Neither Celtics president Danny Ainge nor coach Doc Rivers is shy about talking to the media about their team's roster and potential needs. Earlier this week, Ainge discussed potential roster moves for the C's in the wake of season-ending injuries to multiple key players. This morning, appearing on WEEI in Boston, Rivers did the same, answering a number of questions about the Celtics' roster options. Here are the highlights from Doc, via Jerry Spar of WEEI.com:
On the Celtics' next move:
"Danny and I, we thought about it and we all have been thinking about it since all the injuries. With the last one with [Leandro] Barbosa, now we can't look at one position anymore. That's what we were looking at — looking at size first, then a guard. Now we're looking at players. We need players. We need to pick up a couple of players as soon as we can get them. That's what basically we're doing."
On the timetable for making a move:
"We don't want to do anything so quick that somebody else comes available and then we don't have room because we're at the cap threshold. We have to be very careful in what we do."
On the Celtics' biggest need:
"I would say a ball-handling guard. It's no longer a point guard, it's just a guard. If I had my perfect guard for this group right now, it would be a guard that can play multiple positions and that can shoot, that has some toughness…. And then you need a big. You're not going to find a center, so a four. Obviously a five would be great, but a four that can stretch the floor. Or a four that can rebound, just a great rebounding four that has skills."
On where the C's are looking:
"There's so many places to look. The China league ends in a week. So now some of the American players that are playing over there will begin coming back over to our league. The D-League. And then obviously through a trade. We don't have a lot of assets to trade, so we have to be very careful there."
On possible interest in Delonte West:
"Yeah, that's something we're looking at. I don't know where we're going to go with that. Again, we have to be so careful. One thing I love about Delonte is his toughness. But the other thing you don't like is that he does get injured a lot. So you're worried about that as well, beside the other stuff."
On whether rookie Fab Melo is ready for a larger role with the team:
"I don't think he's ready yet. I can tell you he's really working on it. I just don't think he's ready yet."
Who is in China of notice? Arenas, McGrady? who else?
A guard that shoots well, plays multiple positions, and has some toughness…sounds like Delonte West to me!
Allen Iverson is even better
Johnny flynn!! Good ol cusetown boy!! Hes a great pg just never got much of an opportunity in the nba