Shaq Signs with the Celts (Official per Celtics.com; Report: 2 years, $2.8 mil)

[Mencius]

...
Brown, Oberto, Barron, Nesterovic, and even Thomas and Skinner are available at this point and will likely end up signing veteran minimum deals. They can give you solid 15 minutes. Probably can't give you anything more, but any attempt to get anything more than 15 minutes from Shaq will probably be a bad idea.

In short, anyone who thinks Shaq is some sort of exponential improvement in overall contribution to those guys just because he will score a handful of buckets is delirious, or hasn't watched him in the last 3 years.

Shaq will defend Howard and Bynum much more effectively than any of those other guys, and since those two are on two of the three teams we'll almost certainly have to go through, it's an excellent signing, particularly at vet minimum.

[35Lewis]

The Celtics needed length and they got that.  Ideally it would have been better to get athletic, younger, bigger and more scoring off the bench but those guys aren't taking the minimum and they aren't free agents yet.  

I was happy with the JO signing so this is just icing on the cake for me.  Now we have the luxury of letting Perk return on his own and limit JO's minutes so he is fresh and doesn't get injured.  Plus there is the "what if"...what if Shaq puts up his Phoenix numbers...a man can dream.

[MBunge]

I've never played any fantasy sports in my life and I don't actually think stats are the end all, be all of understanding sports.  But for pete's sake, you are so bone-headedly contrary to any and all data or evidence on the subject of Shaq that repeating the revelent stats is important so everyone else can fully understand how irrational you are about this.

The problem is that a bunch of stats do not count as evidence.

You don't understand what the word "evidence" means.

Mike

[anthony83]

Good signing, is the best thing that could happen, Shaq will be important for the Celtics, now we have the best inside game in the league, I love the signing of Shaq.
Now, what will happen with Sheed? if not retired, we would have to KG, JO, Big Baby, Shaq, Sheed and Perk?, Sheed's contract has not been touched, that means something if he wants to return?

Celtics GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kozlodoev]

I didn't realize our 15 mpg backup needs to be an entity -- I must have been focusing too much on team needs.

See, this is what I mean.  Perk is out for most of the year, you certainly don't want KG to play more minutes next season and Jermaine O'Neal played only 28 minutes a game last season and has played less that 51 games in 6 out of the last 7 seasons.  The Celtic back-up center is going to have to play much more than 15 minutes a game next season, yet you CONSTANTLY refer to the C's back-up center being a 10 to 15 mpg player because only by diminishing the contributions needed from that position can you make ridiculous arguements like Brian Freakin' Skinner being a better choice than Shaq.

If Garnett and O'Neal play ~30 minutes, and Davis plays ~20 minutes, this leaves ~15 minutes for the backup center. I think our best chance to win is by not playing our fourth big man in the rotation, whoever he is, more than 15 minutes per game, even (actually, especially) if his name is Shaquille O'Neal.

[Bahku]

Shaq signs one-year deal with Celtics:


Aug 4, 2010
By A. Sherrod Blakely
CSNNE.com

Shaquille O'Neal has agreed to become a Boston Celtic, which would give the C's one of the most star-studded, Hall of Fame-bound lineups in recent memory.

He joins a team that already includes perennial all-stars Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

Although O'Neal has said he wants to play at least two more seasons, his contract will be a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum.

The union between the C's and O'Neal speaks volumes about how both sides, truth be told, have little choice but to unite with one another.

Boston came into the summer in desperate need of added depth in the frontcourt with Kendrick Perkins (torn ligaments in his right knee) out until at least February, and the expected retirement of Rasheed Wallace.

The Celtics signed rookie center Semih Erden and later, veteran big man Jermaine O'Neal.

But for Boston to remain among the NBA's premier teams, it was clear that the C's had to do more.

O'Neal was not a serious consideration for most of the summer primarily because his asking price was significantly more than the Celtics  (and most teams, for that matter) were willing to pay.

But as the summer wore on, the Big Diesel was not in Big demand as team after team began to fill their roster while in the process, pass on adding the future Hall of Famer and three-time NBA Finals MVP.

It got to the point where teams that had an even greater need for an inside presence, like the Atlanta Hawks, were not willing to bring him aboard for his steep asking price.

But O'Neal made it clear that whatever team he signed with, it had to be a team that had a legit shot at winning a championship.

"For me, it's been a real thinking process," O'Neal told the Associated Press on Tuesday. "I came into the league very graciously and want to go out very graciously. My main thought was I would like to play for a winning franchise, somebody that's used to winning, somebody that keeps winning."

A. Sherrod Blakely can be reached at sblakely@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Sherrod on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sherrodbcsn.



http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b5byl

[The Walker Wiggle]

If we'd had Shaq in the Finals, we'd be NBA Champions right now.

And yet if we'd had him in the Eastern Conference semi-finals we would've lost to a uptempo Cavs squad.

[kozlodoev]

I've never played any fantasy sports in my life and I don't actually think stats are the end all, be all of understanding sports.  But for pete's sake, you are so bone-headedly contrary to any and all data or evidence on the subject of Shaq that repeating the revelent stats is important so everyone else can fully understand how irrational you are about this.

The problem is that a bunch of stats do not count as evidence.

You don't understand what the word "evidence" means.

I do, but you seem to be confusing it with copy-pasting season averages.

[17wasEZ]

As I have said before, I have no problem in Shaq at the veteran minimum for 15 mpg, if he's going not going to be a distraction. He's unlikely to hurt us much, and the only resource sunk in acquiring  him is a roster spot.

What I don't get is the way in which the blog falls head over heels over this signing. Shaq is not the difference maker he was, not at this stage of his career. And if the Celtics try to adjust everything that worked so great since 2007 to accomodate 20 mpg for Shaq, we'll crash and burn in the playoffs. That's it.

Oh, and to use your own arguments -- the "non-entity" Fabricio Oberto started 60+ games on a 56-win San Antonio team in 2008.

I agree with Kozlodev on all points, and will get even more pessimistic in arguing, that there's no evidence that Shaq will be happy as a second, or third string center getting limited touches. Unlike Oberto for example or Skinner.

He's worn out his welcome in four cities, even on winning, seasoned teams. And in his last two stops - Cleveland and Phoenix - both teams failed to meet expectations and were better without him.

I'm also surprised that so many have forgotten how well Glen Davis acquitted himself as the team's back up center during the 2008-2009 season. (62 wins.) I was hoping he was in line for more minutes, not fewer.

I don't remember him wearing out his welcome in Cleveland. Actually, it took him a while to wear out his welcome in most places.  The C's only signed him to a 1 year deal.  I'll take it!

[LooseCannon]

I think that, if he didn't get Shaq, Danny Ainge was seriously contemplating not signing any big to a vet-min contract and forcing Doc to play Semih Erden significant minutes in order to see what he's got (unless some training camp invitee impressed enough to earn a roster spot).  Then, he could sign someone who was cut by another team or trade for a someone from a team with outside playoff hopes that starts the season with a 2-10 record.

It's up to you if you think is a better plan than signing Shaq.

[kozlodoev]

I don't remember him wearing out his welcome in Cleveland.

The fact that O'Neal started in front of forward J.J. Hickson(notes) and center Zydrunas Ilguaskas "caused friction within the Cavaliers' locker room," according to NBA.com.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Shaquille-O-Neal-coming-off-Boston-bench-;_ylt=AiE0brjxHRQPiEREJYY2XBwBPKB4?urn=nba-260106

[Rondo2287]

I don't remember him wearing out his welcome in Cleveland.

The fact that O'Neal started in front of forward J.J. Hickson(notes) and center Zydrunas Ilguaskas "caused friction within the Cavaliers' locker room," according to NBA.com.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Shaquille-O-Neal-coming-off-Boston-bench-;_ylt=AiE0brjxHRQPiEREJYY2XBwBPKB4?urn=nba-260106

So you are blaming the fact that Hickson and BIG Z can handel their roles as backups on Shaq. 

[Evantime34]

I don't remember him wearing out his welcome in Cleveland.

The fact that O'Neal started in front of forward J.J. Hickson(notes) and center Zydrunas Ilguaskas "caused friction within the Cavaliers' locker room," according to NBA.com.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Shaquille-O-Neal-coming-off-Boston-bench-;_ylt=AiE0brjxHRQPiEREJYY2XBwBPKB4?urn=nba-260106

I agree with you that he was a problem in Cleveland. However, him signing a one year deal for the vet min and agreeing to come off the bench signifies that he has accepted his role (at least in my opinion).

[MBunge]

I didn't realize our 15 mpg backup needs to be an entity -- I must have been focusing too much on team needs.

See, this is what I mean.  Perk is out for most of the year, you certainly don't want KG to play more minutes next season and Jermaine O'Neal played only 28 minutes a game last season and has played less that 51 games in 6 out of the last 7 seasons.  The Celtic back-up center is going to have to play much more than 15 minutes a game next season, yet you CONSTANTLY refer to the C's back-up center being a 10 to 15 mpg player because only by diminishing the contributions needed from that position can you make ridiculous arguements like Brian Freakin' Skinner being a better choice than Shaq.

If Garnett and O'Neal play ~30 minutes, and Davis plays ~20 minutes, this leaves ~15 minutes for the backup center. I think our best chance to win is by not playing our fourth big man in the rotation, whoever he is, more than 15 minutes per game, even (actually, especially) if his name is Shaquille O'Neal.

Glen Davis last season - 17.3 mpg, 6.3 pts, 3.8 rebounds.
Shaq last season - 23.4 mpg, 12 pts, 6.7 rebounds.

So, you want to play the short, non-jumping guy MORE minutes than they guy who essentially doubled his production on the court in just 6 more minutes a game?  Yeah, that's a winning strategy.

Mike

[MBunge]

I've never played any fantasy sports in my life and I don't actually think stats are the end all, be all of understanding sports.  But for pete's sake, you are so bone-headedly contrary to any and all data or evidence on the subject of Shaq that repeating the revelent stats is important so everyone else can fully understand how irrational you are about this.

The problem is that a bunch of stats do not count as evidence.

You don't understand what the word "evidence" means.

I do, but you seem to be confusing it with copy-pasting season averages.

Stats are evidence, even if you don't like what they have to say.

Again, you've got an anti-Shaq fetish that makes about as much sense as those guys who get aroused watching video of women stepping on things.

Mike