Boston, We Have a Problem

I'll be the first to admit I'm not surprised by the recent news of Marquis Daniels' injury; if you've looked at his career he has a tendency to get hurt.  I am upset at what's now a glaring weakness in the Celtics bench.  Without even looking at the stats I want to say Marquis is averaging close to 6 points and prob 2 assists and a couple of rebounds.  Obviously not mind-blowing numbers.  But I'd say he's the leading minutes-guy off the Celtics bench (or close with Rasheed) probably averaging around 20 or 21.  There my friends, lies the problem.

Marquis has been at the very least solid, sometimes very good.  He fits into the scheme of things and allows Paul and Ray's minutes to be kept for the most part to 35 and under.  The dropoff after Daniels is about as sizable as Artie Lange's weight increase over the last few years.  This isn't like when Glen Davis was hurt- he's the Celts' 2nd big man reserve after Wallace.  Daniels is the C's first wing reserve.  And if you look at it more closely, really the only wing reserve.


Let's face it: Scalabrine can't exactly guard 3s and doesn't have a chance at 2 guards.  We know what we have with Tony Allen: not much.  Giddens has been exceptionally unexceptional in his limited minutes.  The more he plays, the more I see his trade value decreasing.  While I was impressed last season with Bill Walker in limited minutes, he's not even with the team right now, instead playing in the NBDL against the likes of Kedrick Brown.  I wouldn't exactly say he's in the best position to shift into becoming a rotation player for a team competing for an NBA championship.

So that leaves the Celtics with nothing.  Do I think now is as good a time to make a trade?  Yes.  I don't see the Celtics waiving any of their 15 players which would make a trade the only way of acquiring a new wing player.  It'd also make even more sense to open up another roster spot for Tyrone Lue (face it the Celtics have to be the only one of 30 NBA teams without a clear-cut backup point guard).  Do I think the Celtics will make a deal?  Not at all.  I fully expect Doc to start playing Pierce and Allen closer to 40 minutes a night.  His hand will be forced to.

If it was 1 or 2 weeks without Daniels I wouldn't be worried.  But 6 to 8?  Boston, we have a problem.