NBA: Reggie Miller considering comeback with Celtics

[Young Drachma]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2966170

Reggie Miller says he is contemplating a return to the NBA, this time with the Boston Celtics.

Miller, who turns 42 on Aug. 24, played his entire 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers before retiring in 2005. Since his playing days ended he has worked as a television analyst for TNT.

Miller was all set to continue that job when Celtics general manager Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers asked him to think about joining their revamped team in a reserve role, playing about 15 minutes per game.

[rkmsuf]

Wow, that would be cool.

Maybe they could get Kareem too.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Wow, that would be cool.

Maybe they could get Kareem too.

Add John Amaechi, Dennis Rodman, and Magic Johnson and I would watch this team play.

[MikeVic]

But seriously, Reggie is one of my favourite basketball players ever. I want him to stay retired.

[Pumpy Tudors]

This isn't news until Blue Edwards announces a comeback.

[rowech]

Bill Russell could probably still win a title or two.

[JPhillips]

Larry Bird isn't walking through that door.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Larry Bird isn't walking through that door.

"You got the wrong guy leading this basketball team."


chortle

[hoopsguy]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Larry Bird isn't walking through that door.

Curses, five minutes too late to drop this line.

[larrymcg421]

Let me know when the Celts sign Scott Howard.

[Bee]

I guess Charles Barkley turned them down.

[Eaglesfan27]

Am I the only one who thinks that with Garnett and Pierce kicking it out to him for open jumpers that this could be a good move for Reggie and the Celtics?

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Am I the only one who thinks that with Garnett and Pierce kicking it out to him for open jumpers that this could be a good move for Reggie and the Celtics?

it's a good move but he won't play all that much. C's have waves of 2 guards.

[kurtism]

Please, please stay retired Reggie. Miller in a Celts jersey is just plain wrong.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

it's a good move but he won't play all that much. C's have waves of 2 guards.

And yet the claim is that Ainge and Rivers called Miller.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

And yet the claim is that Ainge and Rivers called Miller.

might as well collect as many legends as you can at this point

Cacoon - Celtics Edition

[Crapshoot]

It seems as that shots will be hard to come around on the Celtics - wouldn't it make more sense to sign a bunch of defensive, grinder-types (like Ryan Gomes) to surround Garnett, Pierce, and Allen? You can't double-team all of them, so there will always be an open shot.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Am I the only one who thinks that with Garnett and Pierce kicking it out to him for open jumpers that this could be a good move for Reggie and the Celtics?

You have the added bonus of guys falling over laughing after they blow by Reggie on the perimeter.

[Neon_Chaos]

I wonder what it would be like to watch Miller and Allen in the same team, with KG and Pierce dishing it out to them. Too bad Reggie's too old.

[miami_fan]

Nooooo don't do it Reggie.

I can see this being Karl Malone with the Lakers part two.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Nooooo don't do it Reggie.

I can see this being Karl Malone with the Lakers part two.

The Lakers did get to the finals.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by TroyF

You have the added bonus of guys falling over laughing after they blow by Reggie on the perimeter.

LOL, pretty much what i was thinking. Ray Allen is a pretty lousy defender, and Paul Pierce is nothing to write home about, Reggie will get destroyed out there as well.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by stevew

LOL, pretty much what i was thinking. Ray Allen is a pretty lousy defender, and Paul Pierce is nothing to write home about, Reggie will get destroyed out there as well.

screw defense!

[Neon_Chaos]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

The Lakers did get to the finals.

And he did have to go through both Garnett and Duncan before that. Malone did a bang-up job, Kobe was trying his hard to carry the load, it was Shaq and GP who didn't deliver.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Not looking good for the Bulls. Everyone else is getting better, and the Bulls remain the same...

[Daimyo]

Are they that desperate for outside shooting they'd be willing to sacrifice so much in terms of defense and general all-around play to put him on the court? I'm a Pacers fan and love Reggie, but this sounds like a horrible move.

[Neuqua]

Originally Posted by CubsFanCuddy

Not looking good for the Bulls. Everyone else is getting better, and the Bulls remain the same...

I'm not sure who else in the East really got all that much "better." The Pistons are another year older, and the Cavs still did not add another option to help Lebron on offense.

The Celtics obviously made themselves better bringing in Garnett and Allen but with the little depth they have behind those three, I still like think the Bulls are a better team. Especially when you take into the account of the natural improvement of the young guys (Hinrich, Deng, Gordon and especially Thomas.)

[Groundhog]

Do they really need more 3pt shooting? I mean they have one of the best shooters in the league in Ray Allen, they signed Eddie House who is basically just a shooter, and of course they have that Paul Pierce guy, who isn't such a bad shooter either. What they need now are role players, and at Reggie's age the only role he is fit to play is a locker room guy who might be able to play spot minutes camping behind the arc.

[Neuqua]

I think those of us that are complaining that Reggie Miller doesn't fit well with the Celtics seemingly have forgotten that despite trading for Allen and falling into KG, the Boston GM is STILL Danny Ainge.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Neuqua

I'm not sure who else in the East really got all that much "better." The Pistons are another year older, and the Cavs still did not add another option to help Lebron on offense.

The Celtics obviously made themselves better bringing in Garnett and Allen but with the little depth they have behind those three, I still like think the Bulls are a better team. Especially when you take into the account of the natural improvement of the young guys (Hinrich, Deng, Gordon and especially Thomas.)

I think, on paper, the Celtics are the best team in the East, even with the lack of depth. They have 3 premier players, and even though their bench (and PG & C spot) lacks experience, it's certainly still got some talent on board. Not sure exactly what Tony Allen's health is like, but both Allen and Powe are the kind of guys would should slot in nicely as role players on a team like this one. Then of course there is Rondo who I think is pretty much the perfect young PG to lead a team like this, while Kendrick Perkins, for all his limitations, is also well equipped to just block shots and hit the boards. An injury to any of the starting 5 will put them in a spot of bother though.

How it all works on the court is the biggest question about this team, and that's the advantage that teams like Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago have.

Detroit is another year older but will always compete while they have their core together, while Cleveland didn't upgrade but figures to see improvement from LeBron, Pav, and Boobie.

Chicago should be the 2nd or 3rd best team based on both how it looks on paper and how long they've been together, but they still need to get some scoring out of the post - especially for those nights where Ben Gordon shoots 2-15. Tyrus Thomas might be the answer here in a few season's time, but LaMarcus Aldridge would have given them what they need pretty much straight away.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by stevew

LOL, pretty much what i was thinking. Ray Allen is a pretty lousy defender, and Paul Pierce is nothing to write home about, Reggie will get destroyed out there as well.

Love Reggie, but even at 15 a night, I don't see how he can be productive. His last year in the league, he hit about 1.5 threes per game at 31.5 minutes per game. He shot 32.2% from beyond the arc. (horrible)

After taking a couple of years off, I'm to assume he's going to shoot better and increase his production? Let's say he pumps that shooting% up to 40% again and he hits the same 1.5 treys a game.

I see no way he still isn't a liablity on the floor. When he retired, he was still a decent defender. Not great, but he was decent. Now, at 42? I find it incredibly hard to believe that teams wouldn't exploit his speed and defending ability to a high degree.

His first game would be against Caron Butler, Gilbert Arenas and Antwoine Jamison. He may succeed in the second with a non speed guy like Kapono out there, but the Raptors wold find his guy and P&R him all day with Ford and Calderon.

His third game would be against Denver. Who does he D up against, AI, Melo or Nene? The SG? fine, than Ray Allen gets one of those other guys. The 6 points he hit off the two threes would be gone in about 4 possessions for the Nuggets.

Love Reggie. Love KG and Ray and Paul. But I don't see how this helps them, short term or long. Be smart Reggie, stay retired.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Why not just go for the gold, pick up the phone and call old-man Jordan.

It would be entertaining to see him limp up and down the court in Celtic Green!

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

The Lakers did get to the finals.

To me it has nothing to do with team success. Karl Malone is a Jazz, not a Laker. Reggie Miller is a Pacer. It is really just that simple for me.