Marquis Signing?

Though I was initially sour on Boston signing Marquis Daniels to fill another roster spot at the swing position, a bit of research has the tides of my opinion changing.  In my mind, the best approach is to wait and see.  The only thing I'm questioning for the Celtics is the number of guaranteed contracts they have on the roster at the moment which could hurt their flexibility as the season goes on.  On the other hand, the price Ainge and the Celtics are paying for him is fair, and my ulcers will hopefully be able to recover because he'll be taking most of Tony Allen's minutes.

So who is Marquis Daniels?  He's a strong 6'6" wing who does all the little things that can help a good basketball team be better.  He can't shoot much better than Tony Allen, but he shoots a lot more jumpers (ugh) anyway.  He's a slasher without a conscience, willing to crash into the lane head-on every time even though the defense knows what he's doing.  He deflects balls on defense, and he can bring the ball up the floor in stints.  He can facilitate for others and makes plays for his team on both ends.  He was very successful in his rookie season playing point guard for Don Nelson in 2004.  He does all the little things that make coaches smile.  And he can give Paul Pierce a rest when the captain needs it.  

In Indiana he had to do so much more and his team struggled, and thus he comes off as a questionable player.  But the Celtics won't ask him to do much.  The floor should be spaced enough for him and he's plenty talented enough to find a cutting Eddie House or kick the ball to 'Sheed in the post.  Call me cautiously optimistic, but it's also true that Doc Rivers was interested in him when he was with the Orlando Magic in 2003 when Daniels was in the draft.  He gets positive reviews from the media (the media that actually knows, not the media that talks the loudest) and Danny Ainge has done a fine job keeping the ship on course thus far, so the least we can all do is reserve judgement until the season begins.

Also, it's great to see that Leon Powe has landed with another contender, signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers and interestingly enough, reuniting him with his former AAU teammate, LeBron James.  Powe will miss more than half of this season because he killed himself playing for the Celtics this past year and is by far the most likable player in the NBA.  If I ever get a Cleveland Jersey, it will be his.      

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.

A Long Time Coming: Sheed Sets Sail With the Green & White

Admittedly, this is long overdue.  A truly dedicated journalist would have been on these events like flies on you-know-what, but honestly I've had to put a lot more time and energy into work that pays the bills, so basketball writing has unfortunately fallen to the back burner.  Nonetheless, I have been paying attention to current events and am, needless to say, quite pleased with the way this offseason is shaping up.

In case you've had your head buried in the sand since the Lakers won the title and the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted a battalion of point guards, the Celtics have in this humble loud-mouth's opinion been among this offseason's biggest winners.  Yes, Cleveland got Shaq for pennies on the dollar, and yes, the Spurs plucked Richard Jefferson from Purgatory a.k.a Milwaukee (to say nothing of the Lakers' snaring of Ron Artest), but the Celtics made a huge splash not long ago by inking none other than Rasheed Wallace to a three-year deal at the mid-level exception.  The hugeness of this cannot be overstated (though I'll surely try).  

Wallace gives the Celtics everything they were lacking last year and then some.  He adds length and toughness to a front line that is desperately thin in both of those categories as well as a truly unique skill set and feel for the game that is in many ways unparalleled throughout the Association.  He is a player with virtually no holes in his game, one who is battle tested and dedicated to playing the game the right way.  His only hurdles have been those of his own making, and amongst a group of kindred spirits the stars seem poised to align for what could prove to be one of the greatest Celtic teams of all time.

To speculate that the addition of a player as combustible as Wallace could elevate these Celtics to the likes of the Birds, Russells, McHales, Cousys and Havliceks without seeing them play together might seem far fetched to casual observers, Sheed's immensely dynamic skill set is often obscured by his emotional outbursts and fiery, blunt personality.  Though it would probably be prudent to do so, I am prepared to state without qualifiers that by bringing Rasheed Wallace into the fold they have by far the best chance to win the East as well as the NBA Finals next season.  I'm so excited by the possibilities of this that I don't even care if I'm forced to eat a turd sandwich next spring.  Sheed is that good.

... 

(resisting)

...

Fine, How good is he?

Glad you asked.  Sheed represents the complete package on both ends of the floor, and at a long 6'11" he creates mismatches with both his size and his skill set.  On offense, Wallace is multifaceted and deadly in a system that preaches sharing and ball movement and should fit in nicely with players like Kevin Garnett, paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo.  He can post up nearly anyone and score with a variety of moves (using either hand, of course)  or hit a surgically accurate turnaround jumper that's nearly impossible to contest.  He can also extend the defense well beyond the three-point line (once again, either hand), which will allow the Celtics to space the floor for stretches of the game and create open looks off of either Rondo/Pierce dribble penetration or a Garnett post up.  Any shot from anywhere on the floor, though as some folks who are wiser than myself pointed out, he doesn't take a lot of long two-pointers, which speaks to his awareness and feel for the court and the game.  Add to that the fact that he's an accomplished passer from the perimeter and the post and a player who sets hard, reliable, well-timed screens and you have a nightmare match up for even the most savvy defensive teams.  

Not enough for you?  He's also a gritty-tough defender who's versatile enough to defend three positions either in the post or on the perimeter.  Once again, his length, skill set and feel for the game make Wallace an excellent defender, and it is here that his toughness and competitive fire combined with the Celtics system can possibly bear their greatest fruit.  Most importantly, Wallace is committed to the defensive end of the floor and understands that championship basketball is built on a foundation of defense.  

By adding Sheed, the Celtics now also have two of a very select group of interior players who have routinely frustrated Dwight Howard, the new Beast of the East (Shaq and a healthy Emeka Okafor are the only others who are on the list).  This will likely prove to be huge against Orlando throughout next year and likely into the playoffs.  Now Kendrick Perkins can be aggressive on defense and contest shots with some zeal knowing that Wallace is there to pick him up if he needs it (not to mention the fact that Sheed presents a match-up problem for Howard on defense and at the very least will force him away from the basket).  Sheed brings the rare ability to bang with the toughest of opponents as well as the quickness and athletic ability to contain even the most skilled post players (and he rebounds the hell out of the ball, too).  

Last but not least, Wallace is a champion who values winning more than his ego and is coming into an environment with like-minded peers who are just as dedicated as he is to playing the game the right way.  Wallace was the glue that pushed Detroit to glory in 2004 and brought his team millimeters from a repeat the next year.  Though his temperament may be a turn-off to some organizations, his swagger fits perfectly with the Celtics and will make a tough team even tougher.  

Rasheed Wallace can make every Celtic better, whether he starts or not.  Though his personality is distinctly different than that of James Posey, Wallace embodies many of the same vital traits that Posey brought to the championship team.  He's a guy you want in your foxhole, and the value of that quality cannot be underestimated.  An occasional lapse aside, Wallace is one of the most dedicated students of the game, able to run every play in the book from all five positions and direct traffic with the best of them.  He is the perfect do-it-all player who can elevate even the most talented teams to new heights.

You can't see, but I'm actually salivating right now at the endless possibilities the Celtics will have next year.  Now the Celtics can go small without actually going small, by playing Wallace, Garnett, Pierce, Allen and Rondo.  Four skilled, knock down shooters and a whirling dervish of a point guard to distribute the ball on offense with the length of two seven-footers (I don't buy that 6'11" crap for either Garnett or Wallace).  Or they can go big and tough, and use Wallace to bolster an already stout starting front-court of Pierce, Garnett and Kendrick Perkins.  With Rasheed Wallace in the locker room, any flaws that precipitated the downfall of the Celtics this season are gone for next season.  I fully expect them to be a force to be reckoned with next season.  If they can stay healthy and possible retain Big Baby Davis (or add another wing reserve), the Celtics could flirt with seventy wins.  I am deadly serious about that.

How Valuable is a Year in College Anyhow?

I've been trying unsuccessfully to write a column about Kendrick Perkins for several days now, but with the news this morning of Congressman Steve Cohen's call to the NBA to lift its age restrictions on incoming players, I feel compelled to throw my two cents in.  In case you didn't know, the NBA placed an age restriction on players entering the NBA draft in 2005, forcing young basketball players to be one year removed from high school before giving them eligibility for the NBA Draft.  I won't bother recounting the Association's excuses or arguments for this limit because frankly, they're all totally bogus.  I'm sorry, I just don't see how one mandatory year of college or some other equivalent is supposed to create better educated, more mature players for the league.

What I do see in this age limit is the league exploiting young men because they are lazy and incompetent.  First of all, this age limit forces players to donate a year of their lives to playing for the NCAA.  Though they usually receive free tuition from the schools that recruit them and a healthy amount of exposure in the process, prospects are sacrificing a year of pro salary and risking serious injury every time they take the floor for their schools.  The schools, the NCAA and CBS all make a killing off of these young men and give them minimal compensation in return.  It isn't quite slavery (after all they DO receive something in exchange for their services), but in many ways this system is very close to indentured servitude.  The schools presumably feed, clothe and "educate" the young men in exchange for their hard work at what appears to me as an appallingly unfair rate.  

Secondly, the NBA's current age limit creates a huge double standard for incoming talent by forcing American teenagers to wait a year before entering the draft while talented youngsters from Europe and elsewhere are allowed into the draft regardless of their age.  For example, Spain's Ricky Rubio will be one of the top prospects in this year's draft (likely going second or third overall) despite the fact that he doesn't turn 19 until the end of October 2009.  By contrast, point guard sensation Brandon Jennings was not allowed to enter into the 2008 Draft directly out of high school (choosing instead to play professionally in Europe instead of going to college) because of this rule even though his age situation is almost exactly the same as Rubio's (Jennings was born in September of 1989, Rubio was born in October of 1990).  Though Jennings got paid for his year in Europe, his stock has fallen from being a potential top three pick last year to being a late lottery pick with some question marks this year.  This will end up costing him millions of dollars immediately and perhaps throughout his entire career in the NBA, while Rubio will essentially be following the path Jennings would have and will be handsomely rewarded for it by the NBA.  

So why does Ricky Rubio get to play before he's 19 and many young stars-to-be like Brandon Jennings have to wait?  Aside form the exploitation and the money tied up in college ball and the interests of the NCAA etc. etc., the dirty truth is that most NBA scouts and GMs are so horrible and inept at judging basketball prospects that they need to send all of these boys to college to have even a slight chance of accurately evaluating them.  The competition that these young men play against in high school is so uneven and unpredictable that it can make it harder to get an accurate picture of their abilities as a player, whereas in the NCAA, the competition is easier to judge and generally holds to a certain standard (games are also more often televised, which cuts down on the need to send scouts out to random gyms across the country).  By pitting these prospects against tougher, more standardized competition, it becomes much easier for scouts and GMs to make informed decisions about a player's strengths, weaknesses and potential.  

Why else would there be an age limit if not for this benefit?  I can't honestly believe that Stern thinks these kids are actually getting any kind of real education in one year at college which has become simply an extended pro tryout, nor do I believe that he sees this program as a way to make players more mature (anyone heard of Michael Beasley?).  No, Stern and the owners and executives did this to make their jobs easier.  Because NBA teams were having trouble telling the difference between Josh Smith and Gerald Green, they came up with a stupid rule (in classic NBA fashion) that solves the problem on their end without addressing the real issues at hand.  Heaven forbid that the scouts and GMs across the NBA develop better methods for evaluating high schoolers or put more time and energy into dissecting the potential flaws of a player from high school, no that simply wouldn't do.  Instead, the league chooses to punish the players by robbing them of salary to solve the problem.  

But other sports have age limits, so why not basketball?  Sure, football has an age limit because if they let 18 year-olds onto an NFL field with Julius Peppers or Ray Lewis they'd get killed, plain and simple.  An age limit makes sense there, but not in the NBA where players as young as 18 and 19 can not only hold their own against veterans but dominate a game.  Even in sports with considerably more contact than basketball, 18 year-olds fresh out of high school are allowed to compete at the highest level as long as they're ready to do so (does the name Sydney Crosby ring a bell?).  Baseball takes players straight out of high school, and although most spend years in the minor leagues developing their skills, those who are ready to play immediately are not prevented from doing so.  The only sane reason to put an age limit on professional sports is to protect the players from the level of competition they face.  The NBA says this is the reason for their ban on high schoolers, but really they're doing it to cover their own asses.

To me, it's as plain as day that the NBA panicked and instated this ludicrous rule because they were either too stupid or too unwilling to take the bull by the horns and work hard on evaluating these high school players.  Instead of using discretion when it came to evaluating high school players, NBA GMs and scouts went crazy and thought that every high school phenom would be the next KG or Kobe.  Discretion, judgement and common sense went out the window and then players like Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Eddy Curry, Kwame Brown and Darius Miles were taken way too soon and suddenly all hell breaks loose.  I'm not about to say that any of these guys belonged in the NBA right out of high school, but what I will say to the death is that it isn't their fault that NBA teams were too stupid or too blind to see their flaws.  The onus for giving contracts to players has to fall on the teams and the executives who are paid handsomely to do just that, shifting the burden onto the players is simply outrageous.  

And while we're at it, I don't buy for one minute the argument that sending players to college for ONE YEAR makes them more mature human beings or more productive members of society, the evidence simply doesn't support that.  For every head case from high school that could have used a year or two of college (think of the names from the previous paragraph as a good starting point), there are also a slew of NBA players who were very successful in their transition from high school to the NBA.  Want names?  How about LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Tyson Chandler, Andrew Bynum, Travis Outlaw, Al Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, Al Harrington, Josh Smith, Jermaine O'Neal, Amare Stoudemire and Moses Malone (all off the top of my head) just to name a few.  And beyond that, I could probably come up with a list of players who went to college and still turned out to be busts or head cases or worse (think Ron Artest, J.R. Rider, Zach Randolph, Dennis Rodman etc.).  College does not equal maturity, nor does it always equal an education.  There is no proof that I'm aware of that shows that college players are better humans than high schoolers or that college players do better in the pros than high schoolers do.

I'm not advocating that every prospective pro player declare for the draft right out of high school, because most of them simply aren't ready for the NBA.  Most players could use at least two seasons of college to learn and refine their game before making the difficult leap to the pros, but I don't see that as a good reason to bar ALL high school athletes from making the jump.  Some basketball players are physically and mentally ready for the NBA straight out of high school, and forcing them to sacrifice millions of dollars is a crime.  Sometimes I can't help but wonder if Stern and the NBA did any research at all before making this inane decision, but then I remember that this is the NBA and that stuff like this happens in all arenas of the pro game all the time.  A difficult solution exists (scout better, draft high schoolers with caution) but the league opts for the solution that's easiest for them but skirts the real issue.

So how valuable is a year of college for these basketball players?  I think it has some value but not nearly as much as a contract in the NBA does.  These young men are being unjustly forced to sacrifice their bodies for a system that makes millions off of them and provides them with very little in return.  Though the age limit was implemented to supposedly help players make the tough journey to the NBA and provide them with greater opportunities for success, in truth it does little more than shield the suits running the teams.  If this doesn't seem crazy or wrong to anyone else, let me know and I will check myself into a hospital.  Until then, I'm going to watch game one of the Finals, which will feature two high school superstars in Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard, and drink until my brain can't fathom this egregious and ridiculous hypocrisy.  

Eugoly

First and foremost, I'd like to hold a moment of silence for the 2008-09 Boston Celtics...

This is hard for me to say, but the better team won this series.  That the series went to seven games is remarkable, and that the Celtics played so hard throughout despite being ravaged by injuries makes their intense and gritty playoff run all the more impressive.  News broke today that Kendrick Perkins, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce were all playing hurt, and I am not surprised one bit.  As if the season ending injuries to Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe weren't enough, apparently the universe saw fit to afflict three more of Boston's starters with debilitating injuries as well.  In case you weren't counting, that's three out of three of the Celtics New Big Three injured.  And this team took Orlando to seven games.  The accolades will likely never materialize for this feat, but in my mind, the Celtics deserve an equal amount of respect and admiration for playing through tough times and refusing to roll over in the face of superior competition.

Lesser teams would have crumbled months ago, but the Celtics stayed strong and proud and competed with the class of the NBA despite being short one gigantic and vital piece of the puzzle.  Though it has been beaten to death, the significance of Kevin Garnett's injury this season cannot be understated.   He brought so much more than emotion, intensity and leadership to the table for the Celtics (though these attributes are vital, no doubt), and his presence was missed on both ends of the court.  We must all pray that he is capable of healing and isn't at the beginning of the end of his playing career.  

The silver lining is that the Celtics will avoid the inevitable shaming by Cleveland and has another month to rest that they didn't get last year.  With any luck, the Celtics can reload and come back next year healthy and revitalized.  The will to win was there all along, and now they can be motivated by the chase to catch whomever is declared King of the Mountain this year.  The core will still be the same, and although some minor pieces may not return (Baby Davis is a free agent) the Celtics may find themselves in a position to get better next year rather than have to attempt to do the same job with less tools like they had to this season.

So although the Celtics have failed to repeat as champions, and although they lost before the Conference Finals on their home floor, I will remember these Celtics well (even Stephon Marbury).  I will remember them for their 27-2 start to the season, Paul Pierce's early season daggers, Rajon Rondo's near triple double average in the postseason and Ray Allen's 51 against the Bulls and I will smile as I raise a glass for them.  It was one hell of a ride this year and I cherished every occasion that I was fortunate enough to watch my hometown team take the floor.  Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go drink myself stupid and watch my DVD of game six of last year's Finals over and over and over again.