Celts signing of Delonte West: Attraction or Distraction?

The Boston Celtics, we've learned, have added free agent combo guard Delonte West to their roster. Some will wonder if they will benefit from the move or find themselves putting him on the move midway through the season?

West returns to the Celtics roster with a host of excessive baggage not healthy for a team with a good chance of raising the O'Brien trophy in June. Currently he is dealing with weapons charges, has been diagnosed as bi-polar and is linked to an alleged affair with the mother of 2-time league MVP, and former teammate, Miami Heat forward LeBron James. Some believe that it was this alleged affair that was the tipping point which led James to leave Cleveland. Since James' unfavorable departure from the team which produced 2 sixty plus win seasons and a birth in the Finals, West was shipped to Minnesota then released. Now he resurfaces to a team who will most likely prove to be Miami's roadblock to the Eastern Conference title.

So why would Boston risk adding a player like West to their veteran roster and jeopardize the chemistry on a team that just one year prior came within a game, and an injury, of winning the world championship? Well, there could benefits outside of the obvious. From a basketball strategy perspective, West fits in an area where the Celts lack depth. He is a proven combo guard that gives Celtic's coach Doc Rivers multiple player options in the backcourt. West can handle and score the ball, defend bigger opposing guards and spell Rondo or Allen. He also has 3 point range that you must respect, which would give the post players more room to operate. This would have helped the Celts greatly last year when Kobe Bryant simply sat back in the lane and dared Rondo to take and make a free throw jumper. But there could be another reason why the signing of Delonte West could prove vital. A reason that doesn't show up in the box score nor would it jump out at the average fan. Championship teams know that the game is 90% mental and 10% technique. If by chance, the Boston Celtics make it back to the Eastern Conference Championship Series and on the other end of the floor is the Miami Heat, West's signing could prove to be the "cloud" that covers the sunshine in SouthBeach.

I applaud Pat Riley for being able to pull off the triple play. Everyone, including myself, was ready to have him hoist the Executive of the Year award. But don't downplay the mind and resourcefulness of Danny Ainge. He too pulled the triple play a few years ago and it paid off. He also understands how a distraction in team chemistry can spell disaster. Just ask the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Ilee Coleman

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