CSKA Moscow trying to woo Nenad Krstic from the C's

Our European expert Bohemian sent me this link earlier today. If you recall, Krstic left the US already once to go back overseas to play ball. Here's the relevant quote:

CSKA Moscow are reportedly interested in signing Boston Celtics’ Serbian centre Nenad Krstic (27 years old, 213 cm). According to Serbian website Sportske.net, the Russian club has offered the player a long-term contract.
Meanwhile, commenting on this information CSKA president Andrey Vatutin has refrained from giving a direct confirmation or denial.

How would you feel if Nenad took his talents back overseas? Remember there's a good chance the lockout will force many players to head elsewhere to earn some money, so being proactive might be a smart move for a player like Nenad.

The reason Boston traded Semih Erden

On multiple occasions, I wrote about the most indefensible trade Danny Ainge made this year: no, not that one—Luke Harangody and Semih Erden for a second-round draft pick. Trading away a seven-footer with potential (and Harangody) just to open a roster spot for Sasha Pavlovic (and Carlos Arroyo) made as much sense as reading with a blindfold on.

But there was a reason for the trade after all: the Celtics feared Erden would return to Turkey after this season because of a bout with homesickness. (Boston Globe)

Apparently, the Celtics traded Semih Erden to Cleveland because they felt he would return to Europe anyway out of homesickness. The Cavaliers have yet to see what they have in Erden because of shoulder and groin surgeries and a lack of conditioning. The Celtics relayed to Cleveland that Erden needed shoulder surgery, but the groin issue is new. Erden played in just four games after being acquired from the Celtics Feb. 24.

With the Celtics big man situation currently “Kevin Garnett and whoever A) decides not to retire or B) re-signs for a smallish contract,” the Celtics could have used Erden next season. But if he’s going to return to Turkey anyway,  trading him for a basket of potato chips makes more sense in retrospect.

Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls Trade?

After watching the Chicago Bulls fall apart against the Miami Heat it is apparent the Warriors have something the Bulls need. The Bulls desperately need another scorer to go along side Derek Rose. Anytime Rose struggled to score the Bulls struggled to score. How sexy would Monta Ellis look sitting next to Derek Rose? That back court would have any team shaking in their boots.

On the other side of the coin the Warriors need something the Bulls have, defense. This team needs more of a defensive mind set and a guy like Taj Gibson would give them just that for a long long time. He would be a very nice starter at PF for this team.

To make a trade like this actually happen Luol Deng would probably have to accompany Gibson to the Bay. I am not a huge Deng fan but I would gladly take his contract if it means getting Gibson. I feel Monta would compliment Rose nicely. He isn’t much of a defender but I think he would probably improve his defensive skills in a system like that. He is bringing so much scoring to the table that his defense would only need to be average.

I see both teams improving in this trade but I am not sure it would really ever happen. How excited the Bulls would be to get an undersized guard that needs the ball in his hand quite a bit I am not sure of. I could see them being excited about a guy like Ellis and not excited all at the same time. However the Warriors I am sure would be super excited about this move.

It probably won’t happen but it is a call the Warriors front office should make.

Phoenix Suns Offseason Priorities: Improve Bench

One of major reasons why the Suns shocked the entire league last season by getting to the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers was the strength of their bench. Phoenix’s second unit played well for the most part last season, but looking to improving will be a must for the organization this summer.

With Vince Carter not coming back, that more than likely means that Jared Dudley will stay in the starting rotation, unless Robert Sarver goes out and spends money on a starting two guard. With Sarver’s history and the lack of quality talent on the free agent market this summer, that seems very unlikely.

That leaves Mickael Pietrus as the only guy off the bench who can play the two spot.Aaron Brooks, who should be brought back, is too small to play the position and Josh Childress is more suited to play the two forward spots because of his length.

Pietrus was up and down in his 38 games with the Suns. He did put up betteer point totals while in Phoenix than he did in his 19 games with Orlando despite getting less playing time, but he also sat out the final 12 games because of a quad injury. It seems likely that he will pick up his $5.3 player option this summer.

Despite Dudley expected to start and Pietrus expected to be back, the Suns should still be in the market for a shooting guard. Dudley played well in the starter’s role late this season, but it remains to be seen if he can do it over a 82-game schedule. Pietrus has been banged up for most of his career, so he can’t be counted on for the entire season.

The Suns aren’t expected to have a lot of money this offseason, so they are going to either get creative with a either trade, drafting a player or finding a cheap option through free agency. One option could be Michael Redd, who has played in only 61 games the past three seasons with a numerous amount of knee injuries. Because of his injuries, he could be had for the veteran’s minimum.

Redd would be a low-risk, high-reward signing for Phoenix. The veteran’s minimum for only one season wouldn’t break the bank for a guy that is only a few years removed from averaging 20+ points per game. It remains to be seen if both sides are interested in one another and whether Redd is still a quality player.

Another offseason priority for Phoenix will be looking for a backup point guard. The most likely option remains Brooks, who really struggled in his time with the Suns. However, it was well known that the former Oregon point guard was battling injuries for most of the year, so the Suns will keep that in mind when deciding if they want to bring him back.

If the Suns decided to go in a different direction and not bring Brooks back, there aren’t a ton of attractive alternatives on the free agent market. Earl Watson, Ronnie Price, Mike Bibby and Anthony Carter are cheap veteran options that they could look at, but none of them  are better offensively than Brooks at this stage of their careers.

Sebastian Telfair and Earl Boykins are better options, but they too aren’t better offensive options than Brooks. The best name on the free agent list at the position is clearly J.J. Barea, who has had a brilliant postseason for Dallas, but it is highly unlikely that Mark Cuban would let him go. He would probably be out of the Suns price range anyways.

In short, it would be shocking to see Phoenix not bring back Brooks. He is the best and the most economically sensible deal for the Suns as of right now.

The last thing that the Suns need to do to improve their second unit is making a decision on whether or not to trade Robin Lopez. If they do trade Lopez elsewhere, the Suns would be in need of a backup big man behind starter Marcin Gortat.

Unlike the point guard and shooting guard spot, this year’s free agent class offers some good options at center. Look no further to the Celtics, who have Glen Davis, Nenad Krstic and Troy Murphy all as unrestricted free agents. There is no way that Boston can afford or even would be interested in bringing all three back, especially Murphy, who saw almost no time in the playoffs.

Like Redd, Murphy is another guy that the Suns could grab for relatively cheap. Murphy played in only 35 games this past season splitting the season with Indiana and Boston. When he did play, Murphy didn’t play well, posting career lows in points and rebounds. Many teams may stay away from Murphy all together.

There are plenty of other options out there for Phoenix besides Murphy. Kwame Brownplayed very well at times for the Bobcats last season, but most Suns fans probably want nothing to do with the former Laker. Dan Gadzuric and Francisco Elson are two guys that the Suns have shown interest in the past and both would come at little to no money.

Whatever the Suns do over the summer, improving the bench should be at the top of the organization’s list. A good bench is essential to a winning team, especially to a team like the Suns with their two best players are on the wrong side of 35.

Boston Celtics Danny Ainge Should Make A Push For Carl Landry

If Glen Davis continues his foolish look on his role with the team, Ainge has a great option to replace him.This man is a reliable scorer and would probably rebound a lot better than Davis. This man would also make the bench scoring a lot more potent. The man I am referring to is one Carl Landry.
I will begin with my argument with I know the obvious drawbacks. The first is the obvious fact that Davis was wide enough to play center at times. Granted it was not the ideal situation, but it was still a nice option to have with a couple veteran centers. However, my solution is simple. Ainge needs to get an actual reliable body to man the center position that is actually a center. There are guys in the draft and free agents that could fill the 12 minutes at the center position that Davis played. The Celtics need both a better answer at center than Davis and more scoring off the bench. Landry fills the scoring off the bench.
I also understand the fact that Landry is a bit undersized for the power forward spot as well. He has a lengthy frame, but the width on his generously listed 6 ft 9inch frame is just not there. However, the man can do his job despite his size issues. The man has averaged double digits the last three seasons including a tremendous 17 points a game in 09-10. He has a solid jump shot, but his bread and butter is his inside scoring. The man has great instincts around the hoop to get the basket. He was playing so well at one point that the Rockets were able to get the Kings to part with the scoring dynamo that is Kevin Martin. This kind of scoring would look real good coming off the bench in place of KG at the power forward spot. I do not see the long scoring droughts with this man on the floor.
I know the funds are limited, but I do not think this is impossible to happen. There could be a mid level and biannual exceptions. The Celtics could also have the sign and trade with Davis should the Hornets want an undersized forward off the bench. Ainge would also need to do some convincing that Boston would be a great place for Landry to not only chase a ring, but flourish off their bench. Ainge has pulled off bigger miracles (KG coming ring a bell for anyone?). I am hoping Ainge at least looks explores this avenue. Remember Go Green Or Go Home!!!!!!!

Garnett, Durant & The Importance Of Shot Creation

On the May 26 BS Report, ESPN’s Bill Simmons and Ric Bucher spent time talking about Oklahoma City’s struggles to get key scores down the stretch against Dallas. Bucher attributed it in part to the difficulties of getting Kevin Durant the ball, and how OKC’s top-scorer wasn’t physically strong enough to avoid being pushed around the court, and out of his preferred areas.

They also talked about Carlos Boozer’s failures against Miami. Boozer is still taking deserved heat for his porous defense, but the power forward shot only 40.7% for the series. Three games of five, Boozer failed to exceed ten shots. This isn’t entirely his fault, as Simmons and Bucher noted, as the Bulls weren’t exploiting the high screen-roll that Deron Williams and Boozer used so effectively in Utah.

But these failures to get the ball to key, expensive players may remind Celtics fans of game four of the Boston-Miami series.

We seem to have committed to a narrative where Kevin Garnett had an incredible game three (28 points, 18 rebounds) and then found himself gassed for the remainder of the series (he was 7-23 the final two games despite hauling in 21 rebounds).

There’s some truth to that story but if you re-watch game four, you’ll notice how hard the Heat worked to deny Garnett the ball, sending weakside defenders to apply pressure, pushing him off his spots and crowding him. The Lakers did the same thing in the 2010 finals and as a result, Pau Gasol outplayed Garnett. This is distinct from the 2008 finals, where KG routinely managed to get deep position on Gasol.

With all three of these elite players, you can seriously impede their offense by just keeping the ball away from them. The same holds true of Ray Allen, but for different reasons: a relatively weak handle and lack of explosiveness for his position.

Certain players are harder to deny. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, Derrick Roseand Russell Westbrook (all of whom had their names bandied around as MVP candidates at one point this season) can pick up the ball just across the half-court line and do damage with it.

Of course, this is partially due to the way the game is officiated now. A defensive player can get away with more physicality pushing a big off his spots than can a perimeter defender, who isn’t permitted to hand check, or even extend his arms.If championship teams almost always require two superstar players, it seems increasingly crucial to have at least one of those two be a shot-creating scorer with a great handle. That’s not, by the way, an argument for late-game clearouts for your scorer to go one-on-one (or one-on-five), but a reflection of the difficulty of generating good looks against elite NBA defenses that routinely choke off individual offensive stars. This is why Paul Pierce remains Boston’s best offensive player. He can dribble, shoot, drive, and finish. He’s not the world’s greatest passer, and he’s aging, but he remains a difficult cover, especially given his strength.

All this lends itself to an argument for and against Rajon Rondo as the leader of the next prospective Celtics’ title contender. Rondo can take almost anyone off the dribble, and once by them, can draw the defense and find the open man. But he doesn’t fit in that above group of MVP candidates because of his shooting deficiencies and stretches of tentative play on offense.

If you think Rondo can overcome his offensive problems (and let’s not kid ourselves — they are significant), then you could move forward with him in confidence. A Rondo with a reliable jumpshot, who shoots 75% from the line, could easily be first-team all-NBA.

But if you think Rondo’s headed for another five years like his first five, you have to seriously consider moving him for an offensive upgrade. Because if winning titles is your goal, the incremental upgrade at the top of your roster is probably worth it. There’s a difference between a star who rates an A- and one who rates an A+. Just ask Larry O’Brien.

Jim Buss talks Mike Brown, Kobe Bryant

Jim Buss, Los Angeles Lakers executive and son of owner Dr. Jerry Buss, says he regrets not talking to Kobe Bryant about the decision to hire Mike Brown as Phil Jackson's successor.

"Looking back on it, we should have contacted Kobe," Jim Buss said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that ran Saturday night. "Kobe said it was management's job to pick a coach. He just said, 'Defense first.' That's what we were doing, but we should have reached out to him."

Bryant had previously endorsed longtime Jackson assistant Brian Shaw to be promoted to the head-coaching job. The Lakers struck an agreement with Brown on Wednesday, and sources told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin that Bryant has great respect for Brown and is on board with the hiring, despite not being consulted about the choice.

During an interview on ESPN during halftime of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday, Brown said he already had exchanged text messages with Bryant. Brown also said he's "looking forward to getting to know Kobe and being able to work with him to go and get us a championship."

Jim Buss, Lakers executive VP of player personnel, expressed confidence that Bryant would mesh well with Brown, according to the Times report

"The way Mike impressed the three of us, I would think Kobe would be impressed as well," Buss said. "Mike is a workaholic and Kobe is the workaholic."

Buss was unconcerned about the possibility that Brown wouldn't be able to corral Bryant's talents for the good of the team.

"I've seen Kobe go off the place a few times, but I'm sure the coach will know how to handle it," Buss told the newspaper. "My dad loves Kobe and so do I; we think he has a lot left. And I know Mike has some ideas on how to elongate Kobe's career."

The Lakers' bid for a three-peat ended unceremoniously when the Dallas Mavericks swept them in the Western Conference semifinals.

Boston Celtics Danny Ainge Should Roll The Dice On Greg Oden

The Boston Celtics have a clear need this off season. Danny Ainge watched the Celtics have serious issues at the center position. Jermaine O’Neal could return. JO proved his worth and potential with a solid defensive performance in the playoffs. However, JO was injured most of the year and his knee and wrist issues may or may not return next year. Even if he does return, I would prefer him as the backup to give Boston a solid 20 minutes of great defensive play. Shaq might be coming back as well. However, his 20^thseason should see him play only about eight minutes a game. A dose of very limited minutes is about the only way to guarantee that Shaq will provide a solid presence for the Celtics come playoff time. Nenad Krstic is also an option to return, but the reality is that Krstic is not that great a defender. He is neither athletic nor a tough post presence. He does make up for some of that by stretching the floor on the offensive end with his sweet shot. He would be a great fit should the other two gentleman return. However, none of these men are the answer for next season.

There is a man that could be the answer. The possible gamble is injury prone, but young enough to be able to put the injuries behind him for a little bit of a run. It would be a gamble, but the reward would be huge. He has ridiculous potential on the defensive end. He has size and athleticism for a big man. He can rebound and play tough. Offensively, he would be a new toy for Rajon Rondo to utilize. Rondo could hit this target down low and get him easy baskets. This man would benefit from having Doc Rivers, KG and possibly both O’Neals in his ear. The Celtics could also have the luxury of limiting his minutes with the depth of possibly the O’Neals. That man is Greg Oden.

Greg Oden will always be the guy that because Boston failed to get the number one pick to draft him, brought about the trades that reshaped this franchise and brought home Banner 17. Maybe Oden landing in Boston will bring Boston Banner 18? Oden is a defensive ace with serious shot blocking potential.  He rebounds well and that would greatly help the Celtics in desperate need of a rebounder. If he were put in a Boston’s system, he could flourish. On the offensive end, he could provide a lift at times with Oden finishing the penetration drives of Rajon Rondo.

The only issue is his health. However, Oden is still very young. He could easily still carve out a solid notch in the NBA. Guys like Bill Walton and even Pervis Ellison came back and were effective after a series of injuries. Those guys never reached their ceilings, but their skills were very useful to teams in the NBA. The Celtics flourished with the aging Walton at center. Maybe Oden could flourish as these men did.

The bottom line is he is worth the gamble. The reward for getting a guy that could be a top 8 center for possibly the mid level is too great. Danny needs to pounce because others will be looking to cash in on Oden.  However, look for Danny to dangle the golden carrot of playing for a defense that includes KG and having guys like JO and Shaq to mentor him. I believe Danny will get it done Remember Go Green Or Go Home!!!!!!!!!!!

Warriors Trading Monta Ellis To Orlando Magic?

According to a recent report in the Orlando Sentinel, Monta Ellis of the Golden State Warriors may be made available during the off-season, and the Orlando Magic may be interested.

Said the paper:

Why the Warriors might trade him: Ellis, a volume shooting guard who prefers to dominate the ball, doesn’t mesh particularly well with Steph Curry. Ellis has been on the trading block before, but the Warriors never saw a deal they wanted to make.

Why the Magic might want him: Ellis can create his own shot, a trait no perimeter player on the Magic roster currently possesses. He averaged 24.1 points per game last season and would give the Magic a scoring complement to Dwight Howard.

Apparently the Magic are seriously looking to trade for a player to complement Dwight Howard in an effort to re-sign him to a long term deal.

It’s no secret Howard has been noncommittal about his future in Orlando, with many citing the Los Angeles Lakers as a potential landing spot for Howard.

Also named in the article as potential trade targets for the Magic were Rip Hamilton, Andre Iguodala, O.J. Mayo, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams.

Lakers have a deal to hire Mike Brown as their coach

The Lakers have put together a deal to hire former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown as their new coach, an NBA official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter said late Tuesday.

If Brown agrees to the deal, he'll sign a contract worth between $4 million and $4.5 million per season, the official said. Brown would sign for three years, with a team option on the fourth season that would give him partial pay if he was not retained.
Brown, 41, became the front-runner because Jim Buss, the team's executive vice president of player personnel, was impressed with his defense-minded style.

Former Houston Rockets coach Rick Adelman also was in the mix for the job and will remain a candidate to replace Phil Jackson if Brown turns down the deal from the Lakers.

Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw also was considered for the head position.

The Lakers had to wait until General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Buss returned from pre-draft camps in Chicago and Minneapolis on Tuesday night before they could get a deal done.

Lakers owner Jerry Buss did an interview with Sirius XM Radio on Tuesday, saying the team was "very close" to filling its coaching vacancy.

It now appears as if Brown is that person, something that could be announced in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Brown was with the Cavaliers for five seasons until he was fired in 2010, leaving with a 272-138 record.

He was named the NBA's coach of the year in 2009 for leading the Cavaliers to a 66-16 record.

Brown led the Cavaliers to a 61-21 record during the 2009-10 season, another league-best record.

But after the Cavaliers lost to the Orlando Magic in the 2009 Eastern Conference finals and to the Boston Celtics in the conference semifinals in 2010, Brown was fired.

Brown led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2007, but Cleveland was swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

Brown coached one of the NBA's superstars in former Cavalier LeBron James.

In his radio interview Tuesday, Jerry Buss said that he expected the Lakers' core roster to return next season, with a "tweak … here or there."

Buss was interviewed by Playboy Radio's Michael Eaves and Bonnie-Jill Laflin.

Buss did say there would be changes in the Lakers' offense.

"We're not going to continue exclusively with the triangle," Buss said. "Certainly, there will be facets of the triangle incorporated into any modern offense."

Various Lakers, including Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher and Luke Walton, have publicly endorsed Shaw to be the next coach, in part because of his familiarity with their personnel.

MVP confirms interest in Sacramento Kings

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino businessman Manny V. Pangilinan finally confirmed rumors that he has been invited to help keep the struggling Sacramento Kings franchise afloat.

In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer in Hong Kong, Pangilinan said that he wants a majority stake if he does decide to accept the offer to join a group of investors that will take over the Kings.

“I have to admit, the idea is very titillating,” said Pangilinan.

According to Pangilinan, the group of investors was organized by retired former NBA All-Star Chris Webber, who was the star of the Kings from 1998 to 2005. They met during Pangilinan’s recent trip to Sacramento, where he visited the Arco Arena, the Kings’ home stadium.

“If we proceed, we’ll be seeking a majority stake,” said Pangilinan, the chair of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and owner of the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters and the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Pangilinan is also the head of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Pangilinan told Inquirer that he will need to personally invest between $200 million and $260 million for a stake in the Kings.

 “Whether we do it or not, it’s a great idea for a Filipino group to own an NBA team,” Pangilinan said. “Filipino coaches and players could be part of an NBA team.”

If he decides to join the group of investors, Pangilinan will become the first Asian to control an NBA team.

Pangilinan has expressed some concerns regarding this business venture, however. “We would be absentee owners,” he said in an interview with the Business Mirror. “We are here and the NBA team is there while we manage it here. It’s different when you manage a business in the country where you live.

“Hopefully, we could invite some Filipino investors in the equation.”

Pangilinan’s group will reportedly meet with the Kings’ representatives next month.

The Sacramento Kings organization has been mired in financial issues for the past few years, due in part to the team’s poor performance.
They last made the NBA postseason in 2006.

The team is owned by the group of California businessman George Maloof Sr., which has been battling money troubles as well.

Earlier this month, the group decided to keep the team in Sacramento for another year. --

The player that the Celtics can't afford to lose this offseason

Jeff Green, Glen Davis, Delonte West, Nenad Krstic, Troy Murphy, Carlos Arroyo, Sasha Pavlovic and Von Wafer.

This isn't a list of players that sit around and watch the Big Four perform, only to come in and blow leads and force that same Big Four to expend a lot of energy to try and get that lead back.  Murphy, Arroyo, Pavlovic and Wafer weren't given the chance to do that, although it's safe to think that they would have done the same thing had they been trusted enough to actually enter a meaningful game.  Still, that's beside the point.

These are the players that do not have contracts with the Boston Celtics heading into next season, or what we'll have of it.

With an expiring collective bargaining agreement, no real idea on what next season's salary cap will be and the Celtics completely strapped for cash thanks to massive contracts for their stars, Boston will be looking to do whatever they can to hold onto some of their quality free agents.  Green, a restricted free agent, and Krstic, a center who has already expressed his desire to return to Boston, look like they won't be going anywhere.  Murphy, Arroyo and Pavlovic will be long gone (and good riddance).  Nobody knows about Wafer yet.

Davis and West are the two big question marks heading into next season.  Big Baby made himself a target of scrutiny by telling reporters 20 minutes after the heartbreaking end to his season that he wants to start next year whether it's with the Celtics or "wherever."  The last image we had of Delonte was him hugging LeBron James (insert a "LeBron's mom" joke here) in the midst of the championship—I mean, second-round playoff victory—celebration in Miami.

It's always the quiet ones that you need to watch out for and the Celtics need to keep their eyes on West.  They need to hold onto him more than any of their other free agents.

While his regular season was, for the most part, an injury-filled waste of six months, West proved his worth in the postseason when the starters were getting tired and when Rajon Rondo was changing the angle of his elbow.  The Celtics were looking for someone to step up and relieve some of the pressure forced upon the Big Four and Delonte did just that.  He hit big shots, played solid defense and didn't make the bench look as bad as they actually were.

He's the perfect backup for Rondo because he's the exact opposite of Rondo.  Rondo can't hit a jumper consistently, no matter how much we want him to.  West is a definite threat from the perimeter and can't be left open for long jump shots.  Rondo is a fast-paced, get-the-ball-down-the-floor type of point guard.  West slows the action down and gets the team in their sets, but always seems to make the right play with the ball.  Rondo is notorious for being stubborn and sometimes hard to deal with, which isn't always a bad thing.  West seems to be very coachable, well-liked and always ready to learn something new.

Delonte West is a smart, heady player who seems to be extremely comfortable in Boston and the fans—myself included—are very high on guys like him that put in maximum effort, hustle after every loose ball and regularly receive Tommy Points.  Even with his calm exterior, he gives the Celtics the energy and life that they need and that will be absolutely necessary next season as they make their last run at a championship as a group.

The Celtics can be okay without Glen Davis, but they need to bring back Delonte West.

And Delonte may need Boston just as much.

Tommy Heinsohn: Trading Kendrick Perkins was "a great move"

I love Tommy Heinsohn just as much as the next Celtics fan.  He's biased, unfiltered and the biggest homer in the history of life.  I love everything about him, from telling the Celtics to run and push the ball up the court in 2-on-4 situations to his constant sighs and groans that are audible to all of New England to berating the officials on every call that goes against the C's, even when it is more than obvious that it was a perfectly good call.  He's a Celtic.  He always has been and he always will be.

There's a popular term going around right now that's been coined by popular Boston sports personality Mike Felger.  The term is "Green-teamer."  For those who don't know, a Green-teamer is a person that believes that the Celtics can do absolutely no wrong and everything that the team does, both on the floor and in the front office, is the perfect thing to do.  The franchise shouldn't be questioned about anything because they know what they're doing.  If you've read this blog long enough, you've noticed that I don't exactly fall under that category.

However, Tommy Heinsohn might be the biggest Green-teamer in the history of Green-teamers and he proved it when he said this to the Boston Heraldyesterday.

"People are beating (Ainge's) brains out because Perk is going to be a Hall of Fame player – that’s bull,” Heinsohn said. “He’s a good player. He was never in the end of the games. You finish with your best players. I'm not saying he wasn’t a good player. He was a very serviceable and functioning player. But all those considerations and the fact that they were probably going to lose him at the end of the year, I thought it was a great move because they got to pick who they wanted to fill in. Then they went out and got other people. They got (Carlos) Arroyo and (Troy) Murphy. (Ainge) did the best he could do. Unfortunately, the schedule worked against them because they were playing every other day so they didn’t have practice time. They were caught in between not having practices to save the legs of the veterans and having enough practices to bring these new players into the system. That never really worked out."

"They ran into a lot of problems," Heinsohn said. "Before the season started, I made this comment, 'If we can get on the floor what’s on paper, we'll win it all.' And we never were able to put it on the floor."

You're losing me, Tommy.  I do agree with the fact that Perk was never in the end-of-game situations throughout his time in Boston.  That role has belonged to Glen Davis ever since 2009.   That's just a fact.  I even understand his point about trading Perk so that the Celtics could get something for him instead of just letting him walk and not getting anything in return after the season.  I could wrap my head around that.  It doesn't make me disagree with it any less, but you could make that argument.

But Tommy says that it was a great move because they were able to pick who they wanted.  The Celtics wanted more offense.  Jeff Green was supposed to bring in more offense.  Nenad Krstic was supposed to bring in more offense.  They didn't do that.  Instead, they came off the bench, played sub-par defense and had some struggles on offense.  The Celtics stumbled through the remainder of the regular season, lost home-court advantage and were knocked out of the playoffs by Miami in five games.

There's a reason why Danny Ainge is getting his brains beaten out right now.  He traded away the starting center of a team that had lost Game 7 of the Finals the previous season after he went down with an injury and was on top of its conference more than halfway through this season, got rid of the entire bench except for Davis, Delonte West and Von Wafer and expected this team—whose window is slamming shut, by the way—to readjust fast enough to stay on their pace and cruise to an NBA championship.  Misjudging the talent you're receiving from a trade, counting on a 39-year-old, 350-pound human bandage to be your anchor in the middle and bringing in a bunch of leftovers and trying to convince the fan base that they'll be exactly what the team needs usually doesn't warrant rose pedals being thrown at your feet and having grapes get fed to you.  That isn't doing the best you can.

I'm not blaming Ainge and "The Trade" for the loss to Miami.  Perk wasn't going to stop LeBron James and Dwyane Wade from hitting big shot after big shot out on the perimeter.  He wasn't going to help the Celtics score down the stretch.  But Perk could have helped this team start the series in Boston instead of in South Beach, which might have kept the Celtics from digging themselves into such a massive hole to begin with.

I don't care what you say.  It didn't pass the Jay Bilas eye test.  It wasn't a great move. 

Sorry Tommy.  I'm not buying what you're selling.

Celtics Mailbag: Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis, Dwight Howard All Play Into C's Offseason Dealings

What's the mood like these days for the typical Celtics fan, with the 2010-11 season long over and the road ahead looking bumpy?

Well, there's a mix of different sentiments. Some of you are still mourning the disappointing season that was, trying to figure out what went wrong. Others are looking toward the future, thinking about potential trades or free-agent signings. Still others of you have massive, pipe dream-y ideas for the C's in the distant future.

No matter where you fall on that spectrum, it's a thought-provoking time to be a Celtics fan. That's for sure.

Thanks to everyone for your questions this week. As always, keep 'em coming.

What are your thoughts on Doc Rivers' re-signing?
--GriffinMorrow, via Twitter

I think it's a tremendous step toward clarifying the team's long-term future. Let's face it: There's a lot of uncertainty about this team going forward, from the Big Three to Rajon Rondo to a few key bench guys that may walk away this summer. At least with Doc, the Celtics have one guy they know will be around through 2016. That's huge.

Because this is such a long-term contract, I think we can infer that Doc's relationship with Rajon Rondo is stronger now than it's ever been. The bond between coach and point guard is very important, both on and off the floor, and it says a lot that Doc is willing to re-up with the C's with Rondo as their franchise cornerstone.

Also, unrelatedly: Yowza, that's a lot of money. Doc will make $35 million over the next five years, vaulting him over Mike D'Antoni and Gregg Popovich as the highest-paid coach in the NBA.

Will the Big Three make a difference next season, or are they just too old?
--Shihua

Will they make a difference? Of course they will. Ray Allen keeps in spectacular physical shape even at 35, so he's just as good as he's always been. Paul Pierce is only 33, and he's still got some gas left in the tank. Probably the biggest question mark at this point is Kevin Garnett.

KG turns 35 this Thursday. He's not the same player he used to be in Boston -- his defense is still top-notch, but his ability to get into the paint and generate the C's inside-out style of offense has really fallen off. The Celtics' biggest flaw is that their three veteran leaders do an awful lot of settling for long two-point jump shots.

Because of the age issue, the C's probably won't be a leading title contender again in 2012. But they'll still be very relevant, and you'd be a fool to count them out altogether.

I've been hearing rumors that the Celtics are trying to trade for a point guard with a package that includes Rajon Rondo. Any truth to them?
--celtsfan34

Honestly, I doubt it. I've heard those rumors too, with Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul being the two popular names to throw around. But I don't see it working.

The problem with trading Rondo is that Rondo has way more value to the Celtics than to anyone else. The C's know him, they trust him and they have familiarity with him. Because Rondo has such a long-standing bond with the Big Three, he can call any play he wants from their four years of experience together, and they'll know it instantly. That's a valuable ability, and it's not something you can just pick up in a trade for another big name.

Why should the Celtics trade him? He's the cornerstone of their franchise going forward. He's still young, he's still growing and he's still getting better. His assist average has gone way, way up every single year of his career. This is no time to give up on a star player like Rondo.

After hearing Glen Davis' whining -- "Where is Glen? I can't find him" -- do the Celtics really need a head case like him back?
--bycopp

Good question. Very tough. Doc Rivers has made comments recently about how Big Baby's problems were more "between the ears" than physical. Considering how he almost completely disappeared down the stretch for the Celtics this postseason, you have to consider that Baby's time in Boston could be up.

Here's my position. Baby is an unrestricted free agent this summer. He made only $3 million this year. He deserves a raise, but the Celtics can't go overboard. Offer him $6 million. If he says yes, that's great. Roll the dice on him for another season. But if not, that's OK too. The C's have other options out there.

One thing they can't do right now is make a long-term commitment. I'll explain why in a second.

What would the Celtics need to do to get Dwight Howard?
--Brian

Yes, this is why. Good question, Brian, and it's one that's on a lot of Celtics fans' minds this summer. The Magic's superstar big man will be a free agent in the summer of 2012, and countless teams will be in the running to get him. The Celtics may well be one of those teams.

The first thing they need is cap space. Assuming there are no major rule changes in the upcoming CBA negotiations, Howard will be an eight-year veteran eligible to make 30 percent of the salary cap, likely a little over $16 million. It's hard to clear out that much space under the salary cap. Making a run at Howard next summer would mean no Kevin Garnett, no Ray Allen and obviously neither of the O'Neals sticking around. We're talking about a team built around Howard, Rondo and maybe -- just maybe -- Jeff Green.

The next thing they'd need is a really good sales pitch. There's no guarantee Howard leaves Orlando next year, but if he does, he needs to be convinced he's getting enough to make it worth changing teams. That means not only max money but a big media market, a chance to be the biggest star in town and an opportunity to compete for multiple championships. If Danny Ainge can offer Howard all those things, he's got a shot.

He'll be far from the only GM in that hunt, though. New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles are all likely to be leading contenders, not to mention the possibility of Howard staying in Orlando.

Do you think there's any chance the Celtics make a run at Yao Ming this summer with the mid-level exception?
--Joe

It's an interesting idea, Joe, but I'm not so sure that Yao would be the best fit. You're right that the Celtics need a big man, but Yao is on the wrong side of 30 and obviously has an extensive injury history. Given the tumultuous season the C's have had with their bigs, I think they need someone who's more of a sure thing.

My checklist for Danny this summer: Big, relatively young, relatively healthy and strong defensively.

Two names I've thrown out there are Kris Humphries and Jared Jeffries. Yao is a bigger name than those guys, but he's also a bigger health risk. I'm not so sure Danny's in the mood to gamble on another big man after everything he's gone through.

Hey, at least you didn't ask about Greg Oden.

Did Danny Ainge make the Kendrick Perkins trade without Doc Rivers' consent? Judging by Doc's recent comments, it sure looks that way.
--SK

The way Doc describes the trading process, it's a collaborative deal. Danny and Doc meet and discuss these decisions together. That teamwork has been the foundation of their relationship for the last seven years.

But occasionally the two butt heads and, at the end of the day, it's the GM who makes the final call, not the head coach. This was a situation where Doc didn't want to lose Perk because he appreciated the continuity they'd spent years building, and he didn't want to give that up midseason.

One thing about Doc, though: He's a consummate professional. Even if he wasn't initially happy with the Perk decision, he stuck with his team and coached them well the rest of the way. And down the road, he'll definitely learn to appreciate what Jeff Green has to offer.

Do you think James Harden would have been a better fit than Jeff Green?
--Wesley

No, Wesley, I don't. Not really. I've heard the rumors that Ainge asked Sam Presti for Harden, not Green, and I'm not sure what to make of them.

Both are very talented players. Harden has proven his mettle by hitting four huge 3-pointers in OKC's Game 7 win over Memphis this weekend, so the question is a well-timed one. But this isn't necessarily so much a matter of individual talent as it is a question of fit. The Celtics already had a strong backup shooting guard inDelonte West, and Harden didn't fit any of their specific needs at the time.

The Celtics should be happy to have Green. Going forward, what they'll appreciate about Green is his versatility -- he's a small forward, he's a power forward, he's whatever the team needs him to be. He's unselfish enough that he doesn't mind shifting his role to fit the pieces around him. He'll start or come off the bench -- either way, no complaints. Green's a great fit, both now and for the future.

After all of the turmoil following the Perkins trade, is it possible for the Celtics to go back and try to get Perk back through some combination of trades or other deals? Could Boston somehow undo the infamous trade?
--Lou

Nope, sorry. Immediately upon trading for Perkins back in February, the Thunder sat down with the big man and negotiated a massive extension to his contract. He's set to make $35 million over the next four years. He's not going anywhere.

I know the Perk nostalgia is still there, and after eight long years with the guy, it should be. But it's time for Boston to move on. Just like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish before him, Kendrick Perkins is not walking through that door.