Irreplaceable?


More than anyone else, I've killed the signing of Brian Scalabrine.  When he inked that deal back in 2004 for 15 million, I couldn't believe it.  He was the epitome of a 12th man.  I thought he was the worst player in the NBA and really had no idea how he was still in the league.

Well with this past summer of signing the players the Celts have signed, it's come to my attention that he is arguably Boston's best perimeter defender of big guys with mobility.  Guys like Rashard Lewis and Al Harrington.  Lamar Odom's another one.  Sure KG can lock them down when he has to for maybe the final 4 or 5 minutes of a game.  But he can't do it for the duration of his entire time on the floor.  Frankly I don't think he'll ever be able to do that again for extended minutes.

Who else does Boston have to do this?  Rasheed, Perk, Shelden and Glen Davis are just not mobile enough.  When they had Posey, he was able to step in and do it.  Sure he was a tad undersized at about 6'8 but he has long arms and was certainly capable (remember how well he played against Dirk?).  Marquis isn't big enough to do it.  Can Andres Nocioni?  Perhaps and he probably even does it better than Scal.  Acquiring him is beginning to seem more appealing to me, especially if Scalabrine can be bought out and return.  By trading Giddens (or Walker) Tony Allen and Scalabrine, you'd also open one more roster spot (possibly for Tyrone Lue?).  I know Andres' contract is brutal but let's face it: the C's are in the gotta win this year mode.

Back to the article at hand, Scalabrine in my mind is a really important part to this team for that specific reason.  There's plenty of big mobile guys in the league who can shoot the perimeter shot.  Lewis and Odom are two in particular who play for two other teams really competing for the title this year.  Get Nocioni or another big guy who can move his feet outside the paint.  Or make sure Scal sticks around.  I never thought I'd say this but the C's need him.