Who's Left?

by Roy_Hobbs on Sep 23, 2009 1:38 PM EDT in Articles Comment 36 comments

For some reason, most of these guys are still available...

Following up on Jeff's article yesterday about the 15th roster spot, here's a look at some of the remaining unrestricted free agents:

PGs: Carlos Arroyo, Chucky Atkins, Dan Dickau, Tyronn Lue, Stephon Marbury, Mike Taylor, Jamaal Tinsley, Jacque Vaughn

SGs: Juan Dixon, Bobby Jackson, Flip Murray, Rashad McCants

SFs: Gerald Green, Joey Graham, Stephen Graham, Darius Miles, Wally Szczerbiak, Ime Udoka

PFs: Raef LaFrentz, Mark Madsen, Stromile Swift, Antoine Walker

Cs: Mark Blount (pending release), Dwayne Jones, Courtney Sims, Robert Swift

Obviously, none of the names above are spectacular. However, there are a few players who could help teams that are in need of some depth.

For the Celtics' purposes, none of the above is a perfect fit, of course; if they were, they'd probably be here already. I really like Bobby Jackson as a player, but he's a bit long in the tooth, and one wonders if he could play beside Eddie House in the backcourt. Jamaal Tinsley is a mess. Chucky Atkins is ancient, and his game is in decline (although he's another guy I've always liked). Flip Murray can't stick with a team, and has always seemed like a "scoring first, second, and last" type of guy. Wally is... well, he's Wally. He's a good shooter, but he's not going to bring much else to the table, especially on the defensive end (although, in his defense, I will say that he played strong defense on Ray Allen in the playoffs).

So, in the end maybe none of them makes sense, and it's a better strategy to maintain roster flexibility to sign a free agent during the season or to take back players in a 1-for-2 deal.

Update: Dan Dickau has turned down the Celtics invitation to camp and will attend the Suns camp instead (Source: Globe)

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Wow, nice shot of the 04-05 team. Lessee — we’ve still got PP, KP, and… TA? How do we still have HIM?!! Crazy.

As far as the roster spot goes, Jaque Vaughn could be an interesting fit. Good vet presence, but does he have anything left?

by bagofbeef on Sep 23, 2009 1:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

that pic is phenominal

Jiri Welsch everyone!

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Sep 23, 2009 1:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

by the way

if you can name every player on that picture without looking it up, you officially have a “I’m not a bandwagon fan” card that is irrevocable

the only one I’m not 100% on is the guy just to the left Big Al – is it Adrien Griffin?

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Sep 23, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

or is it Orien Greene?

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Sep 23, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huge mystery!

I’m not sure who that is. I’m fairly positive it isn’t Griffin – he’s a lefty. Orien Greene wasn’t drafted yet. I’m going with Michael Stewart.

by vwoodruff on Sep 23, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I got everyone except him and the white guy in the shooting motion. Is that Gugliotta? That’s my guess anyway.

Nice to see Justin “Kobe Stopper” Reed again.

by Black Bird on Sep 23, 2009 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes, that's Googs

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Sep 23, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tinsley

I had forgotten that Tinsley is still available. Why not take a flyer on him? If he’d sign for the vet minimum, and got his head straight, that would be the best second unit in basketball (Tinsley/House/Daniels or Walker/Williams/Wallace). If he doesn’t work out, you cut him and bring back Lester or whoever is available at that time. What do you really lose?

by funkstarrdeluxe on Sep 23, 2009 1:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Mike Taylor

IMHO he’s the best player available among the backcourt free agents, with the possible exception of Bobby Jackson.

by Brickowski on Sep 23, 2009 1:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I too think MIke Taylor is the best choice out of the available free-agents...

but maybe Juan Dixon… I haven’t been really following his career lately but I remember he being an ok player before.

by Mike-Dub on Sep 23, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But I'm not to sure.

by Mike-Dub on Sep 23, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dickau prefers guarding the Suns' chairs

he’s declined the Celtics’ offer and is going to PHX

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Sep 23, 2009 1:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Sep 23, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good

We don’t need no stinking Dan Dickau!

by SalmonAndMashedPotatoes on Sep 23, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you look at both teams' rosters, he's probably right

Which team does a player like dickau have more of a chance of ending up with?

by nba is the worst on Sep 24, 2009 7:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brian Skinner re-signed with the clippers…

Arroyo or Taylor are my top choices…

by thebirdman on Sep 23, 2009 1:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Chucky??

by greenwise on Sep 23, 2009 1:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

None of the PG options that are here thrill me.

I’m looking at it from the perspective of these guys having to carry a major load should Rondo go down with an injury and not just playing 10-12 minutes a game. I think Atkins, Lue, Taylor, Arroyo or Jackson could be solid for short minutes though.

I think we really need to think about moving Scal and possibly others and their expiring contracts for a back up PG that is a tier above these guys.

I know many don’t like this one but Scal and Giddons for Rafer Alston works in the trade machine.

by Marco33 on Sep 23, 2009 1:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I like it...

by Tai on Sep 23, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Orlando and Boston are contenders, none of them would deal to help each other

by greenwise on Sep 23, 2009 2:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jones would be a nice pickup.

If the C’s could trade Scalabrine to some team who wants his expiring contract and replace his roster spot with Dwayne Jones that would be a real nice swap.

Jones would be the 3rd string back up center we would need for insurance in case Perk or Rasheed get hurt this year.

He is fairly talented overall for a center and his size would come in very handy in the playoffs when we face Shaq and Howard.

by fordescort on Sep 23, 2009 2:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

There are some pretty good names out there for the end of the bench. I can’t wait for Friday, when all the signings for training camp will be announced.

by P2 on Sep 23, 2009 2:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gary Payton, bring him back as the 2nd PG. RR will have a triple double every night.

by jesse_stoneham on Sep 23, 2009 2:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I take it it was almost a courtesy invitation anyway, a favor to whomever his agent is.

Would have been an good opponent for easing Hudson into the league, but probably not much more than that—and understood from the start.

by clover on Sep 23, 2009 3:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dickau to suns? Good news…I hope Taylor gets invited to camp…

by thebirdman on Sep 23, 2009 3:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Chris Lofton?

I know he’s redundant with House, but I understand he looked great in Summer League and in Turkey last year. Wasn’t he projected to be a first-round talent before he got cancer?

by Black Bird on Sep 23, 2009 3:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

whew.. we dodged the dickau bullet

lester hudson is the shiny new penny that we all want to see on the team. I would take a number of those guys over tony allen if we could find a way to dump him. I like udoku from the spurs and even stromile swift could be interesting

by Red2 on Sep 23, 2009 3:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

can you say shooter?

we need a guy who can hit the 3 and shoot. Most of the guys on that list can’t do that. Udoku can and BJack can and wally can

by Red2 on Sep 23, 2009 3:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I can't say it enough...

I’m cool with Hudson getting that 15th spot. I thought maybe Arroyo would come out saying Boston had talks with him, but I guess the Celtics weren’t lying when they denied it. Then again, it’s only Wednesday, and yes I did say “only”. Anything can happen in 5 days; you just never know.

Outside of that, Hudson probably gets invited to camp, at least. If he does well, he gets the 15th spot, and possibly finds himself on the rotation. POSSIBLY. It really depends on him. When we hear he isn’t all HE says he’s cracked up to be in training camp, then we can say “D-League for you, my friend.”

by Tai on Sep 23, 2009 4:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs