Sam is Subtle
You know how most athletes go out of their way to not cause problems, and just speak in cliches that don’t really say anything? Sam Cassell is not like that. In fact, he is making no bones about his desire to A) be bought out by the Clippers and B) then sign with the Celtics.
In today’s Boston Globe, Sam puts it on the table:
Clippers point guard Sam Cassell is literally willing to pay the price to join the Celtics.
more stories like thisCassell said yesterday that his agent, David Falk, has had conversations with the Clippers about a potential buyout and he is interested in joining the Celtics if that happens. The 38-year-old is making $6.15 million in the final year of his contract.
Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge has said he is interested in finding “the right veteran point guard.” The Celtics are rumored to have interest in Cassell.
Check out the whole article HERE.
“I’ve earned enough,” said Cassell. “I’ve saved a little money. I put money away. I just want to win. Winning is the most important thing to me.”
Falk is out of the country and wasn’t available for comment. An NBA source said Falk has spoken to Clippers owner Donald Sterling about a buyout. The Celtics do not have the pieces to make a trade for the 6-foot-3-inch, 185-pounder and would need a buyout to acquire him via free agency.
Cassell said a buyout is “the only way I can get [to Boston].”
He goes on to say that his agent is on the case:
“I think it’s realistic. It’s just a matter of time. I don’t want to say too much. I’m optimistic about the whole situation. That’s why I got David Falk. That’s what he loves to do.
Rondo has been playing well and would continue to start if a veteran point guard is acquired. Gary Payton, Travis Best, and Randy Livingston have said they would like to join the Celtics, too. When asked about backing up Rondo, Cassell said, “Whatever. I’ve been told it’s not who starts the game, it’s who finishes.”
more stories like thisAt the end of the Clippers’ shootaround, Cassell looked to the rafters at TD Banknorth Garden at the retired Celtics numbers and pondered what it would be like playing for the storied franchise.
“You got to wonder,” Cassell said. “All the tradition is in the rafters. Maybe not in this building, but in the rafters. It’s crazy. You see these guys . . . DJ [Dennis Johnson] . . . [Cedric ] Maxwell, Chief [Robert Parish]. You got so many numbers [retired], you don’t even have numbers you can wear.”
The guy is already picking out his # ….
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February 7th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
GEE...Shawn should point to his finger for the heat fans ...the middle says:
Ok so then that is probably going to be a done deal. Can we just go ahead and pencil in Sam’s name to Boston?
Although if for some unseen reason that it doesn’t go down. Wooooo I can imagine playboi being real sour. LOL although after fouling the ish out of Rondo last night, I don’t know if Rondo wants him on.
Whatever happen to ol’ Travis Best. Wasn’t he a Georgia Tech boi? Dude had some game at Tech.
Sam is going to be a real good coach if he ever goes that way. He’s already making this play and if he does go to Boston it becomes a smooth move on his part to go public.
I am going to be interested to see what Charles and Kenny and all have to say tonight about the trade and other things. Should be good.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
YOUNGFED says:
This can’t happen this would hurt the Pistons too much. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
February 7th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Jim says:
Sam was taking matters into his own hands last night. “Oops, likes like now ya’ll NEED a PG.”
February 7th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Myrie says:
Wow….A Travis Best sighting in the same article as David Faulk. I haven’t heard of/from David Faulk since the mid ’90s.
And Travis Best…..where has he been?
As for the Clips, they should move Sam Cassell and Corey Maggette as its clear niether want to be there and both can leave after this season and the Clips will get nothing in return. They trying to hold it all together so when Elton Brand + Shaun Livingston come back, they can show some promise.
But Maggette’s mind is made up and so is Cassell’s.
I didn’t think Cassell is a lock for Boston, but it seems as though the Celtics are waiting just for him.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Three Stacks says:
Dunleavy said the Clips won’t buy him out…anyone know how much the buyout would cost?
February 7th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Celts Fan says:
Did you hear that? That was the sound of me popping half a roll of quarters…
February 7th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
mrcanadian says:
why would the clippers want to pay sam not to play for them? just to make him happy so he can go to boston? doesn’t sound like a smart business move. when did buying out players become such a common thing. i wish my work place would buy me out so i could go somewhere else. maybe i should start tanking at my job.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
YOUNGFED says:
Sams paying the Clippers to let him go.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
alex says:
i say this is not a good move for the celtics. You’ve got another player with another ‘hero mentality’. This would stunt Rondo’s development – you can just imagine it with the “Whatever. I’ve been told it’s not who starts the game, it’s who finishes.” comment. The difference between him and Damon, is that the Stoudamire will do whatever Pop tells him to do to help the team. Cassell wants to win, but he wants to help the team in his terms.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Celts Fan says:
but he’s also good friends w/ KG and used to play w/ Ray too, so I think he’d be fine. and he and Rondo can play together in some lineups too, and it’s never bad to have a different kiind of PG to be there so Rondo can pick his brain. Plus, it’s not like we have a real backup PG anyway. I don’t see this as anything but a good thing, but I’ve loved Sam since his Houston days (and the big balls dance is AMAZING, not quite Rasheed in the middle of the pre-game huddle w/ the Pistons, but right up there!)
February 7th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
doc says:
How the hell did Randy Livingston get a say? Dude you in the D-league you should wanna play for whoever.
February 8th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Celts Fan says:
maybe so, but he’d be a great fit here as a backup PG and if we can’t get Sam, we damn well better get Randy if we want to win a ring (I feel like I’ve been saying this FOREVER, I guess games tend to drag when you have Turnover Tony Allen pretending he can dribble)