Does it Matter if a Swingman Creaks?

News is in that Milwaukee has waived Bruce Bowen.  How is this news of a declining role player who once shot a better percentage on threes for a season than he did on free throws worthy of my first post in a couple of weeks?  Can I really be excited about a guy who has clearly lost a step?  Yes, because simply put Bruce Bowen can fit a need for the Celtics and he won't be expensive (also, I don't want to read about or think about baseball right now for obvious reasons, so...).  Boston is short a swingman who can come off the bench, hit a long shot or two and play defense within a system, which is exactly what Bruce Bowen is built to do.  All we have to do now is keep him from going back to San Antonio for one more tour...

But who is this guy, anyhow?  He's a multiple NBA champion (3 rings with the Spurs in 2003, 2005 and 2007), an eight time selection for All NBA Defense (First and Second team) and he's clearly got no problem elbowing Sasha Vujacic in the chops, what's the catch?  He's 38 and clearly lost a step this year, which is a red flag to say the least.  But if you think about what Boston needs him for, he might just be the guy that comes in really handy somewhere down the road next season.

Bowen can still come off the bench for 15 minutes a night and provide quality individual and team defense as well as some three point shooting to a Celtics second unit that has a big, gaping hole at the swing position.  He doesn't have to guard Kobe for 30 minutes any more, nor would he need to shut down any of the NBA's elite players in this capacity with Boston.  But he could be great in practices and in the locker room, and in a team oriented system like Boston's where he'll never be expected to do any more than he can do, I think he can help this team a lot.  

The stars seem aligned to me.  He's a tough guy that a lot of players don't care for (like Sheed, KG, Rondo, Pierce and most of the other Celtics) and that's just fine with him.  He plays killer defense and communicates well with teammates and has a heady feel for that side of the floor (check and check).  And he's thrived for much of his career by feeding off of a speed demon point guard with no outside game who penetrates and kicks to shooters on the perimeter (sound like Rajon Rondo to you?).  And he'd be joining a team with serious title hopes where he could be a contributing member in an easier conference with less Kobe.  Also, number 12 is still available in Boston (though they may still have to wash some of that Ricky Davis funk off of the jersey).  Seems to me like a match made in heaven.

My answer is no.  For this Celtics team, it doesn't matter if Bowen is a little creaky and a little slow.  The Celtics aren't a speed team, they're an execution based team.  Bowen has the skill set and the mental make-up to be a contributor, so I say break out the WD-40 and see if he's got enough in the tank to help Boston get over the top this coming season.  I'm just fantasizing here, we'll see where Bowen lands.  San Antonio is probably the smart money bet, but I wouldn't sleep on Boston bringing Bruce Bowen into the fold.  I'll keep an eye on it, as should you.  Stay cool out there.