Celtics interested in Robert Swift (again)?


Well, something to talk about during this longer than life lockout. The Celtics might be interested in bringing in center Robert Swift:

Big man Robert Swift, who played for the on-hiatus Apache in 2010-11 could wind up with the Boston Celtics after the lockout or the New York Knicks, according to former Tokyo Apache coach Bob Hill.

You may well remember Danny's love for Swift in the past. In fact, he preferred him to Al Jefferson, but finally Seattle drafted the once red haired talent in the 2004 draft. He played for the Sonics and then the Thunder until 2009. Ainge, still intrigued by the 7-1 ft man, brought him to the Celtics summer league once his rookie contract expired with the Thunder but he finally didn't make the team. He has played in the NBDL and was last spotted wearing pseudo Lakers purple in Japan.

Whether this rumor has any legs, it remains to be seen. I will leave you with some quotes from 2009 after the break and then I will let you judge.


“We’ve always liked what he can do,’’ president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said. “I’ve liked him since the first time I saw him - in high school.’’

And Swift has long had an affinity for the Celtics.

“Great team, great coaches, great players,’’ Swift said. “It’s Boston. I don’t think there’s a better city, all around; it’s the best place you can be.

“Honestly, I’ve always [been] a fan of the Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots. I’m from California, but I never liked the Dodgers or the Angels. I have no idea why. The first time I saw a Red Sox game, when I was young, I liked them. I lived 100 miles from Los Angeles but I never liked the teams.

“I’ve been watching the Celtics the last couple years, but they’ve always been my team - before they were great and after they won, it’s always been the Celtics.’’

My take? I would send Swift an invite to training camp and finally give him a non guaranteed deal. Bring this neverending love affair become reality. Make Swift a Celtic at last, Danny!

Now seriously, will he ever wear green?

Update:

Looking for details into Swift's situation may be a painstaking task, but there is a little bit of interesting information dating from last April. Apparently, Robert was invited to a work out by the Trail Blazers but the team finally decided to give a chance to Earl Barron instead:

Former Tokyo Apache center, Robert Swift, narrowly missed a chance to make it back into the National Basketball Association this week when he and two other players were invited to Portland for a work out by the Trail Blazers. Swift had played for Blazers head coach Nate McMillan while both were with the Seattle Super Sonics.

The Blazers ended up signing NBA veteran Earl Barron, who won a NBA Championship in 2006 with the Miami Heat, for the remainder of the season.
 Now, this sounds interesting. If you take a look at the news around Swift out there it seemed as if he had given up hope to do something great in the NBA and had almost quit basketball. He would have decided to go to Japan to sort of like find a meaning to it all. Well, the good news for him (and for our rumor's sake) is that he is trying hard to come back to the NBA:

This season, Swift made noticeable progress during the season, improving his fitness and returning a level that could attract NBA talent evaluators' attention. He had shed lost than 35 kg since last summer, he said in an interview on March 10, and put together 22-point, 18-rebound and 21-point, 16-rebound efforts against Akita on March 9-10 at Yoyogi National Gymnasium No. 2, the latter effort coming in Tyler's first start of the season.
Swift, still only 25, had quit playing basketball last year and it appeared his career might've been finished after he left the NBA Development League's Bakersfield, Calif., team. But teaming up with Hill, his former Seattle coach, reinvigorated Swift as he made a productive return to basketball.

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him," Swift said of Hill.

Now, it remains to be seen if another NBA club will bring in Swift for a workout in the coming months or next season or if he'll pursue other options, including returning to the Apache next fall.
Well, we will keep you updated on any other updates on the Robert Swift case. As usual, Ainge always finds time to dedicate to players whose careers are in danger. I can recall Darius Miles, Adam Morrison and Mike Sweetney. Maybe he will finally prove that he was right when he thought Swift would be a great player in the league. Stay tuned.