offense off the bench not more defense? Lindsey Hunter is an exceptional defensive one on one PG, but his ability to run an offense has always been rather questionable and the last thing anyone can expect from Lindsey at this point in his career is that he will suddenly become a scoring force.

Now, I'm not to thrilled with Sam coming back but, even in his diminished capacity, he is still 10 times the offensive player that Hunter is and if Sam can actually not shoot 20% and shoot more around 40% he would be 100 times the offensive player that Hunter is.

I am just not thrilled with the offensive firepower coming off this bench. House is a gun but if he shoots like he did from March on, that could be problematic. Tony Allen is as inconsistent as they come and has a horrible outside shot. Neither BBD nor Powe will light up the scoreboard consistently. O'Bryant is as unknown an offensive entity as the two rookies and Pruitt are. Let's not even talk about Scal's shot or if Miles will even be able to play.

Hunter is not going to help that group play better offense. As bad as Sam was last year, and I doubt he could replicate being that bad again but anything is possible, he should play better this year and benefit some from an entire year and preseason and training camp with the team.

Honestly, I don't like either option and would give my man Pruitt some long run in the preseason and see if he is capable. I loved his game at USC and word from the NBDL was that he has definite pro game. Let's hope so.

I just see Lindsey Hunter playing man D and shutting down Tony Parker this year in june...makes perfect sense

As I said, Lindsey is great at that, but is that what we need? I'm pretty sure when Tony Parker will be on the floor, 90% of the time, so will Rondo. Rondo will do just as well as Hunter will guarding Parker, if not better.

But what happens when both are on the bench. Hunter will provide very little except being able to make the opposition's back up PG's job harder. Personally I'd rather my backup PG be able to maintain offensive flow in the game. I'm not saying Sam will do that, but he could and Hunter never will.

Hunter shot 26% from 3 last year. I did not know that until I was trying to make a counter point. Turns out he really is pretty terrible on offense.

Something that i would bear mentioning though in a hypothetical of Cassell v Hunter..there is no one on our bench that can really defend a quality pg besides Rondo..and even then, if the PG is big and talented (and I don't mean you, Derick Fisher, don't get all frisky) like say Deron Williams, I'd much rather have Lindsey Hunter. Whos going to the finals this year (you know, besides the Celtics )? Houston maybe, Utah probably not...maybe New Orleans, maybe LA..SA?

Honestly I'd give up the rollercoaster ride that is Sam Cassell coming off the bench for the steady if offensively anemic (i think im using that word correctly here) hand of Lindsey "Its not just a girl's name" Hunter.

[RonJohn]

I am totally for this move! Lindsey Hunter is a great on ball defender. You could actually play him and Eddie House at the same time and that would give you all the offense you needed in the backcourt. He also handles the ball well and while he is an atrocious shooter, I prefer him over Sam Cassell. Doesn't everyone remember Sam Cassell in the playoffs? Totally took the celts out of their game?

[Chris]

Doesn't everyone remember Sam Cassell in the playoffs? Totally took the celts out of their game?

I absolutely remember that, but I also remember the other 14.5 years of his career where he was an absolute winner.  So I don't see the problem with giving him a chance to prove that last spring was an aberation, rather than proof that he has finally hit the end of the road.  If he looks like he did in the playoffs last year at the end of training camp, they can always cut him.

[Who]

Lindsey Hunter has a front office job waiting for him in Detroit ... no way he leaves the Pistons. He either plays for them or joins Joe upstairs.

[Andy Jick]

we don't need another point guard...we need another big.

sam cassell will be just fine, but if perk's injury is chronic and long-lasting it WILL hurt this team.  afterall, they hadn't even had one practice and the head coach was ALREADY pining for help (ie. pj brown).

[sully00]

The beauty of Sam. and this is something that Doc mentioned in the paper, is that he is ready and willing to sit and not play 5 games and then go play 30 mins the next.  This team doesn't really need a back up pg for the regular season or necessarily in the rotation.  But if Rondo was to go down for a month do you want Lindsey Hunter, Gabe Pruitt, or Eddie House running the point for 30 mins a night for the next 15 games?  I think I would rather have Sam Cassell.