Shelden to Boston

[Bluedog]

Forward Shelden Williams has agreed to a one-year contract with the Celtics, according to an NBA source. Williams is expected to sign a deal worth the veteran's minimum salary of $1.306 million.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2009/08/celtics_sign_sh.html

[Azdukefan]

Good for him (signing with a team that has a shot at winning it all)! It sucks he has not found a niche yet. Maybe this will be the one. Good luck Shel!

[VTBaller03]

This is great news, both as a Duke fan and a Celtics fan. I really hope he can find his role with Boston. They need a low post banger to back up Perkins.

[moonpie23]

but he's gotta play with sheed... :(

[Azdukefan]

but he's gotta play with sheed... :(

Never even thought about that. Maybe Sheed will turn over a new leaf and not be so much of a Hole (pun intended).

[SilkyJ]

I dont like the article's characterization of him as "undersized for a power forward." At 6'9 250 he is the same or similar size as a host of other power forwards. Let's look at this year's all-star roster and who the PF's were:

Amare (6'10 245)
Dirk (7'0 245)
David West (6'9 240)
Chris Bosh (6'10 230)
KG (6'11 220)
(not including Timmay, I've always considered him a center. That's like calling Pau Gasol a PF just cause he plays next to Bynum. The Lakers just start two centers in my mind.)

Sheld weighs more than all of them and besides KG and Dirk is about the same height, so excuse him if he isn't quite as much of a freak as two of the best players of the past 10 years. And there are a whole bunch of other, very successful PFs including our own former all-stars elton brand (6'9 254) and carlos boozer (6'9 266), the guy who displaced him in ATL, Al Horford (6'10 245), shane battier's running mate Luis Scola (6'9 245), the recently sought after Lamar Odom (6'10 230), Kenyon Martin (6'9 240), Lamarcus Aldridge (6'11 240..and sheld played well against him the one time we smoked them)

Sorry, but Sheld is the same size as those guys. His problem isn't being undersized for his position.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Good luck Shelden! Make the most of your new opportunity. :cool::cool:

[Greg_Newton]

...Sorry, but Sheld is the same size as those guys. His problem isn't being undersized for his position.

It's interesting to compare Shelden's pre-draft measurements with Carlos's. They are actually pretty similar... in most areas. They weighed the exact same, and Carlos was only 1/4" taller than Sheldon without shoes, but somehow a full inch taller with shoes. Shelden's vert numbers were 2.5"-4.5" better than Carlos's depending on the running start. Shelden's wingspan was a monster 7'4.25", a full 2" longer than Carlos, yet (here's maybe the most telling number) his standing reach was somehow only 8'8" compared with Carlos's 9'0.5".

So what's going on with his wingspan compared to his reach? You would think a 6'7.5" guy with a 7'4"+ wingspan would have a higher reach than 8'8". My best guess: his shoulders are just so wide that it "inflates" his wingspan - his actual arms are just not that long. Either way, it has to be his standing reach that contributes to him being considered "undersized".

For example, of some of the shorter PFs you mentioned... Brand was taller with a 9'2" reach, West was taller with a 9'0.5" reach, even Horford was 1.25" taller with an 8'11" reach and better verticals and agility. Of the longer ones, Bosh was 6'10.25" without shoes (9'1' reach) and KG 6'11" without shoes (no reach listed). All in all, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a major NBA PF with a standing reach of under 8'10"-9'1" (and those on the lower end tend to be very agile/athletic). With the possible exception of... Glen Davis?

So maybe Boston is the right place for Sheld after all.

[SilkyJ]

It's interesting to compare Shelden's pre-draft measurements with Carlos's. They are actually pretty similar... in most areas. They weighed the exact same, and Carlos was only 1/4" taller than Sheldon without shoes, but somehow a full inch taller with shoes. Shelden's vert numbers were 2.5"-4.5" better than Carlos's depending on the running start. Shelden's wingspan was a monster 7'4.25", a full 2" longer than Carlos, yet (here's maybe the most telling number) his standing reach was somehow only 8'8" compared with Carlos's 9'0.5".

So what's going on with his wingspan compared to his reach? You would think a 6'7.5" guy with a 7'4"+ wingspan would have a higher reach than 8'8". My best guess: his shoulders are just so wide that it "inflates" his wingspan - his actual arms are just not that long. Either way, it has to be his standing reach that contributes to him being considered "undersized".

For example, of some of the shorter PFs you mentioned... Brand was taller with a 9'2" reach, West was taller with a 9'0.5" reach, even Horford was 1.25" taller with an 8'11" reach and better verticals and agility. Of the longer ones, Bosh was 6'10.25" without shoes (9'1' reach) and KG 6'11" without shoes (no reach listed). All in all, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a major NBA PF with a standing reach of under 8'10"-9'1" (and those on the lower end tend to be very agile/athletic). With the possible exception of... Glen Davis?

So maybe Boston is the right place for Sheld after all.

Very interesting stuff, Sir Isaac. Thanks for looking that up!

I think I tend to agree with just about everything you said, including the last part about not finding a major NBA PF with a reach under 8'10 or so. But at the same time there are efficient players with that type of size, albeit more agile than Sheld. Two that come to mind are Carl Landry and Leon Powe. Both of whom are undersized for the PF position. Landry measured in with a reach of 8'6.5"! I don't think Powe was measured for the draft b/c draft express didn't have any measurements for him.

Anywho, maybe sheld is a tad undersized from an arm length perspective, but I think his holding the Duke record for blocked shots and rebounds (and just having seen him play in the post for many years) clearly shows that he can hold his own around the basket. I'm not sure whats holding him back in the league so far...

[ice-9]

I haven't seen Shel play in the NBA, so am open to being corrected, but the real problem IMO is that Shel doesn't have an NBA PF game. He's not agile and doesn't have a jumpshot. He's really more a C than a PF, and for the C position, he is definitely undersized.

When you take a look at the top PFs in this league -- heck, just look at our two in Brand and Boozer -- the common denominator is an excellent short to mid range jump shot. Shel needs that to make it in this league.

[COYS]

I haven't seen Shel play in the NBA, so am open to being corrected, but the real problem IMO is that Shel doesn't have an NBA PF game. He's not agile and doesn't have a jumpshot. He's really more a C than a PF, and for the C position, he is definitely undersized.

When you take a look at the top PFs in this league -- heck, just look at our two in Brand and Boozer -- the common denominator is an excellent short to mid range jump shot. Shel needs that to make it in this league.

I think this is a great point and is definitely a key area for Shel to work on at the offensive end. I'm interested to see how much Shelden will be able to improve and get to that second contract.

[SilkyJ]

I think this is a great point and is definitely a key area for Shel to work on at the offensive end. I'm interested to see how much Shelden will be able to improve and get to that second contract.

This is Shelden's second contract (at least). Hence him signing with the Celtics. Questions about his jumpshot have been around since college, so its not like this is a new thing for him to work on. We'll see...I actually thought he had a decent jumper in school, just kind of like Hansbro he didnt get to show it b/c he was needed down low.

[COYS]

This is Shelden's second contract (at least). Hence him signing with the Celtics. Questions about his jumpshot have been around since college, so its not like this is a new thing for him to work on. We'll see...I actually thought he had a decent jumper in school, just kind of like Hansbro he didnt get to show it b/c he was needed down low.

Yes, sorry. I meant a second, longer contract that would ensure a long NBA career.

[DukieInBrasil]

good news for Shelden. I was wondering if he would be able to pick up witha team after his rookie contract status ended. Anyway, reading the comments in the article i was surprised at how much hatred and general vitriol was being spouted against Shel. Maybe bent UNCers? Anyway, he has had an underperforming career for a #5 draft pick, but does that mean he is terrible or that he has a poor work ethic or that he should be hated? I think not. As is the case with many players, good performance is often related to just finding the right team, the right niche. And learning what works for him in the NBA. Maybe Shel has found that in Boston, i certainly hope so. Go Shel!!!

[Carlos]

It may be hard for Shelden to get minutes in Boston depending upon what happens with KG's health (I've heard his injury is more serious than originally reported) and with Glen Davis.

Assuming both those guys are ready to go with the Cs next year then Shelden would likely be behind the two of them as well as Rasheed and Kendrick Perkins. That leaves Shelden and Brian Scalabrine battling it out for the frontcourt minutes left over.

[COYS]

It may be hard for Shelden to get minutes in Boston depending upon what happens with KG's health (I've heard his injury is more serious than originally reported) and with Glen Davis.

Assuming both those guys are ready to go with the Cs next year then Shelden would likely be behind the two of them as well as Rasheed and Kendrick Perkins. That leaves Shelden and Brian Scalabrine battling it out for the frontcourt minutes left over.

Regardless of how healthy KG is, the Celts will want to take it easy on their aging star this season. While Shelden will definitely be relatively low on the depth chart, he'll have a chance to get some burn throughout the season. he'll have to prove himself to earn any PT in the playoffs, though.

[JasonEvans]

Props to the big fella and count me among those thrilled to see Shel getting another chance but...

...color me shocked that Shel got this deal and with the Celtics to boot. We are talking about a player who has produced very little in his time in the NBA despite playing for a series of mediocre-bad teams. You's think that if Shel had shown a glimmer of what it takes to be an "in-the-rotation" player in the NBA, the teams he was playing for would have given him more of a shot. I mean, it is not like Shel was on the bench behind Karl Malone and Tim Duncan when he was failing to crack the rotation in Atlanta, Sacto, amd Minnesota.

But, Boston clearly saw something and was willing to put him on the roster. Because of his time in the league, Shel qualifies for the NBA vet minimum-- which is a very nice chunk of change (more money than many of us make in a decade).

Again, I wish Shel all the success in the world and hope he finds a great situation in Boston that allows him to showcase some of the skills that made him an All-American at Duke!

--Jason "I guess Candace and Lailaa will have to suffer through Boston winters and LA summers" Evans

[Billy Dat]

-The Celtics have a very "moneyball" style front office so signing Shel, to me, is flattering because they think they've found undervalued talent.

-I do remember reading that Shel was never in good shape last year. Aside from injury, there's no excuse for that in such a competitive league. I think that carjacking really got in his head, plus he got married, became a father, etc. I think if he gets in great shape, he can be a real asset, but they are likely looking at him as a practice player that can defend and rebound when the rotation guys get in foul trouble.