The newest Celtic.

Shaq to the Celtics should be completed later today. Chris Broussard tweeteth, “Shaq has decided to join Celtics. He will inform team of his decision this morning, sources tell me.” 

UPDATE: A. Sherrod Blakely reports the deal is likely to be a one-year, minimum contract.

Shaquille O’Neal has agreed to become a Boston Celtic, which would give the C’s one of the most star-studded, Hall of Fame-bound lineups in recent memory.

Contract details have yet to be fully ironed out, but O’Neal is likely to receive a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum.

Plus, the Diesel has reportedly already bought the entire top floor of the W Hotel. (My Fox Boston)

A person with knowledge of the negotiations says the Celtics are making progress on a deal that would bring Shaquille O’Neal to Boston.

The person spoke with The Association Press on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet final.

Earlier Tuesday, the four-time NBA champion said he will be in the league next season and would rather retire than play internationally.

Although nothing has been confirmed, O’Neil has reportedly rented out the entire top floor of the W Hotel in Boston starting today as a place to live.

You don’t rent a place to live unless you’re going to be moving. Like it or not, folks, Shaq’s coming to Boston. For the minimum, I’ve got to believe he’s worth it. If the Celtics can only sign T-Mac and Allen Iverson and then coax Antoine Walker, Wally Szczerbiak, Gary Payton and Shareef Abdur-Rahim out of retirement, the 2002 All-Star reunion will almost be complete.

By the way, Ainge, I’m just kidding.

These two guys are all heart. All heart.

Yes! The Celtics might still win next year’s championship after all! T-Mac is back on the market!

Despite preliminary interest from the Bulls, who were said to be close to offering T-Mac a contract, T-Mac failed to impress the Bulls brass when he met with them yesterday.

Despite an on-court audition for team officials Monday that one source said raised no significant concerns about his physical condition, McGrady apparently has not convinced the Bulls that he is willing to embrace a secondary role, which is one of two key prerequisites the two-time scoring champ must satisfy to secure a deal from Chicago.

One source close to the process told ESPN.com that the prospect of Chicago signing McGrady was downgraded to “unlikely” after the workout and interview, with the Bulls saying they wanted more time to consider other options. Another source confirmed that the post-workout meeting between McGrady and Bulls’ decision-makers did not clinch a deal, as McGrady had hoped.

Rule #1 of interviews with NBA teams: If a team wants to make sure you’ll play a bench role, don’t say what McGrady said when they ask you if you’d come off the bench.

“I won’t have a problem, but that’s not what I’m really shooting for,” McGrady said. “I think, yeah, if I was the player that I was in a Knicks uniform [at the end of last season], I would have no problem coming off the bench. But I’ve worked extremely hard and I’m far from being that player. Trust me.

“It’s up to me in training camp,” McGrady continued, “to prove I’m a starter.”

What a rookie. If I was T-Mac, I would have sweet-talked them. I would have told them I’d be willing to take whatever role possible, because I loved Chicago and desperately wanted to play alongside Derrick Rose. And then BAM, the second I inked my guaranteed contract I would have started complaining about not starting.

The truth is, T-Mac’s playing the game all wrong. And because of that, teams will have serious doubts about employing him.

Sorry. This isn't a great pic of the shoulder vain.

So I went golfing yesterday afternoon. While I was duffing it around from one set of trees to the next (“Here comes the putter throw!”), Tracy McGrady came close to reaching a deal with the Chicago Bulls. (ESPN Chicago)

The Bulls are prepared to sign Tracy McGrady if he proves to be sufficiently healthy in a workout Monday and can convince the team he is willing to accept a bench role, one source familiar with Chicago’s thinking said Sunday.

“Nothing is done until it’s done, but I expect the Bulls to sign McGrady later this week,” the source said.

Another unknown is what kind of contract McGrady can command from the Bulls. But McGrady has said money and years are not priorities after earning nearly $23 million last season with Houston and New York.

No Celtic fans should lose sleep over losing out on T-Mac. Unless, you know, you really have a thing for super vainy shoulders. Because though T-Mac was once a star, his signing in Chicago only guarantees one thing: The Bulls are losing in the first round of the playoffs.

(If I were a T-Mac fan, I would consider making love to this YouTube clip.)

Derrick Rose thinks T-Mac would help the Bulls next season. (ESPN Chicago)

“That would be good,” Rose said Friday after Team USA’s final day of practice at Cox Pavilion. “I think that if he comes along, he could help our team.

“A player like him, with his experience and how he plays, I think it would help us.”

“He’s good,” Rose said. “He’s a player. If he just gives us half of what he’s got, we’ll be all right.

“But I know a player like him, he’s going to go out there and give us his all, but he’ll definitely help us if we get him on the team.”

But I could care less if T-Mac could help the Bulls. I’m worried about the Celtics right now. Eff other teams. Should the C’s give T-Mac a look? Could he help them out? As of now, the Celtics aren’t among the four teams T-Mac lists as his suitors.

Personally, I think T-Mac’s all washed up. But even if he is, he’s still a 6’8″ two-guard who has always been monstrously skilled. And he’s only 31. Is he worth taking a flier?

Yes! My prayers have been answered! The Celtics are in talks with Brian Scalabrine. (Boston Globe)

Scalabrine said in an e-mail that he is talking with the Celtics about returning next season. A Celtic since 2005, Scalabrine played a significant role in Boston’s 2009 playoff run, but saw limited time last season.

Only one word necessary: Scal.

This is EXACTLY what I was looking for when I prayed to Red Auerbach to speed up Danny Ainge’s free agent doings. Who needs Ronnie Brewer, Josh Howard or Tony Allen when you can get Brian Mother-Fucking Scalabrine?!?

P.S. - Should the Celtics be showing interest in T-Mac? He’s washed up and  everything, we all know, and he could potentially be damaging to team chemistry… but wouldn’t he complement Scal better than Adam Morrison would?

P.P.S. – There hasn’t been any progress on the Nate Robinson front, says Danny Ainge. But who needs him when you can talk to Scal?

Is that a Heisman pose?

Lebron James is probably headed to Miami to form a super-team, say reports published by Newsday, ESPN and Yahoo! Here’s ESPN’s report:

All indications are that LeBron James is leaning toward signing with the Miami Heat on Thursday night, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation.

Barring a late change of heart, sources say James has decided to join fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form a potential NBA powerhouse. 

James will make his announcement from the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Conn., during an hourlong special called “The Decision” on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET Thursday. Sales of sponsorship for the program will go to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Chris Paul, one of James’ best friends, has urged him to stay in Cleveland and let new Cavaliers coach Byron Scott coach him, according to sources. With such strong sentiment around him to not go to Miami, it’s possible James could alter his decision.

James’ family and friends are divided over his decision to play in Miami, according to sources. Opinions range from understanding his desire to play with All-Star teammates, to feeling he is selling himself short by joining Wade’s team, to concerns that playing on such a power-packed squad will hurt his brand even if he wins championships.

James worked hard to help the Cavaliers improve their roster, sources said. He tried to sell Bosh on the idea of going to Cleveland, but the 6-foot-11 forward was adamant he did not want to play in northeast Ohio.

While sources close to James insist his heart is in Cleveland and remaining with the Cavaliers was his preferred choice, they say he had concerns about signing a six-year deal there and ending up “31 years old, with bad knees and no title.”

A few thoughts:

1) I’ll believe this when Lebron announces it tonight. Lebron and his camp are fully capable of leaking false news in order to create more hype about “The Decision.” As if it needs any more.

2) I could never imagine Lebron at 31 years old with bad knees and no title.

3) If Lebron does sign with Miami, the Heat are going to have to surround the newest Big Three with veteran minimum guys. People are going to clamor that the team might not be deep enough to win a title. I’m here to remind you that it won’t matter.

Assuming Bosh doesn’t have a sign-and-trade coming, the Heat would have a starting lineup of Wade/James/Bosh/Beasley/Chalmers. The backups? Who cares. Sign me, my three dogs and my grandmother as a second unit and we couldn’t blow the leads Wade and James will get. But if they sign Kurt Thomas, Kyle Korver, T-Mac, Anthony Carter and Juwan Howard or five guys similar to that, all of a sudden that bench ain’t too atrocious. And ”not too atrocious” is all the bench would need to be.

If Lebron actually signs in Miami, I’ll undoubtedly have nightmares all offseason. But if I lived in Miami-Wade County, I wouldn’t count my Lebron before it hatches.

P.S. – Stephen A. Smith is reporting that Stephen A. Smith might have been right all along.