More on Leon...

[crownsy]

One final comment to the Powe naysayers.  Please don't say "I love Leon but" because you really don't love Leon.  If you really loved Leon, you wouldn't discard him like some used piece of machinery that management wants to replace for business reasons.  You don't do your credibility any service by saying this. 

I'll be the first to say that this comment ISN'T nonsense..Red would puke at the move DA pulled on Powe. We can easily get rid of the "trash" left on our roster to make a spot for him. With one leg Powe is more consistent then TA and didn't they say Giddens and Walker are competing for the same spot? So one of them automatically is leaving....

which would still put as at 15 on the roster, assuming we sign a backup PG.

[Scalablob990]

One final comment to the Powe naysayers.  Please don't say "I love Leon but" because you really don't love Leon.  If you really loved Leon, you wouldn't discard him like some used piece of machinery that management wants to replace for business reasons.  You don't do your credibility any service by saying this. 

I'll be the first to say that this comment ISN'T nonsense..Red would puke at the move DA pulled on Powe. We can easily get rid of the "trash" left on our roster to make a spot for him. With one leg Powe is more consistent then TA and didn't they say Giddens and Walker are competing for the same spot? So one of them automatically is leaving....

What did Danny do?  Not extend a qualifying offer that would have all but guaranteed losing Powe next year if he is healthy?  

If they extended the QO, then Powe would immediately accept it, rehab on the C's dime (for more money he would make anywhere else), and then be a UFA next summer.  

All Danny did was not shoot his team in the foot by making a dumb move, and now he is taking his time, and evaluating things before locking Powe up.  

I really don't think Red (who was a shrewd business man himself) would have done it any differently.

Chris, it's not the QO that bothered me, it's the fact that Danny won't even hand out the minimum to him to keep him around. I've said it dozens of times, he's going to get picked up by another team fast. Danny should try to keep him near the Celtics instead of pushing him away permanently .

[expobear]

One final comment to the Powe naysayers.  Please don't say "I love Leon but" because you really don't love Leon.  If you really loved Leon, you wouldn't discard him like some used piece of machinery that management wants to replace for business reasons.  You don't do your credibility any service by saying this. 

absolutely ridiculous.

I'm not allowed to like a player and respect the hell out of him unless i put blinders on to the business side of basketball and condemn the boston celtics for not giving him a handout and being a charity organization?

I usually feel you expo, but spare me the  righteous talk about who i can claim to root for and who i can't, it's absolutely none of your business.

Crownsy,

This isn't meant to be righteous talk but I've seen numerous posters talk about their love for Leon but are willing to show him the door to save the 15th spot on the team for somebody else who obviously isn't going to play or to save a measly million bucks. Well, IMHO, I think it's just something the naysayers say to rationalize a poor ethical decision by management. I've heard all the arguments....it's easy for you to spend somebody else's money, if Alonzo Mourning had gotten hurt, would the Heat tender an offer, the Celtics need that 15th spot for some special player that's going to lead the C's to the promised land blah, blah blah.

All these posters are entitled to their opinions but please, spare us who truly empathize with Leon and believe in his abilities this "Love for Leon" bulls**t when you're so willng to dump him. If you truly loved Leon, you would want him under contract, take the risk that his rehab will be successful and that the Celtics got him cheap for a few more years.

[johnnyrondo]

I think Leon would compliment Sheed very well in the second unit. Sheed has the length and outside game, while Powe battles down low and you can post up. Sheed and Powe actually compliment each other better than Sheed and Baby.

[FanInTheSouth]

One final comment to the Powe naysayers.  Please don't say "I love Leon but" because you really don't love Leon.  If you really loved Leon, you wouldn't discard him like some used piece of machinery that management wants to replace for business reasons.  You don't do your credibility any service by saying this. 

I'll be the first to say that this comment ISN'T nonsense..Red would puke at the move DA pulled on Powe. We can easily get rid of the "trash" left on our roster to make a spot for him. With one leg Powe is more consistent then TA and didn't they say Giddens and Walker are competing for the same spot? So one of them automatically is leaving....

What did Danny do?  Not extend a qualifying offer that would have all but guaranteed losing Powe next year if he is healthy?  

If they extended the QO, then Powe would immediately accept it, rehab on the C's dime (for more money he would make anywhere else), and then be a UFA next summer.  

All Danny did was not shoot his team in the foot by making a dumb move, and now he is taking his time, and evaluating things before locking Powe up.  

I really don't think Red (who was a shrewd business man himself) would have done it any differently.

Chris, it's not the QO that bothered me, it's the fact that Danny won't even hand out the minimum to him to keep him around. I've said it dozens of times, he's going to get picked up by another team fast. Danny should try to keep him near the Celtics instead of pushing him away permanently .

I really don't see another team picking him up fast.  Powe has a history of knee problems and most teams will want to have a good look at him toward the end of his rehab before even considering signing him.  Even then, it will probably be a lower salary and more likely for 1 year so the team can evaluate him. 

I can't say I blame Danny on this one.  If we need help to get 18 and Leon isn't going to be helping (don't know, but assume DA does), then let Leon go.  Thanks, but we've got another championship to win.

[wdleehi]

I think Leon would compliment Sheed very well in the second unit. Sheed has the length and outside game, while Powe battles down low and you can post up. Sheed and Powe actually compliment each other better than Sheed and Baby.

A healthy Powe would.  But when will Powe be healthy?

[jasail]

One final comment to the Powe naysayers.  Please don't say "I love Leon but" because you really don't love Leon.  If you really loved Leon, you wouldn't discard him like some used piece of machinery that management wants to replace for business reasons.  You don't do your credibility any service by saying this. 

I'll be the first to say that this comment ISN'T nonsense..Red would puke at the move DA pulled on Powe. We can easily get rid of the "trash" left on our roster to make a spot for him. With one leg Powe is more consistent then TA and didn't they say Giddens and Walker are competing for the same spot? So one of them automatically is leaving....

I have to disagree.  At the time that Danny refused the QO we had 11 guys already signed.  That means there were 4 roster spots available and we potentially have 4 needs (#2 PG, # 3 Big, #4 big & #3 Wing).  

Now if you sign Leon you are saying that from day one he is your #3 or 4 big, which is impossible b/c he won't be ready on day one.  Therefore, the C's need to cut someone to bring on the player that will fill that role.

Granted they are going to cut one or four of the Walker/Giddens/Pruitt/Hudson combo, but why do it before summer league or training camp?  It is important for them to have competition!  It is also important for the C's to have the choice.  

If DA was to cut Giddens to make room for Leon and Leon wasn't able to play but Giddens ended up being a good role player on another team, we'd crucify him.

So what any GM, including Red, would do was see what he had, make decisions from there and then reevaluate.  Chances are pretty darn good that no one is going to offer Powe squat before he rehabs.  So the C's can offer him a contract once they see if he is healthy enough to play.  Chances are the roster spot won't be a problem then b/c things will have worked themselves out and roles will be defined.

This is the old cliche 'one in the hand is better than two in the bush' at work.

[johnnyrondo]

I think Leon would compliment Sheed very well in the second unit. Sheed has the length and outside game, while Powe battles down low and you can post up. Sheed and Powe actually compliment each other better than Sheed and Baby.

A healthy Powe would.  But when will Powe be healthy?

When we need him. Prior to the playoffs and for the playoffs. Powe's supposedly ahead of schedule and KG's rehab is going well too.

[wdleehi]

I think Leon would compliment Sheed very well in the second unit. Sheed has the length and outside game, while Powe battles down low and you can post up. Sheed and Powe actually compliment each other better than Sheed and Baby.

A healthy Powe would.  But when will Powe be healthy?

When we need him. Prior to the playoffs and for the playoffs. Powe's supposedly ahead of schedule and KG's rehab is going well too.

Then sign him then.

[johnnyrondo]

I think Leon would compliment Sheed very well in the second unit. Sheed has the length and outside game, while Powe battles down low and you can post up. Sheed and Powe actually compliment each other better than Sheed and Baby.

A healthy Powe would.  But when will Powe be healthy?

When we need him. Prior to the playoffs and for the playoffs. Powe's supposedly ahead of schedule and KG's rehab is going well too.

Then sign him then.

Well I don't have the power to. In fact I'm more concerned about my willpower. Every time I see your chicken nuggets avatar, I go eat something. I think I've gained 5 pounds, since you changed avatars for the draft. 

[wdleehi]

I think Leon would compliment Sheed very well in the second unit. Sheed has the length and outside game, while Powe battles down low and you can post up. Sheed and Powe actually compliment each other better than Sheed and Baby.

A healthy Powe would.  But when will Powe be healthy?

When we need him. Prior to the playoffs and for the playoffs. Powe's supposedly ahead of schedule and KG's rehab is going well too.

Then sign him then.

Well I don't have the power to. In fact I'm more concerned about my willpower. Every time I see your chicken nuggets avatar, I go eat something. I think I've gained 5 pounds, since you changed avatars for the draft. 

All part of my plan to distract other GMs.

[guava_wrench]

One final comment to the Powe naysayers.  Please don't say "I love Leon but" because you really don't love Leon.  If you really loved Leon, you wouldn't discard him like some used piece of machinery that management wants to replace for business reasons.  You don't do your credibility any service by saying this. 

I'll be the first to say that this comment ISN'T nonsense..Red would puke at the move DA pulled on Powe. We can easily get rid of the "trash" left on our roster to make a spot for him. With one leg Powe is more consistent then TA and didn't they say Giddens and Walker are competing for the same spot? So one of them automatically is leaving....

What did Danny do?  Not extend a qualifying offer that would have all but guaranteed losing Powe next year if he is healthy?  

If they extended the QO, then Powe would immediately accept it, rehab on the C's dime (for more money he would make anywhere else), and then be a UFA next summer.  

All Danny did was not shoot his team in the foot by making a dumb move, and now he is taking his time, and evaluating things before locking Powe up.  

I really don't think Red (who was a shrewd business man himself) would have done it any differently.

Chris, it's not the QO that bothered me, it's the fact that Danny won't even hand out the minimum to him to keep him around. I've said it dozens of times, he's going to get picked up by another team fast. Danny should try to keep him near the Celtics instead of pushing him away permanently .

Reality check. The Celtics told him he could rehab at their facilities. That isn't pushing him away. But they also were honest with him about where he stands. That meant letting him know that it is in his best interest to seek offers from other teams because we can't guarantee him anything.

You can spin this as evil if you want, but it is far from anything evil. And if Powe is going to get picked up fast, where is the problem? His career continues.

Maybe Danny just felt Powe wasn't what we needed. In this case, would he be required to re-sign a player he doesn't want because they got injured?

[winsomme]

One final comment to the Powe naysayers.  Please don't say "I love Leon but" because you really don't love Leon.  If you really loved Leon, you wouldn't discard him like some used piece of machinery that management wants to replace for business reasons.  You don't do your credibility any service by saying this. 

I'll be the first to say that this comment ISN'T nonsense..Red would puke at the move DA pulled on Powe. We can easily get rid of the "trash" left on our roster to make a spot for him. With one leg Powe is more consistent then TA and didn't they say Giddens and Walker are competing for the same spot? So one of them automatically is leaving....

What did Danny do?  Not extend a qualifying offer that would have all but guaranteed losing Powe next year if he is healthy?  

If they extended the QO, then Powe would immediately accept it, rehab on the C's dime (for more money he would make anywhere else), and then be a UFA next summer.  

All Danny did was not shoot his team in the foot by making a dumb move, and now he is taking his time, and evaluating things before locking Powe up.  

I really don't think Red (who was a shrewd business man himself) would have done it any differently.

Chris, it's not the QO that bothered me, it's the fact that Danny won't even hand out the minimum to him to keep him around. I've said it dozens of times, he's going to get picked up by another team fast. Danny should try to keep him near the Celtics instead of pushing him away permanently .

Reality check. The Celtics told him he could rehab at their facilities. That isn't pushing him away. But they also were honest with him about where he stands. That meant letting him know that it is in his best interest to seek offers from other teams because we can't guarantee him anything.

You can spin this as evil if you want, but it is far from anything evil. And if Powe is going to get picked up fast, where is the problem? His career continues.

Maybe Danny just felt Powe wasn't what we needed. In this case, would he be required to re-sign a player he doesn't want because they got injured?

the problem from where I'm sitting if he gets picked up quickly then he is not on the Cs which is where I would like to see him.

[Chris]

One final comment to the Powe naysayers.  Please don't say "I love Leon but" because you really don't love Leon.  If you really loved Leon, you wouldn't discard him like some used piece of machinery that management wants to replace for business reasons.  You don't do your credibility any service by saying this. 

I'll be the first to say that this comment ISN'T nonsense..Red would puke at the move DA pulled on Powe. We can easily get rid of the "trash" left on our roster to make a spot for him. With one leg Powe is more consistent then TA and didn't they say Giddens and Walker are competing for the same spot? So one of them automatically is leaving....

What did Danny do?  Not extend a qualifying offer that would have all but guaranteed losing Powe next year if he is healthy?  

If they extended the QO, then Powe would immediately accept it, rehab on the C's dime (for more money he would make anywhere else), and then be a UFA next summer.  

All Danny did was not shoot his team in the foot by making a dumb move, and now he is taking his time, and evaluating things before locking Powe up.  

I really don't think Red (who was a shrewd business man himself) would have done it any differently.

Chris, it's not the QO that bothered me, it's the fact that Danny won't even hand out the minimum to him to keep him around. I've said it dozens of times, he's going to get picked up by another team fast. Danny should try to keep him near the Celtics instead of pushing him away permanently .

Well, I would put that on the owners as much as Danny.  I know if it was my money, I would not want them throwing it around to guys who look like there is a good chance will not even see the floor this year, without waiting it out until they have more information on how he is healing.

I think if this were a different injury, Powe would be already resigned.  But he had a torn ACL, and microfracture.  I am not sure if you have been keeping track, but generally guys do not come back from surgery like that in less than a year...and if they do, they ussually have major setbacks, and lose a lot of mobility.

When it comes down to it, it makes zero economic and basketball sense to sign Powe right now for ANY team.  I would be absolutely shocked if any team (other than Memphis, who never make moves that make sense) sign Powe to a guaranteed contract before September.  Everyone is going to want to see how he is healing before commiting anything to him. 

The ONLY reason to sign him right now is purely sentimental, and that is not enough reason to do it, given the current economy, and that is not a good enough reason.

Come August 15th, Powe will be sitting there without a contract, and Danny will have a better idea what his knee looks like (one of the benefits of allowing him to rehab using their facilities/people), as well as a better idea what his team looks like.  At that point, he can make an informed decision.

[expobear]

One final comment to the Powe naysayers.  Please don't say "I love Leon but" because you really don't love Leon.  If you really loved Leon, you wouldn't discard him like some used piece of machinery that management wants to replace for business reasons.  You don't do your credibility any service by saying this. 

I'll be the first to say that this comment ISN'T nonsense..Red would puke at the move DA pulled on Powe. We can easily get rid of the "trash" left on our roster to make a spot for him. With one leg Powe is more consistent then TA and didn't they say Giddens and Walker are competing for the same spot? So one of them automatically is leaving....

What did Danny do?  Not extend a qualifying offer that would have all but guaranteed losing Powe next year if he is healthy?  

If they extended the QO, then Powe would immediately accept it, rehab on the C's dime (for more money he would make anywhere else), and then be a UFA next summer.  

All Danny did was not shoot his team in the foot by making a dumb move, and now he is taking his time, and evaluating things before locking Powe up.  

I really don't think Red (who was a shrewd business man himself) would have done it any differently.

Chris, it's not the QO that bothered me, it's the fact that Danny won't even hand out the minimum to him to keep him around. I've said it dozens of times, he's going to get picked up by another team fast. Danny should try to keep him near the Celtics instead of pushing him away permanently .

Well, I would put that on the owners as much as Danny.  I know if it was my money, I would not want them throwing it around to guys who look like there is a good chance will not even see the floor this year, without waiting it out until they have more information on how he is healing.

I think if this were a different injury, Powe would be already resigned.  But he had a torn ACL, and microfracture.  I am not sure if you have been keeping track, but generally guys do not come back from surgery like that in less than a year...and if they do, they ussually have major setbacks, and lose a lot of mobility.

When it comes down to it, it makes zero economic and basketball sense to sign Powe right now for ANY team.  I would be absolutely shocked if any team (other than Memphis, who never make moves that make sense) sign Powe to a guaranteed contract before September.  Everyone is going to want to see how he is healing before commiting anything to him. 

The ONLY reason to sign him right now is purely sentimental, and that is not enough reason to do it, given the current economy, and that is not a good enough reason.

Come August 15th, Powe will be sitting there without a contract, and Danny will have a better idea what his knee looks like (one of the benefits of allowing him to rehab using their facilities/people), as well as a better idea what his team looks like.  At that point, he can make an informed decision.

I wouldn't exactly say zero economic or basketball sense. One, if Powe comes back 100%, then the Celtics can get him cheap for a couple of more seasons.

Two, with this purely "economic business decision" by the Celtics, they are going to give some fans, not all, but some, the impression that loyalty, hardwork and dedication don't mean squat to a big cold-hearted Corporation like the Celtics will appear to be with this decision. I mean what is the essence of being a sports fan?  To follow individual players  you develop a liking for who collectively make up a team that you can root for. Almost like a family and sometimes if cold-hearted business decisions are made at the expense of a "family" member, those feelings of family are weakened a bit.
Over 500 people signed the petition to bring Leon back based on what they read on this blog.
The true number of people with the same sentiments may number in the thousands. I don't think the ramifications of keeping Leon are as dire as many of the naysayers feel. And the positive goodwill of keeping him just for one more year will outweigh any cost savings or reserving the 15th spot on the bench for another player who has not given his heart and soul to the Celtics like Leon has over the past 3 years.