C's interested in Diogu

[Prof. Clutch]

You can't look at it as "if pierce goes down" or "if ray goes down" ...if any of the big 3 goes down, we're pretty close to dead, and the same would be true for any of the other top teams that would lose their guys. Last year, we lost KG for the latter part of the season and had Glen Davis starting and were still in a position to get to the ECF's if KG was able to make a return.

I don't really look at it that way, I was using that reasoning in response to Amenhotep's post where he used this logic.

However, it doesn't hurt to look at it this way.  If you go at things without regarding the possibility of injuries on a team made up heavily of 32+ year old veterans you would be crazy not to consider these possibilities.  Especially when all of our big 3 suffered injuries this previous season.  As it stands now, I think our team could survive with injuries to Ray, Garnett, or Perk.  We wouldn't be favorites anymore, but we would fight on and surely be tough in the playoffs.  If Pierce or Rondo go down I don't think this team has any legitimate chance.

Indeed, Pierce playing so many minutes from having no back-up, his tiring and growing ineffectiveness in the playoffs, and subsequent bone-spurs all point to the fact that you do have to take into account "if pierce goes down."

[jdpapa3]

I think the players they have to prepare for in case they go down are Rondo and Perk. The perk issue was addressed with the Rasheed signing. Rondo's backup can be assessed now, with Pruitt, or on the fly like Orlando did last season with Rafer Alston. Addressing the backup C spot was much more of an issue.

[Prof. Clutch]

But I don't understand why your worried about this news. Its not like offering a minimum salary roster spot to Diogu takes anything away from us pursuing a backup SF.  The lack of news on the SF position really has nothing to do with this.  And we do honestly need to sign another big man (4-5) to fill the garbage minutes/injury insurance position.  

BTW I'm sure Danny's got some ideas about filling out the SF position, but given our limited options because of the salary cap, we can only spend the LLE.  I'd guess we're having to wait for some players to realize the market isn't going to give them any more than that.    

I'm not worried about it.  I just think its peculiar that the only news we're hearing out of the Celtics camp recently is about Diogu (a PF) and the hope of resigning Baby.  As I have said many times, I'm not against them signing these guys, I just wish the priority appeared to be a competent back-up for Paul/Ray.  And as I already stated in my previous post, we have sufficient players to fill in the cracks of our frontcourt, the same cannot be said for our backcourt.

By the way, welcome to the board.  Here's your first TP

[Prof. Clutch]

if we would have had a legit bench last season..boston would have been in the ECF..but danny not doing a thing over the summer except resigning tony and then signing POB hurt...the midseason signs were a waste..so basically boston had 8 guys..no bigs...no back up for PP...by game 7 PP was dead in the water. if they had legit options that could actually stp in an contribute then we would have seen it by now.

we know what boston has in tony..absolutely nothing...walker is too raw and not ready to handle 10 plus minutes against quality players and giddens is a little to small to play the SF each night...so if we go into the season in the same situation has last year then we are in trouble...sheed was a GREAT start...but they need more

I agree with this completely. TP.

[jdpapa3]

You can't look at it as "if pierce goes down" or "if ray goes down" ...if any of the big 3 goes down, we're pretty close to dead, and the same would be true for any of the other top teams that would lose their guys. Last year, we lost KG for the latter part of the season and had Glen Davis starting and were still in a position to get to the ECF's if KG was able to make a return.

if we would have had a legit bench last season..boston would have been in the ECF..but danny not doing a thing over the summer except resigning tony and then signing POB hurt...the midseason signs were a waste..so basically boston had 8 guys..no bigs...no back up for PP...by game 7 PP was dead in the water. if they had legit options that could actually stp in an contribute then we would have seen it by now.

we know what boston has in tony..absolutely nothing...walker is too raw and not ready to handle 10 plus minutes against quality players and giddens is a little to small to play the SF each night...so if we go into the season in the same situation has last year then we are in trouble...sheed was a GREAT start...but they need more

I agree with this completely. TP.

Do we honestly make it to the finals if we have Birdman and Matt freakin Barnes? NO! Because those were the guys that were out there last year. It was a horrible FA class.

[celticinorlando]

if they would have had birdman from day one and he knew his roll..he could have saved minutes for some guys...losing KG was big...but they weren't prepared from day one to get PP rest...reguardless of KG's situation... danny never replaced posey. and in the end when KG went down..PP and ray had to play a lot more minutes...if they had a wing (or someone that could actually contribute) in place from the get go PP might have been able to have more left.

as for last summer...danny put ALL of his eggs in chasing the unicorn that is corey megette..when he decided on the warriors it was late in the game and his #1 option to back up PP was gone...he tried to move to posey but went cheap on him and he walked. then what did he do? resigned tony allen in a hope he could fill that roll...disaster. so yeah..i would have taken birdman or barnes over what we had last season on the bench..

that is why danny has to bring someone in at wing..he cant use chewing gum (tony, walker and giddens) to plug holes in the bench i.e. rest for PP...heck pierce still looks tired and it is july...

[jdpapa3]

He drafted 2 capable wings and Doc chose to leave them on the bench. Either one could've given 10-12 minutes and Doc refused it. The worst we would've fallen to was the 3 spot. TA was also decent in the role before tweaking his ankle, and then the wrist. I have as much fun as anyone throwing out a little jab at TA, but you would think he was a pitiful player by some of the people on here. Truth is that a healthy TA isn't horrible...even as a 3.

[Prof. Clutch]

if they would have had birdman from day one and he knew his roll..he could have saved minutes for some guys...losing KG was big...but they weren't prepared from day one to get PP rest...reguardless of KG's situation... danny never replaced posey. and in the end when KG went down..PP and ray had to play a lot more minutes...if they had a wing (or someone that could actually contribute) in place from the get go PP might have been able to have more left.

as for last summer...danny put ALL of his eggs in chasing the unicorn that is corey megette..when he decided on the warriors it was late in the game and his #1 option to back up PP was gone...he tried to move to posey but went cheap on him and he walked. then what did he do? resigned tony allen in a hope he could fill that roll...disaster. so yeah..i would have taken birdman or barnes over what we had last season on the bench..

that is why danny has to bring someone in at wing..he cant use chewing gum (tony, walker and giddens) to plug holes in the bench i.e. rest for PP...heck pierce still looks tired and it is july...

Again, you said it perfectly.  

Do we honestly make it to the finals if we have Birdman and Matt freakin Barnes? NO! Because those were the guys that were out there last year. It was a horrible FA class.

Yes, I do actually think the celtics get to the finals with Birdman (instead of Moore) and Barnes (there the entire season to relieve Paul and Ray.)  We took Orlando to game 7, in Boston.  How far away do you think we were?  We just needed more than a 7 or 8 man rotation to rely on to get there.  You're talking about another legitimate, athletic, defensive minded big man and Barnes (who I'm also quite fond of.)  That is absolutely enough to push us over the top of Orlando considering how well the C's were playing.

But this is pointless because its all hypothetical anyway, and doesn't have much to do with what the thread was originally about.

[wdleehi]

He drafted 2 capable wings and Doc chose to leave them on the bench. Either one could've given 10-12 minutes and Doc refused it. The worst we would've fallen to was the 3 spot. TA was also decent in the role before tweaking his ankle, and then the wrist. I have as much fun as anyone throwing out a little jab at TA, but you would think he was a pitiful player by some of the people on here. Truth is that a healthy TA isn't horrible...even as a 3.

TA is horrible as a bench player.  He is an OK NBA player as a starter on a lotto team.


How do you know the two rookies were capable?   What did they show when they got a chance?

[celticinorlando]

He drafted 2 capable wings and Doc chose to leave them on the bench. Either one could've given 10-12 minutes and Doc refused it. The worst we would've fallen to was the 3 spot. TA was also decent in the role before tweaking his ankle, and then the wrist. I have as much fun as anyone throwing out a little jab at TA, but you would think he was a pitiful player by some of the people on here. Truth is that a healthy TA isn't horrible...even as a 3.

i totally disagree...when walker did get important minutes he was completely lost on defense. he couldn't make a jump shot and all he had was big dunks in garbage time. giddens wasn't even good enough to get out of the D league...there is no way those two could have or can now give boston 10-12 quality minutes a night and if they think they can we will be having this same discussion throughout the season. we need a wing that can actually score the basketball and not just stand out there as a decoy...

tony allen is horrible. he is a me first player...did you see game 6 vs the bulls? they brought him in to spell PP in the 4th and he shot three straight times down missing them all...a 9 point lead was soon gone because allen wanted to go into hero mode and boston ended up losing...tony allen stinks.

[guava_wrench]

I don't object to their interest in Diogu (he's a solid back-up,) but why are they targeting a PF?  Shouldn't they be working on 2G/SF and PG?

If they sign him for the vet min, what bearing does this have on the other 2 positions? Perhaps it would even be less necessary to match an overpriced offer for BBD, allowing them more financial flexibility.

[Prof. Clutch]

If they sign him for the vet min, what bearing does this have on the other 2 positions? Perhaps it would even be less necessary to match an overpriced offer for BBD, allowing them more financial flexibility.

Hey GW,
I'm just going to quote what I posted before in this thread:

I'm not worried about it.  I just think its peculiar that the only news we're hearing out of the Celtics camp recently is about Diogu (a PF) and the hope of resigning Baby.  As I have said many times, I'm not against them signing these guys, I just wish the priority appeared to be a competent back-up for Paul/Ray.  And as I already stated in my previous post, we have sufficient players to fill in the cracks of our frontcourt, the same cannot be said for our backcourt.

Beyond that, the only news we've heard is that Ainge is hoping that the young guys will be able to compete to back-up the wing.  All in all, my concern is just that we get a competent wing for PIerce, and I wish I was reading news and rumors about that rather than rumors about another big (Diogu.)  That's all.

[indeedproceed]

Link

Diogu said "about 10 teams" have shown interest in him, including Atlanta, New Orleans, Boston, Dallas, Charlotte, Toronto, Denver and Washington.

In case Big Baby leaves?

I think sometimes players/agents just list off names. Kind like when your friend says a girl would go out with him if he wanted just because she said hi one time when she was getting his Latte.

[P2]

if baby leaves...play giddens, walker and tony for both forward spots...they can handle it

Yeah, Pruitt also looked pretty good in summer league, he could get some spot minutes at Center. And Scal could at least try to guard the big 2's.

[Prof. Clutch]

if baby leaves...play giddens, walker and tony for both forward spots...they can handle it

Yeah, Pruitt also looked pretty good in summer league, he could get some spot minutes at Center. And Scal could at least try to guard the big 2's.

I already started the Scal for back-up PG campaign in another thread.

P2, 999 posts my friend!  1 to go!