Delonte West, Von Wafer fight: Celtics now considering waiving West?
Oh, dear lord. I’m starting to get the feeling that Delonte West and Von Wafer don’t like each other very much. (Alex Kennedy, Twitter)
After another intense three-on-three game in practice today, Delonte West and Von Wafer got into a fist fight in the locker room.
Punches were thrown and the players had to be separated. The Celtics are considering releasing West, who is on a non-guaranteed contract.
Sources say that Wafer tried to walk away but West followed him into the locker room and threw the first punch. Doc and vets aren’t happy.
Where to start, where to start?
First, why are the Celtics even holding three-on-three games in “practice” today (probably actually a team shootaround)? They’ve got a game tonight. They should be conserving their energy for the Knicks.
Second, this is exactly the type of issue that made signing Delonte West and Von Wafer a risk. When you sign one player who’s mentally unstable and another who’s a loose cannon with a reputation for being a disagreeable ass munch, these are the scenarios that could happen. This is why chemistry has been discussed as a possible issue.
Third, who keeps leaking these damn stories to Alex Kennedy? If West and Wafer have beef, okay, they’ve got beef. But keep it in-house beef. Neither of these guys needs his reputation sullied any more than it already is.
Fourth, are the Celtics really considering waiving Delonte West? Was this fight that bad? West is arguably the bench’s most important piece. Now he gets in one little fight and Doc Rivers gets scared, tells him “you’re moving with your auntie and uncle to Bel-Aire?” That would seem like the overreaction of the century, unless West has been more of a problem than we know.
If I’m Doc Rivers and Von Wafer and Delonte West have enough bad blood that I’ve got to cut one of them, it’s an easy decision: I’m getting rid of Wafer. Unless West is completely uncontrollable.
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Celtics Blog | Jay King | October 29, 2010
I’m torn on this. If I was confident that getting rid of Wafer would calm Delonte down and fix this issue, then I’d agree. Get rid of him, in terms of Basketball only, West is a far more important piece to this team. He had a great chemistry with Robinson in the pre-season, and having another player able to play point well in that unit does wonders for their cohesion.
But… I can’t be confident West won’t just find another outlet for his anger. If Wafer is gone, how long before he’s throwing punches at Avery Bradley? This seems to be more an issue of West being imbalanced and unable to separate on the court emotions and competition from spewing over off the court.
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Were was shaq and kg when this happened?
but i think Paul can control west the best considering there history.
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But I don’t think it’s coincidental that he’s fighting Wafer. Wafer’s a loose cannon himself and has openly campaigned for the minutes West stands to gain when West returns from suspension.
If West were fighting someone else, I’d be more concerned that the issue is West and West alone. But the fact that he’s fighting Wafer, known coach-killer and certified problem-child, makes me think it’s probably partially Wafer’s fault too. I know zero details about the fight, but if I had to guess I’d say they are both to blame.
Getting rid of Wafer wouldn’t necessarily mean West would stop fighting teammates. But it could be an answer.
Can the Celtics rewind a few days and cut Wafer instead of Lasme?
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has lasme sighed yet? if not we could pick him up
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Wafer was probably the originator of the quote: “it’s obvious when West doesn’t take his medicine”. He’s most probably the guy who leaks all these stories to Kennedy.
He needs to get the f… outta here as soon as possible.
West is an important player for the C’s, I’d be very disappointed by DA and Doc if they get rid of Delonte for a fake ass like Wafer..
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Jay, how more in love with West can you get? Maybe you should send him some roses now? Why is Wafer the “loose cannon”? Based on what? An arrest or just not getting along with Rick Aldeman (who I showed you months ago had multiple issues with other players his entire coaching career – i.e. Bonzi Wells and others)?
You don’t get it. West is the problem. No one, no medication, no getting rid of Wafer can fix the problems West has emotionally and mentally. He is proving he is the loose cannon but you got blinders on over your beer goggles. Get rid of West. He has proven time and again that HE IS THE FUCKING PROBLEM.
And why shouldn’t Wafer want or go after West’s minutes? Isn’t that what competition is all about? Seems to me every time there is an issue it’s West who is initiating it.
I’m sure you and all the other posters will come down on me for being anti-West but go for it. Time will tell who is the problem and so far the person agitating the team chemistry and throwing the punches is West. Go Cs….
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Wafer was kicked off the bench during a playoff game. I’ve never heard that happening to any other NBA player, ever. He was kicked off his Greek team last season, after which his coach said something like, “When a player refuses to change his ways, it’s best to part ways.”
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If Adelman did the kicking then enough said. Again, look at Adelman’s career and all the people he alienated. Greece? Who cares? Maybe he caused trouble to get out of his contract and back to the NBA? I’m more worried about who throws the first punch and who is the agitator and it seems that is West. Then pile on his bi-polar issues and that my friend is a nasty cocktail of misery just waiting to be unleashed. Time will tell but the Celtics are delusional if they let this occur even one more time without severe consequences. West may be more talented (I’d disagree) and better at defense but he is the one seemingly out of control. Go Cs…
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He caused trouble to get out of his contract and back to the NBA… and then didn’t make a team last year. Wafer is well-known as a problem. You act like he’s a choir boy.
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You act like West isn’t a fucking thug…which is being proven more and more by punching someone from behind after that person walked away and off the court to AVOID the situation. Go Cs…
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