will not make it with old scrubby bigs

[wiley]

Been harping on this for a while.

The Celtics need a borderline star big who is young.  I'm doubting Perk's ability to perform at a high level next year.  Tell me if I'm wrong, if he doesn't need a perfect knee to do his defensive role.  Basketball is a knee's worst nightmare.  I can't imagine doing an intense playoff run on a still-recovering knee.

That leaves low-minute Garnett, short Baby (love them both) and getting older, injury prone and oft-criticized JO (very happy with his signing.)

Tell me I'm wrong and that Ben Wallace or Theo Ratliff or someone of this ilk can fill out the rotation and get us through all the way to the end.  Can JO, B.W. and T.R. keep Lebron and Wade, plus Bosh, or Atlanta's bigs, or D. Howard from crushing us in the lane (mainly worried about those big explosive wings having a field day on drives to the basket).  Tell me I'm wrong and that our new committee of centers will abuse anyone who enters the lane.

But let's say I'm right.  That withouth Perk and later without fully healthy Perk we will be abused via not enough resistance to entering the lane.  Then who can we add?  I wanted pipe dreams Ty. Thomas or Anderson Varejao, or Josh Smith, or Noah.  Too much to ask I know. 

Can somone get the Celtics a player with a chance to approximate those four bigs listed in the previous paragraph?  Or even get one of those four?  In getting them, you have my permission to trade any Celtic, as long as it doesn't shoot us in the foot.  (for example, if you use Rondo (plus more) to get Ty Thomas, you must also get back Gerald Wallace, etc etc....

Okay, please get busy with trade chekers to get the Celtics the additional big we need to prevent Miami from making us look like geriatric pushovers....

Or tell me I'm wrong, and that some nearly-retired dinosaur will make Celtics lane 2010/2011 a very dangerous place to enter....

[Bankshot]

I don't think our bigs are scrubby and the only old one is KG.  JO is 31, not 35.  I think that we now have O'Neal, we can get by with a minimum salary big like Kwame.  We are not getting a borderline star.  If we do get one, it's likely to be at the wing (if Danny can strike gold with Sheed's contract).

[wiley]

I don't think our bigs are scrubby and the only old one is KG.  JO is 31, not 35.  I think that we now have O'Neal, we can get by with a minimum salary big like Kwame.  We are not getting a borderline star.  If we do get one, it's likely to be at the wing (if Danny can strike gold with Sheed's contract).

Can Kwame play the role of intimidator while also providing good defense?

[SCBirdman]

All we need is someone who can get us through the first half of the season as the 4th Big. When Perk comes back, then he becomes the 4th Big. If Perk is our 4th Big, we are in good shape. I think Kwame would be a good fit, and there are plenty of guys that are waiting that will eventually become available that are servicable guys in the role of 4th Big.
Danny may also use Sheeds deal to acquire a wing and a big.

Bottom line we still need 3 guys for our 2nd unit- 2 wings and a Big. Sheed's deal plus our D-Leaguers will net us 1 or 2 of those pieces. We just have to be patient and let the market play out.

[BballTim]

Been harping on this for a while.

The Celtics need a borderline star big who is young.  I'm doubting Perk's ability to perform at a high level next year.  Tell me if I'm wrong, if he doesn't need a perfect knee to do his defensive role.  Basketball is a knee's worst nightmare.  I can't imagine doing an intense playoff run on a still-recovering knee.

That leaves low-minute Garnett, short Baby (love them both) and getting older, injury prone and oft-criticized JO (very happy with his signing.)

Tell me I'm wrong and that Ben Wallace or Theo Ratliff or someone of this ilk can fill out the rotation and get us through all the way to the end.  Can JO, B.W. and T.R. keep Lebron and Wade, plus Bosh, or Atlanta's bigs, or D. Howard from crushing us in the lane (mainly worried about those big explosive wings having a field day on drives to the basket).  Tell me I'm wrong and that our new committee of centers will abuse anyone who enters the lane.

But let's say I'm right.  That withouth Perk and later without fully healthy Perk we will be abused via not enough resistance to entering the lane.  Then who can we add?  I wanted pipe dreams Ty. Thomas or Anderson Varejao, or Josh Smith, or Noah.  Too much to ask I know. 

Can somone get the Celtics a player with a chance to approximate those four bigs listed in the previous paragraph?  Or even get one of those four?  In getting them, you have my permission to trade any Celtic, as long as it doesn't shoot us in the foot.  (for example, if you use Rondo (plus more) to get Ty Thomas, you must also get back Gerald Wallace, etc etc....

Okay, please get busy with trade chekers to get the Celtics the additional big we need to prevent Miami from making us look like geriatric pushovers....

Or tell me I'm wrong, and that some nearly-retired dinosaur will make Celtics lane 2010/2011 a very dangerous place to enter....

  You're wrong, Perk doesn't need a perfect knee to do his defensive role. It won't be perfect, but what he does isn't really based on explosiveness, quickness or terrific mobility (like, for instance, KG's defensive role). Also, trading Rondo (plus more) for a backup big and a backup wing is a pretty extreme case of shooting yourself in the foot.

[Bankshot]

I don't think our bigs are scrubby and the only old one is KG.  JO is 31, not 35.  I think that we now have O'Neal, we can get by with a minimum salary big like Kwame.  We are not getting a borderline star.  If we do get one, it's likely to be at the wing (if Danny can strike gold with Sheed's contract).

Can Kwame play the role of intimidator while also providing good defense?

Kwame plays good defense.  I don't know about "intimidator."  What you want a Perkins clone.  You won't find one. 

[wiley]

Been harping on this for a while.

The Celtics need a borderline star big who is young.  I'm doubting Perk's ability to perform at a high level next year.  Tell me if I'm wrong, if he doesn't need a perfect knee to do his defensive role.  Basketball is a knee's worst nightmare.  I can't imagine doing an intense playoff run on a still-recovering knee.

That leaves low-minute Garnett, short Baby (love them both) and getting older, injury prone and oft-criticized JO (very happy with his signing.)

Tell me I'm wrong and that Ben Wallace or Theo Ratliff or someone of this ilk can fill out the rotation and get us through all the way to the end.  Can JO, B.W. and T.R. keep Lebron and Wade, plus Bosh, or Atlanta's bigs, or D. Howard from crushing us in the lane (mainly worried about those big explosive wings having a field day on drives to the basket).  Tell me I'm wrong and that our new committee of centers will abuse anyone who enters the lane.

But let's say I'm right.  That withouth Perk and later without fully healthy Perk we will be abused via not enough resistance to entering the lane.  Then who can we add?  I wanted pipe dreams Ty. Thomas or Anderson Varejao, or Josh Smith, or Noah.  Too much to ask I know. 

Can somone get the Celtics a player with a chance to approximate those four bigs listed in the previous paragraph?  Or even get one of those four?  In getting them, you have my permission to trade any Celtic, as long as it doesn't shoot us in the foot.  (for example, if you use Rondo (plus more) to get Ty Thomas, you must also get back Gerald Wallace, etc etc....

Okay, please get busy with trade chekers to get the Celtics the additional big we need to prevent Miami from making us look like geriatric pushovers....

Or tell me I'm wrong, and that some nearly-retired dinosaur will make Celtics lane 2010/2011 a very dangerous place to enter....

  You're wrong, Perk doesn't need a perfect knee to do his defensive role. It won't be perfect, but what he does isn't really based on explosiveness, quickness or terrific mobility (like, for instance, KG's defensive role). Also, trading Rondo (plus more) for a backup big and a backup wing is a pretty extreme case of shooting yourself in the foot.

Okay, this view of Perk and his knee will settle me down some.  Thanks.  The Rondo thing was a complete hypothetical example of approximating talent with no  thought of ending up without a PG to it...Let alone giving up Rondo, since I'm a Rondo fanatic.  But if some inventive person wanted to get us Josh Smith and Chris Paul with Rondo, Baby, Ray and draft picks, I'd be excited....

[Lucky17]

Kurt Thomas.

Best intimidator still out there, and I bet he'd play for vet minimum for a title contending team.

[Blooroo22]

i take it that "tell me if i'm wrong" is your favorite expression

[wiley]

Kurt Thomas.

Best intimidator still out there, and I bet he'd play for vet minimum for a title contending team.

Didn't know that about Kurt.  Sign him up.

In response to Bankshot, by intimidator I simply mean a player that would make Lebron more likely to take an outside shot than easily blowing by his wing defender to get into the lane.   I want he and Wade to have player x in the back of his mind.  I want Miami shooting from outside. There is no perfect  player x obviously, but we need as much x factor as we can afford.

It's nice to frustrate Wade and Lebron with good wing defense, but let's face facts, they'll be in the lane a lot next year, especially with bigs focusing on Bosh.

[wiley]

i take it that "tell me if i'm wrong" is your favorite expression

It works great when you want someone to dissolve your pessimism.

[Mr October]

Woah every team in the NBA outside of LA and Orlando wishes they had a young borderline all star big man to add to their team.

Players like that are the hardest to find, and that contributes to centers being the most overpaid position.

Until Perk gets back, all the Celtics need is someone to hold down the fort for 16 minutes per game. This is an extremely important role to fill for sure, but it doesn't demand an all star to fill it.

possible minutes:

KG - 30 MPG
JO - 28 MPG
Davis - 24 MPG
unnamed big man - 14+ MPG

I like: Shaq or Brad Miller if a trade could be swung
..or for the minimum: Kwame, Kurt Thomas, Earl Barron, Matt Bonner, Johan Petro

Other possibilities: Lou Amundson, Josh Boone, Ian Mahinmi, Fesenko

[Birdbrain]

i take it that "tell me if i'm wrong" is your favorite expression

Pretty funny, I use term all the time.  Still haven't been proven wrong. : )

I still think there are some viable candidates for vet min that can help us sustain until Perk gets back. 

[GreenFaith1819]

Plus, I think that against MIA, we won't have to worry about Bosh abusing us in the paint - even without Perk back.

Bosh is more of a jump shooter than post player. He doesn't have a traditional post game, IMO. I think he even increased his J range while in TOR.

We'd have more to worry about from Lebron or Wade slashing in the lane than Bosh.

[Mr October]

Plus, I think that against MIA, we won't have to worry about Bosh abusing us in the paint - even without Perk back.

Bosh is more of a jump shooter than post player. He doesn't have a traditional post game, IMO. I think he even increased his J range while in TOR.

We'd have more to worry about from Lebron or Wade slashing in the lane than Bosh.

Yeah in order to take advantage of James and Wade's penetration, Bosh will have to be a jump shooter.

As great as the Miami 3 are, they will have to win me over with their ability to advance the ball with pressure, and with their ability to defend the paint/rim.