Celtics could be interested in bringing back Gerald Green

CSNE

With the New Jersey Nets in talks of a potential trade with the Atlanta Hawks for Joe Johnson, the domino effect might make its way all the way to Causeway Street.

The addition of Johnson could make the Nets less likely to re-sign Gerald Green, which might then open the door for a potential return to Boston for the former Celtic.

Green, whose youth and immaturity factored heavily in his struggles during his first stint with the C's, returned to the NBA this past season (he had been out since 2009) following a strong showing in the D-League.

In 31 games with the Nets, Green averaged 12.9 points while shooting 48 percent from the field and 39 percent on 3s -- both career highs.

He has at least one fan among the C's hierarchy: head coach Doc Rivers.

Prior to facing Green and the Nets earlier this past season, Rivers made it clear that he was pulling for Green to continue on the course of getting his once-promising NBA career back on track.

"He's not a bad kid," Rivers said. "He's never been a bad kid. He just needed some direction. Sometimes, you have to go through hard times to make it. And I'm really hoping he makes it."

Rivers added, "People look at Gerald and they just saw this freak athlete that won the (2007) dunk contest. Gerald can make shots. He can really shoot the basketball. He just hadn't been taught how to play basketball. I hope it works out for him."

Green, 26, is not a player that ranks at or near the top of the Celtics' wish list. But depending on how free agency plays out, that could change quickly.

Boston has already reached out to representatives for Jamal Crawford -- a player CSNNE.com said last month would be a player of interest to Boston during free agency -- as well as those for Ray Allen, O.J. Mayo, Nick Young and Jason Terry.

112288

I don't know if we want to go down this path again. But if he has gotten it together we do need to build a bench and we desperately need some players who can run. It wouldn't cost us much, and there aren't many free agents that look any better.

.....I think its worth a shot, we need runners with Rondo, why not take a look?

That guy can run like a deer and boy can he jump!

112288

That's a step forward!! Out with Ray, in with Gerald?

No thanks, I'll pass.

Ones 26 the other is 36, take a look, maybe both?

112288 wrote:That guy can run like a deer and boy can he jump!

112288

112288,

Thought like a deer too. Made Charles Barkley seem like a seer. One of the dumbest players I've ever seen play.

Can one's basketball IQ improve playing in Turkey and Russia?


bob


.

If Gerald Green winds up following the green brick road, I hope it leads to Oz so he can ask the Wizard for a brain.

Sam

all he has to do is learn to play off/listen to/watch every move of Rondo, and get ready to catch the ball in different situations.....run Gerald run

Listen,


When Green left the Celtics he was immature kid with great potential. He matured and now with a different sheriff in town (KG) and Doc the kid can now be taught how to play Celtic basketball. $1.5-$2.5 million will not set the Celtics back. It's all house money if he performs like he did with the Nets!

112288

11th or 12th roster spot? Maybe.....

I am really looking forward to Rondo having a few deer running with him, even if only for brief periods of games as I doubt we'll go truly uptempo yet. But I think, though we have seen Rondo mature and play some amazing all round games, he has played his entire Celtics career with the governor on, and when it is removed and he has fast break players on the court with him we will then truly see his capability and creativity. I'll defer to my elders, but if Cousy in his prime was playing with the Cs the last 5 years, don't you think he too would have been somewhat limited by the style of play. (Not that I'm complaining about the last 5 years, just looking forward possibly to an old school fast break team with Rondo being the orchestra leader)

Bobc,

The answer to your question is, "No." While Cousy was well-known for his transition prowess, he was equally proficient in the half court. It was in the halfcourt that his extraordinary peripheral vision allowed him to spot cutters sooner than other PGs. His ability to think two or three moves ahead of the action gave him a major advantage over the opponents' halfcourt defenses. And he was always on the attack, seldom making a move without an aggressive purpose.

One of the main reasons I feel that Cousy was easily the best playmaker of all-time is because he excelled at both the fast break and the halfcourt game. Plus the fact that only Russell rivaled The Cooz' cerebral strategizing on the court—and that strategizing was more of a factor in the halfcourt than in transition, which is inherently more instinctive in nature.

Sam

Sam,

Thanks, that is why I defer to my elders.

Green will never be a great player but at this point he appears to be good rotation player that would add depth to the Celtics.

In that regards he is an option to be considered.

Dboss

I would rather see Marquis coming off the bench vs. Gerald Green.....but thats just me.

I like Quis too, but would like to see a running Green soaring for some alley opps from Rondo.....

Since Doc used MD sparingly , and I am being kind when I say that, why bring him back if the same old, same old is going to occur with Doc. I like him and I think they should bring him back but if he is just a bench warmer, try something else.

112288

That is one thing I didnt get was why Doc stopped using Marquis. I trust in Doc to know what is best, but when Quis came in, in the playoffs - he provided a spark. He also has a calming influence on the second unit.

Maybe he doesnt practice well - maybe he cant remember plays - or something like that. But to me Doc didnt to his team any favors by not giving Quis more minutes over the course of the season.

MK,

I just don't get it either!

112288

I like Green for the same reason noted by Cow. He can get up and down. celts didn't add any speed with their picks and I suspected that could be addressed in free agency.

Dboss

"Run, Gerald, Run!", but more importantly "Think, Gerald, Think!".

Can Marquis run like Green? No, but few can, and yet Daniels has been in the league for a long time and Gerald has had a lot of trouble sticking with any team for long. Is no one curious why the Brooklyn Nets (soooo weird saying that) aren't eager to re-sign him as a swingman/backup for Joe Johnson?

How many minutes should we expect to see bottom-half-of-the-bench Gerald Green running with starter Rajon Rondo? My guess would be not many. Therefore getting all dewy-eyed about the prodigal son returning home to fulfill his destiny is not something we should expect to see much of.

If we accept, as I do, that they won't be spending a lot of time on the floor together, then who would Green run with? Dooling? Running fullcourt doesn't seem to be Dooling's forte. Bradley? He can run, for sure, but he doesn't have a point guard's brain (at least, not yet). Bradley's a better finisher on the break than he is as point. As we saw many times this past season our offense becomes much less coherent when Rondo is sitting down. Less orchestrated, less fluid, less focused. Who would provide Gerald Green (or any other deer) the opportunities to highlight their athleticism? Is there anybody on our roster, or that can be had for a good price, that we can trust to orchestrate a coherent offense for Doc when Rondo is sitting? Is there anybody on our roster that we can trust to make the right pass to the right person? Who will provide the offensive coherency that brain-dead deers like Gerald Green need?

Hmmm, let me think...

How about replacing Sasha with Green? Both are about the same height (6'7" for Sasha vs 6'8" for Green). Green is more athletic, although we've seen Sasha get up and down too, but like Daniels few can run like Green. Who would fit in better? Forgetting about defense, where I consider Sasha's talents to be as superior to Green's as Green's offensive and athletic talents are superior to Sasha's, who would just fit in better? That important, yet unquantifyable "chemistry" thing and locker room presence. Sasha doesn't need the ball to be effective, Green does. Sasha usually makes smart plays and is usually in position where he's supposed to be. Green? Sasha has shown he can sit on the bench for weeks and then be inserted into a game and play at an acceptable level. Green? Sasha plays physical defense. Green? We are a "defense-first" team.

I like Sasha, I think he was an asset last season, but if we're talking about replacing anybody for Green, I'd say make it Sasha and not Daniels. Nevertheless, be prepared for all the head slaps you're going to give yourself all the times he screws up and misses a defensive assignment or makes a bad decision and, I promise you, there will be many of them. Remember them, when we lose by 2 points. I know I will and that's why I'll take a smart player over a deer anyday. Hitting myself in the head is not something I enjoy and look forward to.

bob


.

Bobc,

Don't remind me. I just had #75. Sometimes I get the feeling I'm going to pass Cousy in the age department soon.

Seriously though, I thought Magic made his PG reputation largely with floor-length passes to a streaking Worthy. I thought Stockton made his reputation by being very consistent in setting up teammates with a fairly conservative floor game. But no one—and I mean absolutely no one—created offense both in transition and the half court like Cousy.

I'm not that much of a photographer, as I've always preferred to concentrate intently on taking mental pictures of important events and searing them vividly in my memory. The Cooz was one my earlier examples in that department, and I'm blessed with an excellent memory that enables me to loop an internal personal reel of not only his career in general but also a plethora of specific plays and moves he made pretty much from the day he joined the Celtics.

Sam

Let me just add to all the chatter about Sasha being far superior then Green.

Moving forward, the Celtics cannot afford to have a short bench this year.
Players sitting on the bench for prolonged periods of time only to be called sporadically doesn't help win games, does not help in the evolution of the Celtics, post Garnett, post Pierce, and possibly post Allen.

Sasha cannot shoot for spit! He'll get hot in garbage time, then in crunch time, he'll go 0 for. Green can shoot, and if worked with by Celtic coaches on playing defense, can improve that aspect of his game. He has everything to prove for a big contract in a few years before he gets old, and that is enough of a motivation!

112288

bobheckler wrote:"Run, Gerald, Run!", but more importantly "Think, Gerald, Think!".

Can Marquis run like Green? No, but few can, and yet Daniels has been in the league for a long time and Gerald has had a lot of trouble sticking with any team for long. Is no one curious why the Brooklyn Nets (soooo weird saying that) aren't eager to re-sign him as a swingman/backup for Joe Johnson?

How many minutes should we expect to see bottom-half-of-the-bench Gerald Green running with starter Rajon Rondo? My guess would be not many. Therefore getting all dewy-eyed about the prodigal son returning home to fulfill his destiny is not something we should expect to see much of.

Given some playing time this season with the Nets, Gerald Green put together some incredible plays. The guy has Flubber on his shoes.



He averaged 13 points a game on 48% shooting last season. But as Bob points out, why don't the Nets want him back? Why has he never been with a team more than a year since he left the Celtics? Why did he play overseas from 2009-11 and start last season in the D-league? Why are his career highlights winning the slam dunk contest and the D-league all-star game MVP?

And if his value is as a running partner for Rondo but Rondo is on the bench when Green comes in, what good is he?

Maybe his entertainment value justifies picking him up. Maybe the anticipation, the constant wondering if he's about to make one of those spectacular dunks will keep you on the edge of your seat. Or maybe watching the expressions on Doc's face at what Green does (or doesn't do) will be worth the price of admission. Personally, I'd pay good money to see him on the court with KG. KG made Big Baby cry, but he might do physical harm to Green some day in practice. Perhaps followed by a box score that reads, "Green - DNP, evisceration."

Outside

Like the Celtics, NJ has to solidify their core team and work outward.

Celtics are doing the very same thing by concentrating on their core like KG and Green, and then working out to Pietrus, Dooling etc

112288