Celtics Central

George Fennemen:

“The story you are about to see is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.”

Joe Friday: “This is the city. Boston, Massachusetts. I work here… I’m a cop.”

“It was Thursday, August 6th. It was raining in Boston. We were working bunko…”

Word has just come out that Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis isn’t himself.

What I mean is that the supposed Big Baby tweeter is really an imposter…or so says Glen Davis and the tweeter now. And so says the Boston Herald who had published an article earlier centered around a series of frustrated, impatient and negative tweets by said Big Baby.

Joe Friday: “Uh-huh. Right…… Just the facts, please, mam.”

Here were the first string of tweets in the first Herald article….

“Why is this (expletive deleted) taking so long!!! I really don’t understand!!!!

Anybody knows what’s going on with the Celtics? Cause I don’t!!!!!

Well I’m not worried about Sheldon!!! Great. Guy and great player!!! But we are different players you know!!!!!

I wonder how the weather (is in) Boston cause I haven’t been there in so long!!!!

I like some of you guys ideas!!!! I going to tell danny (ainge) about some of you guys ideas!!!! I don’t know why then they sign (Williams) before me!!

Well I don’t know where I’m going to be!!! Where (you) guys think I’m going to be!!! Who needs a pf?”

That Herald article made the Yahoo NBA home page as well, (and probably others) spinning itself into the national media.  Fans were taking sides. Media types were seeing blood in the water. The feeding frenzy was on. It was getting ugly. I know, ’cause I’ve seen ugly and I know what ugly looks like. It’s not……pretty.

Apparently Glen Davis saw it all and called Danny Ainge to tell him that isn’t him making those tweets.

Joe Friday: “Right. Curious. Another garden variety case of identity fraud. Twitter hoax. A new form of bunko. Did the new information make it to print?”

Thus the second article from the Herald to confirm the misleading tweets….

Celtics forward Glen Davis, whose name was attached to a rambling string of comments on twitter.com decrying the lack of progress in his negotiations with the Celtics, told Danny Ainge today that the comments were posted by an unknown imposter.

Apparently feeling the heat from Joe Friday and the Boston police closing in…..

“We have the house surrounded, throw down your tweeter and come out with your hands up.”

a confession was made from the same twitter account  (bigbabybball) as the one thought to belong to Glen Davis…

Don’t be mad at Bigbaby!!!

Sorry guys !!!! This is not Bigbaby ..

You really think this the real Bigbaby!!!! If you think so !!!your wrong…

They all do that once they’re caught. Obsequious cowards. But before those were these…

Plus, I didn’t realize how hard this process was. Now I truly know what it takes to be a pro at every angle. Snice I’m growing up

Thanks for the love guys !! I can’t blame the celtics !! They are doing what’s best for the club.

The answer simply says the comments were made by an “unknown imposter”.  That answer requires more clarification to truly understand what actually happened.

So my question is this….

Are none of the previous tweets from Glen Davis and the account has been a fraud from the start?

or….

Has someone hacked into Davis’ twitter account and made those few ‘impatient’ remarks aimed at the Celtics?

Today is Friday. Let’s put Joe on it. Make no doubt. It’s tough being a cop….policeman nowadays.

All at once you lost your first name. You’re a cop, a flatfoot, a bull, a dick, John Law. You’re the fuzz, the heat; you’re poison, you’re trouble, you’re bad news. They call you everything, but never a policeman.

And with new technologies, there are new ‘unknown imposters’ seeking to avail themselves of it. Though I did, I guess it is really nothing to joke about.

Remember when you just worried about someone stealing your wallet?

And the preacher said….. ‘Can I get a witness?!

(All Dragnet and Joe Friday quotes were inspired by or taken from here.)

‘Gone Fishing’ will have to wait a day, I guess.

It looks like I was right about making Glen Davis a multi-year offer, but too generous in my ‘compromise’ amount.

Jeff Goodman in a WEEI article is now reporting that the Celtics have indeed made Glen a somewhat meager multi-year offer….

worth in the neighborhood of $2 million per year

and added this….

According to sources close to the situation, the Celtics brass believes that Davis will be back in Boston next season – either with a multi-year deal ……. or for a qualifying offer in which Davis would still remain a restricted free agent after next season.

And Marc Spears has tweeted this new information on what the Celtics would ‘probably’ consider the unmatchable threshold…

Cs still interested in RFA Davis, but report they’d match up 2 mid-level offer sheet untrue. $4 million-plus prob danger zone, source said. twitter.com

Until now, if true, that was not publicly known. Was it communicated to prospective suitors? Or was it kept intentionally vague? It would have been to the Cs benefit if it was vague, one would assume. I’m just trying to understand how this off season has progressed.

So the Celtics managed to keep suitors away for any offers under $4 million (according to Marc), and then played off that with a $2million (approx.) per year tender themselves. Interesting way to manage this negotiation. If true, the next question is…’How many years?’

As Jeff noted, Glen comes from a less-than-prosperous childhood with a mother with substance abuse issues, so it might be attractive to get a guaranteed minimum of, say, $4 million minimum over two (or more) years.

I’m just wondering about that last phrase in the quote about Davis remaining a restricted free agent next year if he takes the qualifying offer. My understanding of the CBA rules on RFA is that is not accurate. Davis would become an unrestricted free agent next summer if he takes the QO. My research hasn’t turned up anything contrary to that.

It is nice to know that Davis has a couple of options. He can take the one year qualifying offer and test the waters again next off season when more money may be available, or take a somewhat reduced multi-year offer now.

As Jeff Goodman noted, there does seem to be a fear on the part of some teams regarding Davis’ weight…

Many teams – according to multiple sources – are also fearful of his weight issues and inability to play above the rim.

It is still premature, and all it takes is one team to change things, but barring that game changing offer from some other team, Davis seems likely to remain a Celtic for this season.

Shelden Williams will sign with the Celtics

The other bit of news yesterday was the announcement The Celtics will sign former Duke star, 6′ 9″ Shelden Williams, to a one year veteran’s minimum contract. Goodman confirms that he is an ‘insurance’ acquisition, not to be confused with being a Glen Davis replacement option. But again, who knows what will happen.

In a scenario where Davis is moved, Williams is a now fall back option. After traversing three other NBA teams (Hawks, Kings, Wolves) in his short career and having fallen from top 5 lottery pick to vet minimum pick-up, Williams offers solid rebounding, a bit of interior defense and poor shooting ability.
Now maybe I can take a few days off!

‘Real life is, to most men….a perpetual compromise between the ideal and the possible.’ – Bertrand Russell

First – this is my last article on Glen Davis until something real happens and last article before I ‘Go Fishing’ for about a week or so. Putting up pictures of Yi Jianlian made me realize, it’s time.  (Ya think?) Anyway…..

What is Glen Davis really worth?

How much should the Celtics offer him in order to fit their own plans?

In light of all the Glen Davis drama (or lack of it) and lack of information on any front lately for the Celtics, one scenario hasn’t been mentioned much, at least that I have seen.

That is, would the Celtics make an improved offer over the qualifying offer (slightly over a million) they already tendered to Glen Davis?

I might even suggest a ‘neighborhood.’ How about $9 million over three years for Glen Davis? Start at $2.5, then $3, then $3.5 million. That sounds like  a fair middle ground, doesn’t it?

$2.5 puts the Celtics at $5 mill with the luxury tax, which might be close to what Davis is worth in a different economy. It’s definitely lower than what Glen would really want, one would believe. Why would he do it, then?

Call it…. The Boston Compromise of 2009

In honor of great compromises of the past, like the Great Compromise of 1787, (also called the Connecticut Compromise of 1787) where a debate over the representative apportionment of each state was resolved by Connecticut’s own Roger Sherman’s winning suggestion of a bi-cameral (two chambered) Congress, let a compromise prevail.

Davis gets financial security. The Celtics get another year to see how Glen progresses and fits with the team. Depending on that, Glen is a tradable piece. Would they make that an offer like that? Would Davis and his agent accept it?

Assuming no unmatchable offer surfaces and no sign and trade develops, what do you think each party should do?

To go back to July 1st for a moment….

Based on statements made on July 1st by Danny Ainge:

“Glen will be out there testing the market and seeing what the market dictates.
A lot of guys that were expected to opt out of their contracts didn’t. (Like all of Utah’s possibilities – Boozer, Korver and Okur, to name three. Okur got an extension, as well. -TH)

We probably know that the whole pool of money for free agents isn’t going to be what it’s been in the past…..The agents’ job is to check the market place and try to find out all the interest…teams may have in those free agents.

Some of (the free agents) will come looking for anything later in the summer, so it will be interesting to see how the summer goes.

What becomes the challenge with the Big Three is trying to manage the future and trying to manage the ‘here and now’.

Add to that Doc Rivers thoughts from Scott Souza in the Metrowest Daily from July 9:

“With Baby, we just have to wait. So I’m just trying to give him room to go out there in the free market to see what he can get. … I am (hopeful). But, honestly, I want him back for us. But I also want him to do well for his family and his life.

By many accounts, there was interest by more than a few teams in Davis. The Celtics reportedly turned down a number of sign and trade overtures made by other teams. No doubt, the Base Year Compensation Rules (where Davis’ salary would only count by half its amount in a sign and trade) complicated any offers. On the other hand, no other team has stepped up to make an offer that the Celtics wouldn’t match – that number being suggested by some at $5 million or more.

That would suggest a market value richer than the qualifying offer amount, but less than $5 million. Would it be reasonable to assume that Davis has had offers for around $2.5 to 3 million per year from other teams? Knowing the Cs would match, S&Ts were suggested by some teams…. and dismissed by the Celtics, again by unconfirmed reports.

I have no knowledge of any firm offer from anyone about anything, only the rumors we have all read. Assuming there is a grain of truth to them, I offer a third option. A compromise. The Great Compromise of 1787 was about fairness in representation, The Missouri Compromise was about slavery.

The Great Boston Compromise of 2009 would be about assigning value to a large Louisiana basketball player from Baton Rouge. Like the first Great Compromise, it is being proffered by a Connecticut conduit.

If it ever happens, maybe it should really be called…..The Louisiana Purchase.

First let me establish that this is NOT part of a Yi Jianlian rumor.

But in light of recent unconfirmed rumors, I found this new picture of a more hardened Yi at thenetsarescortching.com

Looks like the ‘Yi does bodybuilding’ off  season observations by some, are true. This is said to be a recent picture….

Yi hits the weights.

Remember, Yi is just 21…….or 24…..or something.

I’ve never been a proponent of the idea that a more muscular player is a better player. But strength does have it place.

It doesn’t help too much with defense, but it does help with personal confidence and rebounding.

(Three posts in one day! That is not like me.) But this is worth it.

Scratch former UConn Husky, Kevin Ollie off the list of potential back up point guards for Boston.

From Darnell Mayberry of OKNews.com…

The Thunder has signed veteran point guard Kevin Ollie.

Terms of the deal are unclear, but the contract likely is a one-year deal for the 36-year-old journeyman. The veteran’s minimum in 2009-10 for a player with 10-plus years of experience is $1,306,455.

“We are excited to welcome Kevin Ollie to Oklahoma City,” said Thunder general manager Sam Presti through a statement. “He brings experience, leadership and professionalism to our team as we continue to develop our roster on and off the floor.”

As readers of Celtics Central will recall, I did an in depth, three part article on Kevin not too long ago. Class act and consummate good guy. He trained at his craft with the league’s very best coaches, including Larry Brown.

Kevin wasn’t very sure whether he would play one more year or not. I guess that is now decided.

Wishing Kevin all the best with his new team. He will be mentoring a very young squad, including top talent Russell Westbrook. Etan Thomas and Kevin will be the older guys on the squad.

Good luck with a talented, up and coming team led by Kevin Durant, Westbrook , Jeff Green, amd rookie James Harden.

This will be Ollie’s 13th NBA season and his 12th team.

I’ve been borrowing from Saturday Night Live recently. Might as well do it again.

And now…. the news….

1) July 31st was the day teams could waive contracts before they were guaranteed.

2) Of note is Bruce Bowen, cut loose by the Milwaukee Bucks.

He was one of five players waived….

joining Boston guard Gabe Pruitt, Los Angeles Clippers guard Mike Taylor, Los Angeles Lakers swingman Sun Yue and fellow Buck Salim Stoudamire. All five players will be unrestricted free agents if they are not claimed by another team before 6 p.m. ET next Friday.

He fits what the Celtics need. He is a long, tough defender at the small forward position and a guy who can spread the defense with three point shooting. You know. Like James Posey did. The Celtics already have Marquis Daniels waiting to sign a contract, but Bowen would be a step up as a distance shooter and tough defender.

By cutting Bowen now, the Bucks only have to pay him $2 mil of the $4 mil he would have gotten if they waited or kept him. It was part of the contract he signed originally with the Spurs.

It also means that it is more likely that a team like the Celtics could sign him for the league veteran minimum. If that happens, it would be a return to the Celtics, as he played in 90 games total in green in ’98 and ’99 seasons.

The Celtics are one of a number of teams that are said to be interested in him.

3) Lamar Odom returned to the Lakers.

It keeps them as favorites now, I think, and that is fine with me. Here is how his new salary is structured…

• $25 Million over the first 3 years
• $27 Million total if Lakers don’t pick up 4th year option
• $33 Million total if Lakers do pickup up 4th year option

4) Hakim Warrick signs with the Milwaukee Bucks for one year at around $3 million. There goes any idea of him being a Celtic. How they use both he and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute will be interesting.

5) Drew Gooden signs with the Dallas Mavericks. With Shawn Marion in house, that solidifies the Mavs and gives them depth at an area they need it. He can play center and power forward. So can Dirk. Another situation to watch how they use the two of them.

Two Other Thoughts:

Glen Davis – the new Kendrick Perkins?

A) I think about those who seem to have a strong dislike and low opinion of Glen Davis. Almost visceral.  Then I think about how many seemed to be the same way about Kendrick Perkins before he rounded into shape. He frustrated a lot of people.

Could it be something similar? If Glen increases his rebounding and gets his defensive rotations down better, while smoothing out his offensive game, is that enough to change minds and win over skeptical fans?  I’m just asking.

B) Actually, I’ll wait on the other thought. It has to do with Tony Allen. But I’ll wait until Danny is finished making his moves, if Tony is still a Celtic.

And these final thoughts…

Glen Davis is still unsigned.

No third team has been found to complete the Marquis Daniels deal.

And, this just in…. Danny Ainge tries once again to trade Gabe Pruitt, a player he just waived, telling the other team, “I can’t believe I’m letting you talk me into giving him up.”

The sun will rise tomorrow.

That is it for now…..

I’m Chevy Chase…and you’re not.

Frank Dell’Apa in the Boston Globe….

“We like Gabe but he was not going to get a chance to play much with Marquis (Daniels) coming in,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said. “He has a bright future and this will give him a chance to play elsewhere.”

Gabe Pruitt Waived

Most will know by now that the Celtics cut 6′ 4″, 170 lbs., former USC guard Gabe Pruitt. With summer league being his last audition to stay a Celtic, Gabe did not impress enough to change his fate. A roster spot is now free.

Danny asked everybody and their mother if they wanted to trade for a player he knew, and they knew, he was going to release on Friday. Shocking that no one bit.

Right now, it would be really easy to pile on Gabe and that would make me look really smart by ‘piling on’ after the fact.  That is too easy, really. Pruitt appeared to be a skillful player. Gabe was an exceptionally nice kid in the locker room. Maybe that is one small part of the problem.

Marbury was signed when Doc and Danny knew that Gabe would not be the help they needed. He took the signing of Marbury hard, went out and got drunk and got arrested for DUI. That shows two things: 1- immaturity and 2 -obviously more inner desire than he showed on the court.

It could be accurately argued that he didn’t get enough minutes or games to make his case during his Celtic career. The counter argument is that he didn’t show enough in practice or in his few minutes of game time to earn more trust and PT. Timid would described best his performances.

His total court time this past season was just 7 minutes per in just 47 games – with one very short period of meaningful minutes – (remember when he guarded Deron Williams and did pretty well?)  -Gabe was relegated to garbage time.

At one point this summer, I was toying with doing an article that basically said -

Give Gabe Pruitt a True Chunk of Games to Find Out If He’s Really Got Anything…Or Not. or…

Let’s Find Out the Truth About Pruitt.

The idea here was that he really didn’t get anywhere near enough minutes to truly judge him – either way. I though that if Danny gave him a 5-6 consecutive games of 20-25 minutes per, maybe even start him a  game or two, to see how he would play with the best talent – then you would get something serious to judge him with….and he would get to stay in game, or return to a game, after making a mistake or two.

You can easily guess why that article was never done. There is no way that an already questionable young point guard will get that kind of PT on a team on a mission like this one.

My own feelings are that he really was too timid, never demonstrated that natural shooting ability (31% FG overall and 28% from the three point line) that Doc said he had, and just didn’t impact games, in any aspect, in his short time on the court to merit more.

Now Gabe will have a chance to find a better situation where he will, hopefully, get that true chance. His agent says there are ‘several’ teams interested.

Gabe needs to play some serious basketball -post college – period. He needs to find out for himself if he can cut at a higher level than college ball. I’m not sure an NBA team will give him that chance right now.

Whether it is a D-League team or Europe, he needs to go somewhere, make a real contribution, hopefully make an impact, and see what he really has in terms of ability. Right now, I doubt that he knows himself.

His quickness, sleek finesse, and smooth bodily movements seemed to say that he knows how to play the game. But a lot of players that never made it have looked much the same. He never delivered ‘the nasty’ or the results on court that would have bought him more time and possibly a role as a back up on a title contending team.

In this case, Leo Durocher was right.

If you really have the drive Gabe, find somewhere they will let you play. Then play like your career depends on it. It just might.

I really don’t know if Danny thought of it that way.

DA  is on record as saying that Red Auerbach kept the original big three together too long.  That is some strongly unemotional  thinking. And I believe that he may have been right.

Is there a comparison to Leon somewhere in there?  Only in the sense that Danny won’t let emotion rule his decisions.

I’ll remember Leon’s 21 point explosion in 14 minutes against the Lakers in game two of the 2008 Finals. I’ll remember his relentlessness at the boards. I’ll remember his nonstop attacks of the rim. I’ll remember his ability to get fouled. His ability to take charges was just superb, required very quick foot work, and unusual ability for anticipation.

Leon was a very popular player. Many wondered why he couldn’t have been kept on with a minimum salary until he recovered from his 3rd ACL surgery. The team carried Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens, Gabe Pruitt, and even Patrick O’Bryant for goodness sake. All were without a place in the rotation. All knew that they were not remotely part of the answer last season.

Cue Cold as Ice…and Leon became a foreigner.  No love for Leon.

There were even outcries from beat reporters….from other teams, no less.

But Leon isn’t crying over his situation in life. He learned long ago how to take care of himself and his family. Now he’s making a massive effort to recover as quickly as possible and show the Celtics they made a very wrong decision.

Leon is  a great guy. Leon is a quiet guy. Leon is a very efficient basketball player. Leon is a continuing story of inspiration.

After giving the Celtics everything he had for three years, he misses out on cashing in on his hard work with the third ACL tear of his career in the second game of the playoffs against the Bulls. He continued to play for a few minutes after getting it. Leon would have been on track for something similar to what Glen Davis’ market value is. $3-4 million per year.

It most likely would have forced the Celtics to make a decision between Powe and Davis. But they would have had bonifide trading material with either player to get other pieces they need. That is something they don’t really have now.

Taking into consideration the amount of serious injuries Leon has had, the potential cost of holding open a roster spot, and the price the team paid for not doing more last off season – Danny wouldn’t even hold the roster spot for him for the veteran minimum ($855,000) for a single year to see how he recovers.

To be fair to Danny, no one is even asking what kind of player Leon will be when he returns. It is hard to believe that he will be the same player. Probably no one knows. I don’t recall anyone playing after having two ACL surgeries on the same knee. They say it takes two years to really get back into form.

February is listed as the earliest comeback date for Leon. It has been reported that Powe is ahead of schedule. That so speaks to who Leon Powe is. The Cavaliers are reported to have made Leon a one year offer. He is looking for a second year at his option.

It is hard to use his past numbers to predict the future. Tony Allen has never really regained what he was before his knee injury. The Celtics have another player in a similar situation with Bill Walker with two serious knee operations. When Powe was going well, it inspired Danny to roll the dice with Walker. Now one wonders.

Leon’s 36 minute output was eye opening for a second round draft pick. On a prorated basis, he was a double double player every year with scoring topping out at 19.8 over 36 minutes two years ago and averaged 15 points over 36 minutes this past season. A very good offensive rebounder with solid board work overall, Powe was a better man on man defender than he was a rotation or help (team) defender.

But Leon liked contact. He averaged a telling 8.6 and 7.8 foul shots per 36 minutes in each of the last two seasons.

I’m hoping that Leon can return to a productive career. He will, once again, will be a trailblazer. Seeing how he is attacking his recovery, if anyone can do it, you feel Leon can.

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” T.S. Eliot