The Boston Celtics have signed 49-year old head coach Doc Rivers to a 5-year, $35 million dollar deal.  Rivers led the Celtics to a 56-26 record (68.3%) during the regular season and they were 5-4 (55.6) during the post-season in 2010-11.  Rivers has been very successful in charge of the Celtics.  In his 7 years with the team, the Celtics are 336-238 (58.5%) during the regular season and he is 46-34 (57.5%) during the post-season.  Rivers has the respect of the veteran roster for the Celtics and he is probably the right guy to handle a team in transition as I don’t see Ray Allen, K.G. and Paul Pierce playing another five years.  Rivers now has a 507-406 (55.5%) record in his career as a NBA head coach and he is 51-44 (53.7%) in the post-season.

The Boston Celtics have lost 25-year old shooting guard Von Wafer for the next 2-3 weeks due to a calf injury.  Wafer has played in 53 games (0 starts) for the Celtics so far this year and he is averaging 8.8 minutes, 2.9 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  The Celtics shouldn’t miss Wafer too much going forward as they have a lot of depth at guard.

The Celtics have signed 27-year old SG/SF Sasha Pavlovic for the rest of the year.  He played in 14 games (7 starts) earlier this season for the Mavericks & Hornets in which he averaged 15.2 minutes, 3.2 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  Pavlovic has now played in 466 games (134 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 16.5 minutes, 5.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.  This was a nice signing for the Celtics as Pavlovic should be able to help them off the bench.

The Celtics have signed 30-year old PF/C Troy Murphy.  Murphy played in 18 games (4 starts) for the Nets this year and he averaged 16.0 minutes, 3.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  He has now played in 639 games (480 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 29.0 minutes, 11.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.  Murphy is also a good outside shooter as he is hitting 39.1% from the three point line in his NBA career.  The Celtics needed help along the frontcourt and Murphy should give them another solid big body.

The Celtics have dealt 30-year old SG/SF Marquis Daniels to the Sacramento Kings for cash considerations.  Daniels played in 49 games (0 starts) for the Celtics this season and he averaged 19.1 minutes, 5.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.  He played in 100 games (4 starts) in parts of two years with the Celtics and he averaged 18.8 minutes, 5.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.  Daniels will likely miss the rest of the season due to a spinal chord injury.  The Kings needed to add some salary or they were going to have to pay a league fine, so the Celtics took advantage of that situation.  The Celtics are going to need Daniels’ roster spot.

The Boston Celtics have dealt 24-year old rookie center Semih Erden and 23-year old rookie forward Luke Harangody to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Minnesota T-Wolves’ 2nd round pick in 2013.  Erden played in 37 games (7 starts) for the Celtics this season and he averaged 14.4 minutes, 4.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  Harangody played in 28 games (0 starts) for the Celtics this year and he averaged 8.6 minutes, 2.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  This deal was to free up roster spots and little more, as the Celtics are going to be looking to sign some veterans who are about to be bought out and become free agents.

The Boston Celtics have sent 26-year old center Kendrick Perkins & 26-year old guard Nate Robinson to the Oklahoma City Thunder for 24-year old forward Jeff Green and 27-year old center Nenad Krstic.  Kendrick Perkins played in 12 games (7 starts) for the Celtics this season and he averaged 26.1 minutes, 7.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.  He played in 454 games (335 starts) in his 8 years with the Celtics and he averaged 22.3 minutes, 6.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.4 blocked shots per game.  The Celtics will miss his defense & rebounding going forward.  Nate Robinson played in 55 games (11 starts) for the Celtics this season and he averaged 17.9 minutes, 7.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.  He played in 81 games (11 starts) in his two years with the Celtics and he averaged 16.9 minutes, 6.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.  The Celtics will likely use Von Wafer in Nate Robinson’s old role off the bench.

24-year old “power forward” Jeff Green might have the most upside of any player in this deal but I just don’t know where he will fit in for the Celtics.  Green played in 49 games (all starts) for the Thunder this season and he averaged 37.0 minutes, 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.  Green has now played in 289 games (261 starts) in his first four years in the NBA and he is averaging 34.5 minutes, 14.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.  Nenad Krstic will likely replace Kendrick Perkins’ minutes in the middle until Shaq is ready to return to action.  Krstic played in 47 games (all starts) for the Thunder this season and he averaged 21.7 minutes, 7.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  He has now played in 393 games (353 starts) in his 7 years in the NBA and he has averaged 25.3 minutes, 10.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. 

The Celtics have been getting bashed for this trade but in the long run it will turn out to be a good one for them, mark my words.  That is because at some point Jeff Green will have a big role on this team, heck, it might even come this year.

The Boston Celtics will be without 30-year old SG/SF Marquis Daniels for at least one month after he suffered a bruised spine yesterday against the Orlando Magic.  Daniels has played in 49 games (0 starts) so far this year for the Celtics and he is averaging 19.1 minutes, 5.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.  The Celtics are loaded with vets on the bench so they should be able to withstand the loss of Daniels.

26-year old center Kendrick Perkins turned in a great year for the Celtics in 2009-10.  He played in 78 games (all starts) in which he averaged 27.6 minutes, 10.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.7 blocked shots per game.  Perkins blew out his knee in Game #6 of the NBA Finals last year and he is just now getting back to the court for the Celtics.  He has played in 4 games (0 starts) for the Celtics so far this year and he is averaging 21.5 minutes, 5.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.  Perkins could be back in the Celtics’ starting lineup soon which won’t make Shaquille O’Neal too happy.

The Boston Celtics will be without 34-year old power forward Kevin Garnett for the next couple of weeks due to a strained right calf.  Garnett has played in 30 games (all starts) for the Celtics so far this year and he is averaging 31.6 minutes, 15.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game.  Garnett will be missed because of his defense and rebounding.  24-year old Glen “Big Baby” Davis will need to step up with K.G. on the mend.  Davis has played in 30 games (0 starts) for the Celtics so far this year and he is averaging 29.7 minutes, 12.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  The Celtics have enough depth on the front line with Jermaine O’Neal back that they can give K.G. all of the time he needs to heal and they should be careful with him.