biggest offseason blunder - not offering Delonte a contract because of Bradley

[greenpride32]

Delonte looked pretty solid last night in the game vs OKC.  I didn't even look at this statline until this morning:

23MIN, 5-10FG, 1-2 3FG, 4-4 FT, 4 REB, 6 AST, 2 STL, 1 TO, +18, 15 PTS

We could have had this or Avery Bradley who is pretty much 0's across the board in every game and looking completely lost out there.  Did DA really think Bradley was ready to step into the role or was the team just being cheap since AB was already under contract?

[GreenFaith1819]

I saw Delonte's box score as well. I also saw most of the game.

Unfortunately, he couldn't stay healthy for us . It seemed like Doc was having to sit him every few games for some ache or pain.

I really think Danny tried his best to retool the bench this year with vets that..perhaps - had a history of decent health?

How many of us saw Danny signing Wilcox or Dooling? I know I didn't.

I wish Delonte the best, but my best guest here is that his continual dings were a concern.

[CFAN38]

i think delote's health was a big reason he wasn't resigned. Also we need to give avery a shot to prove himself if he is ever going to be a player/trading chip

[dark_lord]

i wished we re-signed him. i like his game and he is versatile bc he can run the 1 and 2.

people bring up health as an issue, i would MUCH rather have delonte than marquis who also has health issues.

[Fafnir]

Given that it sounded like he wanted to come back if possible I wonder if he was an off the court disruption with his personal mental health issues.

Because I like him as a player better than Dooling and I'm surprised we'd choose Dooling over him in a vacuum even with the health issues.

[dark_lord]

Given that it sounded like he wanted to come back if possible I wonder if he was an off the court disruption with his personal mental health issues.

this is purely speculation, as no one truly knows unless ur with the organization, but i dont think the bi-polar stuff has anything to do with not bringing him back. he has had a good track record with us, regardless of what he did with other teams. also, we already brought him back knowing his condition and the baggage that comes with it.

personally i think it was ainge over-valuing bradley and thinking he could get the same production from him for less $.

[Chris]

I don't think Bradley entered into the decision-making.  I think Delonte was not signed based on his own merits.  He is a good player, but the injuries and character concerns make him a huge risk, and someone you cannot count on at all.  I don't think Danny (or Doc) wanted to deal with the roller-coaster again. 

If they wanted him, they could have signed him, but they went in a different direction.  Time will tell whether it was the right choice.

[Inside-Out]

With all the talk about "maturity" on the bench this season as an improvement, it's easy to overlook that we didn't exactly have young players on the bench last year.  Delonte, Nate, and Shaq are vets, and one could claim BBD as a vet as well.

But that bunch together...Oye!

My guess is that Danny has figured out, after 2-3 years of battling predictable injuries and missed time, the precise thing that Larry Bird figured out as a GM years ago (with JO, ironically): the most important ability is availability.

[Eja117]

I slightly disagree just because I don't see the guards as the problem.  I don't think Delonte in any way puts us over the top or near the top. He doesn't save us from a drubbing by the Heat or the Hornets. Maybe he helps against the Knicks.

Assuming we were 1-2 instead of 0-3, especially considering the nasty losses, people would still be freaking out and calling for Moore and maybe Bradley to play more.   

[dark_lord]

I slightly disagree just because I don't see the guards as the problem.  I don't think Delonte in any way puts us over the top or near the top. He doesn't save us from a drubbing by the Heat or the Hornets. Maybe he helps against the Knicks.

no bench player will improve us over the heat, but delonte is better than dooling, bradley, and moore....and he can play bost guard spots, therefore he is an upgrade of what we are currently running with

[rickyfan3.0...]

I don't see anything in Bradley at all. he is small, spastic, can't shoot and seems turnover-prone.

[bfrombleacher]

I don't see anything in Bradley at all. he is small, spastic, can't shoot and seems turnover-prone.

He's good sized for a point.

Dooling is similar to Delonte except sturdier but he's not playmaking for whatever reason (and I know he can do that from the preseason games). Apparently Doc gave him the green light to shoot at will.

I think a playmaking Dooling is what we desperately need and miss as Rondo is our only floor general with Quisey struggling and Pierce out.

[Roy H.]

As others have mentioned, I think the move not to re-sign Delonte was probably based upon locker room and health issues, rather than what Delonte can do on the court when healthy and focused.

It's a shame; I've always liked watching him play.  However, something changed in Danny's attitude toward Delonte, and it's got to be based upon what he saw last year.

[Fafnir]

Given that it sounded like he wanted to come back if possible I wonder if he was an off the court disruption with his personal mental health issues.

this is purely speculation, as no one truly knows unless ur with the organization, but i dont think the bi-polar stuff has anything to do with not bringing him back. he has had a good track record with us, regardless of what he did with other teams. also, we already brought him back knowing his condition and the baggage that comes with it.

personally i think it was ainge over-valuing bradley and thinking he could get the same production from him for less $.

There were rumors of issues, not to mention the fights and other outbursts that occured.

Given that he played well for us when healthy it was either injury risk or chemistry fit. I don't think Bradley entered into the equation. If he did why would we go get Dooling?

[greenpride32]

The question of why Delonte was signed was brought up in the Celtics preason special show with Tommy, Donny, and the crew.  It was said Delonte was not offered a contact because the Celtics planned to use Avery Bradley who was under contract.  

Now this information isn't coming straight from DA or Doc, but I'd say given the sources it is spot on and the only logical explanation (although a bad one).  AB showed nothing last year, and he's the same this year.  It would be different if he actually showed some potential at the NBA level.  

I guess the most dissapointing part of the non-move is it shows the C's weren't going all out this year in what is likely the last run for the big 3.

Also when DA was asked directly about Delonte when he was still an FA, he responded "he's an option"; and not something along the lines of we're interested in bringing him back.