Hudson Is Wavied In A Brutal Way!

Outside,

You should never have to become a Twitter Quitter for raising humanistic questions. I can't help thinking there must have been a story behind the story regarding the Florida trip.

Sam

Can I find Twitter Quitters next to the Nutter Butters?

What I find interesting about the Hudson release is that the talk from Danny in the pre-season was that JR and Walker were fighting it out for one spot. Yet they're both still with the team and Lester's gone.

Maybe it's just the injury to Marquis and Pierce's knee that is making them think they should keep both. Still, keeping either one of those two in no way fixes the backup point guard hole left by Marquis' surgery.

bob

Outside wrote:Okay, you guys win, I was wrong. I'll have my lawyer release my retraction via Twitter.

Outside,

No right or wrong here, just a conversation among fans.

Tell me where to find the Nutter Butters though. I haven't had one of those in a long time!

Celtics have room to maneuver now
Hudson’s spot can be used for veteran help

By Frank Dell’Apa, Globe Staff | January 8, 2010

MIAMI - The Celtics have 47 regular-season games remaining, starting with tonight’s visit to Atlanta, but they are thinking ahead to the playoffs. That is why they waived Lester Hudson Wednesday afternoon, opening a roster spot, just hours before taking a 112-106 overtime win over the Miami Heat.

The Celtics will doubtless add a veteran player for the playoff run, though president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said no deal is imminent.

“We like Lester a lot, but that is an important roster spot,’’ Ainge said. “There are a lot of good players available and this gives us an opportunity to see what is out there and if they can meet our needs as we get near to the playoffs, a chance to get somebody who can help us win this year.’’

Hudson was expected to apprentice at point guard, but was clearly not ready. When Rajon Rondo was injured, Tony Allen filled the starting role in a 103-96 win over Toronto last Saturday.

Ainge said the Celtics attempted to work out a trade for Hudson, whose nonguaranteed contract was worth $167,782. The deadline for contracts to be guaranteed was 6 p.m. Wednesday.

“He was not getting an opportunity,’’ Ainge said. “The majority of the backup point guard minutes have gone to Eddie House the last three years. Even when we brought in Sam Cassell, Eddie was still getting the majority of minutes. And last year, when we brought in [Stephon] Marbury, Eddie got the majority of the minutes, especially in the playoffs.

“Lester hasn’t gotten a chance to play. We were making an effort up to the deadline to make a deal and try to find Lester a home so he could continue to be paid. That’s why he went with us [to Miami]. I was talking to him and his agent, and he was aware of what we were doing and of the possibilities that existed, and we were trying to do all we could up to the deadline.’’

The Celtics could have done something similar to what the Heat did, trading Chris Quinn to the Nets to clear a spot for Rafer Alston.

“We are just going to keep looking,’’ Ainge said. “There are a lot of players out there this year, and so many with expiring contracts coming out. Already a couple have been bought out - such as [Marko] Jaric and Alston - and that trend could continue.’’



There you have it from the horses mouth....

MrKleen,

Thank you. Many are so quick to pass judgment without really knowing the details. That is called making an assumption.

You know the rest...

When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me.

That doesn't really pertain here (the "me" part), since many of the "me's" have called the assumer(s) on their assumption(s). Thanks for doing your part to bring a little reality into the situation.

What I really don't get is why do these people make these assumptions that cast aspursions on the Celtic's management? Do they really want to believe this of Danny and company? Does their love for the "old days and old ways" depend on believing that the entire world has passed on for the worse and the glory is forever gone?

We went through this (and still are) with Leon and now it is repeated with Hudson.

I just don't get it.

Once again, thanks.

gyso

Thanks, MrKleen. You were right, I was wrong. I appreciate you providing the information.

Gyso, I'll try to do a better job of not making assumptions in the future. You do great work on this board and are certainly in much higher standing than me, but I have to say I don't appreciate being called an ass, which is how I interpret your post. That wasn't necessary, and it seems out of character considering your great body of fair-minded posts. Maybe you meant it in humor, but it certainly doesn't come across that way. Besides, you're also making assumptions when you assume what my motivations were behind my posts.

You may not care, but since you brought it up, I'll explain my motivations. First, I simply responded to 112288's original post on this thread, agreeing that the situation seemed like Hudson was "waived in a brutal way" with a one-line post of my own. When the premise of the thread was challenged, I explained my position. I didn't get personal or "cast aspersions" on Celtic management, and when that was insinuated, I clearly said that I think Danny and Doc are decent people. I have no agenda against Celtic management or trying to relive the Celtic glory days.

I try reeeally hard to be fair, open-minded, and considerate of others in my posts while presenting my views in a confident, substantiated fashion. I am willing to put my views out there and respond to explain them further when they are challenged. I had an opinion based on the information that was available at the time, I spent some time looking for additional information about the situation, and I was willing to explain my point of view. I was willing to change my opinion and admit I was wrong when presented with a convincing counterargument. Yet there have been multiple times other than this when it feels like I've been hammered by other posters simply for stating my opinions in a fair-minded, respectful way.

I'll learn from this particular situation and be more circumspect in the future. But if I need to wait until I have all the facts until I express an opinion that may in some way be considered derogatory of the Celtics team or organization, then I'll be waiting a long time because we never have "all the facts," just like we still don't in the Hudson situation.

I understand that this is a Celtic board. I've learned that when anyone says anything negative about the Lakers, it's radioactive to present any kind of counterargument, so my best course of action is to avoid those threads, bite my tongue, and not respond. This forum gives me a better opportunity to discuss basketball with knowledgeable people than I've found anywhere else, so that's a small price to pay. However, having said that, I feel my position as a non-Celtic fan brings a balancing perspective to the board and is a good thing, and I believe most others here agree with that concept. I urge other posters to remain respectful when I put that concept into action. As I said earlier in this thread, we're just voicing opinions here, and I hope people don't take it so seriously that they lose perspective.

Outside

Outside,

I don't believe the Celtics organization, as currently constituted, is patently mean-spirited. And I do believe they're completely committed to winning championships.

BUT they do have the ability to practice (let's say) detached objectivity when it comes to decisions involving the more emotional aspects of the game.

It happened that Red Auerbach died virtually on the eve of ownership's plans to introduce the Celtics Dancers—a concept to which he was passionately opposed. I'm not certain why they were so ready (in effect) to throw the dancers in Red's face, but I have to assume that the business element of their decision process was more influential on them than the tradition espoused by the patriarch.

I'm personally well-acquainted with a player from the teams L.A. fans love to ignore...you know, the ones whose successes will never be approached. He has been to Boston exactly twice during the ensuing 40 years (once because of Red); and, while he's circumspect about it, he carefully says that he doesn't go where he isn't invited.

About a month ago, I had occasion to speak at length with journalist Jackie MacMullan, and I mentioned his feeling of rejection to her. She didn't waste a moment telling a total stranger (me) that he was far from the only old Celtic who felt that way. I didn't pursue other names with her, but the fierceness and readiness of her candor suggested to me that she had plenty of evidence.

There's little doubt that this ownership group has a firm desire to leave their own imprint on the team; and sometimes that doesn't happen without allowing more established imprints to fade into the background. I believe they keep enough old Celtics around (Heinsohn, Havlicek, JoJo, etc. to give the impression of links with the past; and it's easy to talk a good game in honoring the past. I omitted Russell, who seems to be around a lot, because Jackie also told me he's very well-paid to be around a lot. Come to think of it, Heinsohn's well-paid too. I don't know about JoJo (I suspect not), and Havlicek probably doesn't need the money (due partly to his close association, during his playing years, with a very good stock broker known as Thomas "Satch" Sanders).

I also did not refer to Cousy's being dumped by Comcast as an occasional television commentator. At the time, I blamed ownership for not interceding, but I now realize (and this has been confirmed by several sources, from former players to Jackie) that The Cooz' wife, Missy, has been in very tough physical shape for quite a while and he seldom leaves her alone.

When I talk about dispassionate coldness, I instinctively feel (without being certain) that I'm alluding mainly to ownership—not Danny, Doc, etc. I don't know how much any decision-making coldness may trickle down below the ownership echelon.

And, yes, I'm fully aware of all the good works ownership does and how much of a role they played in bringing the 2008 championship (and hopefully more) to Boston. But I've been very close to the public relations industry all of my work life, and I know how much advice public figures get about engaging in philanthropic initiatives in a calculated manner designed to soften their public images. If Ty Cobb were living today, he'd probably be founder of some entity called "Little Sisters for Doing Good."

I'm not really singling out Celtics ownership for criticism, because I think they're simply part of the inexorable movement of pro basketball (and other pro sports) toward detached, impersonal business decisions and an entertainment orientation. And they do a good job of thriving in that milieu. If anything, I'm probably commenting on the milieu itself—and wishing it didn't have to be the way it is. But wishin' ain't gettin', and I (like all of us) gain lots of fan benefits from the way teams are being run.

Take care,

Sam

Perhaps this quote from Danny Ainge in this morning's Boston Globe will help clarify why Lester went to Miami with the Celtics.

Sam

The quote:

“Lester hasn’t gotten a chance to play. We were making an effort up to the deadline to make a deal and try to find Lester a home so he could continue to be paid. That’s why he went with us [to Miami]. I was talking to him and his agent, and he was aware of what we were doing and of the possibilities that existed, and we were trying to do all we could up to the deadline.’’

Sam,

MrKleen included that same quote in his post. It certainly supports his argument.

It does look like Ainge made the statement to counter the perception that Hudson was treated poorly by taking him to Miami and then waiving him. I still feel that was a valid perception at the time, especially since a post to that effect by Globe writer Gary Washburn on the BDC Celtic blog is what spurred 112288 to start this thread. The fact that Ainge specifically addressed why they took Hudson to Miami indicates to me that they realized it didn't look good and they didn't want to leave that perception out there from a PR perspective.

Outside

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there also the possibility that he could be picked up in 10 day to 10 day stints, assuming he clears waivers and if the C's don't go after anyone, he could still end up with this team? It may not be much of a possibility and it is kinda brutal but could it not happen?

LACeltFan,

I think they're allowed two 10-day stints with a given player. Then I believe they either have to sign him for the season or forget about him.

Something tells me this wasn't a money-saving move, though. It seems likely that they really want to keep that slot free to allow them to make immediate moves if they become available.

I actually feel worse for Hudson than for Leon. At least Leon, in good health, is a known quantity and will almost demand a serious shot at returning. Lester doesn't have any kind of proven background. Maybe I was too influenced by the straightforward way in which I felt he handled his interviews.

Sam

The cruel joke is that we look at the Celtics as a team. It is sport to watch them over the years. It is fun!

But the business side of the game is unpredictable. It is cold like a winter in New England. It would have been a nice gesture to sign Leon and say you played hard and you deserve a chance to recover and we are willing to put out $1.6 million (luxury tax included) to give you that chance.

It would have been nice for Boston to look down the road and say, Lester we think you are a keeper although we do not expect you to help us this year but we want to retain your services.

I'm sue DA would have loved to do these things except his responsibilities as the GM and his 'we need to win now philosophy' prevented any humanitarian gesture.

But we cannot blame him for that. The window of opportunity to win while the big three can still play competitively closes a little more each day.

And it also sounds as though the decision to cut Lester was a last minute decision. So quite naturally he traveled with the team to Miami. I do not believe that DA would have let him travel with the team if he knew for certain that he was going to cut him the day of the game.

In sum, I do not think this was a money saving move. I honestly believe that DA made the move because he wants to have the option to add another player to enhance the Celtics' chances of winning the championship this year.

dboss

Maybe it was to us, but, according to Ainge and Hudson's agent, they were aware that the Celtics were trying to find a new home for Hudson before the deadline. This was no shock to him at all. Now he has signed on with the Grizzlies, let's see if he stays past the 10 day contract. I really like this kid, I think he has talent, but it was obvious that he also needed some real NBA
tutoring and the Celtics just didn't have the time or spot to do this right now.
I am glad he hooked on with someone. This is definitely not a Leon case, though. (Did you see that he has been cleared to start practicing with the team?)