Positive Thinking: Jermaine O'Neal to have a big year

[PosImpos]

honestly, ill be really pleasantly surprised if we get 40 games, 25 minutes a night, 8 pts, 5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks out of JO.

[pearljammer10]

Finally a thread with a positive outlook on JO. If he can stay healthy I could see JO easily putting in 11 and 6 with a block and a half a game.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I for one love having JO with us. Still not sure of what his optimum role for us would be, starting or coming from the bench, but glad to have him.

[LooseCannon]

Everyone complained we wasted the MLE on JO last year, which has some truth to it. But looking at contracts and FA signings/ S+T etc. who else could we have picked up?

Second option was probably Brad Miller on a three-year deal.

It was a good signing that just didn't work out.  Jermaine O'Neal was clearly the most talented center the Celtics could afford and he could be signed to a contract that was only two years.  Many of the worst, cap-killing contracts are guys who were signed to four- or five-year full MLE contracts, only to have the team have buyer's remorse within a year.

[vinnie]

I don't see anyone mentioning the wrist injury and the fact that he decided against surgery in the offseason. Does that sound familiar?

Also, IF, healthy, he could produce solid numbers. However, I think it is important to remember that this was a guy on the verge of retirement in the offseason. If he is able to generate the numbers discussed by the OP, he should be comeback player of the year.

I hope he stays healthy. I highly doubt he stays healthy.

[2short]

Finally a thread with a positive outlook on JO. If he can stay healthy I could see JO easily putting in 11 and 6 with a block and a half a game.

yeah with pick & pops and rondo he can easily average 10 pts without  (m)any plays called for him, he still has a nice jumper
think about shaq was nearly an all star last year and he couldn't even jump anymore

[Finkelskyhook]

Anybody correct me if I am wrong.

Everyone complained we wasted the MLE on JO last year, which has some truth to it. But looking at contracts and FA signings/ S+T etc. who else could we have picked up?

I look at the names thrown out on here now and none can really be put on JO's level. I mean Kwame Brown just signed a (7 or 9 mil contract, can't remember for GSW) bigger contract than JO and his only advantage to JO is health I think. Well if we wanted that we could just sign a below average big with no major health issues. I understand the health question, but really what other knocks can you really put on JO at this point?

We didn't (and don't) have the cash to throw $12-$16 million at a center, which btw is RIDICULOUS money. A whole different argument. So who else would have been better?? and even if we saved some $ on them by not using the MLE, would that $ even be used effectively if at all? I personally don't think so.

While PG's dominate this league, C's are the top priority in today's game and we did fairly well grabbing JO. I'm a realist but I'll jump on OP's wagon and say he'll contribute this year. Haha are you really rooting against him?

The answer to your question is...Danny shouldn't have used the MLE at all. Unless you sign O'Neal to a one year contract That would've been the better choice.  I don't see how you think that Danny did well...O'Neal was a waste of a roster spot last year and Danny likely won't get a season worth of games combined out of him during the length of his contract.

I'm not rooting against O'Neal. Sadly, he's a Celtic.  So I can't root against him.  He's a proven commodity.  He's tanked several non-contract years.    There was nothing professional about showing up God-knows-how many pounds overweight last season.  All the positive thinking in the world doesn't change that.

[mgent]

That's my thinking.  Even an unhealthy JO, like the one we had in the playoffs this year, is a decent center and an above average defensive C.

I don't expect him to be healthy the whole season, but i think he will be serviceable when he does play, and if he did manage to be healthy i think he would really give a lot to the team.  He is a better fit than Perk and his mid-range game is important with Rondo.

Whether he has a big year or not, it all depends on how he feels come playoff time.  If he needs to play every other game after the all-star break in order to stay some-what healthy then that's what should happen.  As long as he's on the court in the playoffs, he'll probably be a positive.

[pearljammer10]

Finally a thread with a positive outlook on JO. If he can stay healthy I could see JO easily putting in 11 and 6 with a block and a half a game.

yeah with pick & pops and rondo he can easily average 10 pts without  (m)any plays called for him, he still has a nice jumper
think about shaq was nearly an all star last year and he couldn't even jump anymore

Exactly. We dont need to call plays for JO but he has a knack for being in the right place at the exact right time... People seem to forget that in the few games he did play last year he was well above average especially on the defensive end. His shot didnt fall at a high percent but he was great alongside KG stopping the ball.

[Liam W]

He played in 70 games 2 years ago which is really good for someone with bad knees. maybe the weather in Miami helped him out a bit? IDK

But last year was a joke, I mean i know he came back for the Playoffs but He + Shaq were total disasters. Shaq was always injured and so too was Jermaine

And to make matters worse Perkins was traded for a Dud in Krstic but a very nice piece in Green going foward

SMH on Jermaine. I like what he brings to the team, But health wise you cant count on him at this stage.

If we got 40 games out of him I would be happy with that. Because Im not expecting him to play more at this stage

[nickagneta]

If he needs to play every other game after the all-star break in order to stay some-what healthy then that's what should happen.  As long as he's on the court in the playoffs, he'll probably be a positive.

This I whole-heartedly support not only for O'Neal but also for the Big Three. This is going to be Doc Rivers toughest coaching year as he has a clear desire to win every game and has in the past sacrificed the long term health of his older players for wins. He will need to protect his older players from themselves and their desire to play every day and minute and his desire to post W's and get exceptional playoff seeding.

Clearly there is no way in a reduced and condensed season that the Celtics are going to be the conferences top seed or even the second seed. They should strive to win their division and hope for the third seed and settle for the fourth seed. From there, with a healthy and rested squad, anything is possible.

[Surferdad]

honestly, ill be really pleasantly surprised if we get 40 games, 25 minutes a night, 8 pts, 5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks out of JO.

Sounds about right.  He probably won't hit is ppg capability in this offense and with this roster.  The biggest thing is he a pretty good defender and a true center.

[theswitch]

Good news from Forsberg:

* KG & JO the practice stars: Rivers raved about both Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal after Wednesday's session. Those concerned about whether O'Neal is fit to handle the rigors of a full season can rest a little easier (for now, anyway) with a positive initial report from Rivers. "The other guy that’s been phenomenal has been J.O.; he looks great," said Rivers. "It’s amazing the difference watching him at this time last year in camp, just the fact that he knows stuff, and he’s comfortable."

[j804]

Good news from Forsberg:

* KG & JO the practice stars: Rivers raved about both Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal after Wednesday's session. Those concerned about whether O'Neal is fit to handle the rigors of a full season can rest a little easier (for now, anyway) with a positive initial report from Rivers. "The other guy that’s been phenomenal has been J.O.; he looks great," said Rivers. "It’s amazing the difference watching him at this time last year in camp, just the fact that he knows stuff, and he’s comfortable."

Very encouraging we got some unfinished business to do, hope JO is ready for the ride

[Jon]

While I am concerned about JO missing games, I think people equate his fragility with a decline in talent, and I don't think that had happened nearly as much as some people still to think.

I truly believe that when you count both ends of the court, he can still be a top 10 center in the league. And I'll go a step further and say that he can have the best year this year that any Celtic center of the new Big Three Era if he is miraculously relatively healthy.

Why? Because he is defensively about Perk's equal, not quite matching Perk in 1 on 1 defense, but vastly surpassing Perk with his shot blocking. He's obviously miles ahead of what Shaq gave is defensively last year. Offensively, people overlook his midrange game, which is quite good and something that will be deadly if he is left alone. And while he's not quite Shaq around the basket, he's a much better finisher than Perk. And we all saw last year how many easy baskets there are to NE had playing with the Core Four.

Again, missing games is still very much a concern, but I think when on the court JO can still play at a very high level.