The Celtics Make a Move


1190922388And no, it’s not Sam Cassell. At least, not yet. The Celtics went the other way, bringing in classy vet P.J. Brown to absorb some frontcourt minutes and provide a steady hand to the second team. If you were to make an all-Great Guy NBA Team list, Brown would be the starting forward every year. He has been a solid performer everywhere he’s been, and a plus defender and rebounder, which is exactly what the C’s need.

Brown also earns merit points for being one of the few normal humans on one of the great knucklehead teams of all time: The 1993-94 New Jersey Nets.

That team featured Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson, Benoit Benjamin, and the one and only Chris Morris. During that season, Coleman uttered his memorable “Whoop-de-damn-do” quote in reference to Anderson skipping practice and being spotted at a strip club. Morris, meanwhile, was busy writing soliloquies on his Converse like “Trade me” and “Get me outta here.”

Brown was an oasis of stability on that squad, and he turned professionalism and rebounding into a 15-year career. The only question with him is: Can he still play? New Cavalier Ben Wallace testified to Brown’s ability last night, telling the Globe’s Marc J. Spears:

“He’s a professional,” said Ben Wallace of the Cavaliers, who played with Brown in Chicago. “He’s a veteran who’s going to come in and do his work. He knows the game. He does a lot of talking when he’s on the floor, and that’s going to help the younger guys out.”

Sounds like a perfect fit and another solid move by Danny Ainge.