So Troy Murphy is coming to the Celtics or so says Marc Stein and now other pundits.
Move over H.G. Wells, Danny won the ‘war of the words’ when he and Pat Riley both made their pitches to Troy Murphy. The earthlings won.
Boston cleared roster spots. Miami said they would, too. Miami needed help in the middle. So did the Celtics. Miami has a big three. Boston has a big four, a team concept, a team that has won a championship, gone to the Finals last season and have defeated Miami three times this season. End of debate.
A former Blue Jay shortstop turned into a pitcher and got a late inning ‘save’.
No one knows for sure what was said to Troy Murphy about playing time. Both teams could use help at center, which isn’t known as Murphy’s best position. Both teams play serious defense which isn’t what Murphy is known for. Both teams have all stars starting at power forward where Murphy would most likely want to play most of his minutes.
On top of that, Troy Murphy couldn’t get playing time on last season’s worst team. He played in just 18 meaningless games on the Nets this season. So he couldn’t even get in games this season and was asked to not even stay with the team….on yes…the worst team in the league. Never has so much effort and attention been paid to a player who has done so little in a given season.
Yet, it is time to get euphoric if you are a Celtic fan.
And I am not even completely sure why.
Is Troy Murphy this season’s PJ Brown? No. Murphy’s never sniffed a playoff minute. Brown came with a career in post season experience.
Is Danny doing a theme thing with a player name Green and an Irishman named Murphy? Ok. Ok. I’ll admit it. A player with Murphy’s resume is a definite bargain at the vet minimum.
Yet, you have to wonder just where Troy will play most of his minutes – center or power forward? Does he takes Davis’ minutes? Or not? Hard to believe they would kick Davis to the curb after the season he has been having. I don’t see that happening. Even at his height, Davis is a better defender – team and on ball. Davis is younger, quicker, a disrupter and fits the Celtics system well now.
But they do need more of what Murphy brings.
I am assuming that promises were never made, but instead situations were explained and Danny made it clear that Murphy had a chance to earn meaningful minutes on a team that needed rebounding and a stretch four. In the end, Murphy bit. Now time will tell how this plays out.
But I am optimistic. Why? See above….and more below.
The Celtics need healthy size, rebounding and could make good use of a solid three point shooting big man. He would open up the court better than Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis and even Kevin Garnett could because of his career .39% shooting from beyond the arc. Sheed never was a great long distance shooter. Davis and Garnett do not shoot the three ball.
In such a way, in a line up short of long distance options, (Ray Allen and Paul Pierce notwithstanding) Murphy provides covering fire for an attacking Celtic team.
The Celtics have used the three point shot less this season than any other season of the Garnett Era, by far. Now Rondo has another arc bomber to kick it out to. Now the Celtics have a legit rebounder, especially at the defensive end. They have acquired much more than ‘6 more big man fouls’ to give.
Troy Murphy turns 31 on May 2nd. May his defense get better with age. We know that is the weak point in all of this. But Troy is not a Mikki Moore. He will get some respect from the refs because he can play this game. He is on a team with a set of coaches and a team of players that will minimize his flaws as they work their defensive schemes around the talent they have. More important, they will do the same offensively.
Oh yes, he has Kevin Garnett getting his back, should they be in the court at the same time. With the return of Shaq or…perish the thought…Jermaine O’Neal, Murphy fits right in – helping with the boards and rolling out with a defender attached, to the three point line. Yes, this free agent pick up makes sense.
As the TV commercial announcer says…. “Wait…there’s more…”
2 More Reasons to Like the Deal and One Reason Why Murphy Might Have Decided on Boston
1 – He arrives on a veteran minimum salary
2- He doesn’t go to Miami where he would possibly become a problem for the Celtics.
3- He’ll get shots
I really wonder how well Miami would have worked him into their offense. They are still trying to become a better balanced offense with mixed success. The Celtics trust their system and players, other than the stars, get shots – regularly – in their offense. It’s a beautiful thing. I am sure that Murphy isn’t blind to that.
Or I wonder if Danny just said to him…
“Hey listen dude. You told us you would come if I emptied a spot and got rid of potential competition for you. I did that. Now it’s your turn to be true to your word and join Gang Green. If not, and you roll with the Heat? Then you will have just given us another reason to not let Miami see the light of day.”
Whatever it was, Troy Murphy will become a Celtic and he will help that band of brothers achieve their goal.
The team needed more offense, more rebounding and another distance shooter, especially from a big. They got all three in Murphy.
Now I just hope that he can still resemble something of the player he used to be.
