Darko to Boston official [pg 3] Turned down Real Madrid offer

[Chris]

This is why we have Darko and not Christmas (yet).....this team is going to the playoffs. This is the LAST year barring some dramatic changes we can compete with the Thunders etc of the world.  Last year for the Spurs too.

  The good news is this is about the 5th year of it being the last year of our window.

I was going to say the same thing.  And I am not sure eja is wrong.  Its just that this team continues to defy the odds.

[j804]

This is why we have Darko and not Christmas (yet).....this team is going to the playoffs. This is the LAST year barring some dramatic changes we can compete with the Thunders etc of the world.  Last year for the Spurs too.

Let's say you get to a week before the playoffs and Chris Wilcox goes down like he did last year.  God FORBID Wilcox AND Collins goes down.

What then?  You will never say "Oh! But we have Kris Joseph!" You won't say anything like that. If Wilcox goes down you will be very happy that you have Jason Collins and Darko rather than scramble to traumatize Fab or Sully.  You play a rookie like Sully out of position against Bynum and that's how injuries happen and we can't have an injury to Sully. 

If you have Darko, even if Collins also went down, then with a little help from J Green, Kg, Sully, and Bass you can still have something resembling an NBA frontcourt rotation.  With Christmas and Fab you don't.  I highly doubt Fab, Christmas, and Joseph are going to get you anything or anywhere in the playoffs if we needed them.

Let's say Wilcox goes down but it's really only a two week injury and you juuuussttt need to get to the next round and it looks like a 5 game series just became a 7 game series and then guys will be tired in the next round.

You need a Darko there. Not a Christmas. Not a Haunukah. Not a Kwanza. Not a solstice. Not even a New Year.

There are tons of project wings in this league and all over the place. We can get another one. There won't be a rush to sign Christmas if we cut him.

I dont think we cut Christmas if he shines in camp and looks good, wouldnt we just cut Joseph or send him to Maine?!

[xmuscularghandix]

Rondo - Dooling
Lee - Terry - Bradley (once he's back) - Christmas
Pierce - Green - Joseph
Bass - Wilcox - Sullinger
Garnett - Milicic - Collins - Melo

Obviously that's more than the team is allowed but my guess is that The Celtics will try to lock up Joseph with a Red Claws offer and keep him in the plans for the future.

[perks-a-beast]

Looking over Darkos stats...he played for Orlando? Where was i?

[hpantazo]

If this is true it is very simple.

6 More fouls on Dwight Howard.

The great equalizer when playing the Lakers.

Howard is useless if he is going to the line 18 to 20 times a game. And the Lakers will be less effective.

I can hear Tommy now..."This Kid Can Play!"

Forget Dwight Howard, who is out west and still has to recover from back surgery. This is 6 more fouls against Bynum who is in our division.  Excellent move. Darko along with Collins means were all set at defending the Bynums and D12's of the league.

[Eja117]

This is why we have Darko and not Christmas (yet).....this team is going to the playoffs. This is the LAST year barring some dramatic changes we can compete with the Thunders etc of the world.  Last year for the Spurs too.

  The good news is this is about the 5th year of it being the last year of our window.

I suppose the window has another 2-3 years and we can compete when Pierce and KG are like 37 and 38.  Or maybe the window is only one more year. Hard to say.  If we get really lucky then the window could be another 5 years and they could compete into their 40s like Tom Brady wants to do. With the ...uh..new sciences in sports out there anything could happen. They could make those annual summer trips to doctors in Asia and East Europe and get...uh..treatment for ..uh...their knees.

[Who]

They gotta put Darko on a conditioning program right away.

When he is at peak physical condition, Darko is a high level backup center to low level starter. A really good role player / regular rotation player.

In his current state, Darko is at best an average backup center. And that is probably being too kind, a well below average backup center might be more accurate.

He's gotta shed that extra 20-25lbs of flab he is carrying around that is limiting his mobility, quickness and explosiveness ... which is hurting in all three phases of the game (offensively, defensively and rebounding).

[snively]

I think he offers a similar skillset to what Jermaine brought.  Good defense, bad offense, iffy board work. 

It's nice to have a different look than Collins for back-up center. 

Wish it was Anderson, but I'm OK with Darko. 

[perks-a-beast]

Hopefully playing for a contender will be the thing to motivate Darko because he looked pretty apathetic in Minnesota. He needs to work on his rebounding. That and his potty mouth...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woWqSmichOo

[jgod213]

They gotta put Darko on a conditioning program right away.

When he is at peak physical condition, Darko is a high level backup center to low level starter. A really good role player / regular rotation player.

In his current state, Darko is at best an average backup center. And that is probably being too kind, a well below average backup center might be more accurate.

He's gotta shed that extra 20-25lbs of flab he is carrying around that is limiting his mobility, quickness and explosiveness ... which is hurting in all three phases of the game (offensively, defensively and rebounding).

Who, has his conditioning problem continued through the offseason? I know Rick Addleman ripped him late last season for being out of shape but that's all i know.

Maybe there's a chance he's started a drop-the-flab program already?

[Who]

I just don't see the need. I cannot fathom what about Darko makes him better than Collins or what we already have.

I would have preferred Birdman over either Collins or Darko, but this is a solid gamble on a player with legit defensive skills.

Me too -- Birdman over Darko.

Chris Andersen brings more diversity to the backup big man options for Doc Rivers. A different type of skill-set as a mobile defensive five / possession creator. Something none of the other bigs on the roster (outside of KG) offer.

As bucknersrevenge said, I don't see what Darko does that Jason Collins doesn't bring to the table.

Collins is the stronger post defender, overall man-to-man defender and offers similar (if not superior) team defense. Both are very limited offensively (liabilities) and both are weak rebounders (Collins worse than Darko).

I am not seeing a reason or situation where Darko offers more value than Jason Collins does. I can't see a reason to play him ahead of Jason Collins.

Still, having another big body has it's uses. Another big lug with 6 fouls that Doc can throw at power-based centers is useful ... but it felt like there were better options out there (Birdman being one of them) that would have offered the team more value.

[Celts Fan 92]

GARBAGE SIGNING

[j804]

If this is true it is very simple.

6 More fouls on Dwight Howard.

The great equalizer when playing the Lakers.

Howard is useless if he is going to the line 18 to 20 times a game. And the Lakers will be less effective.

I can hear Tommy now..."This Kid Can Play!"

Forget Dwight Howard, who is out west and still has to recover from back surgery. This is 6 more fouls against Bynum who is in our division.  Excellent move. Darko along with Collins means were all set at defending the Bynums and D12's of the league.

Exactly, this was for Bynum if he has a good year and gets rolling he can be a pain to deal with. This gives you six fouls and a different look to throw at Bynum all while making sure KG doesn't get worn down.

[KCattheStripe]

GARBAGE SIGNING

This game made me sad.

[relja]

Why do we have a gridlock at the 5?

KG
Wilcox
Collins
Melo
Darko
occasionally Sullinger