Relief from Trade Rumors may Give Team a Boost

Days before the All-Star break, Allen saw Glen Davis in the team hotel in New Orleans. Davis’s name, like several others, also had been mentioned in a possible trade, and Allen had no clue whether it was official or not. There was an awkwardness to the exchange.

“I didn’t say anything to him,’’ Allen said. “But I was like, ‘Is everything all right?’ He said, ‘Yeah, everything’s cool. I’m just about to go see some family.’ ’’

But it was like avoiding the elephant in the room.

“I’m sad to see Eddie go,’’ Allen said. “He was a brother of ours. We won a championship together, so we’ll be forever connected. “As a player, you feel a little more comfortable knowing you’re here for the rest of the season,’’ said Davis. “You’re not getting traded to another team, you’ve just got to keep playing, staying focused on what we have to do, staying focused on the main goal.’’ Said Allen, “We were saying how it’s a lot of guys in grocery carts this past month, because a couple of us have been shopped left and right.’’

LINK

It's hard enough to get on the same page and play like a team when you have players coming and going due to injuries. Throw in trade rumors involving rotational players, starters even, and the task grows more complicated.

Now the focus can return to where it should be--basketball and winning banner #18.

Trade Potentially Reduces Celtics Roster to 12

Army Update

The Bell Tolls

In a little more than twenty-four hours from now the Boston Celtics roster will be the roster it marches into the playoffs with in April, barring any unforeseen free agent signings. According to sources, Nate Robinson will be a Celtic, though it is still unclear who won't be. For a pint-sized professional basketball player with that many warts, let's hope the price didn't include Tony Allen or a first round pick. Keeping Eddie House would be nice, too. Yet playing those two together or even finding time to play them separately would be tough.

Twenty-four hours also represents the chunk of time between now and when the Celtics will begin final preparations for the rematch with the Lakers. What Celtics team will show up? Better yet, what Celtics team will show up down the stretch? Will KG show any signs of a return to dominance? Will the Celtics? Should be an interesting 24 hours.

Oh, BTW, I say Danny does one more deal not involving the name Nate Robinson.

What say you?

Do these numbers shout "first round pick" to you?

	OPP	MIN	FG	REB	AST	STL	BLK	PTS
Feb 5	Mil, L107-114	33	3-12	4	7	1	0	13
Feb 6	@Cle, L106-113	38	9-18	4	6	1	1	26
Feb 9	Sac, L114-118	27	4-15	0	4	1	0	11

Ray-Ray Going Bye-Bye?

LINK

Danny Talks Out Both Sides of His Mouth

We're going to try to do something. I feel like we need to do something. It might be something very small -- tweak the personality of our team.

--El Jeffe

Statement #1

We're going to try to do something.

Statement #2

We're going to tweak the personality of our team.

Statement #3

Statement numbers 2 & 3 tell you everything you need to know. Disregard the rest.

Danny can say he might do something "very minor." But you don't alter the "personality" of a team by making a minor move. You don't believe that trading JR Giddens, Bill Walker, Shelden Williams, or Brian Scalabrine would have any meaningful impact on the team's "personality," now do you?

Danny's plotting a move. Make no mistake. You should have started to get that feeling back in early January when Ainge, who was asked whether this team reminded him of any of the 1980s squads, responded, "no, not really any of them."

Out, Out Brief Candle

Rumors, scenarios, and salary caps,
Creep in this petty space from day to day
To the last syllable of February 18th, 2010,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Rumor's are but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

--Macbeth's soliloquy in act 5, scene 5 of William Shakespeare's Macbeth

Trade Deadline Passes

Keeping to his word, Boston Celtics Executive Danny Ainge kept it in idle on Wednesday, watching the NBA trade deadline expire without making a move.

The good news is that Sam Cassell does not appear to have been traded, and thus remains a buyout opportunity Danny may cash in on.

Cassell, or any other player currently under contract, would need to be bought out and released by March 1 to be eligible for an NBA playoff roster.

Tic Toc Tic Toc

Thursday, February 21, 2008 (3 p.m. EST): NBA trade deadline

Saturday, March 1, 2008: Players Waived after this Deadline are not eligible for the playoffs