Thanks for the TP Prof Clutch, appreciate that. I do agree as well that it is a very interesting topic because we will be adding in a player who, especially after Garnett went down last year, played a critical role in getting us one game from the ECF. Couple follow ups:
1. I don't think that, by himself, Baby is a great rebounder. I agree with that. However, and this is a BIG HOWEVER, in my book anyway and as Bankshot said, the amount of space Baby eats up and the way he moves people around, he makes everyone else a better rebounder. Why? He can go toe to toe with the Yao's, Horfords, Maxiells, Howards, Brandon Bass', etc. It gives us someone else other than Perk who can really get in there and smack some people around. Garnett, Sheed, Shelden...they play hard. But they are not Perkins and they are not Baby. These are two of I would say the top five toughest, strongest guys in the league. God forbid Baby should develop a mean streak like Perkins. NO ONE would want to go down there when he and Perk were in together. So I really think Baby will help our rebounding game a lot by tying up the other dominating physical presence on any given team. This is critical as it allows all our other players better access to the boards. It's the same principle in how Perkins helps Garnett be such a great help defender for us. Perkins takes the toughest guy on the other team every night, allowing Garnett to play free safety. If Garnett had to take the Howard's every night, our defense wouldn't be nearly as good. Baby has a unique and rare skill...unusaul physical size, width and strength.
Shelden may be a better rebounder on his own. But Baby's ability to handle the toughest guy on the other team any night will make the team a better rebounding team as whole. My opinion...
2. Re Shelden Vs Baby. I really like Shelden. Don't want anyone thinking I'm bashing him, because I'm not, I really like what he's done, would like to see him in Green for years to come.
But let me ask you...last year with Shelden taking Baby's spot along side Ray and Pierce, do we get as far? Answer...No. Why? Couple main reasons:
A) Baby can create his own offense. Took at least a little more pressure off Pierce and Ray.
B) Baby is a gamer, he's a play maker. He's a spot light guy. He wants the stage and that makes him a gamer. I don't see Shelden averaging 16 points and 8 boards. He would never be mistaken for an offensive threat. His scoring is mostly opportunistic garbage. I LOVE opprotunisitic garbage points but to me Shelden is a very good role player. Baby's celing is much higher than that and we saw a taste of that in the playoffs last year...in his second season...
C) I don't really beleive in statistics as much as I do how what an individual player does impacts the rest of his teammates. How his skills compliment the other parts of the team. If I did beleive in statistics then there would be five other point guards in the league who I'd rather have than Rondo. I'd want Chris Paul because he scroes more, foregetting his defense would negate that bonus, etc. Fact is, I'm not sure I'd trade Rondo for any other point in the league.
What makes Rondo so good is that he helps you win games. He's DJ like. There were a bunch of guys that were better than DJ but you'd be hard pressed to take any of them over DJ because he had a knack for making plays that helped you win. I see Rondo as that type of player. it'a s teal, or a board, or the right pass...or just the great D ( when he chooses to play it)...
Therefore, it's not just Baby's energy (though I think that is a critical compliment to our vet laden team ), it's that he gives us "Perk 2" from a physical strength standpoint, Shelden doesn't. And you can't have enough of that come playoff time. Also, you are very unlikely to Shelden Williams going headlong out of bounds for a ball; you expect it from Baby. We need that fire off the bench. I love Shelden but he's not Baby.
D) You really don't think that some team, who's going nowhere and it's probably because they are youth laden and re-building, wouldn't want to trade say:
Noicioni ( 3 years at money..when he's not the future)
Raja Bell ( when he's going to walk and you could maybe pick up a Walker or Giddens at least form him and cut more salary by buying out Scal...and/or Tony )
Gomes or Brewer or other guys...
or whatever other teams might be looking to dump salary with guys who aren't in their future but who have 2-3 years left on the books.
For expiring contracts of Scal and Tony that you can also buy out AND you get a low cost rookie project with some upside in a Giddens or Walker?
I would definately be out there searching the league for that opportunity if I had some guys who weren't in my plans long term.
