from the Boston Herald (http://celtics.bostonherald.com/celtics/view.bg?articleid=98856): Sweet (assuming it's true )! Dickau doesn't come close to the Steve Nash comparisons -- he's actually more like Jason Williams, and like White Chocolate I think he can become one of the league's better dribble penetrators and everything Celtics fans wish Marcus Banks was. In any event... I don't think Bynum will stick with the team (he has nothing going for him but a crossover) and Greene might be sent to the NBDL. If that's the case, the Celtics have a young point guard rotation of West, Dickau and Banks, which IMO is pretty damn good. B)
dickau like jason williams? hahahahaha slower, less athletic, worse passer (in terms of vision). About all he has going for him is his better shooting ability and shot-selection...which is about all he has going for his game, period. The guy is not a playmaker, regardless of what stats may say. Watch his game. Bynum is gonna stick around for a while. He has ridiculous ups and can score among the trees. I'm not sure if he'll get his shot off in the NBA as much with that hitch he has and his height. But yeah, the crossover and scoring in the paint...if he can start some lockup D he might have a role for a while
Dan Dickau = Great White Nope. I guess Larry Bird couldn't call his now-rival Ainge and say, "I've already had the guy in for a practice, I wouldn't hire him for a ballboy. What? Against the Rockets? Sure, he had a great game, but you know the Rockets; guard the good players and let the worst guy beat you, and that's what happens. Forget him."
What's with the Dickau bashing? He has produced on an NBA level, can run a fast break and even though scouts overestimated his quickness in college, he is fast enough for the NBA. And he's only 26. People were giving the Timberwolves verbal backrubs for trading for Jaric, even though he's older, more fragile and not as basketball saavy as Danny. IMO his biggest knock is his defense, but if you look at all the below average point guards defensively in the NBA (Ridnour, Tony Parker, Steve Nash) I'd take a lot of them over Marcus Banks in a heartbeat. And I was comparing his style to Williams, not overall skill.
Hey foodworld, if the Celtics get off to a slow start next season, what do you think are the chances of Pierce becoming available for expiring deals + picks? Assuming whichever team asks for him is willing to take Blount? Does it depend on Green's level of readiness? Hey, just askin'...
It's the subject of a huge protracted debate on Celtics boards and the conclusion I've reached is no, I don't think it will happen. Why? For starters, if Danny Ainge does want him gone, he's stuck between a rock and a hard place with team ownership that overvalues the team's only all-star and general managers across the league who, taking advantage of Pierce's purported "feud" with Doc Rivers, offer terrible low-ball offers. Just go to the RealGM forum (which takes a year off my life with every visit), and you'll see remarks like "THERE IS NO WHEY WE'RE TRADING DESHAWN STEVENSON FOR PAUL PIERCE!" Another problem is that the Celtics currently have 17 players under contract, so, total talent aside, dealing Pierce for anything other than a star (i.e. mediocre players and picks) would be literally impossible. And star-for-star swaps are very, very rare. Third, the Celtics have Gomes, Allen, Davis, Reed, Green and West crowding the 2/3 spots on top of Pierce. Swapping Pierce for another wing player would be absolutely pointless, so if he is traded, he's more likely to be shipped out for a Jamaal Magloire or Carlos Boozer than a Ray Allen or Corey Magette, even though the talent return (perceived and otherwise) is less. Fourth, the Celtics are at a unique disadvantage when it comes to pursuing free agents. It's not a desirable location, and the Celtics, even if they dump Pierce, LaFrentz (a good player worth hanging onto despite the contract) and Blount still have the remains of Vin Baker's contract eating away at the cap. And in doing so they'd be giving up their entire starting front-court from last year. Fifth, the only reason to trade Pierce is his attitude - not his effort, mind you, because this isn't Wince Carter or Baron Davis we're talking about. His game is pretty good. And because of his eventual acceptance of Doc Rivers' style of play, the only reason I see his attitude becoming an issue is if he openly demands a trade (i.e. he doesn't want to be a stop-gap until Al Jefferson becomes the face of the Celtics franchise.) And because the new CBA gives teeth for teams to deal with people like Vince Carter and Jim Jackson, it's less likely to happen now than a year ago. So there's my explanation for why I don't think a trade is likely.
And Gerald Green is years away from being on even Ricky Davis' level. He has no clue how to play basketball. Though if his jump shot's as good as advertised, he might have a shot at the Celtics rotation this year.
Jaric has more raw ability...based on size and athleticism. And he's shown more, except for the injury-proneness. Dickau has produced on a horrible team...I just don't think he can anywhere else. Whether you were comparing style or skill to Williams, I don't think either is even close. Dickau is a lot like Nash in style, in that he loves to go a little helter-skelter and dribble in and back out without doing anything. Except he can't pass like Nash.
Nice to see George Shinn is at it again. This guy will not pay ANYBODY! But, at the same time, there has to be a reason why Dickau just keeps bouncing from one team to another like that.
I kind of feel sorry for the Celtics. They're like the Rockets pre-Mcgrady...just good enough not to completely suck, but you know they'll never be an upper tier team with their current squad.
I think Delonte West is better than Banks and will give all Dickau can ask for in competing for the starting PG position. The Celtics do have too many PGs and they are going to deal someone.
I know you're just yanking my chain, but that's dumb. There are at most four teams in the league that have any realistic chance at an NBA title next year, and the Celtics, who are statistically the youngest team in the NBA (though Portland could be it... I'm not sure) and lack a true inside scoring presence (until Al Jefferson develops) aren't one of them. But what fans (of the Celtics and otherwise) don't realize is how good the Celtics kids will be down the road. As of now they have two star-caliber players (Pierce and Davis), potential franchise talents (Jefferson and Green) and are stacked with talented young players from 1 to 15. Despite their youth the Celtics second-unit is top-3 in basketball no matter who's in the lineup. They are improved over last year (yeah that's right, the team was better without Payton and Walker on the floor in the playoffs, and they added a guaranteed playmaker at the point in Dickau) and will probably give NJ a run for their money for the Atlantic division title. More importantly, if the squad stays together (including Pierce) and becomes a cohesive unit under the same coaching staff, we're looking at a 55 win team in two years. You heard that right. The pre-McGrady Rockets was Mobely, Ming, Francis (who is a ball-dominating cancer who was in over his head on a half-court team like Houston and everyone knows it) and a cast of aging role players who were making too much money. The McGrady trade saved that franchise.
Trust me, any team with Paul Pierce and Ricky Davis as it's main scoring options is destined for mediocrity...
