Every Celtic fan I know had (at least) a little man crush on Bill Walker when he played for the C’s. Every Celtic fan I know also had beef with Doc Rivers for never giving Walker his shot.

Not that we ever had any real evidence for our opinion. Almost a year after Walker was traded away in the Eddie House-Nate Robinson swap, Walker still hasn’t accomplished anything substantial in his career. His numbers so far this year (4.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 15.6 minutes) do nothing to support the notion that Rivers should have played Walker at all. But then Walker goes and does something like this, and we remember when we salivated in unison and chanted for him to enter the game.

With hops like that, we Celtics fans wondered, why couldn’t Walker have filled in for Paul Pierce or Ray Allen when the C’s starting wings were both playing 55 minutes per game? (Wait, they can’t play that many minutes — there’s only 42 minutes in a game. Right, Zach Randolph?) Why didn’t Walker deserve at least a few shifts here and there? We clamored for Doc to play Walker every day. Never mind the fact that he wasn’t ready, that he was raw. He could dunk!

Even now, many months since Walker has been my worry, I still complain that Doc Rivers never played the youngin’. But I wrote this post to tell Doc one thing: you were right, we were wrong. Walker wasn’t ready to contribute, back when Doc kept him stapled to the bench. Even with dunks like these, dunks that cause a Twitter earthquake, he still isn’t. If we weren’t so blinded by his superhuman springs, we would have realized that too.

On second thought, Doc, maybe he should have played a few minutes here and there? That’s the way to develop, no?

Oh man. Even now, I remain confused and angered and bedazzled by Bill Walker. Maybe I should just let his memory go and simply enjoy his dunks from now on.

P.S. – Happy 26th birthday, Perk. I don’t believe there’s a much better present than seeing your arch-nemesis get crammed on.

After the jump, Paul Millsap picks the world up and drops it on its head. Read more »

Okay, I realize this play isn’t that nice. I mean, it’s okay and all but the only thing it really has in common with Dr. J’s obscene highlight is that it’s a reverse layup.

The real reason I gave this play top status as Highlight Reel of the Day is because it’s an excuse to write about Walker in Las Vegas. Despite not having stats that would blow you away (14 points in each of the Knicks’ first two games), the man’s lookin’ good. As in, his body is looking good. As in, pause. As in, maybe trading Nate Robinson away for House, Walker and Giddens wasn’t such a great idea after all. As in, what the hell am I still doing saying “as in” before every sentence?

Here are a couple tweets about Walker in Vegas:

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “Bill Walker has definitely been working on his body the past few months and don’t be surprised if Knicks give him big minutes.”

Chris Mannix, SI – “Billy Walker looking more and more like a keeper for New York next season. Looks very strong out there, more confident too.”

But hey, at least J.R. Giddens still sucks!

Semih Erden, one of the C’s three draft picks from 2008 (along with Billy Sky Walker and J.R. Giddens), might finally be heading to the United States to join the C’s roster. (Hoop Market via CelticsBlog)

Semih Erden is closer to land in the Boston Celtics next season. The 23-year-old Turkish center could have already reached to an agreement with the NBA franchise, and the deal could be signed in the next days.

Danny Ainge described Erden as an “over seven-foot center that has some potential,” but Erden has largely been a disappointment overseas. From what I can gather, Erden has nice physical skills but doesn’t work hard enough nor have the necessary skill to make an impact game in and game out. He averaged 8.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in the Turkish Basketball League last season. For perspective, the TBL is a second-tier league in Europe (behind the Spain and Russian leagues, and perhaps more). Erden isn’t ready for the NBA, but with Kendrick Perkins injured and Sheed probably retiring, he might play some minutes early next season. FML.

Don't you wish Nate was still wearing blue and orange? Something tells me Eddie House could help the C's.

Nate Robinson’s agent is considering filing a grievance against the Boston Celtics for benching Nate down the stretch and keeping him from earning a $1 million bonus. (Boston Globe)

Representatives of Nate Robinson are monitoring whether the Celtics impeded the guard’s chances of earning a $1 million bonus and are considering filing a grievance, according to NBA sources.

Robinson played in 56 games this season and when the Celtics acquired him from the Knicks Feb. 18, he needed to play in Boston’s remaining 28 games to earn the bonus. Robinson played in 21 straight games before being benched April 4 against Cleveland. He then missed the April 7 game against Toronto, and played a combined 55 minutes in Boston’s final four games.

Robinson’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, facilitated the deal with the Celtics in hopes of getting his client that additional $1 million. Now his representatives are attempting to determine whether the $1 million the Celtics saved prevented them from exceeding the NBA luxury tax, which would cost the team $2 million for surpassing $71 million in player salaries.

Nate and Aaron Goodwin, I’ve got to give it to you guys straight: I’d be more than surprised if Nate’s benching had anything to do with his contract. He was simply bad for the Celtics. He stopped being aggressive and, when a midget whose only purpose in the NBA is to fill the air with buckets starts throwing up doughnuts in the points column, it’s time for said midget to stop receiving playing time.

If this report is true and Goodwin is trying to determine whether the $1 million the Celtics saved prevented them from exceeding the luxury tax, I’d be very surprised. If the luxury tax is at $71 million, the Celtics should be WAY over it. According to HoopsWorld, the Celtics have more than $84,000,000 on the books for this season. That equates to $13 million more than the luxury tax barrier, which equates to $13 extra million they have to pay the league office, which means the Celtics’ owners will be spending $97 million on player contracts this season.

Robinson’s $1 million bonus wouldn’t have put the Celtics over the tax, but they would have had to pay an extra $1 million in tax on top of it, brnging the total of his bonus — from the Celtics’ point of view — to $2 million. Nate would still have only gotten $1 million of that, and the league office would be the recipient of the other $1 million.

Of course, none of the semantics should matter. I’d bet my left lung that Robinson’s benching was due to his play and nothing else. If it wasn’t, then he’d at least be playing in the playoffs, right? Now that the bonus has already been missed, the Celtics would be free to play him in the postseason. But they still aren’t playing him, because he never earned the playing time. So save your time and energy, Aaron Goodwin, and let this one be. Nate’s bummy play is why he’s getting all those splinters now, and there is no other reason.

The only grievance that should be filed is by the Celtics, for getting swindled into giving up both Eddie House and Bill Walker for Robinson.

Marcus Landry is best-known among Celtics fans as “the throw-in to the Nate Robinson trade.”  As the throw-ins to the Knicks from the same trade (Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens) have been tossed into action and actually made an impact in the NBA, Landry was assigned to the D-League’s Maine Red Claws. Read more »

Eddie House and Wilson Chandler will both miss tonight’s game, according to Newsday’s Alan Hahn. (Twitter)

House is bothered by his achilles tendon, meaning there will likely be no further video tribute tonight.

The two injuries likely mean we will see a lot of Bill Walker, who has been the most productive player involved in the Nate Robinson trade. If he has a good game, I expect to see a lot of whining about why the Celtics should have kept him, or Doc should have played him.

I think it’s time to finally let go of Billy Boy. He’s a Knick now. And Nate Robinson has helped a re-energized bench.

(h/t Celtics Hub)