CelticsBlog Offseason Mailbag Uncut - Part V

What, you thought you saw the last of this? We're just getting started! Just kidding, this is finally starting to wind down but I've got at least one more to go.

derekg49 Do you think Sullinger could see some mins this season thanks to him being a good re-bounder?

Yes, absolutely. I'm actually so optimistic about him that I'm worried about being let down when he plays like a normal rookie who needs time to develop and grow. But yeah, he's exactly what we need and I hope he can contribute pretty much right away.

Roy As I remember, 5 years ago when they started in Italy, they were given an extra week of training over other teams in the NBA. What about this year when they start training in Turkey? Do they start a week earlier than the rest of the NBA?"

That's an excellent question... that I don't know the answer to. Has anyone seen a schedule yet? I don't think media day has been announced, but that's the unofficial start of camp.

WHY NOT Andray Blatche The guy is a product of the culture of the immature wizards. The kid can ball and with a veteran team like the one we have he would be a model citizen. Plus you can't tell me that when he is at he's best he is not better than Bass, he used to killed KG when they used to play us. On a non-guarantee camp invite what do we have to loose!

Make it stop.

xxkenxx "Hi Jeff, How much of a difference do you think Chris Wilcox might make this year? I didn't get a chance to see too many games last year but I seem to remember the team did well when he was in the rotation.
Thx"

I am capping my expectations on Wilcox but at the same time he's a guy that could step his game up a notch. The chemistry that he and Rondo developed in the open court was pretty fun to watch briefly last year. I would love to see Sullinger pull down a rebound, deliver a lead pass to Rondo who (for once) doesn't have to slow down on the break as Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox fill the lanes for a pick-your-poison 3 on 2 fast break.

gocanes1 If DA could arrange a trade for Josh Smith for say, BB, AB + picks, wouldn't this brin bring Boston closer to Heat/LA ? Josh would immediately solve rebounding issues, help to defend LBJ, and provide athleticism.?

As we've discussed, I think the Hawks would have to go into fire-sale mode and they would get a number of decent offers for Smith that might trump that one. But yeah, some combination of picks and players (Bass and Green come to mind) might be enough to get it done if that's the direction they wanted to move in.

adibibi what do you think, having a more athletic and more dynamic team now, will the celtics start paying more attention to offensive rebounding instead of sprinting back and setting a lockdown defense.

Perhaps. I'm not really sure what Doc's going to do. Like I've mentioned before, hopefully more healthy bodies and more days of rest between games (not to mention more practice time) will let them focus on offensive rebounding AND taking care of transition defense. And yes, having younger legs should help as well. We'll see.

Sandtiger Outside of Miami and to a lesser degree Chicago (depending on Rose's health) who do you see being our biggest competition in the Eastern Conference?

The Pacers seem to be a team that could either take the next step next year or fall apart like a house of cards. I wouldn't discount the latter, but I'm counting them in the top 5 teams in the East. Philadelphia is a pretty safe bet to be right up there as well now that they've got Bynum.

BamaCelt How many fights will Kevin Garnett get in this year?

If by "fights" you mean elbowing someone in the head and then putting his arms straight up in the air as if to say "I didn't do anything, if you hit me now you'll get suspended and I'll laugh at you" then then answer is 300. If you mean something involving actual fisticuffs (with or without handlebar mustaches), then I'd have to say zero.

whatsup will Daniels be back next season ?

Nope. But at least he's got his rap career.

wsspencer023 Any chance we see a P.J. Brown type signing midseason with the BAE? Im guessing they would be looking for a big man...any likely candidates?

Every year some players get bought out and having the BAE available is always nice. They'd probably have to trade some players for nothing to avoid the tax apron or something like that, but the math is beyond me at this point. No idea who might shake loose mid-season either. After the Troy Murphy signing, I'm not exactly setting my hopes up high on anyone really - but we'll see.

Reen if xmas get some minutes do u think doc will give him the green light to shoot the ball

Yup, the green light is always on in garbage time! Seriously though, Doc wants guys to do what they do best on the court. Christmas is a scorer and if he's on the court he'll be expected to score.

doubleR is it a big mistake not to have tried to get a great rebounder ?Could it cost us the championship

Maybe. Not sure who was out there for us to get though.

Celtics805 "Hey Jeff, I was wondering what Celtic backcourt combinations you think are the best for the team this season. Rondo/AB starting and Jet/Lee off the bench? Or maybe swap AB and Lee?"

I keep telling people that I like a Rondo/Lee starting unit and a Terry/Bradley bench, but most don't seem to agree. Folks really love what Bradley did for us (so do I, don't get me wrong) and envision him being the Dumars to Rondo's Isaiah Thomas. That's all well and good, but I'd rather put a shooter next to Rondo and pair Terry with a defender. But that's just me.

I guess we'll see how Lee does alongside Rondo while Bradley is recovering. At that point we might be able to make a more informed decision.

elts440 "Ever correlate the fact that Doc and Danny were both guards and the rebounding issue we face each year? Does Danny still consult the ""brain doctor""?"

Danny does love shooters and Doc spends a lot of time working on point guards, but I don't think they de-value rebounding that much. Doc talks about it all the time and Danny does as well. I just think they are looking at a divers set of skills they are looking for within their budget and they do the best they can with what they have.

Big Ry Do you think Rondo will school Nash?

Yes. And I think Nash will have some success against Rondo as well. But overall I like that matchup for us. It is the other matchups that give me pause.

TrueGreen "Jeff, please describe your meeting with KG when you tell him to step back and take a three instead of a long two. But please, don't show us a picture of what you look like afterwards."

Me: I mean, come on man, you are straddling the line half the time you release the ball anyway. Use your head.

KG: Man, you are right. Why didn't I call you up and ask for your advice sooner? Can you show me the Dream Shake again? I'll let you borrow my 3rd largest yacht for the weekend.

Me: Ok, but make sure Mikki Moore puts a fresh coat of paint on the bow. And tell Big Baby to stop stealing all the olives.

I love lamp.