What would it take for Michael Sweetney to make this roster? (merged)

[slamtheking]

Sweetney seems like a nice guy and has shown some offensive skills but his defense is poor.  He's too slow to guard anyone.  Defense is what gets players onto this team.  He's not going to be here past the pre-season.  He's essentially playing for a contract somewhere else OR a mid-season signing if Scal and TA are traded thereby opening a roster spot.  I don't see Danny even signing him at that point because we'd still have 5 bigs on the roster. 

I may be wrong but I believe the only other player in camp without a guaranteed contract is Hudson.  Hudson has shown he's worth the 15th spot and he plays a position where there's a lack of depth.  Since this is the only player who Sweetney can beat out for a spot, his chances are pretty much nada. 

[moiso]

That was a beautiful post up turn around bank shot last night.  Not many guys in the league can do that and make it look so easy.  He's got super offensive talent, but his defense is horrible and he's not rebounding much despite his size.  Also the guy has been fat for years, it seems delusional to expect that he's going to get in shape just because he's on the team we're rooting for.

[the_Bird]

Donny said last night that Sweets needed to lose thirty or forty pounds; I'm thinking it's at least fifty.  However much it is, it's more than he'll realistically be able to shed before the end of the season.  He can't play NBA ball right now, he's too atrociously slow.  Makes him one of the worst "Celtics" I've seen on the defensive end, and he's going to have a lot more trouble getting his shot off when the games start counting unless he can get quicker.

But, if he can keep working with the trainers informally, shed 40 or 50 pounds, dude can play.  You'd find a roster spot for him if he was anywhere CLOSE to playing shape.

[Greenback]

Sweetney has huge upside at a firesale pricetag...Williams and Daniels look major disappointments...
That was a wicked bad turn around jumper;Tim Duncan stuff...He is one of the few post up threats we have and I don't care to watch jumpshots all year...His weight could be an asset when the Cavs want Shaq to thow his weight around...nobody stops
Diesel but if we put a big immovable object in the paint it might slow him down a little bit...Sweetney could also set great picks for all our jumpshooters looking to get open...find a way to keep him for later in the year.

[billysan]

I dont think anyone will be cut in favor of Sweetney. I like him too, but not at the expense of eating a contract like Tony Allens. I know some of the youngsters are not guaranteed but I dont think Danny/Doc are ready to sacrifice any of them for him yet either. Certainly not Hudson or Giddens after the camp performance I would think. I dont see Walker going anywhere either, at least until we know how badly he is hurt for the long term.

Sadly a trade is the only way I see keeping him.

[2short]

Sweetney seems like a nice guy and has shown some offensive skills but his defense is poor.  He's too slow to guard anyone.  Defense is what gets players onto this team.  He's not going to be here past the pre-season.  He's essentially playing for a contract somewhere else OR a mid-season signing if Scal and TA are traded thereby opening a roster spot.  I don't see Danny even signing him at that point because we'd still have 5 bigs on the roster. 

I may be wrong but I believe the only other player in camp without a guaranteed contract is Hudson.  Hudson has shown he's worth the 15th spot and he plays a position where there's a lack of depth.  Since this is the only player who Sweetney can beat out for a spot, his chances are pretty much nada. 

agreed
Williams will at least rebound and keep guys honest by running the floor (yes his offense is bad)
if sweetney could be sent to dleague and loose the weight than he WOULD be a nice find but for next year, as he is can't happen
as big as big baby was sweetney would eat him for a treat

[BrickJames]

Williams and Daniels are disappointments?  Right...

Let's see Sweetney be guarded by someone other than Nesterovic.  Amir Johnson even would've eaten him up.  How about a double-team?  Please.

And he couldn't guard me.  There's no way he's making the team unless we trade in a 2 for 1 in a hurry.

[Chris]

Williams and Daniels are disappointments?  Right...

Let's see Sweetney be guarded by someone other than Nesterovic.  Amir Johnson even would've eaten him up.  How about a double-team?  Please.

And he couldn't guard me.  There's no way he's making the team unless we trade in a 2 for 1 in a hurry.

Agreed.  He is 30 pounds away from even being worthy of a roster spot, even if we had one open.  There is no way they are going to cut someone, and eat the contract (no pun intended), just to give Sweetney a chance to lose weight on the C's dime.  If they wanted to pay a guy who was not physically able to compete yet, they would have resigned Powe.

By the way, I really do not see the Williams hate.  I actually have been impressed with him during the preseason...although that is mainly because I had such low expectations.  His offensive game is much smoother than it was in the past, and he already has a better understanding of the defensive rotations than Powe had in all of his 3 years. 

Now, he certainly is not going to blow anyone away, and if he sees anything more than spot minutes, this team is probably in trouble, but you really cannot ask for much more from a 6th big man than what Williams has been showing so far.  He has shown that he can be servicable.

[ManUp]

Williams and Daniels are disappointments?  Right...

Let's see Sweetney be guarded by someone other than Nesterovic.  Amir Johnson even would've eaten him up.  How about a double-team?  Please.

And he couldn't guard me.  There's no way he's making the team unless we trade in a 2 for 1 in a hurry.

Agreed.

Plus this upside talk is ridiculous. He's not going to lose that weight. He's been out of the league for a couple of years and doesn't bother to lose any weight when trying to get himself back in. I don't want him I'll take Shelden.

[Reyquila]

Doc cannot sit Sweets in the 12th chair and expect him to be productive whenever he is called. He;s got to be in the midle of the stream to be sharp; so I dont know if he will make it. I hope he does; he is a force inside and knows how to score better tha Shelden. Unfortunately Shelden is more athletic, for whatever purposes that may be good. I hope they keep Giddens; He may have more upside than he has shown; there must be a pretty good reason why we drafted him; he just has to repeat what he showed Doc "once upon a time"; if he cant, then its: See ya, darling!

[the_Bird]

Williams and Daniels are disappointments?  Right...

Let's see Sweetney be guarded by someone other than Nesterovic.  Amir Johnson even would've eaten him up.  How about a double-team?  Please.

And he couldn't guard me.  There's no way he's making the team unless we trade in a 2 for 1 in a hurry.

Agreed.  He is 30 pounds away from even being worthy of a roster spot, even if we had one open.  There is no way they are going to cut someone, and eat the contract (no pun intended), just to give Sweetney a chance to lose weight on the C's dime.  If they wanted to pay a guy who was not physically able to compete yet, they would have resigned Powe.

By the way, I really do not see the Williams hate.  I actually have been impressed with him during the preseason...although that is mainly because I had such low expectations.  His offensive game is much smoother than it was in the past, and he already has a better understanding of the defensive rotations than Powe had in all of his 3 years. 

Now, he certainly is not going to blow anyone away, and if he sees anything more than spot minutes, this team is probably in trouble, but you really cannot ask for much more from a 6th big man than what Williams has been showing so far.  He has shown that he can be servicable.

Very good point about Powe. 

Sheldon looks to me like a good fifth or a sixth big man.  Doesn't really help, doesn't really hurt.  Don't see him getting a ton of minutes, but it's nice having another wide body to match up with some teams.  I'd be disappointed if BBD had signed elsewhere and we were looking for him to fill that role on the team, but for a few short minutes and to give a few fouls, he ain't bad.

[clover]

On the other hand, it sounds like they thought they'd be able to pick Powe up mid-season, when he was ready to play--and were sorry to have missed out on him.

Sweets is probably still a long shot, but they'd only have to expect him to be #15, in street clothes, for the first three months of the season.  (Dropping 10-15 lbs. per month!)

[guava_wrench]

Part of the reason Sweetney is here might be because Doc wants to be able to rest KG and Wallace during the preseason, so an extra big to eat preseason minutes can be helpful.

[biggs]

I would love to keep him, but with the improvement of JR, I don't think it's going to happen.

Here's what I would do- Give Sweetney a work out regiment/diet that he needs to follow (maybe working with team trainers) and give him a goal and a deadline.  If he can drop the 30lbs by the time that the trade deadline comes around, say we trade two for one expiring contracts for one nice player and there's room for Sweetney if he can meet our expectations. 

Maybe Baby can teach him how to hustle.

Sweetney should be called Sweety cuz he's so loveable.   

[clover]

I would love to keep him, but with the improvement of JR, I don't think it's going to happen.

Here's what I would do- Give Sweetney a work out regiment/diet that he needs to follow (maybe working with team trainers) and give him a goal and a deadline.  If he can drop the 30lbs by the time that the trade deadline comes around, say we trade two for one expiring contracts for one nice player and there's room for Sweetney if he can meet our expectations. 

Maybe Baby can teach him how to hustle.

Sweetney should be called Sweety cuz he's so loveable.   

I'd agree--Giddens showing a pulse probably hurts Sweets more than anybody.