Analysis Why Amare makes us much much better!

[KG_ended_Bias]

As a Celts fan who does not grossly over-evaluate Celtics players, I believe if Phoenix was to offer us this trade I would not think twice & pull the trigger! Here is why! A line-up of Perk, KG & Stat would be frightening to match up with. We would simply put who ever is guarded by a 6-7 or 6-8 player right in the post & say go to work big fella. All 3 would start with KG starting at small to absorb a ego bruise from Perk. It gives us three Bodies not including a FA addition(McDyess or Sheed) to throw at Howard in the playoffs & we could get away with 7-8 mins. opening up a Ball game with all three playing. Then we would simply have them rotate & spell each other throughout the rest of the game. Very easy to do! With a line-up like that which is a PG's dream. Jason Kidd would be chomping at the bit to sign here for LLE or MLE to gaurantee himself a chance to start & have maybe his best assist total season in his career on a team like this while chasing his allusive championship ring. Grant Hill could be enticed as a 6th starter to spell that big forward checking out the game 1st & it balances the team back to a great rotation of Perk,KG or Stat,G.Hill,PP, Kidd. Barbosa would be huge with Steph off the bench or even Barbosa or A.I. The intrigued would be enticing for every F.A. when you have 2 absolute difference making all-world forwards in Stat & KG to go to at every moment in the game because it prevents either or the 2 from breaking down as they would feed off each other. Besides you still have the TRUTH in your back pocket if you need him! Please understand how good a team this makes us! PG is NOT that important in the NBA anymore, Rafer Alston & Old man Fisher are starting in the Finals this year because it is ALWAYS about the bigs. Ask Kenny Smith with Olajuwon, Avery Johnson with David Robinson & Tim Duncan, Even our team last year! With this trade we could put ourselves in position to acquire 2 out of the 8 Free-agents just with this signing. Out of those 8 which is Sheed, Wallace, A.I., Kidd, G.Hill, McDyess & possibly Artest & Marion if we promise him that 5th starting spot for the MLE excepetion money. I am definite 2 of these 8 guys would sign for MLE & LLE money. Im positive about that because playing time would be plenty for all. All in all I say a make the deal & sell Rondo high as in he is not ever going to match those numbers he did in the playoffs for a complete season. The beast player in the east cant even do it which is Lebron. Sell High!

[BigAlTheFuture]

I rather have Rondo and I'd settle for Perk.

[PosImpos]

Interesting points but I still think this is too much of a radical change for a team that is honestly still very very good if the players are all mostly healthy.  We just need a better bench, not radical changes.

I'm not even sure this would make us contenders for a longer period of time than we stand to be now anyway, so I really don't see the point.  Amare is good but Rondo might be really great...plus KG at SF would probably not work great even if just for 8-10 minutes to start the game.

[KG_ended_Bias]

Rondo MAY be great! Amare has already been borderline great for a full season already. 6-10 athletic Studs do not grow on trees & points gaurds guys 6-1 & under are easily found every single year. And I think it extends our window of winning with Perk & Amare 26 & under. A frontline to build on having a Points & rebound guy along with you Rebound, Defense & Toughness guy. A year or 2 around PERK & GARNETT will bring some toughness out of you that you would never think you had. Ask Eddie House! I live in Phoenix & watched Eddie play college at A.S.U & I laugh when I see him get tough. But it just goes to show how 2 defensive minded animals can make everyone buy in including House & Scalabrine. If Amare turned the corner Defensively we are talking top 3 M.V.P discussion every year! 28pt.10rebs. while playing lights out defense will win me over & the voters as well! Remember this guy put Tim Duncan defense to shame & had Duncan singing his praises while the series was still going just a couple of seasons back. Tim had zero answers for Amare while he was in his prime still. Just the type of gifted athlete of that size & quickness rarely seen before. A healthy Amare gives Lebron & Dwight a run for their money athletically & those guys a rarities of the sport.

[PosImpos]

Ah you live in Phoenix...this is starting to make sense....

[KG_ended_Bias]

I live in Phoenix but is a Celtic for life! And I never over analyze my Celtic players. Rondo is good, but only great around great players because they hide his faults. He cant shoot! That is a big flaw for a point gaurd who you have to cross your fingers every time he shoots from 12 ft. out. He is not even dependable from the foul line lets keep it real. When Kobe Bryant or Lebron James can take a rest defensively while gaurding you its a BIG problem. I love Rondo but would trade him for Amare if Phoenix was dumb enough to do it are you kidding me! A NO-Brainer as far as who is getting the best player! Amare is clearly that plus A starter in the All-STAR games in the future. Rondo may make a game or 2 but will never start one. With that being said I would not trade Rondo for anyone but a Lebron, Amare, Wade, Bosh, Nowitzki, Kobe, Yao, CP3, Al Jefferson & yes Greg Oden. Catch my drift! Amare is that good!

[youcanthandlethetruth113]

Ah you live in Phoenix...this is starting to make sense....

TP for you sir! Oh and it's #40 I see!

[xmuscularghandix]

Amare isn't a good defender or rebounder.... why does he fit anywhere besides Phoenix and Golden State?

[ACF]

does he fit anywhere besides Phoenix and Golden State?

The ASG: Where Defense is an Afterthought 

[Moranis]

Amare isn't a good defender or rebounder.... why does he fit anywhere besides Phoenix and Golden State?

Amare's poor rebounding is blown way out of proportion.  The guy is a career 14.8% rebounder, when this past injury riddled season was by far his lowest percentage (as a comparison perkins the last three seasons is 14.1, 14.8, 16.7) and in the playoffs he is a 25.1/10.4 career guy (bumps the board % up to 15.6).  In every season he played at least 50 games he has never averaged less than 8.1 boards (which was this year, in which he was injured, before that 8.8 was the lowest).  In otherwords, Amare is actually a solid rebounder.  He isn't a Dwight Howard, but he is definately not poor or even average as has been suggested time and time again. 

[crownsy]

Amare isn't a good defender or rebounder.... why does he fit anywhere besides Phoenix and Golden State?

Amare's poor rebounding is blown way out of proportion.  The guy is a career 14.8% rebounder, when this past injury riddled season was by far his lowest percentage (as a comparison perkins the last three seasons is 14.1, 14.8, 16.7) and in the playoffs he is a 25.1/10.4 career guy (bumps the board % up to 15.6).  In every season he played at least 50 games he has never averaged less than 8.1 boards (which was this year, in which he was injured, before that 8.8 was the lowest).  In otherwords, Amare is actually a solid rebounder.  He isn't a Dwight Howard, but he is definately not poor or even average as has been suggested time and time again. 

I'll give you that amare is a slightly better rebounder than he's given credit for, but its not like this is his first injury riddled season....at what point do people start getting that he's a very fragile big?

He's had a major knee operation and will now need special headgear to hopefully keep his retna attached.

Also, someone above said they would "settle" for Perkins.

I think about 20-22 teams would "settle" for perk over there starting center. He's one of the top defensive big players in the league, and while he's certainly no offensive threat, He's improved his game around the basket to the point where he can finish in the paint via hook, fall away, or an up and under.

Perk is  unappreciated around this blog. He's not D-12, but he's not some throw away center we start because we have to. He's a fine center, and is only 23 (24?). He has 7-10 strong years ahead of him, hopefully all of them in celtic green.

[BballTim]

  You can't have KG guarding small forwards all the time, btw.

[Moranis]

Amare isn't a good defender or rebounder.... why does he fit anywhere besides Phoenix and Golden State?

Amare's poor rebounding is blown way out of proportion.  The guy is a career 14.8% rebounder, when this past injury riddled season was by far his lowest percentage (as a comparison perkins the last three seasons is 14.1, 14.8, 16.7) and in the playoffs he is a 25.1/10.4 career guy (bumps the board % up to 15.6).  In every season he played at least 50 games he has never averaged less than 8.1 boards (which was this year, in which he was injured, before that 8.8 was the lowest).  In otherwords, Amare is actually a solid rebounder.  He isn't a Dwight Howard, but he is definately not poor or even average as has been suggested time and time again. 

I'll give you that amare is a slightly better rebounder than he's given credit for, but its not like this is his first injury riddled season....at what point do people start getting that he's a very fragile big?

He's had a major knee operation and will now need special headgear to hopefully keep his retna attached.

Also, someone above said they would "settle" for Perkins.

I think about 20-22 teams would "settle" for perk over there starting center. He's one of the top defensive big players in the league, and while he's certainly no offensive threat, He's improved his game around the basket to the point where he can finish in the paint via hook, fall away, or an up and under.

Perk is  unappreciated around this blog. He's not D-12, but he's not some throw away center we start because we have to. He's a fine center, and is only 23 (24?). He has 7-10 strong years ahead of him, hopefully all of them in celtic green.

No question Amare's eye injury is a concerm as is the fact he can leave at the end of the year, those are legitimate reasons for not wanting him on the C's, especially at the cost of Rondo, but some of the hate for a guy that has gone essentially 25/9 on two separate occassions is ridiculous.  BTW, prior to the eye, he had played in 82 and 79 games respectively with almost no ill effects from the knee injury.  I have absolutely no worries about his knee.

[Roy Hobbs]

I'll give you that amare is a slightly better rebounder than he's given credit for, but its not like this is his first injury riddled season....at what point do people start getting that he's a very fragile big?

Robert Swift is a fragile big.  Amare got raked across the face and his retina detached.  It's a freak injury, which would have happened to anybody.  (Unless some guys have naturally weak connective tissue in their retinas?)

[CoachBo]

I'll give you that amare is a slightly better rebounder than he's given credit for, but its not like this is his first injury riddled season....at what point do people start getting that he's a very fragile big?

Robert Swift is a fragile big.  Amare got raked across the face and his retina detached.  It's a freak injury, which would have happened to anybody.  (Unless some guys have naturally weak connective tissue in their retinas?)

There you go again Roy, badmouthing the Celtics' new backup 5.