Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 1, 2009 14:10:22 GMT -5
Five observations: Point of distinction
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
Archive
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Talented C's point guard Rajon Rondo says winning is his aim, not numbers to pump up a new contract.NEWPORT, R.I. -- Five observations about the Boston Celtics coming out of their training camp this week at Salve Regina University:
1. Rondo: Why did they consider trading him?
General manager Danny Ainge has acknowledged discussing possible Rondo trades with other teams early in the offseason (one proposal that was floated but never gained traction was a multiplayer deal that would have included Devin Harris of the New Jersey Nets), but he is now saying he would like to see Rondo show the type of increased maturity and leadership -- both on the court and in the locker room -- over the course of the season to ensure he's worthy of a contract that would keep him in Boston for the next half-decade.
Ainge and Rondo's agent held preliminary talks on a contract extension earlier this month, and another meeting is expected before the Oct. 31 deadline for Rondo to accept an extension. If he doesn't, he'll be a restricted free agent at season's end.
"The contract will come," Rondo said. "Hopefully, I'll be blessed and healthy and can play 10 more years -- that'll be 14. And over 10 years I should be able to get two or three contracts.
"This is my first big one, but I don't want to make it a distraction. When you start thinking about contracts, you play selfishly -- you might not think about it, but it's in your mind to get the most money you can, and it becomes where it's not a team effort. If we win, I think I'll get more money, so my main focus is to win, don't go outside my role -- get those guys the ball and get out of the way."
Rondo said his areas of focus for this season will be gambling less on defense and defending the high pick-and-roll better, along with reducing his turnovers to the point where he can challenge the likes of Jose Calderon for the league lead in assist-to-turnover ratio.
"You have to value the ball. You don't always want to make that spectacular home run pass, but I'm going to try to when things are right," he said.
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2. Who is the backup point guard?
CELTICS CAMP
With KG back in action, Boston is looking to regain its swagger and take aim at its second title in three years. Chris Sheridan
• Hollinger: Celtics 2009-10 Forecast
The easy answer is Eddie House, but the more accurate answer may be Marquis Daniels. That's the way coach Doc Rivers sees things, and if his thoughts on the issue hold up over the course of the season, there will be no repeat of the late-February, early-March scramble to find an extra playmaker as there was in the spring of 2008 (when Sam Cassell signed) and in 2009 (when Stephon Marbury came aboard.) The Celtics went after Daniels with their biannual exception after Marbury told them he was seeking a more lucrative contract, and Rivers now believes Daniels and House can handle the backup point guard duties behind Rajon Rondo.
"I think it'll be easy," Rivers said. "Marquis handles the ball all the time, Eddie will still handle the ball, but you could see with Eddie [in practice] today how easy it was with those two. We'll have some growing pains early, but I think it'll be an easy transition because Marquis has played point before."
But what about ball pressure?
Wasn't the need to get the ball past midcourt in 8 seconds or less one of the primary reasons why the Celtics went out and found a dribbler each of the past two years?
In Rivers' mind, that problem will be alleviated by having Daniels bring the ball up court if House is being pressured.
"How many 3s are going to pick [up] the ball full court?" Rivers asked. (OK, Doc, we'll give you one: LeBron James).
"This is easier, because with Cassell and Marbury, playing them with Eddie, that made you small. This keeps us big and keeps the pressure off everybody, and they'll have an easier time bringing the ball up court because the other one is going to be on the floor, too."
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3. The need for Sheed
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Rasheed Wallace could turn into a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
On about 25 or 26 other teams, Wallace likely would be the starting power forward. In Boston, Kevin Garnett holds down that spot.
So Wallace will be used to spell Garnett (whose minutes will be watched closely as he makes his way back from knee surgery) at the 4 and Kendrick Perkins at the 5, and often there will be times when Wallace and Garnett -- two of the league's best frontline defenders -- are on the court together.
Wallace is a major upgrade over last season's backup 4s, Leon Powe and Brian Scalabrine, and he brings plenty of the veteran swagger and confidence that is already in abundance here. This will be Wallace's first season as a reserve, so it is not hard to see his becoming a top contender for Sixth Man of the Year award if he stays in that role throughout the season.
With Wallace's inside-outside game and Daniels' versatility, the Celtics are happier with their bench than they've been during the current Big Three era. They also picked up Shelden Williams as an additional big man option, and there's always Scalabrine, who proved in last season's playoffs that he can be counted upon if the Celtics are forced to go that deep into their bench.
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4. The Lakers
In Rivers' opening comments to reporters at media day outside of Boston on Monday, Rivers twice invoked the Lakers and their superiority.
For one thing, he said, Los Angeles defeated the Celtics twice last season in a pair of message-sending games.
For another, the Lakers were so much physically longer than the Magic in the finals -- and against their Western Conference postseason opponents -- that it made all the difference. It's another reason why he is so psyched to have Daniels and Wallace aboard. Not only do they bring experience, but they allow Boston to match the Lakers' length.
And clearly, Rivers expects the Lakers to be the team that emerges from the West.
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5. The far end of the roster
The Celtics have 15 players with guaranteed contracts, and 16 players in camp. The odd man out is former lottery pick Michael Sweetney, who remains quite overweight despite losing 40 pounds since last season, which he spent in Miami (out of the NBA) after personal issues impacted his final season in Chicago in '07-08.
"He looks 20 times better than last time you guys saw him, but he still has another step to go," Rivers said.
In all likelihood, Sweetney will be cut, and the 15th man on the roster will be rookie point guard Lester Hudson of Tennessee-Martin, the 58th pick of last June's draft who was second in the NCAA in scoring last season (27.5 ppg) behind Davidson's Stephen Curry.
Hudson, 25, will not even be the youngest member of a relatively old kiddie corps that includes Tony Allen (27), Glen Davis (23), J.R. Giddens (24), Perkins (24), Rondo (23) and Shelden Williams (25). Second-year forward Bill Walker, who won't turn 22 until Oct. 9, holds that distinction.
Chris Sheridan covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
Archive
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Talented C's point guard Rajon Rondo says winning is his aim, not numbers to pump up a new contract.NEWPORT, R.I. -- Five observations about the Boston Celtics coming out of their training camp this week at Salve Regina University:
1. Rondo: Why did they consider trading him?
General manager Danny Ainge has acknowledged discussing possible Rondo trades with other teams early in the offseason (one proposal that was floated but never gained traction was a multiplayer deal that would have included Devin Harris of the New Jersey Nets), but he is now saying he would like to see Rondo show the type of increased maturity and leadership -- both on the court and in the locker room -- over the course of the season to ensure he's worthy of a contract that would keep him in Boston for the next half-decade.
Ainge and Rondo's agent held preliminary talks on a contract extension earlier this month, and another meeting is expected before the Oct. 31 deadline for Rondo to accept an extension. If he doesn't, he'll be a restricted free agent at season's end.
"The contract will come," Rondo said. "Hopefully, I'll be blessed and healthy and can play 10 more years -- that'll be 14. And over 10 years I should be able to get two or three contracts.
"This is my first big one, but I don't want to make it a distraction. When you start thinking about contracts, you play selfishly -- you might not think about it, but it's in your mind to get the most money you can, and it becomes where it's not a team effort. If we win, I think I'll get more money, so my main focus is to win, don't go outside my role -- get those guys the ball and get out of the way."
Rondo said his areas of focus for this season will be gambling less on defense and defending the high pick-and-roll better, along with reducing his turnovers to the point where he can challenge the likes of Jose Calderon for the league lead in assist-to-turnover ratio.
"You have to value the ball. You don't always want to make that spectacular home run pass, but I'm going to try to when things are right," he said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Who is the backup point guard?
CELTICS CAMP
With KG back in action, Boston is looking to regain its swagger and take aim at its second title in three years. Chris Sheridan
• Hollinger: Celtics 2009-10 Forecast
The easy answer is Eddie House, but the more accurate answer may be Marquis Daniels. That's the way coach Doc Rivers sees things, and if his thoughts on the issue hold up over the course of the season, there will be no repeat of the late-February, early-March scramble to find an extra playmaker as there was in the spring of 2008 (when Sam Cassell signed) and in 2009 (when Stephon Marbury came aboard.) The Celtics went after Daniels with their biannual exception after Marbury told them he was seeking a more lucrative contract, and Rivers now believes Daniels and House can handle the backup point guard duties behind Rajon Rondo.
"I think it'll be easy," Rivers said. "Marquis handles the ball all the time, Eddie will still handle the ball, but you could see with Eddie [in practice] today how easy it was with those two. We'll have some growing pains early, but I think it'll be an easy transition because Marquis has played point before."
But what about ball pressure?
Wasn't the need to get the ball past midcourt in 8 seconds or less one of the primary reasons why the Celtics went out and found a dribbler each of the past two years?
In Rivers' mind, that problem will be alleviated by having Daniels bring the ball up court if House is being pressured.
"How many 3s are going to pick [up] the ball full court?" Rivers asked. (OK, Doc, we'll give you one: LeBron James).
"This is easier, because with Cassell and Marbury, playing them with Eddie, that made you small. This keeps us big and keeps the pressure off everybody, and they'll have an easier time bringing the ball up court because the other one is going to be on the floor, too."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. The need for Sheed
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Rasheed Wallace could turn into a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
On about 25 or 26 other teams, Wallace likely would be the starting power forward. In Boston, Kevin Garnett holds down that spot.
So Wallace will be used to spell Garnett (whose minutes will be watched closely as he makes his way back from knee surgery) at the 4 and Kendrick Perkins at the 5, and often there will be times when Wallace and Garnett -- two of the league's best frontline defenders -- are on the court together.
Wallace is a major upgrade over last season's backup 4s, Leon Powe and Brian Scalabrine, and he brings plenty of the veteran swagger and confidence that is already in abundance here. This will be Wallace's first season as a reserve, so it is not hard to see his becoming a top contender for Sixth Man of the Year award if he stays in that role throughout the season.
With Wallace's inside-outside game and Daniels' versatility, the Celtics are happier with their bench than they've been during the current Big Three era. They also picked up Shelden Williams as an additional big man option, and there's always Scalabrine, who proved in last season's playoffs that he can be counted upon if the Celtics are forced to go that deep into their bench.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. The Lakers
In Rivers' opening comments to reporters at media day outside of Boston on Monday, Rivers twice invoked the Lakers and their superiority.
For one thing, he said, Los Angeles defeated the Celtics twice last season in a pair of message-sending games.
For another, the Lakers were so much physically longer than the Magic in the finals -- and against their Western Conference postseason opponents -- that it made all the difference. It's another reason why he is so psyched to have Daniels and Wallace aboard. Not only do they bring experience, but they allow Boston to match the Lakers' length.
And clearly, Rivers expects the Lakers to be the team that emerges from the West.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. The far end of the roster
The Celtics have 15 players with guaranteed contracts, and 16 players in camp. The odd man out is former lottery pick Michael Sweetney, who remains quite overweight despite losing 40 pounds since last season, which he spent in Miami (out of the NBA) after personal issues impacted his final season in Chicago in '07-08.
"He looks 20 times better than last time you guys saw him, but he still has another step to go," Rivers said.
In all likelihood, Sweetney will be cut, and the 15th man on the roster will be rookie point guard Lester Hudson of Tennessee-Martin, the 58th pick of last June's draft who was second in the NCAA in scoring last season (27.5 ppg) behind Davidson's Stephen Curry.
Hudson, 25, will not even be the youngest member of a relatively old kiddie corps that includes Tony Allen (27), Glen Davis (23), J.R. Giddens (24), Perkins (24), Rondo (23) and Shelden Williams (25). Second-year forward Bill Walker, who won't turn 22 until Oct. 9, holds that distinction.
Chris Sheridan covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.
