Fat Chance?
by Jeff Clark on Oct 10, 2009 10:02 PM EDT
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My first thought upon hearing that Michael Sweetney was invited to camp was "why?" Actually, my very first thought was "hey, didn't he eat himself out of the league?" Then I wondered if we had room for him on the roster. Honestly, I could throw in about 15 different fat jokes right there, but that would be far too easy.
The point is, the team worked hard this offseason to bring in frontcourt depth. Wallace, Baby, Williams, and Scal will back up KG and Perk. That seems pretty solid. With Lester signed, the team has 15 contracts. If Sweetney actually made the team, someone would have to be cut or traded. Is he worth that? If so, who goes?
It is far too soon to tell if he's really got a shot, but there are some positive signs for Michael. In the first preseason game, he scored 10 points in just 8 minutes (he also racked up 5 fouls - slow feet maybe?). He followed that up by scoring 2 points and grabbing 2 rebounds in the second game (in just over 4 minutes). Will he get more chances in the upcoming games?
Here are some quotes from Doc that would at least give him some encouragement.
"He's an NBA player," Rivers said. "There's no doubt about it. I mean, he has to get in better shape. We'll see how that goes. He's working at it."
Stay-on-the-Celtic-roster skills?
"There's a place for everybody - whoever earns it," Rivers said before the C's second exhibition game. "I mean, we would obviously have to do something to keep him, but that's up to him to make us want to do that."
The guy clearly has some basketball talent. He's a typical Ainge camp invite in that he's got more upside than say an undrafted rookie. Like Darius Miles last year, he has to get back into playing shape after an extended absence. The fact that he's not yet in good enough shape doesn't bode well, but (as Celtics Hub points out) there's always the option of adding him to the roster and sending him to the D-League to get into shape for later in the year.
I'm still very skeptical of his chances. If Ainge makes any trades that free up a roster spot, he's always an option. If the frontcourt has any additional injury issues, he's an option for some added depth. But I don't think I'd outright cut anyone on the roster in favor of him.
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Is he willing to work to get in shape? How bad does he want it? He is a big body and has skills. He would be a good addition in the front court off the bench but can we gamble on his commitment????
by wingate on Oct 10, 2009 10:08 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
How bad does he want it?
The mere fact that he allowed himself to become morbidly obese tells me he does not want it at all!
Normally, it`s impossible to have too many “bigs”…but I`ll pass on Sweetney.
by Title 18 on Oct 11, 2009 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Morbidly Obese?
By NBA standards i suppose…
by latin on Oct 11, 2009 8:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m pretty sure we can’t send him to the D-League… I think D-League is only available for the first two years for players with NBA contracts. I might be wrong though.
by BudweiserCeltic on Oct 10, 2009 10:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
can’t he volunteer to go down on his own choice?
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V
by Jeff Clark on Oct 10, 2009 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As a D-league player, sure
but not as a member of the C’s roster with an NBA salary.
by KJ33 on Oct 10, 2009 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
sign him up
i would take a shot on him – the Celtics definitely have some people on their roster right now that do not have a future with this team. if sweetney gets in shape, he could definitely have a future with this team. I know thats a big if, but you know how Danny operates – collect chips so he can upgrade.
by ForexPirate on Oct 10, 2009 10:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
No thanks
Isn’t his defense terrible? And how tall the guy?
Don’t think this is a good idea.
by j804 on Oct 10, 2009 10:31 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
i'd dump tony allen for sweetney
thats not the most logical. but you give sweetney ten minutes a game, and he will be very effective. and on occassion he can eat up some extra minutes. his conditioning is truly the only problem. and it’s a serious one at that. but his talent is real.
and my point is that, compared to a guy like tony allen, who’s conditioning is not really a question, sweetney makes sense in the scheme of how the celtics play. they have smart players, who make efficient plays. sweetney is specifically that and he would certainly be better than shelden williams come to think of it.
twitter.com/aighttho
by stingy d on Oct 10, 2009 10:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't think so
Who’s 10 minutes do we give him – KG’s or Rasheed’s? That ain’t/isn’t/won’t happen!!!!!
He’s not competing with TA for a spot. If healthy Tony can play and we need his 10 minutes to rest PP and Ray. Also, TA is a 2.5M expiring contract and Danny WON"T throw that chip away – GUARANTEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Sweetney makes the team, which I kind of doubt, it will be Lester Hudson who gets cut.
by badax33 on Oct 11, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
this getting into shape business-come on – he’d have to lose 40-60 lbs. and that’s not going to happen. he’s preseason fodder. let memphis have him.
by nazzbo on Oct 10, 2009 11:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Good article, Jeff...
These are the questions we’re left to debate at this point, with such a stacked team.
All the negativity in this town sucks. It sucks, and it stinks, and it sucks. - Rick Pitino
by Roy_Hobbs on Oct 10, 2009 11:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
ohh no let's take him
If we had a hot dogs contest we can win it all.
by celt4ever on Oct 11, 2009 2:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
hmm not sold
I feel like Sweetney isnt a guy that will make any sort of difference at all on this team. Not that I think Lester Hudson will make a difference, but I think we are weaker at the guard position then we are at the pf-c position. If we are to give the 15th spot to someone, it should be hudson- he has much more potential than Sweetney. Sweetney is still at least a year away physically from contributing on both ends of the court, which makes his spot on the roster useless.
by jimmyt on Oct 11, 2009 3:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He's Likely Headed To Maine
Danny’s gift to his son. If he plays well for the Red Claws, he could get interest from other teams, since he’s an unrestricted free agent.
by Brickowski on Oct 11, 2009 8:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Duh! "Miracle on Ice" anyone?
I think Doc saw some “Miracle on Ice” documentaries and/or the movie and decided to test “Ubuntu”. If you guys remember, Coach Herb Brooks questioned his team’s camaraderie and decided to test this by bringing in a few more players to make the point that on one’s job is safe. The current players eventually put their foot down and told Herb Brooks to stop playing with their minds by bringing in last minute outsiders who are not part of the “family”. The players would not play with anyone else but each other. That’s all coach Brooks needed to hear, at that point, he knew he had a team. Doc is probably doing the same thing.
by afflatus on Oct 11, 2009 8:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
first choice was Leon (still not sure why that didn't happen)...
but Sweetney is (pardon the pun) showing more than Sheldon at this point.
I personally don’t mind watching the backups compete at this point. Would like to see Sheldon get more PT and see if he can be more aggressive out there for us.
that said, if Sweet doesn’t get a roster spot here, based on how is playing (yes he needs to drop weight) I think he will get a roster spot somewhere in the league this year.
depending on how badly he wants it, worst case he goes to the D-League and then gets picked up during the season.
but he has looked a lot better skills-wise than I expected…kinda a nice surprise.
by winsomme on Oct 11, 2009 8:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It’s obvious when watching him that he knows how to play the game. He’s got the skills as well. If he were to get in shape he’d be a steal.
But how would the contract look? He’s already over the weight the contract would prohibit.
by amenhotep04 on Oct 11, 2009 9:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Contingency
I think Sweetney is a guy that was invited to camp for a couple of reasons.
1-He gives us a big, talented, low risk practice body to work our guys against.
2-If Danny pulls off a trade and has a roster spot available then..
3-Injury insurance if one of our bigs goes down with a season ender early
4-If playes well enough he is a trade chip for us as well
5-If he outplays one of our guys then they are traded and we keep him
Any one or combination of these is a low risk high reward outcome for us.
"First fix their hearts"-Eizo Shimabuku
by billysan on Oct 11, 2009 10:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The second coming
Of “Dinner Bell” Mel Turpin or John “Hot Plate” Williams. These guys have one thing to do in order to earn more money than most of us will ever see in their entire lives – stay in playing shape. Michael Sweetney can’t do it.
It would be cost affective to hire someone to be with him 24/7 to stop him from eating away his career.
by can't teach height on Oct 26, 2009 12:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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