Doc is in for a huge challenge

[droopdog7]

The egos on this team will be something to behold.  Doc will have to do the job of a lifetime to get it to work.  And I am not just talking about in terms of personal egos, but it will be interesting to see how playing time is divided.  If Perk comes back this season, we will have three legit centers on this team, plus KG and BBD.  The wings include PP, Ray, Quis, and Wafer for now.  Throw in Rondo, Nate, and perhaps Bradley and we have 11-12 players that will want to play.  And I am not convinced that we have great depth, especially in the back court.  We just have a lot of guys that have garnered playing time in the past.

If these guys were younger, this might lead to competition for playing time (=good).  But since most are older, we'll have to see how it all works out.  A lot of these guys will play during the regular season but not all will do so consistently.  Come the playoffs, Doc will have some serious decisions to make.

[RAcker]

The egos on this team will be something to behold.  Doc will have to do the job of a lifetime to get it to work.  And I am not just talking about in terms of personal egos, but it will be interesting to see how playing time is divided.  If Perk comes back this season, we will have three legit centers on this team, plus KG and BBD.  The wings include PP, Ray, Quis, and Wafer for now.  Throw in Rondo, Nate, and perhaps Bradley and we have 11-12 players that will want to play.  And I am not convinced that we have great depth, especially in the back court.  We just have a lot of guys that have garnered playing time in the past.

If these guys were younger, this might lead to competition for playing time (=good).  But since most are older, we'll have to see how it all works out.  A lot of these guys will play during the regular season but not all will do so consistently.  Come the playoffs, Doc will have some serious decisions to make.

I disagree with you on that part.  I think that them all being accomplished and older helps in this regard. 

A guy like J O'Neal should be the hungriest guy on the team since he doesn't have that ring yet and he has been so close.

[Jon]

I don't think things are really going to be that bad. 

There wasn't a lot about Shaq and Jermaine wanting touches last year, and to be honest, last year they would've had a case. 

If Shaq can tolerate the likes of Mo Williams, Delonte West, and Jamario Moon taking touches from him, I think he can tolerate Three Future Hall of Famers and Rondo doing it. 

And as for depth, I think given our age, it's a very good thing.  And if it becomes apparent we have too many "good" players after the new years, Danny can always look at packaging 2-3 of them for 1 great player. 

[Kuberski33]

I'm betting Doc is more motivated to coach now than he has been for a long time.  This is why you do it.

[hpantazo]

I don't think things are really going to be that bad. 

There wasn't a lot about Shaq and Jermaine wanting touches last year, and to be honest, last year they would've had a case. 

If Shaq can tolerate the likes of Mo Williams, Delonte West, and Jamario Moon taking touches from him, I think he can tolerate Three Future Hall of Famers and Rondo doing it. 

And as for depth, I think given our age, it's a very good thing.  And if it becomes apparent we have too many "good" players after the new years, Danny can always look at packaging 2-3 of them for 1 great player. 

sure, but can he tolerate glen davis and nate robinson taking touches away from him? Because that's what will happen. If he can, then we are golden.

[Drucci]

I don't think Shaq will cause problems in the locker room or that his ego will need to be managed differently from the others. I would love to see how guys as different as Rondo, Shaq, Ray and KG will socialize together in the locker room.

[droopdog7]

To me it isn't just about touches.  It is about getting off the bench and playing.  More than one of these guys ain't playing very much.  And I this point, I don't really think we have good depth in the backcourt.  Guys that can play? Sure, we have that.  But guys that will be better than the guys in similar roles on the other team?  Not so sure about that.

And ain't no way we are packaging a few good players for one great player.  Things don't work that way.  The best one could get for three good players is one good player.  And that is a maybe because it depends on money as well.

[manl_lui]

Doc did a good job on controlling Sheed

i dont see a reason why Shaq won't be the same, Doc is respected by a lot of players

[FallGuy]

We'll see on this one. Shaq's been a problem of one kind of another in his last few stops.

No guarantee this works.

[Neurotic Guy]

Don't we all know that we don't know?

How is it possible for folks like us, who actually know nothing about the personalities of the human beings playing basketball for the Celtics, to know how these personalities will mesh and how difficult (or not) Doc's job will be?   

You might THINK you know Shaq based on commercials, on court o onservations, interviews, what you've heard through the grapevine, read from columnists, or comments from former teammates -- but, my guess is, you (we) don't really have a clue.

New team, new year, new dynamics.  I suspect that the chemistry question is relevant heading into a new season for every NBA team -- no more or less for the Celtics.   

[Rondo9dunx]

He took the Vet min 1 year after making 20 million and he's completely willing to take a bench role for the first time in his life.

He hasnt given a single one of you a reason to think he's gonna cause any problems.

Stop acting like you know shaq.

[Celtics4ever]

A lot of those places that he caused problems allegedly he was not the problem.  He played just as one would expect in the playoffs last year, it was James who choked/vanished.

[Greenbean]

You are right that this will be interesting and extremely challenging.

I think the vets will check their egos at the door however. They all came here on shorter money to win.

The young guys are the ones that Doc needs to keep engaged and ready throughout the season if he goes through stretches leaning heavily on the vets.

[Spilling Green Dye]

What??  How is Shaq more difficult to deal with than Rasheed??  And it's not like Jermaine O'Neal has been know to be a problem.  

Or are you talking about the other Celtic signings?? You know, that Pierce guy, or Ray Allen?  

[Bahku]

Shaq's demeanor and sense of humor is probably fitted more closely to Doc's than anyone else on this team ... I think they'll get along extremely well.