If he receives a second straight ten-day contract from the Boston Celtics, as Doc Rivers thinks he will, maybe Chris Johnson will be able to afford a square meal. Or a weight room membership. Or a personal trainer.

I kid, of course, and I’m kind of a jackass. Johnson does not have a normal NBA physique, nor did he take a normal path to the League. You can read more about his long journey here (CelticsBlog), but I’ll try to offer the short version. He began his professional career in Turkey, where his team actually forged his signature in order to release him. Johnson thought about taking matters to court, but decided against it and signed in Poland instead. He finished his first professional season there, and, thankfully, “it was better than Turkey.” With all due respect to Semih Erden (God bless his soul), Johnson really seemed to hate Turkey.

Prior to this season, Johnson was invited to Boston Celtics training camp. He did not make the team, but impressed at least one person — Danny Ainge. After seeing Johnson (and, likely, drooling at Johnson’s airplane wingspan, trampoline vertical leap and impressive motor), Ainge gave him a bit of advice:

“Ainge pretty much told me and my agent to pursue the D-League because he felt I could play in this league,” said Johnson. “And that’s what I did. The Dakota Wizards drafted me and I played there.”

One problem: his wife couldn’t make the trip with him. Born in New Zealand, her visa expired in December and she was forced to leave the United States. Which makes me doubt The Proposal, in which Sandra Bullock married Ryan Reynolds so she could stay in the States, but I digress. Johnson misses his wife (or, at least, I hope he does) but uses “a lot of Skype.”

In the strangest comparison you’ll hear today (and I’ve made it once before), watching Johnson play for the Celtics reminds me of Rudy. Not that Johnson’s five foot nothing (though he may be a hundred nothing) or that he hardly has a speck of athletic ability (au contraire, he’s actually Freakadelic), but Johnson plays with that extra passion that set Rudy apart.

On a team of players who generally play quite hard (most nights, at least), Johnson’s effort easily stands out. He’s not the most talented player on the floor, but he’ll beat his opponent in transition every time. He’s not the perfect defender, but, boy, does he fly from one side of the paint to the other in hopes of registering blocks. I get the feeling Kevin Garnett goes into Doc Rivers’ office before every game, and the following scene ensues:

Garnett puts his jersey on Rivers’ desk, saying, “I want Chris Johnson to dress in my place, coach.”

Rivers replies, “Don’t be ridiculous. Johnson’s already dressing, and even if he wasn’t, Georgia Tech — err, I mean Golden St. — is one of the best offensive teams in the league.”

Rivers continues, “You’re an All-Star and our captain. Act like it!”

Garnett does not waver. “I believe I am.”

Garnett then leaves, and every other player follows Garnett into the office to offer his own jersey for Johnson. Rivers is flummoxed, mostly because Johnson dresses anyway. The players do not need to do this.

Fast forward a day or two, to the game. Johnson looks at Sasha Pavlovic, who has been deactivated. Johnson says something like, “I wish you could be there with me.”

*End rambling story.*

In many ways, Johnson’s an NBA-caliber player. (Which would make sense, considering he’s playing in the NBA.) I already told you about his work ethic and impressive physical tools, and Danny Ainge swears Johnson can shoot from outside. But Johnson does have one quite visible flaw, one that Chris Kaman exposed with a series of quick post ups in Los Angeles: his weight.

“If we can figure out a way to get him on Baby’s weight program,” Doc Rivers told Chris Forsberg, “he’d be terrific.”

In all honesty, Johnson will likely head elsewhere after his second ten-day contract expires. Shaq and Glen Davis, presumably, will return soon from injury, and a crowded Celtics frontcourt will become more so. Johnson figures to become the odd man out, behind his more celebrated (and more well-rounded — in more ways than one) teammates.

But these are the players you root for, the ones who jump around the NBA’s fringe for years, just hoping for a chance.  Fandom is why I still think about Orien Greene (on a rare occasion, but still), all these years later, and why I sometimes wonder how Milt Palacio’s doing. Fandom’s why Marty Conlon will never be forgotten (sadly), and why Ricky Davis (for whatever reason) still has a soft spot in my heart.

Chris Johnson’s a Boston Celtic, now, and years later, even if he doesn’t make it with the Celtics, I’ll hear his name and begin to reminisce. I’ll remember the time Chris Kaman backed him down with such ease, just like I’ll remember Johnson’s alley oop from Rajon Rondo. I’ll remember how my friend labeled him a skinny man’s Chris “Birdman” Anderson, which made sense. Mostly, I’ll remember how hard he played. These are the things you remember, down the road, after a player plays for your favorite team.

Maybe Chris Johnson has only ten days left in his Boston Celtics career. Maybe everything will work out perfectly, and he’ll skype his wife sometime this month to tell her he signed for the rest of the season. Wherever Johnson goes, wherever his basketball journey takes him next — well, at least it won’t be Turkey.

I’m still trying to understand the trade, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll never understand it. Not unless Shaq and Jermaine have been fooling us all along and are actually 100% healthy, in which case the trade almost makes sense. But I’m moving on, for now, until I write my “goodbye, Perk” and “goodbye, Nate” posts, which will inevitably cause me to revisit my homicidal feelings for Danny Ainge.

The Celtics also traded Marquis Daniels today, along with cash, for the Sacramento Kings’ 2017 second-round pick. Coupled with the Erden/Harangody for a second-round pick swap, the Celtics now have three roster spots open for buyout candidates. Which would be fine, if the buyout list included a solid, tough big man known for his physical presence.

Instead, there’s Troy Murphy. And Leon Powe (who, after a few knee surgeries, isn’t quite the same player Celtics fans remember). And whatever other scraps get bought out because their current teams don’t want them. Now, Murphy’s not half bad. He can shoot threes, and even rebounds well. But these Celtics are known for being a tough, physical bunch. Murphy’s not scaring anybody. He’s not going to combat Dwight Howard. He’s not going to counteract Andrew Bynum. He’s not going to send Chris Bosh into a funk. Neither is Powe. Neither is any other buyout candidate the C’s could add.

For now, at least, the Celtics have signed D-Leaguer Chris Johnson. He’s 6’11 and could use a square meal, but has impressive agility for a big man. I’d be surprised if he stays on the Celtics for more than these ten days, but, then again, I no longer have any idea what Danny Ainge is trying to accomplish.

The Morning Walkthrough is a set of links to Boston Celtics articles throughout the internet, designed to get your day started the right way.

Ken Berger, CBS – “On the second day of practice Wednesday, Garnett had no limp, no brace, and no signs of being the kind of defensive liability he was last season. ‘Night and day,’ coach Doc Rivers said. ‘I wish he would take a break in practice, but that’s another issue we’ll have to solve. He’s explosive again, especially defensively.’ Rivers must have felt like he was standing in a time machine Wednesday when Garnett grabbed a rebound, threw an outlet pass, and still beat his teammates down the floor. I didn’t see it with my own eyes – that portion of practice was closed to inquisitive observers – but Rivers’ account was believable. ‘He couldn’t do that last year,’ Rivers said. ‘Even if he could, he didn’t think he could.’ For the Celtics, it’s simple: To have any chance of getting past Miami to take another shot at the Lakers, they need Garnett to be the old Garnett – or, rather, the young Garnett. If nothing else, Rivers will settle for the healthy Garnett in his bid to get the Celtics back to No. 1 in the NBA in field-goal defense; they slipped to No. 9 last season. ‘He’ll make or break us,’ Rivers said.”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “Kevin Garnett, his second season removed from knee surgery, continues to impress with his increased mobility. The Celtics defense should follow suit, according to Rivers. ‘He’s explosive again, especially defensively, and that is great,” said the coach. “He outran guys in our scrimmage at least three times. He got the rebound, threw it out and still outran the bigs, and he couldn’t do that last year. Even if he could, he didn’t think he could, and that was the biggest change. We have (Rajon) Rondo on the floor and Kevin, who can shadow, and we couldn’t do it last year, and that was a huge concession for our defense. In my opinion it put way too much pressure on our defense,’ he said. ‘He was the best team defender in the league last year, even with his injury, because he talks and understands it.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston – “‘We have to come to work every day. A year ago, we’d come in and take care of business like the Dream Team against the [second unit]. Now we really have to lace them up if we want to be competitive with [the reserves] each day.’ – Paul Pierce on the Celtics’ bench players, one season ago. … Boston hopes for better results from this season’s group, and track records suggest there is reason for optimism. But Celtics coach Doc Rivers cautioned against getting too excited too soon. When asked if he’s more confident about this season’s reserves, Rivers said, ‘Not yet, but I should be. I think it’s the best bench we’ve had since I’ve been here. But on paper and in games, that’s two different things. It’s a natural fit. D-West and Nate, who’s the point guard? I don’t think either one really [cares]. I think that’s a good fit. Shaq is clearly the 5 and Baby is clearly the 4. I think it will allow Marquis to go to the post more like he should go. Plus, we have two defensive stoppers at the guard spot in Marquis and Delonte, and Nate who can pressure the ball. I think there’s a lot of good things with that unit. Unfortunately, they’ve got to play in a game first, and we’ve got to see if that all works out.’”

Ken Berger, CBS – “To be polite and comprehensive, Rivers mentions the Magic, Bulls and Hawks in the same breath with the Heat as he spits out a list of teams standing in the Celtics’ way before they can even begin to contemplate a rematch with the Lakers. Deep down, he knows better. Everybody does. The Celtics are the defending Eastern Conference champs, but Miami is the target. Pat Riley’s team is the one sitting at the table with the poker face and the best cards. ’We had a goal before July 1 and we had a goal after July 1,’ Rivers said. ‘And it didn’t change. It just made it harder. But like I told them: If you want to win, it should be hard. It’s not going to be easy. Even if it wasn’t Miami, there were going to be challenges; Orlando, Chicago, Atlanta, there’s a lot of challenges out there for you. Miami just happens to be another one. Listen, if LeBron doesn’t leave, then there would’ve been a challenge in Cleveland. They just switched the challenge south and made it a bigger challenge.’ A bigger challenge and a better show — the best thing on TV in July and possibly from October to June, too. But not without a challenge of their own; not without the Original Big Three trying to have the last word. ‘We’ll just continue to go at our slow pace and creep up on everybody,’ Pierce said. ‘Everything will be done and said, and at the end of the day, I think we’ll be standing.’”

Gary Washburn/Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “West was the outstanding performer in yesterday’s two-hour practice session, according to Rivers. ‘He ran our ‘slice’ better than our guys that were here,’ Rivers said. ‘Cleveland went to our ‘slice,’ last year, they ran it to the point. And it’s funny, Shaq and Delonte, they knew everything we ran. They ran it because they thought they would play us and it would be better for them to defend it if they ran it every day. If we could have got LeBron [James], it would have been perfect. [West] has matured as a player and he’s played with a great player, so he’s learned how to become a role player. If you play with LeBron, you’re pretty much a role player. And I think that helps you for the rest of your career. West] is an agitator, and to Red [Auerbach’s] dying day, he said, ‘Get as many agitators as you can get.’ I think we’ve added some this summer.’”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “We will learn when the season begins in four weeks whether there is an immediate reason for concern, but for now Rivers is not focused on the Heat and their acquisitions of James and Chris Bosh. ‘I don’t think it changed us,’ he said. ‘We had a goal before July 1 and we had a goal after July 1, and it didn’t change. It just made it harder, but like I told them, if you want to win, it should be hard. There are going to be challenges, even if there weren’t Miami. If LeBron doesn’t leave, it comes from Cleveland. They just switched the challenge further south and made it harder.’ … ‘I am worried about my team and my guys right now,’ Shaquille O’Neal said. ‘We don’t want to waste time talking about what other people are going to do. We’ve got a great team and some of the best players in the world. Every team is on a mission, especially the ones who know they have a chance to win, like Boston.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “Especially in today’s NBA solar system, stars realign all the time. But Pierce is an anomaly in his peer group. The Celtics captain is currently tied for 26th all-time in the NBA with a 22.5-point scoring average. Of those tied or ahead of him, only 10 have played with just one team. And in the free agent era, just five – Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki – fit that bill. And Melo might be with another team by the team this paper hits your doorstep. (Let’s make room in this single-franchise group for Tim Duncan, even though his scoring average isn’t up to Pierce’s. But you get the point.) … Pierce has no doubt the ingredients are in the C’s kitchen. ‘From top to bottom, this is one of the best teams talent-wise I’ve played on,’ he said. ‘I have total confidence in our bench. We say it every day: If you don’t bring your work boots, the second team is going to bust us up. At the end of the day it’s going to make us a better team. If you look across and see Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal) matching up with J.O. (Jermaine O’Neal) and the way Baby (Glen Davis) is pushing Kevin, and me and Marquis (Daniels), D. (Delonte) West and Ray, Nate (Robinson) and Rajon (Rondo) – it’s making us a better team. It definitely is a long season, but I think with the presence of Shaq and Jermaine it just gives this team new energy and more focus. Jermaine wants his first title. Shaq wants another one. So the motivation is there. The energy is there. You felt it from Day 1.’”

Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “Harangody said. “For a player like me, I just need to slow down. It’s only Day 2 of training camp . . . there’s a while for me to go and a lot to learn. ‘It’s a learning experience. There’s still a lot for me to get used to, the speed of the game, and picking up different formations. It’s going to take a little time. You pick a little bit more every day. It’s hard to [be thrown] everything at once, but if you want to get out there on the floor you’re going to have to be reliable out there and responsible for your position.’ Harangody said he is getting into a defensive mind-set. ‘I think you have to if you want to play on this team,’ he said. ‘The first day we walked in here, that’s the overall message they were sending, we’re a defense-first team.’ But Harangody realizes there is a small margin for error. ‘You’re just going to have to do your job on the court, be where you’re supposed to be,’ he said. ‘There’s no screwups for rookies.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston – “Then, as the veterans got in a quick stretch, maybe put some shots up and headed for the sidelines, the younger players were herded together for a spirited 4-on-4 game that quickly drew a crowd, including Ainge and his father, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. For some of the guys in camp, this could be the biggest stage they’ll get to show their worth. Boston already boasts a maxed out roster with 15 guaranteed contracts, and for those battling to get in (or those trying to hold onto jobs at the end of the bench), these pickup games can be important to their future. Wednesday’s action featured Green — Von Wafer (12), Mario West (46), Stephane Lasme (47) and Semih Erden (86) against White — Tony Gaffney (27), Luke Harangody (55), Jamar Smith (40) and Chris Johnson (45) — in a game that often featured more scrappiness than baskets. Wafer and second-round draft pick Harangody probably made the best impressions, each taking a turn carrying play in the early going, and making consecutive buckets for their teams. Defense seemed to carry play or, at the very least, a lack of referees (other than director of player development Tyronn Lue barking from a chair on the sideline) led to a more physical game and, therefore, diminished offense.”

Ken Berger, CBS – “‘I think they’ve gotten a lot of criticism that they didn’t deserve,’ the Celtics coach said Wednesday of the Miami Heat’s free-agent coup. ‘I don’t understand. I think LeBron did everything legal, right? He played it out until he was at the end and he could be a free agent. It didn’t bother me that way. I guess I’m an old-school guy, but it really didn’t bother me in that way. But it bothered a lot of people. For whatever reason, it did.’ And it shouldn’t have, Rivers said – especially for those former players who would’ve done the same thing given the opportunity. ‘We did it, but we did it through trades,’ Rivers said. ‘There were 23 teams when I played. Everybody had a Dream Team for the most part. The reason why a lot of guys didn’t leave is because they had two or three Hall of Famers on their team already. LeBron was in that one place for seven years. So it’s not like he didn’t give it a shot. That’s what I don’t get; it’s almost like he never gave them a chance. He was there for seven years. Some of the guys that have been giving criticism wanted to be traded from their teams back in their day, too. It’s just interesting. Listen, I’m kind of in between because I’m an old guy but I’m coaching these guys, and it is a different league in that way,” Rivers said. “It is scary that a guy can sort of hold everybody prisoner that way, but it’s in his rights. It’s the way the collective bargaining [agreement] is, so he can do whatever he wants to do. And by the way, there’s not a lot of LeBrons. There’s not a lot of players who would be able to do that. There’s not even going to be one a year, and it’s not going to be anything to that magnitude.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “Doc Rivers has memories of two Marquis Daniels. The first – the pre-injury version – was perhaps the most versatile player in training camp last season. ‘Post player, he defended everybody, played with high energy – that all went away,’ the Celtics coach said yesterday. ‘It’s in him, we just have to get it back out of him.’ ‘Marquis has a role on this team that we need, but we need assurance that he can do it, and we know that he can do it,’ Rivers said. ‘I told him that before practice. I need him to be the Marquis we had the first month of the season, not the Marquis we had at the end of the year.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “Because of his versatility a year ago, Boston used the 6-foot-7 swingman at both guard spots as well as small forward. Now that the C’s have Delonte West and Nate Robinson, Daniels won’t be counted on to be as much of a facilitator as he was last season. ‘That’ll help out a lot,’ acknowledged Daniels. ‘Just run the floor and Delonte and Nate pushing the ball up . . . even sometimes I can bring it up. It just opens it up for everyone.’”

Gary Washburn/Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “Marquis Daniels is seeking a fresh start with the Celtics. Part of his new look is his uniform, now No. 8. ‘My eighth year,’ Daniels said of the change from No. 7. ‘New year, new me.’ Daniels was limited by injuries last season, then struggled to return from surgery for a torn tendon and dislocated thumb. Now he is expected to be among the leaders of a second unit that includes Glen Davis, Shaquille O’Neal, Nate Robinson, and Delonte West. ‘I always had my confidence, regardless of the situation,’ Daniels said. ‘Unfortunately, I had a little thumb injury that slowed me down a little last year, but I never lost confidence.’”

Got a tip? An article you think should be included? Send an email to jayking@celticstown.com or hit me up on Twitter @CelticsTown.

The Morning Walkthrough is a set of links to Boston Celtics articles throughout the internet, designed to get your day started the right way.

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston – “If the Celtics learned anything last season, it’s that regular-season success is not a foolproof measure of postseason potential. But don’t misinterpret that mindset. Rivers has gone out of his way to stress that Boston won’t be satisfied to do what it did last year, playing .500 basketball over the final four months of the season, then flipping a switch while marching to the cusp of an NBA title. No, the Celtics covet as much regular-season success as they can get this season. And their quest began Tuesday. ‘Some of the things [Rivers] stressed [at a team dinner Monday] was that we can’t turn it on like we did last year,’ Celtics forward Kevin Garnett said. ‘There has to be more consistency, so that’s our primary focus, being consistent.’

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “After just one practice, that communication was the first thing that stuck out to Jermaine O’Neal. ‘One thing I saw today was that we are able to talk through everything, no matter what it is,’ he said. ‘If you make a mistake, we have so many veteran guys out here that can make up for the mistake that it works out in the long run. I knew about it, I played against it, I knew how they played. It was very physical, very direct. Everybody has to be on the same page for it to work and we hold everybody to a certain standard.’ It’s only one day, but Garnett said he and Jermaine O’Neal had chemistry. ‘J.O. and I haven’t played basketball with each other, but it felt like we have played with each other, if that makes any sense,’ Garnett said. ‘Just communication and our schemes. I think Jermaine’s going to find out things are a little more simple with the fact that we do help each other. We do share the ball here, and if a guy has it going, then we try to milk that guy. With the veterans that we have, it’s about consolidating the ball and making sure we’re consistent.”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “Filling in for an injured Kendrick Perkins, Jermaine provides the Celtics with a better option offensively. ‘He has great hands,’ Rajon Rondo told CSNNE.com. ‘I made a couple of bad passes, but he made some great plays in catching the ball.’ O’Neal has indeed shown the ability to score in the NBA, but he’s also proven himself to be a solid defender as well. Still, no one has a true sense of how well his skills will fit with the C’s because injuries in recent years have hindered O’Neal from playing at the All-Star level that symbolized most of his time with the Indiana Pacers. ‘You come to a situation like this and you play for one goal,’ O’Neal said. ‘When you’re coming through this league and you do it for so long and things happen, whether it’s injuries or whatever it may be . . . you tend to miss this . . . this good team chemistry, you miss this championship caliber [team], this championship conversation . . . you miss all of it. I really missed it. I don’t have any predetermined thoughts on what I need to be doing. but I’m going to play hard.’”

Rich Levine, CSNNE – “Most of the confusion actually stems from a conversation I had with Davis about 10 minutes before the quotes that got all the attention, so before we get to the controversial statement, here’s what happened before the cameras arrived and Davis went off. The question was about his jump shot, which was deadly down the stretch in 2009 but disappeared entirely last season. It’s not that Davis lost his touch either; he was just never in a position to use it. But with the addition of Shaq and Jermaine O’Neal, you’d expect this year to be different, so I wanted to know, despite his year-long sabbatical, if he had the jumper ready to go. ‘Most definitely,’ he said. ‘That was one of my most focal points this summer. Last year, with the addition of Rasheed [Wallace] I had to go to the five position, but this year we have power at the five position and a lot of guys that can play the forward spots, so I can go back to my natural position where, the year Kevin went out, I really found a groove.’ He was upbeat and optimistic, and I didn’t blame him.”

CSNNE – “‘When you’re a coach and you have a good group of guys, you want to extend that as long as you can. I have a great group of guys to coach,’ said Rivers. ‘Any team that involves Kevin Garnett on it, you probably should try to coach that team.’ And that is exactly what the players wanted, for Rivers to coach this team. ‘It just seems like me and him [were] meant to be with each other. We got the same birthday, we won a championship together, so it would be hard for me to play for another coach,’ said Pierce. ‘I know Doc wants that feeling back. He wants to get back to the Promised Land — finish on top,’ said Allen, who envies Robinson’s stature of a player who went out with a freshly crafted ring on his finger. With the admiration of his players and the desire to take another crack at an NBA title, Rivers needed only to convince his family. It turned out they were the ones doing the hard sell. Rivers’ children insisted he return to the bench in Boston, using their competitive nature to seal the deal. ‘We have a game in the backyard where we say you can’t leave the floor until you make the final shot,’ said Rivers. ‘That was what my young one said, ‘You didn’t make the final shot, Dad. You got to go back until you make the final shot.’ ‘”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “‘However good shape you’re in, you’re never in Doc Rivers shape,’ Garnett said following a three-hour session in a gym that was so humid and hot, the coach later compared it to the old Boston Garden. But the conditions weren’t to blame for those who came to a dragging stop on the final whistle of the afternoon. ‘They didn’t hold up very well, honestly,’ Rivers said. ‘There was a lot of talking as you can tell from my voice. We won’t go three hours every day, but we needed it. I don’t think we’re in great shape personally. But I kind of anticipated that. We have to get in better shape.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “At one point during Tuesday’s practice, Boston Celtics big man Shaquille O’Neal yelled at Nate Robinson to get him the ball. Can you blame him? Every stop along his illustrious Hall-of-Fame bound career, the Big Fella has always been a Big Deal. Wherever O’Neal has gone, points — and lots of them — have followed.”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “This is not to say that Celtics fans will see the vintage Garnett from five or six years ago. He will, however, be reminiscent of the Garnett who spearheaded the Celtics’ run to the NBA title in 2008. At age 34, Garnett realizes his limitations more than ever, but he is heartened by several factors this season. He is as healthy as he was two years ago, and with the additions of Jermaine O’Neal and Shaquille O’Neal and the development of Glen Davis, Garnett will not be relied upon to produce as he did three years ago. The years of him dominating the paint as a volume scorer and rebounder may have passed, but he should produce more of those vintage KG moments more often. He walked off the court yesterday with peace of mind, less concerned about his knee and more concerned about Shaquille O’Neal distracting him during his media session. He couldn’t stop laughing when O’Neal started dancing behind the camera, and he seemingly hasn’t stopped smiling since he reported to Waltham, Mass., and began working out with his teammates. ‘If you’re speaking on my injuries, I feel better obviously a year later,’ he said. ‘My body feels good, man. I took only one rest today. [Rajon] Rondo and I just kept communicating and talking. It was a good day, man.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “But Ainge believes that if Baby is unsure of his job description, the player has only himself to blame. ‘As far as his role, I think it’s a compliment to Glen that sometimes he plays inside, sometimes he plays outside,’ Ainge said. ‘I mean, (Shaquille O’Neal) knows his role because that’s what he’s always done. Jermaine (O’Neal) and KG (Kevin Garnett) and Glen are guys that sometimes roll, sometimes pop, sometimes play inside, sometimes play outside. That’s the greatness of those kind of guys. I think Glen’s strength is his versatility. That’s why he’s used in different ways. But his role I don’t think has changed that much, because he brings us energy and intensity and great defense off the bench. And whether he rolls or pops or whether he is guarding a center or a power forward, that’s just part of the game.’ … ’Today I was on the floor and playing with Shaq,’ Baby said. ‘Last year I was Shaq. I was the guy who always stayed on the post and battled down there. Today I was so focused on popping. I’ve got to get used to that again. I’ve got to get used to doing the things I did when KG went out. It’s good that I’m versatile. I’m not saying I can’t handle it. When I figure it out and get used to it again, I’ll be fine.’”

Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “‘Delonte is huge for us,’ said Celtics captain Paul Pierce, ‘because we lose a guy like Tony Allen — he’s our defensive stopper. We expect him to stop 2 guards, as well as play 1 guard. ‘We haven’t had anyone like that since he left. So I’m excited to get him. I wanted Delonte from the start.’ ‘I’ve grown, I’ve learned how to win, I’ve added a lot to my game,’ West said. ‘I know what I need to do to help a team win. I know who I am out there. And I haven’t even reached my prime yet. That, to me, is the scary thing about it. I think Boston got me at the right time. I’ve definitely learned the point guard duties, how to get the ball to our guys, and also to slow down a little bit. When I started, I was rushing, I always understood the game but I was playing a little too fast. I kind of found my tempo and, like I said, I’ve worked night in and night out to become a complete player. I really don’t have any weaknesses.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “Rivers attended the games of his four kids and otherwise lived on the golf course – great therapy, obviously, if you can afford it. But not even those early seasons while he was coaching the Magic in Orlando were as difficult on his mental health. ‘Last year was a hard year,’ he said. ‘It was a hard year throughout. Probably the toughest I’ve gone through. But it was a good challenge. It was a hard year, with a lot of things, but I honestly think that’s what you have to expect. When you coach you have to get yourself into it. So I’m ready to go. Hell, once you decide to go back you get your rest and get ready. I’m ready. I think we have a chance to be special.’”

Steve Bulpett/Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “Shaquille O’Neal might take a little getting used to. During one play late in the opening session of training camp yesterday at Salve Regina University, Shaq set a mild-mannered pick on Rajon Rondo, who instantly disappeared from radar. It took several minutes before the Celtics were able to establish visual contact with their point guard. Where Kendrick Perkins is regularly called for moving screens, O’Neal simply sets up and lets his size work for him. Opponents must take a $5 cab ride to get around and by.”

Adam Himmelsbach, The Free-Lance Star – “Former LSU star Chris Johnson has been invited to the Boston Celtics’ training camp. Although the Celtics’ official practices began yesterday, Johnson, who played professionally in Turkey and Poland last year, did not participate. The Celtics are awaiting a letter of clearance from FIBA Europe that will allow Johnson to play, Johnson’s agent, Eric Fleisher said. Fleisher said this is common practice involving players who join the NBA after playing overseas. ‘The request has been made by the Celtics,’ Fleisher said. ‘It has to go through appropriate channels with FIBA, with the Polish Federation and with the team he last played on.’”

Got a tip? An article you think should be included? Send an email to jayking@celticstown.com or hit me up on Twitter @CelticsTown.

(Stephane Lasme, dunking on Primoz Brezec here, has been invited to Celtics training camp.)

The Celtics have invited three more players to training camp. (ESPN Boston)

The Boston Celtics have extended training camp invites to former UMass product Stephane Lasme, Southern Indiana’s Jamar Smith, and LSU’s Chris Johnson, according to a league source.

Ahh, now I see what Danny Ainge was trying to do by inviting all these bums to work out or participate in training camp. He was just trying to find a player I didn’t know. In Jamar Smith, Ainge finally accomplished the trick. Touche, Danny. You’ve officially stumped me.

I did a little research, though, and Smith’s actually a well-known player. In Division II circles, I mean. He was named Basketball Times’ NCAA Division II Player of the Year last season, averaging 21.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Lasme, and undersized post player, played at UMass and was a triple-double machine (with points, rebounds and blocks), while Johnson is a 6’11″ center who averaged a whopping 7.7 points and 7.2 rebounds during his senior season at LSU (in 2008-2009).

And if any of these three players make the Celtics, I’ll wear a Kobe Bryant jersey every single day of the year. You can quote me on that, too.

Shaq vs, a TV show starting Boston Celtics center Shaquille O’Neal, will show Shaq cooking against celebrity chef Rachael Ray and racing sprinter Tyson Gay tonight at 9 PM.

If you haven’t seen the show Shaq vs, it’s a tv show on ABC in which Shaq challenges celebrities in their respective fields. For instance, last week, Shaq lost a boxing match against “Sugar” Shane Mosley (video below).

Shaq will try to cook a better burger than Rachael Ray before teaming up with NBA star Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic), and NFL stars DeSean Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles), and Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans) for a 200-meter relay against Tyson Gay. Gay,  , the 100-meter United States-record holder, ran the 100-meter dash in 9.69 seconds last September in Shanghai, China. Gay’s best time in the 200-meter dash is 19.58 seconds.

I could care less about the cook-off, but the race intrigues me. If only Shaq wasn’t a part of the race, and Rajon Rondo took his place, it might even be competitive. DaSean Jackson and Chris Johnson are two of the fastest players in the NFL, and Dwight Howard’s got some pretty good wheels, too. Sprinting for 50m increments Rondo, Johnson, Jackson, and Howard would give Gay a good race. Unfortunately, Shaq’s presence is going to kill any chance those guys had. Shaq may not be as slow as Zydrunas Ilgauskas, but he’s become pretty damn lead-footed.

Either way, it’ll be fun just to watch Johnson, Jackson, and Howard in a foot-race. I want to see just how athletically gifted they all are.

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