Reggie Miller in Beantown?
This isn’t a typo. ESPN is reporting that the Boston Celtics and Danny Ainge have been talking with Reggie Miller about coming back and playing in a limited role for the Boston Celtics.
Reggie Miller is 42 years old and has been out of the league for a couple years and did I mention that he is 42. Obviously the Celtics are thinking that this guy can come in and provide 10-15 minutes a game and provide a specialty for the team. Reggie Miller is one of the best shooters in the history of the game. Now stats won’t exactly agree with me but this man was guarded by the team’s best defender each night and made his shots with people all over him. Questions still remain.
The Celtics are going to make a run at the eastern conference title this year by adding Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. With Paul Pierce this team has 3 of the best players in the game. Add in a specialist like Miller and it just creates more space for Garnett. It seems to make sense. Did I mention I think it is ridiculous.
I don’t think Reggie Miller can still play. He has remained in shape after retiring but wasn’t exactly tearing it up when he left. I know he’ll play in a diminished role but why not give those minutes to a younger player that you can develop a little bit. Sure people will say they are going for the title and aren’t worried about development, but why not do both. They are going to contend with or without Reggie Miller. If they add him and the experiment fails they waste another year of development for a younger player. However, if the experiment succeeds and Reggie does well but the team doesn’t, then how does that look?
I’m not sold on it at all. Reggie needs to stay retired with Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc and all the other players that are trying to hang on. Just let it go and walk into the sunset knowing you were a great player and had a great career. Lastly, Reggie Miller will look hilarious in the green. Remember how funny Michael Jordan looked in the Wizard uniform. Reggie is a Pacer, drafted and retired and anything else is just wrong. Stay retired Reggie or at least come back after the all star break when you can see the Celtics are good enough to win it all. I know that the only reason he would want to play again is because of the allure of the ring.
We’ll see what happens, but you know what i think.
August 11th, 2007 at 11:51 am
you are right!!! Maybe Rondo or Pruitt would be better suited at playing those minuites. Interestingly, Ainge all of a sudden has no confidence in his young players(the ones that are left). Was this his plan all along, to acquire young good players not great and then trade the whole conglomerate for all star veterans. If it works, you will see more General mangers implementing this philosophy. Copy cat league and all…
August 12th, 2007 at 12:19 am
No one and I mean no one wants to be the one w/o a title. There’s no point in being on that list with Ewing, Baylor, Barkley, K Malone, Stockton, and the rest arguing over who’s the best NBA all star w/o a title.
Bob McAdoo, another great scorer, got his ring riding the pine on the Laker’s bench, not in Buffalo where he was the franchise all star scorer. And that’s a way to go.
August 13th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Bob McAdoo? Nice reference. But what happens when he comes back to Boston and they don’t win anything? Is his legacy tarnished as he finishes his career playing 14 minutes a night and ending with Boston? He needs to walk away and hang them up. Reports are now that he’s working out twice a day to see if he can take it. We’ll see.