Central Division Competition For 12th Men!

Posted by Zach Lowe on Jul 28, 2010 932929 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2010%2F07%2F28%2Fcentral-division-competition-for-12th-men%2FCentral+Division+Competition+For+12th+Men%212010-07-28+12%3A47%3A39Zach+Lowehttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D9329

Or: How the Bulls and Cavs are trying to steal a bunch of marginal players the C’s likely won’t sign anyway!

• The Cavaliers worked out both Damien Wilkins and Von Wafer Tuesday. The C’s have reportedly kicked the tires on both guys as possible back-ups to Ray Allen/Paul Pierce, though both are better suited to playing the two.

• The Bulls have talked about signing Eddie House, according to Eddie House’s agent, who previously told the Globe that the Celtics have also talked about signing Eddie House. Do you get the feeling Eddie House’s agent is trying to generate a bit more interest in his client?

The C’s decision to re-sign Nate Robinson makes the return of Eddie unlikely. The C’s do need three-point shooting, though, so you might be interested to know Chicago has also discussed Keith Bogans and Roger Mason Jr., according to the ESPN Chicago report linked above.

• And then there’s the pesky matter of Tracy McGrady….

T-Mac looked physically healthy during his workout for Chicago on Monday, but his mental health might be a different matter. T-Mac said each of the following things, and he was apparently being serious (via ESPN.com):

“I think, yeah, if I was the player that I was in a Knicks uniform [at the end of last season], I would have no problem coming off the bench. But I’ve worked extremely hard and I’m far from being that player. Trust me.

“It’s up to me in training camp,” McGrady continued, “to prove I’m a starter.”

And:

“Without me, without Boozer, they’re a .500 ball club,” McGrady said. “And with the guys that they added, if they add me, I think we’ll be 30 points better. I think we’ll be a better defensive team with Thibodeau, who I played with for three years [in Houston]. So [the Bulls] have a really good chance of being good. The city should be excited about this team.”

Thirty points better? Without “me” and “Boozer”? As if the two acquisitions, one of which has yet to happen, are equivalent or near-equivalent things?

Egads. These sorts of comments are part of the reason Tracy McGrady does not have a job yet. They don’t concern me as much as his always inefficient shooting and the godawful defense he played last season in New York, but add an arrogant stubbornness to declining athleticism?

I’ll pass.