Will Antoine retire a Celtic?

[PRIDE]

I was a huge Antoine fan when he was here. I'd love to see him back here. I dont care what anyone says.

[JSD]

I say we bench KG and bring back Antoine to start at the four.

[Chief]

I'll miss the  "Bring Back Twoine Threads" more than I'll ever actually miss the man himself.  I'm all for bring back Twoine' in the Roy's suggested towel waving role.  Not sure how Twoine would feel about that though.

I'm sure he'd much rather be waving a towel in Boston than in 'Sota.

Keep in mind, Miami does NOT win a championship without him.  That was only two years ago.

This guy can still contribute, people.

He's at least 50 lbs heavier than he was at Miami. Someone making his type of money should be embarrassed at the way he has let his body go. Read this article:

Antoine Walker looking to replace Oliver Miller as “Fattest Timberwolf Ever”[/center]

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — New Minnesota Timberwolves forward Antoine Walker says he’s thrilled to join the team and is looking forward to carrying forth the great legacy set by former Timberwolf Oliver Miller, and becoming the fattest Timberwolf in history.

“This is a great franchise, a tremendous franchise, with a lot of history,” Walker said Thursday during a press conference to welcome him to the city. “I hope that I can pick up the baton of great players in Timberwolf history and keep growing that legacy, making the history of Timberwolves basketball bigger and wider and more robust.”

Walker presently weighs about 280 pounds, far short of the 350-plus pounds that Miller was sporting for much of his career. However, Walker is hoping that an extremely sedentary lifestyle, combined with a total lack of exercise from about mid-April until September each year, will allow him to eclipse Miller’s sizeable mark.

“Someday, at the end of the tape measure of Timberwolves basketball history, I hope that they look at me when I walk down the street and say, ‘There goes Antoine Walker, the fattest Timberwolf that ever lived.’”

http://www.serioussportsnewsnetwork.com/2007/10/antoine-walker-looking-to-replace-oliver-miller-as-%E2%80%9Cfattest-timberwolf-ever%E2%80%9D.html

Chief, not saying Twoine's not packing a few extra pounds, but "Serious Sports" is not known for being "Serious".

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/10/03/pat-riley-thinks-antoine-walker-is-too-chubby/

[Bleedgreen]

Really? We're on the verge of game 1 of the ECF and someone starts a FatToine thread. Sad...just sad.

[Redz]

Really? We're on the verge of game 1 of the ECF and someone starts a FatToine thread. Sad...just sad.

The "Bring Back Twoine" thread is as much a tradition around here as the banners hanging in the Garden are.

[35Reggie]

How about NO~! He is exactly what this team doesn't need. A wild on offsense, zero defense kind of guy. We already have a guy like that. His name is Sam Cassel.

I never meant to suggest bringing him back as part of the rotation, but simply as a thank you for everything that he gave while he was here. Yes, his defense has at times left a lot to be desired and his shot selection can be categorized as shaky at best, but does anyone here have any doubt that he would have given anything for this franchise while he was here? He had to deal with Pitino for his first few years here changing his position every training camp and dangling him to every team in the league. Then, he watched as his former college coach embraced the new star, Paul Pierce, and completely shunned him. In response, Toine was nothing but classy and developed a strong friendship with Pierce that still exists today, regardless of any comments Pierce made in jest after Toine was at a playoff game last week. Then, when Ainge arrived, Antoine was basically blamed for the sorry state of the franchise even though it was Pitino and Wallace who continually made terrible decisions in the draft. When he got a little defensive about being dealt and questioned whether or not the move was personal everyone pointed to that as validation of a character flaw, even though he immediately bought a one page ad in the Boston Globe and filled it with a heartfelt thank you and goodbye to the fans. All I'm saying is that someone like that deserves one of the three non-dressing roster spots when the team has a legitimate shot at winning. As many have pointed out, it will be difficult considering that his contract will be highly sought after at the trade deadline so any buyout will need to take place then, but if it's possible I think the right thing to do is to sign him.

[satch]

Big hat, big boots....no cows. There will be more Toine's down the road. Let's move on.

[SShoreFan 2.0]

Really? We're on the verge of game 1 of the ECF and someone starts a FatToine thread. Sad...just sad.

The "Bring Back Twoine" thread is as much a tradition around here as the banners hanging in the Garden are.

Most people need a strong cup of Joe to get them going in the morning -- I feel my day isn't fulfilled until I have read at least 1 yahoo posting regarding Employee #8.

Sons of Sam Horn have nothing on the Sons of Antoine!!

[the_Bird]

I'm all for Antoine retiring a Celtic.

Soon as he's a free agent, he signs a non-guaranteed contract and immediately retires.  He wants to go out as a Celtic?  That's how to do it, and I'll think of him fondly.

For those of you who'd like to see him in uniform, or at least in a suit on the bench, let's do a visualization exercise.  Let's pretend that Antoine was a free agent at the end of last season, and as a favor, Danny signed him to sit on the bench and potentially play in an emergency situation.

Whose roster spot would he have taken?

Not Scal - his contract's too rich.  Maybe we wouldn't have been able to sign PJ Brown.  Maybe we would have cut either BBD or Powe at the end of camp, neither of whom was expected to do much this year, and both of whom also play Walker's position. 

Fact is, roster spots in the NBA are far, far too valuable - especially on teams with championship aspirations - to waste.

[Redz]

I'm all for Antoine retiring a Celtic.

Soon as he's a free agent, he signs a non-guaranteed contract and immediately retires.  He wants to go out as a Celtic?  That's how to do it, and I'll think of him fondly.

For those of you who'd like to see him in uniform, or at least in a suit on the bench, let's do a visualization exercise.  Let's pretend that Antoine was a free agent at the end of last season, and as a favor, Danny signed him to sit on the bench and potentially play in an emergency situation.

Whose roster spot would he have taken?

Not Scal - his contract's too rich.  Maybe we wouldn't have been able to sign PJ Brown.  Maybe we would have cut either BBD or Powe at the end of camp, neither of whom was expected to do much this year, and both of whom also play Walker's position. 

Fact is, roster spots in the NBA are far, far too valuable - especially on teams with championship aspirations - to waste.

Agreed.  I was only half joking about a Twoine towel waver signing moving Scals down to backup asst. towel waver for the very reason you state.  You need that roster spot.

I can't recall the sign and retire thing happening in the NBA.  It happens a lot in the NFL.  Jerry Rice and Thurman Thomas come to mind, but I know there have been more.  If feasible, that would be the way to go to honor Twoine somehow.  Just the fact that he's showing up to games says all you really need to know about how Antwoine feels about his legacy.

[scootman]

tonie whines waaaay to much and a ball hog no way jose!

[35Reggie]

I'm all for Antoine retiring a Celtic.

Soon as he's a free agent, he signs a non-guaranteed contract and immediately retires.  He wants to go out as a Celtic?  That's how to do it, and I'll think of him fondly.

For those of you who'd like to see him in uniform, or at least in a suit on the bench, let's do a visualization exercise.  Let's pretend that Antoine was a free agent at the end of last season, and as a favor, Danny signed him to sit on the bench and potentially play in an emergency situation.

Whose roster spot would he have taken?

Not Scal - his contract's too rich.  Maybe we wouldn't have been able to sign PJ Brown.  Maybe we would have cut either BBD or Powe at the end of camp, neither of whom was expected to do much this year, and both of whom also play Walker's position. 

Fact is, roster spots in the NBA are far, far too valuable - especially on teams with championship aspirations - to waste.

You make a very strong argument. I guess the only way this fantasy becomes reality is if it happens the following year when Scal is off the books and we don't have a first round pick. As I look at the roster, Sam and PJ will ideally be replaced by a first rounder and quality vet with a decent touch from the outside willing to sign for next to nothing. Outside of them, I can't think of anyone leaving that is expendable. Even if House leaves as a FA, his spot can't be given to Toine unless they are convinced Gabe Pruitt is ready, and even then it's a huge risk.