JO to be the new Shaq next year?

[j804]

I heard the news he will be returning and can't help but think god I hope not.

He'll be one year older, probably just about nearing retirement, injury prone hopefully not plagued with them throughout the year a la Shaq missing stretches of games. In other words Shaq all over again.

I hope not but can't help but feel this way.

[bfrombleacher]

I heard the news he will be returning and can't help but think god I hope not.

He'll be one year older, probably just about nearing retirement, injury prone hopefully not plagued with them throughout the year a la Shaq missing stretches of games. In other words Shaq all over again.

I hope not but can't help but feel this way.

If only we kept Semih...

[PosImpos]

JO playing for even half the season is better than JO not playing at all.  Our options for replacement are very limited, especially with the uncertainty surrounding the CBA.  What if there is a long lockout, JO retires as well, Krstic goes off to Europe, and we're forced to start BBD with some D-leaguer / rookie backing him up?

Outside of a major trade, I don't think we're going to do better than JO / Krstic / BBD manning the center position, unfortunately.

[PortCelt]

Certainly going into next season with JO as the starting 5 makes me nervous given his recent history and the ambiguity surrounding Kristic and Davis. But I'm also glad, based on stats, that he's coming back because if healthy he some what can do the dirty work Perk did.

In the playoffs ... JO 9 games (21.9min/5.8ppg/4.2r) - Perk 17 games (28min/4.5ppg/6.1r). Pretty much even with JO having the edge in blocks.

In the regular season ... JO 24 games (5.4ppg/3.7r/1.25blk) - Perk (OKC) 17 games (7.3ppg/11.3r/1.3blk). Perk averaged 8 more minutes, and his production as a Celtic was higher.

Okay, Perk is clearly better at this stage of their collective careers, but if JO can play 60+ regular season games it's not a huge drop off given the fact he proved he can cover space defensively. But can we assume he can stay healthy? I don't think so, and the Shaq theme could indeed repeat itself. So they'll need more veteran depth at the 5 even with Kristic as the back up.

[cman88]

we need to sign with the MLE a reliable younger athletic center and retain Kristic...this will keep JO's minutes down...but he CANT be as cursed this year next year, can he?

and rotation of JO/MLE center/Kristic isnt bad at all

[Finkelskyhook]

He won't play as many games as Shaq did last year.

[SHAQATTACK]

I think JO is messing up not having the wrist repaired.  I believe this issue will return sooner than later . If he didn't have to play so many minutes it wouldn;t be so bad. ....maybe he could squeak by with a bit of luck.  

With Baby at center we won't make the playoffs. Then the next year , we have no new stars to help and everybody has to be replaced due to injury or old age .  Trainwreck

[17wasEZ]

I heard the news he will be returning and can't help but think god I hope not.

He'll be one year older, probably just about nearing retirement, injury prone hopefully not plagued with them throughout the year a la Shaq missing stretches of games. In other words Shaq all over again.

I hope not but can't help but feel this way.

I would rather have him return than not return.  Are there better options out there? Let's just trust that Ainge has a plan.  Four the last 4 years the Celtics have been title contenders because of DA.

Of course, there are some who won't give DA any credit and will blame him for Boston's 7th game loss to Orlando a few seasons back on Ainge....as well as Boston's game 7 loss in the Final's on DA...as well as this year's early exit because he traded a guy with two bad knees (who was almost worthless for OKC in their run) as the reason there was no title this year.

Never mind that for the 3rd straight season the Celtics suffered some devastating injuries to Garnett in "09, Perkins in '10 and Rondo in '11.

[KungPoweChicken]

I hope he can be the next Shaq! Didn't the Diesel play in more regular season games than JO?

[snively]

Outside of a major trade, I don't think we're going to do better than JO / Krstic / BBD manning the center position, unfortunately.

If Danny's willing to spend the MLE (and it exists in the new CBA), I think he can do better.  Kenyon Martin, Carl Landry, Joel Przybilla (if he's healthy enough to play), Jeff Foster, Kris Humphries, Chuck Hayes and even Kwame Brown would all be better 3rd bigs than Krstic or BBD.

[pearljammer10]

I heard the news he will be returning and can't help but think god I hope not.

He'll be one year older, probably just about nearing retirement, injury prone hopefully not plagued with them throughout the year a la Shaq missing stretches of games. In other words Shaq all over again.

I hope not but can't help but feel this way.

Why? He's only 33. He's an amazing defender, is a good offensive player and has a nice jump shot. Hes a great player and after his surgery hopefully he'll be healthy. If he can play 60 to 65 healthy games thats going to be huge for us. I love the guy.

[Finkelskyhook]

I heard the news he will be returning and can't help but think god I hope not.

He'll be one year older, probably just about nearing retirement, injury prone hopefully not plagued with them throughout the year a la Shaq missing stretches of games. In other words Shaq all over again.

I hope not but can't help but feel this way.

Why? He's only 33. He's an amazing defender, is a good offensive player and has a nice jump shot. Hes a great player and after his surgery hopefully he'll be healthy. If he can play 60 to 65 healthy games thats going to be huge for us. I love the guy.

......What is the name of fantasyland in disney? 

The odds are better there.

[Bahku]

If he could get and stay healthy he'd be a great asset, but at his age I just don't see that ever happening. Even at his healthiest point he was injury-prone, and age just magnifies the problem.

[mostofusrsad]

If he could get and stay healthy he'd be a great asset, but at his age I just don't see that ever happening. Even at his healthiest point he was injury-prone, and age just magnifies the problem.

100% concur that he could have been good but he is too old and injry prone...time to move on or accept our position as a long shot contender but not a championship team

[PortCelt]

If he could get and stay healthy he'd be a great asset, but at his age I just don't see that ever happening. Even at his healthiest point he was injury-prone, and age just magnifies the problem.

Have to research teams who may be in need of cap relief and are looking for a salary dump that won't effect their roster.

Portland might for Oden, but  essentially it leaves us in the same predicament ... worrying about injuries.

Are there other any teams who may eat up JO's contract and the Quis (TPE)?