Who else LOVES the Jermaine O'Neal signing?

[xmuscularghandix]

Me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3-nVBKlTy0

[Brendan]

I'm taking the JO signing to dinner and a movie, but I'm not marrying it yet. If it shows me some real commitment then we can go steady.

[wdleehi]

I'm happy


1) Gives the Celtics a C that can play some PF as well when Perk returns.

2) Gives Ainge more flexibility in trading Wallace.  He can go after the best player/fit instead of focusing on a C.

[Bahku]

Me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3-nVBKlTy0

Perfect example of what he does best ... get into scuffles and miss free-throws. I'll be crossing my fingers for a long time with this move.

[TittiezJVII]

i does

[Tradetime]

Me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3-nVBKlTy0

Couldn't think of a player on a team that I'd rather see get bagged like that more than a Laker.

[moiso]

I love it- the Heat went on a nice winning streak when he was hurt and out of the lineup.  I'm sure the Celts are going to have a nice winning streak coming their way!

[DinTN]

Like it.

With Perk out we needed someone. Other options of quality were becoming scarce, such as Heywood resigning with Dallas.

Can play C or PF.

Can score, defend, and rebound.

Has some mileage but so does most of the team.

Former all-star. According to http://www.insidehoops.com/nbasalaries.shtml

he was the highest paid center in the league at over $21M / year in 2008-2009. Rasheed was making almost $14M.

Putting someone who formerly had to carry a team & dominate into a situation where less is expected sometimes works out very well.

[KGs Knee]

I personally would have preferred Shaq.  I have a feeling Perk will be out longer than any of us expect, and as such, we will need someone who can play the starting C position for possib;y the entire season.  Not to say Shaq is any gaurantee to be able to stay healty all season, I'm talking more about beef.  The beef we need at the cener position to match up with Orlando and LA.  I'm not sure J.O. is capable of banging with Dwight Howard or Andruw Bynum.

I guess I don't mind the signing, but think we could have done better.  I'll still be rooting for him though!

[Eric_Suede]

I personally would have preferred Shaq.  I have a feeling Perk will be out longer than any of us expect, and as such, we will need someone who can play the starting C position for possib;y the entire season.  Not to say Shaq is any gaurantee to be able to stay healty all season, I'm talking more about beef.  The beef we need at the cener position to match up with Orlando and LA.  I'm not sure J.O. is capable of banging with Dwight Howard or Andruw Bynum.

I guess I don't mind the signing, but think we could have done better.  I'll still be rooting for him though!

Totally agree, took the words out of my mouth. I "like" the signing, I don't love it. I would like more beef & attitude up front which I agree would've been a bit more with the Other Oneal (Shaq) we'll see what happens though. Still holding out hope we can get him or AI. (Yes I'm still president of the AI to Celtics club)

[35Lewis]

I love the JO signing.

As for Shaq....why would anyone want this.  Shaq and Perk have a very similar offensive skill set but that is where the similarities end.  The best coaching move for us to beat Cleveland in the playoffs last year was done for us when Mike Brown refused to play Hickson and Varajeo more often.  Everytime Shaq was in he would score but he would run out of gas and either foul or miss his defensive assignment.

[Birdbrain]

I love it as well... as long as he stays moderately healthy it his contract will end up being a bargain. Shaq is so over the hill he's in the next valley.  I expect he'll latch on with Miami.  That appears to be his style. 

[More Banners]

I don't understand why he always seems so quick to fight with someone, or why this tendency seems to be increasing as his skills are decreasing.  There's a difference between toughness and thuggery.  JO is more on the thug side.

I remember the playoff series after Obie quit on us when JO was pushing people around and interim coach Carroll finally put in little-used 2nd round pick Brandon Hunter, who was/is incredibly strong.  Suddenly, JO couldn't push his opponent around, and got a little p---ed.  After the game, that SOB Rick Carlyle played up to the media/refs that Carroll sent in Hunter to beat up his all star, which was obviously not true to anyone who watched the game.  Rather than play the media game and go on the attack, Carroll tried to defend his coaching honor and stated he didn't send in an "enforcer" and wasn't playing dirty, then sat Hunter for the rest of the series.  A Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. move by Carroll, who hasn't coached since (still a scout with the C's, I think).

Regardless, JO has always been a thug, and it's getting worse.

[35Lewis]

I think a  lot of aging big men feel the need to become "enforcers' for teams, especially teams that are called soft by the media.

JO will benefit from being around the likes of Garnett, Pierce and Allen.

Also on a side note, Perkins has this tendency to try and be tough with guys all the time and that is why he gets some of his techs.  Him and BBD are constantly reacting by either trying to sneak in a cheap elbow or bumping into the guy when they stand up like BBD does after he gets knocked to the floor.  And lest we all forget the Gasol hand check and subsequent Garnett reaction.

[MBunge]

In the first round series against Boston where JO played like garbage, he averaged 4.2 points and 5.6 rebounds.  In the whole playoffs, Perk averaged 5.7 points and 6.2 rebounds.

We love Perk cause he's ours and he's a great post defender, but he's really a below average scorer and rebounder, which has become more of a problem with the Big 3 dropping off.  If he can stay healthy, JO is better offensively and on the boards and is probably just as good a team defender.  We will need Perk's bulk against Orlando and LA, but JO could improve Boston a lot more than most people expect.

Mike