What better way to start your day than to log onto CelticsBlog, read up on the win last night (starting with the funniest headline I've read in a while), and dive into the latest round of rumors? These are courteous of Steve Bulpett.
Ainge ‘looking for help’ - BostonHerald.com
Among the places the Celtics have looked is Phoenix. Three sources confirmed the clubs spoke about three Suns wings — former Boston College star Jared Dudley, Grant Hill and Mickael Pietrus. Dudley’s defensive abilities would make him a strong fit with the Celtics, and all three could certainly help. But those talks fizzled out. "That looks like it’s gone," said one source, "but you never know." It may be more likely a new Celtic comes from a group of players who’ve been mentioned as potential buyout candidates — Morris Peterson, Jason Kapono, Rasual Butler and Sasha Pavlovic among them.
It is pretty amusing (and somewhat satisfying) to see many of the names pop up that most of you have been bringing up for weeks. Danny is clearly looking under every rock and making every phone call that he can. On the other hand, Bulpett goes on to paint a picture of a guy that isn't desperate for a deal. Of course Danny is going to say that he thinks we can win with what we have now (what else is he going to say? "please, give me any warm body you've got and I'll overpay!"). But multiple sources are referenced saying that the C's are being deliberate and calculating.
"They're definitely out there looking," said one team executive. "But Danny's not giving anything away. They need a player, but they're not going for just anyone, I can tell you that."
Sounds good to me. Be picky Danny. Don't jump on the first clearance sale you see. Walk around the mall for a little bit, enjoy a cinnamon pretzel, check the movie times, and browse for the best value. If a deal doesn't present itself this week, then you know that the free agents cut from their teams next week will put Boston high on their list of desirable destinations.
Speaking of which, Troy Murphy could be one of the those available free agents soon. It appears he's headed to Golden State who intends to buy him out. And guess who's rumored to be interested?
Trade buzz: Nets' Murphy on move - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Murphy, a 6-foot-11 forward, has the interest of several playoff contenders, including Orlando, Dallas, Miami and Boston, sources said. His 3-point range and size make him attractive to playoff teams.
Boston and Miami are the frontrunners to sign soon to be free agent Troy Murphy, league sources tell SI
Rockets players wait by the phone - Houston Chronicle
ESPN reported that the Celtics had interest in Battier, but quickly shot that down, pointing out that the Celtics would not be willing to move the players the Rockets would want. Actually, I think the Rockets would be tempted to make the deal if the Celtics would include center Semih Erden, though we'll probably never know since Boston apparently wants to keep and develop him.
Check back for more updates later.