Ainge big on Pollard

GM appreciates veteran's skills

By Shira Springer, Globe Staff  |  August 8, 2007

With forward/center Scot Pollard set to join the Celtics, executive director of basketball operations/general manager Danny Ainge yesterday shared some reasons why he wanted to add the big man. Offensive rebounding, size, and experience topped the list. Pollard has grabbed almost 40 percent of his rebounds on the offensive glass in his 10-year career.

"He's one of the best offensive rebounders in the game," said Ainge. "He's a terrific post defender. He has a real good feel for the game and he doesn't turn the ball over. I think he's a great teammate in the locker room. He fills a big need for us with interior defense and rebounding."

The 6-foot-11-inch, 265-pound Pollard is set to sign a one-year deal believed to be worth the veteran minimum of $1.2 million for a player with his service time. Pollard, 32, played 24 games with the Cavaliers last season, averaging 1.0 point and 1.3 rebounds in 4.5 minutes. Clearly, it was not indicative of what the Celtics believe he can bring to Boston. Pollard owns career averages of 4.5 points and 4.8 rebounds.

"I've always liked Scot Pollard, going back to when he was a player with Sacramento," said Ainge. "I was a big fan. I appreciated all the little things he did to help his team win."

In the last 20 months, Kevin McHale has shipped two of the most popular players in Timberwolves history -- Kevin Garnett and Wally Szczerbiak -- to his former Celtics teammate Ainge for nine players and two draft picks. Yesterday, he was forced to brush aside any conspiracy theories.

"If all these guys had played in New Orleans and were the same type of players, it would have been the same thing," said McHale, the Timberwolves' vice president of basketball operations. "It's the players you're getting and not where they played. That has no bearing whatsoever."

After missing the playoffs for the third straight season, McHale and owner Glen Taylor said they felt they had to do something drastic. As a result, Garnett was traded for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, and Theo Ratliff, who were introduced en masse yesterday.

The word "potential" was thrown around plenty, par for the course when four of the players acquired are 25 or younger. "Why can't we be the first team of young guys to win?" Gomes said. "This gives us more of a chip on our shoulder to be traded, go to another team, and try to prove them wrong."

If they don't, it could be a long season playing in front of fans sorely missing Garnett. "There's no pressure," Jefferson said when asked about taking the All-Star's place. "It's a compliment for all of us to be traded for Kevin Garnett."

Knicks center Randolph Morris was arrested early yesterday in Lexington, Ky., and charged with reckless driving. Morris, who was released from jail on $100 bond, acknowledged he had been drinking and was given a breath test at the scene, with his blood-alcohol level showing .069, below Kentucky's legal limit of .08.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report