Mc Hale Weigh's In On Celtic Position

IN DO NOT CONCUR WITH MC HALE!!!!!!!! BUT HERE IS HIS STATEMENT.


By Gary Washburn Globe Staff

Former Celtics great and NBA TV analyst Kevin McHale weighed in on whether the depleted Celtics need to make a roster move to add bench depth.

Boston entered Monday night's loss to Charlotte Bobcats with injuries to swingman Marquis Daniels, centers Shaquille O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal and Semih Erden and reserve guard Delonte West. With the returns of Jermaine O'Neal and Daniels uncertain, there has been speculation about the Celtics adding another player.

McHale said he believes the Celtics have enough depth.

"I'm a big Marquis Daniels fan, I like him, it was tough injury and scary seeing that whole thing but I think the Celtics what they have going for them is a ton of depth," he said. "All of a sudden Delonte West is going to come back and I really like West's game. He plays with other great players so well. With the Celtics as they lose one guy they gain another guy. And I don't think they have to make a big trade."

The Hall of Fame power forward does have one suggestion for Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

"You can't take one game last night (too seriously). Everybody has a tough night in the NBA. It's 82 games and some nights you just don't have it. But I like they way they're poised," he said. "I think now Doc Rivers, who is a tremendous coach, I think now maybe getting into the All-Star Break, maybe starting to change the minutes around a little bit, give his horses a little bit more rest, allow the bench to develop a little bit more."

112288

McHale fails to realize that Doc is running out of cards to play. The deck is dwindling down and needs to be replenished. The bench is thin and in need of more quality support. Jermaine's & Marquis's uncertain future muddy the waters. James Posey and Rasheed Wallace would be welcome remedies at this time.

MD.

MD,

I agree with you on those two players. It is a quick fit.


112288

Hi,
Actually, he is not against a trade, just a big trade.
Of course all this is open to interpretation.
My guess is that a lot in any possible Celtics trade will depend on 'Melo deal. I think that some of the GMs, DA including, wait for it to go through.
IMHO, Celtics don't need anything drastic - just a PP's backup for 12-15 min. Maybe even less than that considering that they can use VW a bit.

AK

2011 James Posey is not the 2008 Posey that you remember. His shooting has seriously regressed.
He is also under contract for $6.925m next year. As a luxury tax payer, Boston doesn't want to pay him $6.925m plus $6.925m to the league in luxury tax for a 10 minute/game player.
There are better options at SF then Posey.
Indiana would give him away if they could find a taker.

Completely agree with Kevin McHale

Too much Chicken Little out here. The sky IS NOT falling, Celtics will be fine.

Mrkleen,

Look at the situation currently:
3 bodies at center - KP, SON, SE ------JON is a big question.
3 bodies at shooting guard - NR, RA, VW
2 bodies at point guard - RR, DW & NR a swingman back to point guard
1 bodies at small forward - PP--------MD is a big and I say big question

Doc can talk all he wants about VW filling in......but fill in does not = full time during the rest of the season and in playoff's. It's not his position which he now must learn, he gives up height @6'5'' for rebounding.

To gamble the season and $$$$$$to the organization that was built to win now
would be crazy if they are just going with the hope that MD will be fine. He 's open to getting injured easier now. I've seen it with hockey players coming back too soon.

To roll the dice....no way!

112288

112288 wrote:Mrkleen,

Look at the situation currently:
3 bodies at center - KP, SON, SE ------JON is a big question.
3 bodies at shooting guard - NR, RA, VW
2 bodies at point guard - RR, DW & NR a swingman back to point guard
1 bodies at small forward - PP--------MD is a big and I say big question

Doc can talk all he wants about VW filling in......but fill in does not = full time during the rest of the season and in playoff's. It's not his position which he now must learn, he gives up height @6'5'' for rebounding.

To gamble the season and $$$$$$to the organization that was built to win now
would be crazy if they are just going with the hope that MD will be fine. He 's open to getting injured easier now. I've seen it with hockey players coming back too soon.

To roll the dice....no way!

112288

Again, you guys are all going crazy out here...losing your minds about all these nightmare scenarios. In the meantime, DA and Doc are the ones that actually know what is going on and know what they need and do not need.

Von Wafer is capable of playing the 3 against all but the most physical small forwards....and at 6'5" - his athletic ability is far superior to Quis - so rebounding will not be an issue at all. When the C's face a big 3, they will have to throw Luke or even Baby at them and see what happens.

We dont even know the final outcome with Daniels yet.....some of you guys have the hole dug for him already. He very well may come back in early March and be just fine down the stretch.

If the team hits the middle of March and they are struggling and there is no Quis in sight, I am sure DA will make a move. But to suggest anything is eminent is just ridiculous at this point. CALM DOWN

I hope your right!

112288

i'm with kleen, dont come around here much these days cause the negativity has run amok.

mrkleen09 wrote:

112288 wrote:Mrkleen,

Look at the situation currently:
3 bodies at center - KP, SON, SE ------JON is a big question.
3 bodies at shooting guard - NR, RA, VW
2 bodies at point guard - RR, DW & NR a swingman back to point guard
1 bodies at small forward - PP--------MD is a big and I say big question

Doc can talk all he wants about VW filling in......but fill in does not = full time during the rest of the season and in playoff's. It's not his position which he now must learn, he gives up height @6'5'' for rebounding.

To gamble the season and $$$$$$to the organization that was built to win now
would be crazy if they are just going with the hope that MD will be fine. He 's open to getting injured easier now. I've seen it with hockey players coming back too soon.

To roll the dice....no way!

112288

Again, you guys are all going crazy out here...losing your minds about all these nightmare scenarios. In the meantime, DA and Doc are the ones that actually know what is going on and know what they need and do not need.

Von Wafer is capable of playing the 3 against all but the most physical small forwards....and at 6'5" - his athletic ability is far superior to Quis - so rebounding will not be an issue at all. When the C's face a big 3, they will have to throw Luke or even Baby at them and see what happens. We dont even know the final outcome with Daniels yet.....some of you guys have the hole dug for him already. He very well may come back in early March and be just fine down the stretch.

If the team hits the middle of March and they are struggling and there is no Quis in sight, I am sure DA will make a move. But to suggest anything is eminent is just ridiculous at this point. CALM DOWN

.


Throwing Luke or even Baby, neither of whom are 3s nor play 3, at a big 3 proves the point about our thinness at that position.

The NBA trade deadline is 2/24 @ 3 p.m ET. That's only 15 days away. "Making a move" in mid-March won't happen.

Playoff rosters must be set by 4/15 @ 3 p.m. ET. If Quis is not in sight or isn't inspiring confidence due to lingering issues from his spinal injury by then, then we will have a roster with a less capable player that could have been replaced with a capable one. If one of Von Wafer's advantages is that he has a few months of Doc under his belt, then why isn't getting a replacement 3 with a few months to go before the playoff roster is set an advantage? If they aren't working out, and Quis is coming back, then at least we have options.

The kicker still is that our roster is maxed, and we'd have to give up at least one player to get one.

bob

.

jeb wrote:i'm with kleen, dont come around here much these days cause the negativity has run amok.

jeb,

We're not negative, we're just concerned that we just lost our depth at our thinnest position with Miami hot on our heels. Maybe everything will be jake, just like MrKleen says. Maybe it won't. That's what makes for discussions and horseraces.

Don't make me come get you.

bob

.

Mrkleen,
DA won't be able to do anything in the middle of March - the deadline is Feb 24.
Also, I don't think Doc is a gambling type. Therefore he'll be pushing DA (maybe he already is pushing) to get somebody as a MD's replacement. And I think DA doesn't need much pushing if any at all.
I'm not saying that the sky is falling but... This current team was assembled for one purpose - #18. MD is important part of that machine but he can be replaced. The opportunity, unfortunately, presented itself. Fortunately, there's still time. I think DA will make a move.

AK

I'm basically with Kleen on this rather than with the "Chicken Little" scenario.

I don't see the situation at the 5 as dire. As Sam and I (and probably others) have said elsewhere, it's center by committee -- Perk, Shaq, Erden, and Davis. That'll do.

At the 3, there's obviously issues, especially if Daniels is out for the season, but that is an unknown. Even if he is out, I don't think it's likely the C's can get a decent backup without giving away something of value (and by value, I mean someone like Davis, which would be trading one set of issues for another). The likeliest scenario is going with the current roster. Doc said as much the other day when he said that they'd like to get a backup 3 but will be fine with what they have.

It's not ideal, but they'll be okay. They're big boys, and they'll make it work. You don't go from a powerhouse that can crush all opponents on the way to a title to a fragile, desperate mess by losing one of five center options and one bench player.

bobheckler wrote:...we're just concerned that we just lost our depth at our thinnest position with Miami hot on our heels.

This is probably a significant factor in why folks are worried, but it shouldn't be. It's not a big deal. Let Miami have the top seed in the East. Cleveland had it the past two years, and it didn't get them anything. LeBron's got a nice collection of regular season awards going, and he can add to it. Let the poor, old, depleted Celtics limp into the playoffs below the radar while the big, bad Heat stroll in like preordained champions, until ...

bobheckler wrote:Don't make me come get you.

Jeb, this is what you should be worried about. Is that BobH, armed with ancient Nepali attitude adjustment techniques, standing outside my window?? Nooooooooo!!

sinus007 wrote:Mrkleen,
DA won't be able to do anything in the middle of March - the deadline is Feb 24.
Also, I don't think Doc is a gambling type. Therefore he'll be pushing DA (maybe he already is pushing) to get somebody as a MD's replacement. And I think DA doesn't need much pushing if any at all.
I'm not saying that the sky is falling but... This current team was assembled for one purpose - #18. MD is important part of that machine but he can be replaced. The opportunity, unfortunately, presented itself. Fortunately, there's still time. I think DA will make a move.

AK

Not completely correct:

Are rosters set once the deadline has passed?

No. Players can still be waived and signed after the deadline. And a player is eligible for a team's playoff roster as long as he wasn't on another team's roster on March 1st or later.

For example, there are reports that the Nets may waive one or more of their veterans with expiring contracts (Tony Battie, Bobby Simmons) if they don't trade them before the deadline. Those players then would be able to sign with any other team. A contender might want to add Battie for frontline depth.

It is also possible that a player who is traded before the deadline could return to the team that traded him before the playoffs. If he has an expiring contract and isn't useful to the team that acquires him in the trade, they may choose to waive him. Once he clears waivers, he becomes a free agent and can sign with any other team. But he just can't sign with the team that traded him for 30 days (from the trade date) and such an arrangement can't be discussed before a trade is made.

Note, this article was from 2010 - but nothing has changed

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/john_schuhmann/02/10/deadline.faq/index.html

IMHO a straight up trade Nate for Carmelo would be our best move...and we could throw in a photocopy of Antoine Walker's old contract to make the numbers work.

Thanks, I stand corrected.

AK

worcester wrote:IMHO a straight up trade Nate for Carmelo would be our best move...and we could throw in a photocopy of Antoine Walker's old contract to make the numbers work.

That was a good one!

NY.........YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU........Your Good!

112288

HOW ABOUT Wally Szczerbiak. IF HE IS FIT AND HIS KNEE CAN GO FOR A FEW MONTHS WHY NOT!

112288

Because this team plays at 78 rpm and Wally spins at 33 rpm.

112288 wrote:HOW ABOUT Wally Szczerbiak. IF HE IS FIT AND HIS KNEE CAN GO FOR A FEW MONTHS WHY NOT!

112288

How about Wally Amos



or Wally the Green Monster



or Where's Waldo for that matter



They make about as much sense as that washed up, injury prone, no defense playing has been.

HOW ABOUT WALTER CRONKITE!

OR

WALT DISNEY

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