Current Celtics Roster

The trade of Garnett, Pierce, and Terry can not be official until July 10th, but let's take a look at what the team will look like (barring any other trades, like you know, one for Rajon Rondo.)

POINT GUARD:
Rajon Rondo
Phil Pressey
LaMont "MoMo" Jones

SHOOTING GUARD:
Avery Bradley
Courtney Lee
MarShon Brooks
Jordan Crawford
Keith Bogans

SMALL FORWARD:
Jeff Green
Gerald Wallace
Terrence Williams
Kris Joseph

POWER FORWARD:
Brandon Bass
Jared Sullinger
Kris Humphries

CENTER:
Kelly Olynyk
Colton Iverson
Fab Melo


That's 18 players, so obviously they all won't be around.  Joseph, Bogans, Jones all likely gone.  Couple of others could be traded.  But here they are, for now, your 2013-14 BOSTON CELTICS!

What The Celtics Got At The Draft

The Celtics went into the 2013 NBA Draft with just the #16 pick.  They traded up to #13 and also bough a 2nd rounder (#53).  What did they get?

1st Round (13): KELLY OLYNYK (Gonzaga, junior, center)

Olynyk averaged 18 points, 7 rebounds a game last year as a redshirt junior and was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year.  He scores well down low, and is a better offensive player than defensive player right now.  That's the positive.  As I pointed out on twitter last night...

Do not like Kelly Olynyk. Poor athlete, T-Rex arms, 22 years old, no D, gets blocked all the time, played in WCC, red shirted as jr.

— Rich Keefe (@Keefe21) June 28, 2013

So, yeah.  Not a fan.  Hopefully he proves me wrong.

2nd Round (53): COLTON IVERSON (Colorado State, senior, center)

Iverson, like Olynyk, is a legit 7 footer.  He's even bigger, weighing in at over 260.  Iverson went to Minnesota for 3 years before transferring to Colorado State where he led the Rams in points and rebounding and was named the Mountain West New Comer of the Year and 1st Team All-MWC.  Solid rebounder, but to me, would have been a better pick if the team was still contending, and needed size to complement Garnett, Sullinger, Wilcox, etc.

If you are rebuilding, why not take a shot at some 19 and 20 year olds with big upside?  Celtics decided to go with two 7 footers, one 22 the other 23.  Weak sauce.


UNDRAFTED ROOKIE FREE AGENTS

According to reports the Celtics have already agreed to deals with a couple of undrafted guys...

PHIL PRESSEY (Missouri, junior, point guard)

Thought Pressey would go in the 2nd round (dumb either way with a year left of school) but he went unpicked last night.
Pressey has tied to Boston and New England as he played for the BABC AAU team and his freshmen and sophomore years of high school at Cushing.
Kid can't shoot.  At all.  I guess the Celtics like their point guards not being able to shoot.  He also turns the ball over a lot, and is under 6 foot.  However he put up solid numbers for Missouri and was one of the better players in the Big 12 and SEC.  He has good vision/passing ability and is real quick.  Curious if he can make the team.

LAMONT "MOMO" JONES (Iona, senior, point guard)

MoMo was a standout high school player at Oak Hill before going to Arizona for two years.  He had a great performance against Duke in the tournament, but then transferred to Iona (closer to home, his grandmother was sick), where he played his final two seasons of college basketball.  He led Iona to the NCAA tourny and was the MAAC Player of the Year.  He can score, he put up 22.6 a game last year (3rd in the country).

If nothing else, the additions of Pressey and Jones sort of open the door to life after Rondo.  Not ideal and they are no where near the skill level, but we were curious if they drafted a Larkin or a Schroeder last night what would happen.  They didn't, but soon after grabbed up two of the best undrafted point guards.  We shall see...

Celtics And Nets Agree To Monster Deal

The Truth is, Celtics are in a rebuild... ok that's awful.  Here is the breakdown.


NETS Receive: PAUL PIERCE, KEVIN GARNETT, JASON TERRY

CELTICS Receive: GERALD WALLACE, KRIS HUMPHRIES, MARSHON BROOKS, KEITH BOGANS, KRIS JOSEPH, 1ST ROUND PICKS IN 2014, 2016, 2018 AND RIGHT TO SWAP 1ST ROUNDERS IN 2017

Sadly, it had to be done.

Couple ways to look at this.  The Celtics essentially traded Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce for FOUR 1st ROUND PICKS and got rid of Jason Terry's contract.  (Yes they take back a bad deal in Gerald Wallace)

Also the C's now have TWO 1st Round Picks in 4 of the next 5 years, and the one where they only have 1 (2017) they can swap with the Nets if they have a better one, not terrible.

Now what do they do with Rajon Rondo...

5 Players The Celtics Could Draft At 16

There aren’t many certainties in the NBA Draft this year, however I feel the Top 6 will in some order be: Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, Alex Len, Otto Porter, Anthony Bennett, and Victor Oladipo. 

It also appears that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, C.J. McCollum, Trey Burke, Michael Carter-Williams, and Steven Adams will be gone.  So who is left?  And who should the Celtics take in a year that will likely begin the re-build.  I feel any position is possible and they are in a spot to pick the “best player available.”  Here are 5 options.

Cody Zeller, PF, Indiana (7-0, 230, Sophomore)

Zeller is an athletic big man who can run the floor.  A 7 footer who has upside, he might have been a Top 10 pick last year if he left after his freshmen year.  He may still be a Top 10 pick this year, but there is no guarantee of that.  He is a much better offensive player than a defensive player right.  Better than his brother Tyler.

Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA (6-6, 222, Freshmen)

There are a lot of knocks on Muhammad (lied about age, poor shooting, dominates only against weak competition), but I still see a lot of potential from the suddenly 20 year old.  I think he will be a legit 2^nd scoring option on a team someday. 

Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas (6-9, 236, Sophomore)

If it was up to me, this is the player I would take.  Crazy athletic, 6-9 and an NBA body, unlike many rookie who need to add weight/muscle.  Averaged a double-double his freshmen season and admittedly had a subpar sophomore year playing for a new coaching staff at North Texas.  He compares himself to Kenneth Faried, we’ll see.  But lots of upside with Mitchell, and a guy who could be part of the Celtics rebuild or an intriguing trade option down the road when trying to add a superstar.

Mason Plumlee, C, Duke (7-0, 238, Senior)

This is a possibility, but one I would not be excited about.  College seniors (specifically from major schools) typically aren’t great pros.  (Yes, Tim Duncan is great, that was 16 years ago.)  Plumlee may be more “NBA ready” than others in the draft, however even best case scenario is below All-Star caliber.  I’d pass, but he’ll be in the mix and likely drafted between 15-25. 

Shane Larkin, PG, Miami (5-11, 171, Sophomore)

Unfortunately for teams this year, the best point guard in college last year, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart decided to return to school.  Therefore guys like Trey Burke, Michael Carter Williams, Dennis Schroeder, and Shane Larkin all slot up.  The C’s could take Larkin here (just under 6 feet tall but the most athletic PG in the draft) and then begin the Rajon Rondo trade rumors!

And of course since I mentioned these five players, it won’t be any of them.  If they decided to go international it could be Giannis Adetokunbo of Greece or Sergei Karasev of Russia.  Enjoy the draft!

The Rich Keefe Project's 2013 NBA Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

The Cavs may not keep this pick, but even if they do McLemore should be it.  He's more of a sure thing than Nerlens Noel, Alex Len, or Anthony Bennett.  I know they drafted Dion Waiters 4th last year, but if McLemore is the best player (I think he is) he should be the pick.  For player comp think: Eric Gordon, Bradley Beal, Ray Allen.

2. Orlando Magic - Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV

A shoulder injury kept him out of the Draft Combine and workouts.  Bennett may be the best athlete in the draft.  He averaged 16 points, 8 rebounds at UNLV last season, his game may be better suited for the NBA.  Heard the report that he weighs 261 now, I'm not too concerned, just keep him away from Glen Davis.

3. Washington Wizards - Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown

A lot of people believe the Georgetown forward will stay in DC.  The Wiz have Wall and Beal in their backcourt and would benefit from a play maker like Porter.  He dramatically improved his deep shooting from his freshmen year (22% from 3) to his sophomore year (42%).  Smart player and a good passer, I don't think he has the highest ceiling but his floor is higher than most in the draft.

4. Charlotte Bobcats - Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

I'm rooting for Noel.  He's from Everett, MA and played prep school ball up in Tilton, NH.  But at 6'11 and a cheeseburger over 200 pounds, I really question his ability to stack up with NBA big men.  He may still be the first overall pick, but I wouldn't do it.  I'm not worried about his agents, more how he will compete down low.  Not to mention he's coming off an ACL tear and his offensive game is sub par.

5. Phoenix Suns - Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

A very solid player who is getting more attention because of the weak class.  He can play defense, which at the very least should make him a viable NBA player for 10 years (barring injury).  He can also shoot 3's. (Bruce Bowen and Shane Battier made a nice living doing just that, although he is shorter than those guys.)  I like Oladipo and expect him to be one of the better rookies next year.

6. New Orleans Pelicans - Alex Len, C, Mayland

Some buzz out there that Len could go as high as #1.  He outplayed Noel in Maryland's game vs. Kentucky this year.  I saw the Terps play a few times this season, and like a lot of talented freshmen, he'd dominate one minute and then disappear for long stretches.  Also there are an awful lot of white centers in this draft, what percentage of them will actually be any good?

7. Sacramento Kings - Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA

I want to like Muhammad.  Fits all my criteria, highly touted High School Player, scorer, and someone you knew was going to be 1 and done before he evened picked his school.  But then after an up and down season at UCLA (suspended early in the season, shot poor %, although he did average 18 a game), and we find out he's older than we previously thought.  How this happened I have no clue.  Hey Shabazz, you're not a Dominican baseball player.  Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, how do we not have a birth certificate?  College freshmen lie all the time, but they want to be OLDER to buy booze and get into bars.  Weak class should keep him in the Top 10.

8. Detroit Pistons - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia

One of the best players in the SEC on one of the worst teams in the conference, Caldwell-Pope was asked to do everything, and he did.  Arguably the best scorer from the 2-guard spot in the draft, he can rebound, and shot free throws.  He will need to work on his 3 point shot.  One of my favorite players in the draft, along with this next guy.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves - C.J. McCollum, G, Lehigh

The closest thing to Stephen Curry in the draft.  I don't typically like seniors, but when they come from small schools (Damian Lillard) it can work.  McCollum, a combo guard who can SCORE.  19.1, 21.8, 21.9, 23.9.  Those were his scoring averages by year at Lehigh.  He led his 15 seed Mountain Hawks past Austin Rivers and Duke two years ago in the NCAA tournament.  (McCollum will undoubtedly be a better pro than Austin Rivers too for what it's worth.)

10. Portland Trail Blazers - Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville

Might be a bit high for Dieng here.  The Blazers had the worst depth in the league last year.  Lillard and Aldridge is a great 1-2 punch and will provide most of the scoring along with Wes Mathews.  Dieng, has no offensive game, but is the best defensive center in the class.  Put him alongside Aldridge and he could be effective for Portland.  They also drafted Meyers Leonard in the lottery last year and should develop. Or we could see a trade, the Blazers wheel and deal with the best of them on draft night.

11. Philadelphia 76ers - Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh

I hear a lot of great things about Adams, and I don't get it.  The New Zealander played one year at Pittsburgh (7 points, 6 rebounds).  He'll spend the whole year in the D-League, so good luck with that.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Raptors) - Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse

The Thunder went to hell when Russell Westbrook went down this past post season.  The James Harden deal wasn't good, there is no way around that.  Carter-Williams can serve as a backup point, but can also play alongside Westbrook with both being interchangeable.

13. Dallas Mavericks - Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

Most expect the great Wolverine point guard to go in the Top 10, not me.  He was awesome in college, leading his team to the Title Game.  Burke is barely 6 foot tall, I'd bet on him being a career backup and not a starter.  But I'm sure he's heard that before.

14. Utah Jazz - Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany

The Rajon Rondo clone, Dennis Schroeder of Germany.  With Dario Saric of Croatia pulling out of the draft, he should be the first international player off the board.  There is a rumor that a team made him a promise all the way back at the combine.  I say the Jazz take Schroeder, but I can't promise you.  Zing.

15. Milwaukee Bucks - Jamaal Franklin, SG, San Diego State

Bucks may lose Monta Ellis (unrestricted) and or Brandon Jennings (restricted) to free agency, also known as ALL of their scoring.  Mid-season acquisition J.J. Redick could be gone too, so the Bucks will need a shooting guard.  Franklin can score, but he can also do a bit of everything.  He's 6-5 and led the Aztecs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals last year.  Not a 3-point shooter though... at all.

16. Boston Celtics - Cody Zeller, PF, Indiana

Zeller is one of 10 players to be invited to the Green Room, so it looks like the NBA certainly believes he will go higher than 16 to the Celtics.  The C's are in the rebuild now, and if they stay at 16 (it has been reported that Danny Ainge does not like this draft, most don't) they should just take the best player available.  If the first 15 picks go the way I mapped out (spoiler: they won't) then the C's should take Zeller, an extremely athletic 7 footer who can run the floor.  (I also like Tony Mitchell and Tim Hardaway Jr., I'll have more on potential Celtics picks later in the week.)

17. Atlanta Hawks - Giannis Adetokunbo, SF, Greece

The absolute best time to draft foreign players is in the 2nd round.  But with a guy like Adetokunbo, teams won't have that luxury.   I also like grabbing an international guy if you have multiple picks in the 1st round, like the Hawks.  Adetokunbo is 18 years old, a 6'9 small forward, and some compare him to Nic Batum.  Worth a gamble in a draft like this.

18. Atlanta Hawks - Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas

Mitchell is one of my favorite players in the draft, and arguably the best athlete.  He committed to Missouri out of high school but academic issues from transferring high schools prevented him from being a Tiger and he ended up at North Texas, where he averaged a double-double (15-10) as a freshmen.  His numbers were not as good as a sophomore and he even admitted to not playing hard every game.  (Yikes.)  But I like the honesty, and North Texas had a new coaching staff which clearly didn't work out (they were 12-20).  I'd give Mitchell a chance though.  He should go off the board anywhere from 15-25.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Lakers) - Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga

Many predict Olynyk to go higher in the draft, but he has T-Rex arms and benched 185 only 5 times.  (How is that possible?  You'd think his small wingspan would help him in a drill like the bench press.  That's an embarrassingly low number.  I bet all of you reading this could do 6 reps as the warm up at 185...) The Cavs could use a big man to play along with Tyler Zeller and Tristan Thompson, and if they pass on Noel or Len at #1, they may have Olynyk (who did put up 18-7 last year... points and rebounds not bench reps) waiting for them at #19.

20. Chicago Bulls - Allen Crabbe, SG, California

The Bulls seems to be looking for a shooting guard every year.  (Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, Marco Belinelli, Richard Hamilton...) And with Derrick Rose back (I assume), along with Deng, Boozer, Noah, Butler, and Teague, I bet they go shooting guard again.  Jamaal Franklin (who I had go #15) could be in the mix, along with Tim Hardaway Jr.

21. Utah Jazz (from Warriors) - Mason Plumlee, PF/C, Duke

Not sure what the Jazz have up their sleeves with free agents Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap.  They do return Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter, but big man depth can't hurt.  I have them getting their PG at #14 (Schroeder), I'd expect a PF/C here.

22. Brooklyn Nets - Shane Larkin, PG, Miami

The son of baseball hall of famer Barry Larkin, Shane tested off the charts at the combine.  He proved that he was an elite athlete but he's also under 6 feet.  I think he has a chance to make it in the league, likely as a backup.  And there are worse places to be than learning from and backing up Deron Williams in Brooklyn.

23. Indiana Pacers - Pierre Jackson, PG, Baylor

Another guy who is under 6 feet tall.  The term "pit bull" gets used a lot in describing Pierre Jackson.  I'm a fan of this guy.  Put up 20 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds last year at Baylor.  He competed at drills in the combines and at any pre-draft workout he could get his hands on, not afraid to go against anyone.  The Pacers have built a solid roster, back up point is one place for improvement.

24. New York Knicks - Glen Rice Jr., SG/SF, Georgia Tech/ D-League

My cousin went to the same high school as Glen Rice Jr. down outside of Atlanta.  He's older, but was at one of his high school games and told me about the non stop trash talk Rice would dish out in games.  He said that once on a break away (no one between him and the basket), he slowed down until the nearest defender was close enough so he could personally tell the guy off before he slammed it down.  He was dismissed from Tech after his junior year and played in the D-League last year (Rio Grande Valley) where he scored 14.5 ppg and grabbed 6.6 rpg.  Apparently he has matured, and I would take a chance on him.

25. Los Angeles Clippers - Tony Snell, SG/SF, New Mexico

Gifted athlete who can do a bit of everything, Snell played 3 years at New Mexico.  He is 6-7 with long arms and I think could be a great bench player on a good team.  Good looking jump shot and can defend on the ball.  I wonder if Doc Rivers will play him?

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Grizzlies) - Sergey Karasev, SF, Russia

The T-Wolves certainly aren't afraid of the international players, they had to fellow Russians on the team last year.  What do we know about Karasev?  He's 19, 6-7, lefty, can shoot from anywhere, but he's not exactly built like Drago.  If he's still on the board at 26, don't expect the T-Wolves to let him pass by.

27. Denver Nuggets - Tim Hardaway Jr., SG/SF, Michigan

I've been a fan of Tim Hardaway Jr. and his pro prospects for a long time.  I think he could go even higher than this.  He is more NBA ready than a lot of prospects in the draft, and perhaps only contending teams would want to add him in the 1st round rather than shoot for the moon on potential (like some of the foreign players or Mitchell or Adams, etc.)  He's 6-6 (perfect 2-guard height), he's strong, can handle well enough.  Not saying he'll be an All-Star but a solid 10-12 year pro, and in this draft, that's something special.

28. San Antonio Spurs - Rudy Gobert, C, France

A lot of hype about this guy.  I watched him participate in the draft combine and I thought he was the most uncoordinated man run down a basketball court since I saw Gheorghe Muresan playing for the Bullets against the Celtics at the old Garden.  BUT.  He is 7-2 with the longest wingspan in the history of measuring wingspans.  (7-8.5)  If Shawn Bradley was the 2nd pick in the draft, Rudy Gobert will go in the 1st round.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder - Reggie Bullock, SF, North Carolina

Bullock didn't "wow" anyone at his career at UNC but he may end up being a better player than some of the recent Tar Heels to go pro.  He can shoot.  He's also 6-7 and can handle and rebound a little bit.  He won't hurt you and would be a nice addition to a good team off the bench.

30. Phoenix Suns (from Heat) - Lucas Nogueira, C, Brazil

I wouldn't take Lucas Nogueira.  He is a legit 7 footer, despite weighing only 220 pounds.  He's not NBA ready.  He'd be an ideal 2nd round pick, but a team like the Suns, picking in this spot could grab him and wait it out.  This is all on potential.  Watch some of his "highlights."  I'd pass.


2ND ROUND

31. Cavaliers (from Magic) - C.J. Leslie, F, N.C. State

32. Thunder (from Bobcats) - Erick Green, G, Virginia Tech

33. Cavaliers - Isaiah Canaan, PG, Murray State

34. Rockets (from Suns) - Jeff Withey, C, Kansas

35. 76ers (from Hornets) - Ricky Ledo, SG, Providence

36. Kings - Mike Muscala, PF, Bucknell

37. Pistons - Deshaun Thomas, SF, Ohio State 

38. Wizards - Jackie Carmichael, PF, Illinois State

39. Trail Blazers (from T-Wolves) - Ray McCallum, PG, Detroit

40. Trail Blazers - Livio Jean-Charles, PF, France

41. Grizzlies (from Raptors) - Alex Abrines, SG, Spain

42. 76ers - Richard Howell, PF, N.C. State

43. Bucks - Nate Wolters, PG, South Dakota State

44. Mavericks - Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky

45. Trail Blazers (from Celtics) - James Southerland, F, Syracuse

46. Jazz - Colton Iverson, C, Colorado State

47. Hawks - Robert Covington, F, Tennessee State

48. Lakers - Phil Pressey, PG Missouri

49. Bulls - Lorenzo Brown, PG, N.C. State

50. Hawks (from Rockets) - Carrick Felix, SF, Arizona State

51. Magic (from Warriors) - Myck Kabongo, PG, Texas

52. Timberwolves (from Nets) - Trevor Mbakwe, PF Minnesota

53. Pacers - Ryan Kelly, PF, Duke

54. Wizards (from Knicks) - Kenny Kadji, C, Miami

55. Grizzlies - Peyton Siva, PG, Louisville

56. Pistons (from Clippers) - Erik Murphy, PF, Florida

57. Suns (from Nuggets) - Grant Jerrett, PF, Arizona

58. Spurs - James Ennis, SF, Long Beach State

59. Timberwolves (from Thunder) - Rodney Williams, SF, Minnesota

60. Grizzlies (from Heat) - Brandon Paul, SG, Illinois

Rich Reviews: This Is The End

Been a long time since we've had a Rich Reviews: on the old blog.

"Awesome."
"Best comedy in years."
"Hilarious."
"Loved it."
"I want to see it again."

All of those superlatives right there?  Go ahead and attach my name at the end of them.  This Is The End, was fantastic.  A must see for sure.  Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride were all great in it and there's a bunch of cameos.  I thought McBride was the best part of the movie, but to each their own.

I was trying to think of the last great comedy I saw... it was probably MacGruber which came out 3 years ago.  I never cried laughing in This Is The End, but it's consistently funny and well worth the price of admission.  

It's been out for a couple weeks now, so you know the plot.  All these guys are playing themselves and they're at a party when the end of the world breaks out.  How they deal with it?  Boom, there's your movie.  I had high expectations going in and it lived up to it.  They reference each other's movies in it a lot too which I enjoyed.  Great stuff all around.

Jeff Demps Doesn't Qualify For Final At USA Championships

Poor guy.  I was rooting for him.  Demps ran a 10.06 in the semifinals of the 100 meter, missing out on the final heat by .04. 

Still the fastest guy the Patriots ever had. 

Another "Nugget" To The Doc Rivers Saga

Y! Sources: Before moving onto Hollins and Shaw, Denver offered Boston a first-round pick to pry Doc RIvers. http://t.co/7PaEPZftxI

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 21, 2013

This puts even more pressure on Danny Ainge to get a deal done and get something for Doc Rivers. I still don't think the Clippers deal is dead, even with David Stern saying it is.

Podcast: Keefe & Robb With The Latest On Doc, KG, Clippers

Anchorman 2

Comedy sequels are always great. From Caddyshack 2 to Hangover 2... well I still have high hopes for this one.

Podcast: Keefe & Robb on Doc-Clippers Potential Deal

Rich Keefe and Brian Robb of CelticsHub.com chatted on Monday night about the chaos that is the potential Celtics-Clippers trade. 

Thoughts On Doc, Clippers, Celtics

Almost too much going on with the Celtics right now to make sense of it all.  Almost.  Here are some bullet points of what I think is happening/ will happen.

• Doc Rivers MUST go.  $7 million a year for 3 years, for a guy who wants out and will be coaching a sub-par team.
• Doc wants the Clippers to keep Bledsoe?  That's gotta be some kind of double-secret tampering.
• DeAndre Jordan, Caron Butler, and a 1st round pick is NOT enough for Doc & KG
• True, KG (retire) and Doc (TV) could leave and the C's could get nothing, but the Clippers need them even more, so C's can't give in for less than a Bledsoe package.
• Blake Griffin should be the player the Clips refuse to deal, not freakin Eric Bledsoe
• Would you rather have Doc & KG or Lionel Hollins, Eric Bledsoe, and DeAndre Jordan
• Bledsoe is a nice player.  However wouldn't surprise me if he was never an All-Star
• Bledsoe and Jordan are both overrated.  If they were better, the Clippers (with Chris Paul and Blake) would still be playing.
• Celtics WILL NOT buy out Paul Pierce for $5, makes no sense.
• C's can trade Pierce this off season or even in the season.  $15 is a lot, but teams can make that work.  He's still a Top 8 small forward.
• Where Pierce ends up is a mystery.  Clips, stays in Boston, no clue.
• Cliff Paul is awful.
• Ultimately LAC will include Bledsoe (after agreeing to max deal with Chris Paul) and get Doc and KG for Bledsoe, Jordan, Butler, picks.
• Celts need to shed Jason Terry and or Courtney Lee (perhaps get less picks or what not to make that happen.)
• If the reason the Clippers don't want to include Bledsoe in the deal is so they can pair him with Blake in a trade for Dwight, that's dumb.  Not happening.
• C's should hire Ty Lue once Doc is out the door.
• Vinny Del Negro is the worst.
• Celtics need to acquire enough assets to make future push for Kevin Love or LaMarcus Aldridge.
• C's current assets: Rondo, Bradley, Sullinger, Green, Melo, 16th pick in this month's draft.... (Doc, KG, Pierce.)
• My head hurts trying to put all this together.

NBA MOCK DRAFT COMING SOON...

-Keefe

Badass Bruins Montage

Sports Hub producer Mark Feldman put this together, summing up how the Bruins made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

UFC Title Fights

Announcement day in the UFC, clearly up some of the title fight questions.  Here is what we know now...

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION

Champ Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustaffson - UFC 165, September 21, Toronto


HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION

Champ Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos - UFC 166, October 19, Houston


WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION

Champ Georges St. Pierre vs. Johny Hendricks - UFC 167, November 16, Las Vegas


Other match ups that have been set.

MIDDLEWEIGHT: Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman (UFC 162, July 6)

LIGHTWEIGHT: Benson Henderson vs. T.J. Grant (UFC 164, August 31)

FEATHERWEIGHT: Jose Aldo vs. Anthony Pettis (UFC 163, August 3)

FLYWEIGHT: Demetrious Johnson vs. John Moraga (UFC on Fox 8, July 27)

Best Logo/ Uniform In Sports?

If it's not, it's sure as hell up there.  Say what you want about the Chicago Blackhawks but don't say they don't have great unis. 

The UFC's Return To Boston Should Be Worth The Wait

The UFC is coming back to the Boston nearly 3 years to the day from when it made its debut in the city with UFC 118.  The return show will also mark the first on the Fox Sports 1 channel.  So it will be free for the world to see, and for the Boston area fans paying the money to go see it live at the TD Garden, it looks like it won't disappoint.

Here is what the UFC on Fox Sports 1 1: Shogun vs. Sonnen card looks like as of right now.

SATURDAY, AUGUST, 17.

MAIN CARD (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET):

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua* vs. Chael Sonnen*

Alistair Overeem* vs. Travis Browne

Urijah Faber* vs.Yuri Alcantara 

Thiago Alves vs. Matt Brown

Uriah Hall vs. Nick Ring

Michael Johnson vs. Joe Lauzon

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Michael McDonald vs. Brad Pickett

Mike Brown vs. Akira Corassani

Conor McGregor vs. Andy Ogle

Diego Brandao vs. Daniel Pineda

Cody Donovan vs. Ovince St. Preux

Ramsey Nijem vs. James Vick

*Top 10 Fighter in Division

Sign me up for this one.

Tim Tebow To Sign With Patriots

Here is your newest member of the New England Patriots, QB Tim Tebow.