POB

[Chris]

Can someone answer definitively for me exactly what POB's contract situation is?

Does he have more than one year left on his contract? For how much? Is there an option?

I've seen conflicting numbers out there between ESPN, Hoopshype, and RealGM. I am under the impression he's on the books for this year for $1.5 mil, and next for about $1.6 mil, both years guaranteed.

I ask because I think POB's worth to the team this season is pretty much going to be limited to his involvement in a trade. He might have the ability to become a decent NBA player someday, but it's not going to happen this season via some quantum leap.

I think ShamSports is usually most reliable, and they have it as a minimum deal, with an option next year at a minimum salary, as well.  Link.

That also makes sense, in that the Celtics have $2.3 million of their MLE left.  That would account for the signings of House and Bill Walker, but not for POB on an MLE deal.  That means POB was either signed for the minimum, or with the LLE.  I'm guessing it's the minimum.

Hmmm. ProSports database says it's a two year deal, for $3 mil total:

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/Search/SearchResults.php?Player=o%27bryant&Team=&PlayerMovementChkBx=yes&BeginYear=&BeginMonth=&BeginDay=&EndYear=&EndMonth=&EndDay=&submit=Search

Just thinking out loud: Danny ought to call the Clippers, and offer POB and/or Cassell in a salary-relief kind of deal. Boston could work out something where they'd take back Brian Skinner and/or the rights to Jason Williams, saving LA some coin, and possibly kicking in some additional cash as well.

It never made sense for the C's to have signed POB, who was clearly a project all along to any more than the minimum...especially after Danny's comments that he had offered the minimum to multiple players, and was seeing who would accept it.  The most obvious explanation is that he did in fact sign for the minimum, therefore, that is what I am believing.  Occam's Razor.

[Lucky17]

Danny is not trading POB, I don't think.  He is 7' and they will try to develop him before they get rid of him.

That development has been slow in arriving. Does Danny jeopardize a championship run this year for the sake of POB's continued development towards meaningful contributions to the team in the future?

[Chris]

Can someone answer definitively for me exactly what POB's contract situation is?

Does he have more than one year left on his contract? For how much? Is there an option?

I've seen conflicting numbers out there between ESPN, Hoopshype, and RealGM. I am under the impression he's on the books for this year for $1.5 mil, and next for about $1.6 mil, both years guaranteed.

I ask because I think POB's worth to the team this season is pretty much going to be limited to his involvement in a trade. He might have the ability to become a decent NBA player someday, but it's not going to happen this season via some quantum leap.

I think ShamSports is usually most reliable, and they have it as a minimum deal, with an option next year at a minimum salary, as well.  Link.

That also makes sense, in that the Celtics have $2.3 million of their MLE left.  That would account for the signings of House and Bill Walker, but not for POB on an MLE deal.  That means POB was either signed for the minimum, or with the LLE.  I'm guessing it's the minimum.

Hmmm. ProSports database says it's a two year deal, for $3 mil total:

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/Search/SearchResults.php?Player=o%27bryant&Team=&PlayerMovementChkBx=yes&BeginYear=&BeginMonth=&BeginDay=&EndYear=&EndMonth=&EndDay=&submit=Search

Just thinking out loud: Danny ought to call the Clippers, and offer POB and/or Cassell in a salary-relief kind of deal. Boston could work out something where they'd take back Brian Skinner and/or the rights to Jason Williams, saving LA some coin, and possibly kicking in some additional cash as well.

Danny is not trading POB, I don't think.  He is 7' and they will try to develop him before they get rid of him.

I think Danny would love to try to see if he develops.  However, he is not going to put that ahead of helping the team win a championship this year.  If Danny sees a way to improve the team, and it requires either trading or cutting POB, he will do it without hesitating. 

[2short]

Without reading through the 4 pages of posts on this topic...we all have to agree on offense the kid is smooth.  He does alter/block shots well also.  I don't think anyone should judge him until next season 1/2 way through.  All the talk on cutting him & scal that has been posted (and trading ray for that matter) makes no sense.

[Chris]

Without reading through the 4 pages of posts on this topic...we all have to agree on offense the kid is smooth. 

I can't agree with that.  I'll agree that he has nice touch, decent hands, and his footwork is developing.  However, he also has no clue with spacing the floor, and very little overall court awareness.  This does not preclude him from getting those things, since those are the types of things most young guys struggle with...but I would not call him "smooth" until he figures those things out.

[ScoobyDoo]

POB is not going to hurt this teams' chances of winnign the ring this year. When/if Danny signs another Vet big ( read PJ Brown), POB will go right where he should go, to the bench where he'll ride it behind Perk/KG, Baby, PJ and Powe, for now..during another run.

However, until we sign another real big man( that's over 6'8" ) coming off the bench, POB's performance the other night warrants him getting another look.

How can someone possibly say that his mistakes ( not being in the right position at all times on both ends of the floor) means he is not worthy of anything? Christ, Pierce is out of position at least five times a half.

Perkins and Jefferson were horribly out of position for 4 plus years, every night, all game, every game on both ends of the floor.

Now one's a budding all star, the other starts for a champion. Go-figure.

I also completely cannot understand the desire to "protect" these little babies. Throwing POB in on Pau is not throwing him to the wolves for god's sake. If Pau uses him, pull POB out and when he's he's coming to the bench ask him "How'd you like that beating? Feel good? Keep working and you'll change that. We'll have Cliff go over what happened tomorrow in practice. In the meantime, don't worry about it and just keep working, you'll get another shot, and you'll do better, good job".

End of story. If these guys can't handle getting their asses handed to them, they shouldn't be in the league. I don't, every time I got it handed to me it just motivated me, I couldn't wait to see the guy again to try again.
 
He adds something we do not have off the bench, alot of length. If he plays well( like he did against Philly), he will not kill out championship dreams, he;ll help them.

I also like TAllen Birdbrain. He's a brawler. He makes some dumb mistakes, but he's relentless out there, works hard and wreaks some nice havoc on the other team, his nose is always in the middle of it and he'll go through a wall for you.

[Atzar]

I also completely cannot understand the desire to "protect" these little babies. Throwing POB in on Pau is not throwing him to the wolves for god's sake. If Pau uses him, pull POB out and when he's he's coming to the bench ask him "How'd you like that beating? Feel good? Keep working and you'll change that. We'll have Cliff go over what happened tomorrow in practice. In the meantime, don't worry about it and just keep working, you'll get another shot, and you'll do better, good job".

End of story. If these guys can't handle getting their asses handed to them, they shouldn't be in the league. I don't, every time I got it handed to me it just motivated me, I couldn't wait to see the guy again to try again.
 

This isn't about protecting POB.  This is about winning the basketball game.  POB's pride just happens to coincide in this case.  And it's not 'if' Pau uses him, it's 'when.'  Compared to POB, Pau is at a completely different level.  Kobe, Pau, and Phil Jackson will know this, and will work to get Pau the ball every single time down the court.  I don't know if you've noticed, but it's tough to win games when their second-best player and established All-Star has the pleasure of being matched up with somebody whose place in this league is very far from certain. 

If this was a preseason game, I'd feel different.  If this game was against somebody that wasn't fighting with us for HCA in the playoffs, I'd feel different.  Then maybe the experience would outweigh the whooping.  But we're playing the Lakers tonight, and there's no excuse that is good enough for not giving them our best shot.  And sorry, POB is not our best shot.

[footey]

I also completely cannot understand the desire to "protect" these little babies. Throwing POB in on Pau is not throwing him to the wolves for god's sake. If Pau uses him, pull POB out and when he's he's coming to the bench ask him "How'd you like that beating? Feel good? Keep working and you'll change that. We'll have Cliff go over what happened tomorrow in practice. In the meantime, don't worry about it and just keep working, you'll get another shot, and you'll do better, good job".

End of story. If these guys can't handle getting their asses handed to them, they shouldn't be in the league. I don't, every time I got it handed to me it just motivated me, I couldn't wait to see the guy again to try again.
 

This isn't about protecting POB.  This is about winning the basketball game.  POB's pride just happens to coincide in this case.  And it's not 'if' Pau uses him, it's 'when.'  Compared to POB, Pau is at a completely different level.  Kobe, Pau, and Phil Jackson will know this, and will work to get Pau the ball every single time down the court.  I don't know if you've noticed, but it's tough to win games when their second-best player and established All-Star has the pleasure of being matched up with somebody whose place in this league is very far from certain. 

If this was a preseason game, I'd feel different.  If this game was against somebody that wasn't fighting with us for HCA in the playoffs, I'd feel different.  Then maybe the experience would outweigh the whooping.  But we're playing the Lakers tonight, and there's no excuse that is good enough for not giving them our best shot.  And sorry, POB is not our best shot.

So, if KG is weak with the flu and can't go more than 15 minutes, Perk gets in early foul trouble, and Powe and Baby get completely abused by a skilled player who is nearly half a foot taller, POB is not our best shot at that point in time? Not sure I agree with you.

[Chris]

I also completely cannot understand the desire to "protect" these little babies. Throwing POB in on Pau is not throwing him to the wolves for god's sake. If Pau uses him, pull POB out and when he's he's coming to the bench ask him "How'd you like that beating? Feel good? Keep working and you'll change that. We'll have Cliff go over what happened tomorrow in practice. In the meantime, don't worry about it and just keep working, you'll get another shot, and you'll do better, good job".

End of story. If these guys can't handle getting their asses handed to them, they shouldn't be in the league. I don't, every time I got it handed to me it just motivated me, I couldn't wait to see the guy again to try again.
 

This isn't about protecting POB.  This is about winning the basketball game.  POB's pride just happens to coincide in this case.  And it's not 'if' Pau uses him, it's 'when.'  Compared to POB, Pau is at a completely different level.  Kobe, Pau, and Phil Jackson will know this, and will work to get Pau the ball every single time down the court.  I don't know if you've noticed, but it's tough to win games when their second-best player and established All-Star has the pleasure of being matched up with somebody whose place in this league is very far from certain. 

If this was a preseason game, I'd feel different.  If this game was against somebody that wasn't fighting with us for HCA in the playoffs, I'd feel different.  Then maybe the experience would outweigh the whooping.  But we're playing the Lakers tonight, and there's no excuse that is good enough for not giving them our best shot.  And sorry, POB is not our best shot.

So, if KG is weak with the flu and can't go more than 15 minutes, Perk gets in early foul trouble, and Powe and Baby get completely abused by a skilled player who is nearly half a foot taller, POB is not our best shot at that point in time? Not sure I agree with you.

Nope.  Because if he cannot hold his position in the post, that is even worse than being a foot too short.

[Atzar]

I also completely cannot understand the desire to "protect" these little babies. Throwing POB in on Pau is not throwing him to the wolves for god's sake. If Pau uses him, pull POB out and when he's he's coming to the bench ask him "How'd you like that beating? Feel good? Keep working and you'll change that. We'll have Cliff go over what happened tomorrow in practice. In the meantime, don't worry about it and just keep working, you'll get another shot, and you'll do better, good job".

End of story. If these guys can't handle getting their asses handed to them, they shouldn't be in the league. I don't, every time I got it handed to me it just motivated me, I couldn't wait to see the guy again to try again.
 

This isn't about protecting POB.  This is about winning the basketball game.  POB's pride just happens to coincide in this case.  And it's not 'if' Pau uses him, it's 'when.'  Compared to POB, Pau is at a completely different level.  Kobe, Pau, and Phil Jackson will know this, and will work to get Pau the ball every single time down the court.  I don't know if you've noticed, but it's tough to win games when their second-best player and established All-Star has the pleasure of being matched up with somebody whose place in this league is very far from certain. 

If this was a preseason game, I'd feel different.  If this game was against somebody that wasn't fighting with us for HCA in the playoffs, I'd feel different.  Then maybe the experience would outweigh the whooping.  But we're playing the Lakers tonight, and there's no excuse that is good enough for not giving them our best shot.  And sorry, POB is not our best shot.

So, if KG is weak with the flu and can't go more than 15 minutes, Perk gets in early foul trouble, and Powe and Baby get completely abused by a skilled player who is nearly half a foot taller, POB is not our best shot at that point in time? Not sure I agree with you.

Yeah, and if Pierce, TA, Ray, and Pruitt all foul out of the game, we might see Bill Walker. 

Of course POB will play if we don't have any other big men.  At that point, that's not our best shot, that's the last bullet in the gun.  I didn't really think I had to explain that.