Boston Celtics Sign Luke Harangody, NBA Title Now in Sight

In what should be one of the moves that solidifies the Boston Celtics as the front-runners for the 2010-11 NBA title, and banner No. 18, the Celtics have today signed undersized power forward Luke Harangody to a guaranteed contract.

The burly, flat-topped 6'6" (without shoes) power forward inked a two-year deal so rich that the terms were not disclosed. Harangody, the 52nd pick of the 2010 draft, will compete for time with Glen "Big Baby" Davis in the now-crowded Celtics frontcourt.

Also announced at the same press conference was the signing of some big guy with four titles and countless nicknames who will get some minutes at center.

Harangody—or "Luke," as he's often called—led the Celtics' Orlando Summer League team with almost 17 points per game, shooting 47 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.

All kidding aside, Harangody has been one of my favorite college players for all four of his years at Notre Dame (except when they were playing my UConn Huskies). Luke averaged over 20 points per game for three straight years and never shot less than 45 percent from the field.

How a player as accomplished and skilled as Harangody can fall to the end of the second round of the draft continues to irritate me. He's a tough, strong kid who knows basketball and can shoot the hell out of the ball. So he can't leap out of the gym—don't care. So he doesn't have the "upside potential" of some freakishly athletic 19-year-old who doesn't have any idea how to play real basketball—don't care.

Harangody is going to be an important role player for the Celtics before the season is done. I even see him making Glen Davis expendable. Don't be surprised if Davis is traded for a wing player before the deadline or included in a deal with Rasheed Wallace's contract before the start of the season.

I may be partial to intelligent, complete basketball players with a good education from a great school who shoot the ball exceptionally well, but I still love this signing. Besides, where else could a goofy-looking white kid who played for a team called the "Irish" play but on the Celtics? Sue me.