Celtics: Luke Harangody

The Five: Gone, but not forgotten

May, 28, 2011
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Brian Babineau/NBAE/GettySemih Erden provided key minutes at Boston's ailing center spot.
The 2010-11 Celtics season was a terrific example of just how quickly things can change in the NBA. In the blink of an eye at the February trade deadline, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge orchestrated a slew of deals that altered an entire third of Boston's roster. You need not be reminded of the mixed results that came with the additions of Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic & Co., so here's a look back at five players who began the season as Celtics, but finished the campaign with other clubs:

Marquis Daniels: Daniels returned to the Celtics this past season intent on filling the role he was unable to during the 2009-10 campaign, largely due to torn ligaments in his left thumb that resulted in a 28-game absence. The results were much better the second time around, as Daniels, finally healthy for the first three months of the season, filled in behind Paul Pierce exactly the way the Celtics were hoping he'd be able to. Gliding around the court, Daniels was an accomplished scorer at times but also housed the ability to defend, rebound and feed his teammates the ball for quality looks. It was all going well until Feb. 6, when Daniels' collision with Gilbert Arenas left him with a bruised spinal cord, sadly altering his career as well as the Celtics' season. It was one of the scariest and most unfortunate injuries in recent Celtics history, and in a move that showed just how unforgiving the business side of the NBA can be, the Celtics shipped Daniels to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for a conditional 2017 second-round draft pick to clear a roster spot.

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Report card: The Departed

May, 28, 2011
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Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty ImagesSemih Erden (86) and Marquis Daniels (8) played key roles for Boston early in the season.
Over the next few weeks, we'll take a player-by-player look at the Celtics' 2010-11 roster and how each player's season unfolded, assigning a grade for their overall performance. This is the 12th in the series of report cards:

Season in a paragraph: For the first 50 games of the 2010-11 season, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge expressed unconditional love for the roster Boston had carried out of training camp. Then Daniels suffered the scary spine injury against the Orlando Magic, leaving the team dangerously thin at the wing position, and, coupled with inconsistent bench play, led to a massive overhaul of the reserve unit. You know the story from there, Perkins and Robinson were shipped to Oklahoma City for Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, and a future first-round pick; Daniels got flipped to Sacramento, while Erden and Harangody went to Cleveland, both of those moves aimed at freeing up roster space that would later be used to ink Troy Murphy and Sasha Pavlovic (see their grades here). Johnson, a D-League center with plenty of upside, got signed to a 10-day deal at the deadline with Boston short on bodies, but couldn't get an extended stay when the team decided to ink Carlos Arroyo for backup point guard depth.

Season highlight: Robinson made 11 starts during the 2010-11 season and averaged 12.8 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.1 rebounds over 33.2 minutes per game. He simply couldn't replicate that production as a reserve... Perkins made a stunning early return from offseason ACL surgery and chipped in 7 points and 6 rebounds over 17:10 in his late January debut against Cleveland. By his sixth game, he was playing nearly 33 minutes, chipping in 13 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to Dallas... So much was made about Daniels' health entering the 2010-11 season, but he appeared in 49 of the first 50 games, missing just one contest due to a family issue. Two days before the freak spine injury, he chipped in 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting over just 13 minutes against Dallas... Rookie Erden logged seven starts and produced a 6-1 record during that span, playing through the pain of shoulder and groin injuries to provide Boston a center presence when its more veteran big men were unable to stay on the floor... Harangody exploded for 17 points and 11 rebounds over 27 minutes in January win over Toronto (he would score just 24 more points in a Boston uniform before being dealt)... Johnson played 17 minutes the same day he was signed by Boston, chipping in 6 points and a rebound in a loss to Denver the night of the trade deadline.

Season lowlight: The lives of all six players ultimately changed during the frightening sequence when Daniels got snagged on the shoulder of Orlando's Gilbert Arenas and collapsed to the Garden floor in early February. Daniels got stretchered off the court and, once his spine condition came to light, it was clear his season was over, forcing Ainge's hand to make the deals that shook up the roster.

Final grade: It's impossible to assign a single letter grade for all six players, but it's fair to say this group contributed far more than those they were replaced by. Erden and Daniels earned a B on our midseason report card (and those marks probably would have stayed the same), while Harangody (C) and Robinson (C-) didn't grade out quite as well (likewise, those seem like fair marks overall). Perkins deserves a strong mark for simply getting himself back on the court so quickly and being an instant contributor.

Teacher's notes: It's unfortunate that we don't have some sort of alternate universe simulator, where we could find out how the Celtics might have fared with their original roster intact. Even if Daniels' injury never occurred, the Celtics were going to have to think about trading Perkins at the deadline because of his looming free-agent status, but it's hard to imagine the Celtics being so eager to pull off a move if it wasn't for the lack of depth at the wing. If Jeff Green pans out the way Boston brass envision, the Erden/Harangody deal might ultimately be the toughest one to swallow given the promise that Erden showed and the way he battled through so many injuries just to keep this team afloat early on (especially after Troy Murphy and Co. gave this team nothing down the stretch).

What's next?: Perkins is locked up long term in Oklahoma City, the Thunder offering the kind of contract that Boston couldn't this offseason. Erden, Harangody, and Robinson each have another year on their deals, while Daniels will be unrestricted free agent if he's able to resume his basketball career. It's hard to imagine anyone beyond Johnson -- a young player the Celtics really, really liked -- breezing back through the Hub any time soon.

Honor roll: Click HERE to read past report cards.

Don't agree with teacher? Just want to sound off on the departed's 2010-11 season? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Deadline leftovers: Goodbye, rookies

February, 25, 2011
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Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesSemih Erden and Luke Harangody are the latest rookie shuttled out of Boston.
DENVER -- Five leftovers from a dizzying deadline day with a focus on the those other than Kendrick Perkins that saw their tenures in Boston end as the Celtics made a trio of moves at the deadline buzzer:

--1. ROOKIES EARN HIGH PRAISE FROM RIVERS--
Celtics coach Doc Rivers admitted he didn't get to know Luke Harangody and Semih Erden nearly as well as he would have liked. That's a familiar rookie lament in Boston. But unlike many first-year players that spent their time glued to the Celtics' bench, Rivers heaped praise on the duo that logged decent floor time before getting shipped to Cleveland Thursday in exchange for a future second-round draft pick.

"I love Luke because every day he did the same thing: He played hard like a Kamikaze and I was most afraid of him in practice with our guys," joked Rivers. "But I love him, the way he played, and he never complained. He just did his job everyday.

"Semih probably loved me because he couldn’t understand a word I was saying. That was probably a treat for him. But he’s going to be good player. I don’t think people realize how injured Semih was, not only with the groin, but his shoulder. He's probably going to need surgery on both. But he knew we were down and he played. That was pretty cool."

--2. KG: DEPARTED ARE BROTHERS FOR LIFE--
While lamenting the shakeup in team chemistry, Kevin Garnett suggested Boston will find a way to emerge stronger because of this. But he didn't mask the pain in saying goodbye to five players, one third of the full roster.

"We will adjust," said Garnett "I’m just speaking on today, the 24 hours we've had to deal with, it's been very difficult. But we'll continue to push, continue to do the things we do. We’ll get through this.

"For the most part, I just want to wish Perk, Luke, Semih, [Marquis Daniels] and everybody who was here -- those are brothers for life."

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Silver lining to injuries: Luke's leap

January, 14, 2011
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Steve Babineau/NBAE/Getty ImagesLuke Harangody earned his playing time with his energetic play on the court.
WALTHAM, Mass. -- The impending return of Kevin Garnett will all but eliminate the minutes rookie Luke Harangody has enjoyed over the past eight games, but he's proven he can contribute at this level during that span and earned the confidence of coach Doc Rivers as well.

Brian Babineau/NBAE/GettyAfter logging 18 DNPs early in the season, Luke Harangody has made himself indispensable amidst injuries.
"I don't have any answers with what Doc's doing with the rotation, but if he does [play me], I'm going to be ready," Harangody said. "You never know with this team with injuries."

River said Garnett will sit out Friday's game against the Charlotte Bobcats, but could be in line to return Monday against the Orlando Magic. But as the Celtics prepare to get back one key member of their frontcourt, another appears headed out as Jermaine O'Neal is expected to miss considerable time with a lingering left knee ailment that could leave Boston's front court thin again.

Making matters worse is that, after the Celtics practiced on Thursday afternoon, Doc Rivers revealed O'Neal's top replacement, Semih Erden, aggravated a groin pull during the session and was held out of practice.

The Celtics, as a result, could continue to lean on Harangody, who has done a credible job of filling in during Garnett's eight-game absence by providing much-needed energy, defense, and rebounding off the bench. He's averaged 14.2 minutes since Garnett was sidelined with a right calf strain against the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 29, and posted his first career double-double on Jan. 7 against the Toronto Raptors, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds in 27 energy-filled minutes.

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Say hello to Luke

January, 8, 2011
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BOSTON -- Fresh off his finest night as a pro, Luke Harangody was quickly reminded of his rookie status by his Boston Celtics teammates following Friday's 122-102 thrashing of the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden.

Brian Babineau/NBAE/GettyLuke Harangody showed skill on both offense and defense Friday with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Harangody, a postgame guest on the Celtics' radio network, was dishing about a night of firsts -- his first career double-double (17 points, 11 rebounds), his first NBA 3-pointer and hitting his first five shots to pace Boston to a lopsided halftime lead -- when he was dragged back to the locker room.

Unfortunately for Harangody, no one was waiting there with a game ball.

Instead, Harangody joined fellow rookies Avery Bradley and Semih Erden in the latest not-so-enthusiastic rendition of "Happy Birthday," this performance in honor of teammate Marquis Daniels turning 30.

"This is just one game; nothing's changed," Harangody said later while drawing the biggest media crowd of the night (much to the delight of captain Paul Pierce, who gleefully passed his typical postgame media chores to the rookie). "My role is always defense and to go out there and rebound. I'm going to do that first and foremost."

To be sure, Harangody did both of those things Friday night. Caught defensively in a third-quarter pick-and-roll, he produced one of the highlights of a somewhat perfunctory second half by chasing down Toronto's Ed Davis from behind and swatting a layup attempt.

The 6-foot-8 Harangody was also active on the glass, leading his team in rebounding against an opponent that had dominated Boston in three previous regular-season meetings. Harangody mixed four offensive rebounds with seven defensive caroms while hauling in nearly a quarter of the Celtics' 43 boards.

But don't be fooled. It was his offense that ultimately allowed him to thrive, a couple early buckets letting him simply play his game for the first time all season.

"The one thing he is not is shy; I think he was [shy] in all of a half a second and [then] he took a shot," joked Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "The whole bench started laughing because that's who he is. And we want him to stay that way."

Click HERE to read the full story.

Rookie steps

January, 2, 2011
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Elsa/Getty ImagesLuke Harangody got extended minutes Friday vs. New Orleans.
BOSTON -- That elusive first NBA 3-pointer evaded him yet again Friday, but it might have been the best thing that could have happened to Boston Celtics rookie Luke Harangody.

Allen Einstein/NBAE/Getty ImagesLuke Harangody has played only 60 minutes in 13 games but was impressive on Friday.
A wide-open chuck from in front of the Boston bench rattled out midway through the second quarter of a 83-81 loss to New Orleans -- just like the other two he's hoisted in his rookie season -- but Harangody crashed the basket, collected an offensive rebound and scored on a putback, capping a five-minute shift in which he helped the Celtics' reserves turn a one-point deficit into a five-point lead.

The hustle play earned Harangody a coveted Tommy Point, even if he was back in a familiar spot on the bench before it could even be awarded. It was that sort of play that gave Celtics coach Doc Rivers confidence to trot Harangody back out for a second extended shift spanning into the fourth quarter.

Showcasing an energy Boston's starters clearly lacked, Harangody logged a career-high 12:49 Friday against the Hornets. The fact that he missed four of the five shots he took didn't matter. He scrapped for four rebounds, and his plus-18 in the plus-minus category shows the impact he made on the court.

On a day fellow rookies Semih Erden (DNP) and Avery Bradley (1 second of court time) were cemented to the bench, Harangody might have made his strongest case for increased action, particularly during a stretch in which Boston remains ravaged by injuries.

"You know, Luke Harangody was guarding Emeka Okafor," said Rivers, slightly incredulous at the suggestion that an undersized 6-foot-7 rookie taken with the 52nd overall pick had just more than held his own against a 6-foot-10 former Rookie of the Year taken with the 2nd overall pick (and one who's averaging a near double-double per game this season at 10.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game).

"I mean, what a hell of a matchup that is. And Luke was phenomenal. He just played so darn hard, so I left him on the floor."

Click HERE to read the full story.

Leftovers: 'Gody takes the cake

October, 15, 2010
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Layne Murdoch/NBAE/GettyLuke Harangody made himself at home at Madison Square Garden Wednesday.
The life of a rookie: One moment you're on top of the world after producing your first NBA double-double on a familiar court, the next you're forced to sing Happy Birthday in front of all the veterans in the locker room and get assigned the thankless task of hauling a birthday cake to the team bus.

Celtics second-round draft choice Luke Harangody made the most of extended minutes Wednesday night in New York, chipping 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds over 22 minutes in Boston's 104-101 triumph over the Knicks. This one night after a solid stretch against the 76ers and it seemed like Harangody was asserting himself as a potential role player off the Boston bench despite a low draft position (52nd overall).

Harangody wasn't in danger of developing a big head, but his teammates took him down a peg, anyhow. Harangody joined the rest of the Celtics' rookies in singing Happy Birthday to Paul Pierce, Jermaine O'Neal, and coach Doc Rivers after Wednesday's game (the trio were all born on Oct. 13). For good measure, he also had to grab the box containing the chocolate-frosted cake and lug it to the team bus as he departed the locker room.

It's a pretty fair trade-off for what the veterans have been doing to help him on the court.

“My confidence level is getting better every day,” said Harangody. “The veterans have been great with me just pulling me to the side at practice and letting me know I was going 100 miles per hour out there. They tell me, ‘Just relax and play your game. Everyone knows what you can do.’ Every game it’s getting better and better."

Indeed, Harangody connected on three consecutive shots in a 61-second span against Philadelphia, scoring 8 of the 11 points he produced that night. Coupled with his New York effort, Harangody has made 8 of his last 14 attempts (57.1 percent) while chipping in 27 total points. This after connecting on just 2 of his first 13 preseason attempts (15.4 percent) over a three-game span.

"Luke was stellar," Pierce said after Wednesday's game. "He’s been gaining his confidence. We’ve seen him in practice. He played well just the other night [vs. Philadelphia] and it carried over. Coach just said, ‘You’re going to go out there and make mistakes,’ but he continued to play hard and it showed."

For his part, Rivers couldn't resist a small jab after Harangody's effort in New York.

"I think he thought he was in the Big East tournament," said a smiling Rivers, referring to the Madison Square Garden venue after Harangody's exploits with Notre Dame. "He was playing terrific. He was shooting the ball. We’re trying to get him to try and think: Shoot. Don’t just shoot when you’re open, shoot the ball and keep the game simple. We’re thinking that will slow him down. He’s a monster on the glass, he just works hard. It's good for him, I think he needed it."

Most impressively, Harangody showed that, even with his undersized frame, he can still compete on the glass. That will ease concerns about whether he's too small to battle at the power forward spot (heck, he even guarded centers at times against New York).

"All through college, I kind of had a knack for the ball," said Harangody. "I started to put a body on my man, finally, and it kind of gets me loose to go to the basket."

RIVERS EXPECTS INJURY BUG TO LINGER THIS SEASON

Having just detailed injuries that would sideline Shaquille O'Neal and Delonte West Wednesday night, Rivers was asked about experimenting with a shooter-heavy lineup featuring Glen Davis and Kevin Garnett. He smiled and noted that Big Baby's knee had been sore and that he wasn't likely to play much that night (he ultimately sat out the entire game and Garnett got ejected in the second quarter, anyhow).

Rivers admitted this will be a familiar challenge for Boston throughout the season.

"I think we’re going to deal with that all year, that would be my guess," said Rivers. "I don’t think we’re going to be a team that’s healthy all year, i can almost guarantee that. But that’s why our bench is so important. We need our bench this year in order to get to the playoffs. We have to log heavy minutes during the regular season for Paul, Kevin, and Ray. Honestly, I don't know if it would bode well for us in the playoffs [if the veterans were forced to log heavy regular-season minutes]. And to think that Shaq and JO will be healthy for 82 games -- I'm hoping that's the case, but I'm not going to count on that. We're going to need guys to fill in.

"That's the problem with the East, you still gotta win games and that's what we're going to have to do."

PROGRAMMING NOTE: NO, CANADA

Your humble blogger is scheduled to see seven of the Celtics' eight exhibition games this preseason with Friday's game in Toronto the lone contest we're not attending. Like the regular-season games we're unable to attend, we'll still have our eyes on the action from afar and typically we'll pass along some postgame observations in the blog. And if any news comes up, we'll do our best to reach out to the team on the road and update you as best we can. Fortunately, in this case, the Celtics return home quickly, with an exhibiton rematch against the Knicks on Saturday in Hartford, Conn.

Harangody heats up, slows down

October, 13, 2010
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Ned Dishman/NBAE/GettyCeltics rookie Luke Harangody turned in a solid performance Tuesday vs. the 76ers.
PHILADELPHIA -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers was ready to sub center Jermaine O'Neal back into the game with a little over four minutes remaining in the first half Tuesday night against the 76ers, but rookie forward Luke Harangody heated up so quickly, Rivers pulled O'Neal back to let the group on the floor keep playing.

Harangody scored eight points in 61 seconds, hitting three consecutive shots to help Boston erase a five-point deficit and lead at the intermission. He finished 4-of-5 shooting with 11 points and three rebounds over 14 minutes. What's more, Harangody spent time at the small forward, getting a glimpse of his potential to fill minutes at a position Boston is somewhat thin on, and had one of his better defensive games.

After a couple of dizzying weeks to start his professional career, it's clear everything is starting to slow down for Harangody.

"I don't know if we can slow him down right now, but he's playing good," said Rivers. "It's good to see him make shots. That's what he does: the back-to-back 3's were good. He's going so fast at times but he's getting it.

"The fact that he's starting to get our coverages is better. I'm more concerned with him -- and all the [new] guys -- getting our defensive coverages down. We're getting there."

With five minutes to play in the first half, Harangody showcased some of his potential. He picked up a steal against 76ers rookie Evan Turner, then canned a 12-foot jumper at the other end of the floor. On the next two offensive trips down the floor, he drilled trifectas (both feeds from Nate Robinson) and the second one in front of the Boston bench had Rivers pumping his fist in excitement.

It's clear Harangody has potential at both ends of the floor. He came out on the floor for warm-ups Tuesday and drained seven consecutive mid-range jumpers (the shot might not be the prettiest as he crosses his hands after release, but it does the trick). Meanwhile, Kevin Garnett is whooping Harangody and the rookie bigs into shape on defense.

Speeding violation

October, 1, 2010
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NEWPORT, R.I. -- When you're an NBA rookie, even a three-man fast-break drill is enough to raise your adrenaline to a dangerous level.

Which is exactly what happened to Luke Harangody during the Boston Celtics' second training camp session on Wednesday on the campus of Salve Regina University. Lining up at one of the wings in a unit that featured Shaquille O'Neal in the middle and Stephane Lasme on the other side, Harangody sprinted too quickly out of the box, fumbled an outlet pass and missed a layup as the group stumbled through the drill.

Brian Babineau/NBAE/GettyCeltics rookie Luke Harangody poses on Media Day.
Rivers instructed the unit to run it again and 38-year-old O'Neal -- the same player who had to ask Rivers who Harangody was when his signing was announced on the same day of the Big Shamrock's introduction in August -- shot Harangody a stare typically reserved for an opposing center with sharp elbows.

The group completed the drill with fewer hiccups the second time, with Rivers imploring Harangody to crank up the speed on his way back up the court. Harangody knows Rivers is simply trying to bring the best out of him.

"Doc's been great with me," Harangody said Friday. "I'm a guy that likes to go 100 miles per hour, but I play so much better when I slow down and relax. Today I feel like I finally did that and I probably had one of my better days."

Harangody, a second-round draft choice (52nd overall), isn't playing for a job. No, despite the late selection, he already proved he was NBA ready by starring for the Celtics' summer league team in Orlando in early July, which helped him earn a two-year guaranteed deal.

But even job security doesn't take away any of the pressure when you're a wide-eyed rookie on a team that is likely to boast more future Hall of Famers than first-year players this season.

And despite a penchant for keeping rookies glued to the bench, Rivers said he understands what Harangody is going through, and believes he can contribute this season.

"He just needs to slow down," Rivers said. "It's so much stuff for him now, his head is spinning. He'll get it, but it's going to take some time.

Click HERE to read the full story.

Roster rundown: Harangody's shot

September, 16, 2010
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Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty ImagesLuke Harangody made an early impression with the Boston Celtics this summer.
With about two weeks until Celtics training camp opens, we're breaking down Boston's roster from the bottom of the rotation to the top. Today's focus: Luke Harangody.

Fast Facts

Position: Forward
Vitals: 6-8, 246 lbs.
Experience: Rookie (2nd round, 52nd overall, 2010)
Last season: 21.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg (Notre Dame)
Salary: $473,604

Season Outlook


Little is expected of players selected in the back end of the NBA Draft. And despite Boston's success in finding second-round gems, you need look no further than the players the Celtics have selected in Harangody territory -- like Lester Hudson (58th overall, 2009), Orien Greene (53, 2005), and Brandon Hunter (56, 2003) -- to see the difficulty in plucking an NBA contributor out of the final spots.

Despite a stellar four-year college career at Notre Dame, Harangody arrived with cautious optimism. Then he went out and turned the Orlando Summer League into his coming out party, displaying NBA range and a scrappy game that helped land him a two-year guaranteed contract with the Celtics.

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Summer Forecast: Rookie impact

September, 1, 2010
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Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty ImagesCan Luke Harangody or Avery Bradley make an impact on the 2010-11 Celtics?
The question seemed innocent enough: Which of Boston's rookies will have the biggest impact next season? Our acerbic-tongued panel of Celtics bloggers wasted little time pouncing on the query.

"Impact may be a strong word considering the coach of this team and his track record for splintering the hindquarters of his freshmen class with pine needles," quipped Justin Poulin of Celtics Stuff Live.

Nick Gelso of North Station Sports added, "The rookies will all have a big impact -- in the D-League!"

Yes, our panel will be here all week. Tip your waitstaff.

But the 18 writers from eight of our favorite Celtics blogs have a point. Ever since the Big Three united in 2007, it hasn't been easy for young players to make an impact on this team, particularly in their freshman campaigns.

While our panel cautioned against expecting too much from any of the rookies, half of the Celtics observers suggested first-round pick Avery Bradley (1st round, 19th overall) would have the biggest impact. Things don't look as promising for Luke Harangody (2nd round, 52nd overall) and Semih Erden (2nd round, 60th overall in 2008). As Red's Army's Chuck McKenney wrote, "I'm not sure Harangody and Erden will see much action, buried behind the deepest frontcourt in the history of the NBA."

Indeed, the second most popular voting option turned out to be "none of the above." Here's the breakdown:

Click HERE to read the full story.

Say cheese! (Part II)

August, 17, 2010
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Here's a couple of photo illustrations from this morning's rookie photo shoot in New York:

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty ImagesCeltics first-round draft pick Avery Bradley

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty ImagesCeltics second-round draft choice Luke Harangody
Check out Part I of this post.

Say cheese!

August, 17, 2010
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Steve Freeman/NBAE/GettyAvery Bradley is photographed spinning the ball for his rookie portrait.
Steve Freeman/NBAE/GettyLuke Harangody goes with the backwards chair pose for one of his rookie shots.

Celtics rookies Avery Bradley and Luke Harangody trekked to Tarrytown, N.Y. Tuesday morning for the NBA's rookie photoshoot at the MSG Training Facility. Check out two of their yearbook-like poses to the right. The duo also make a quick cameo in the NBA's TwitVid below...



Done deal: Luke Harangody

August, 10, 2010
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Fernando Medina/NBAE/Getty Luke Harangody earned himself a deal with his play at the Celtics' summer league in Orlando.
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Shaquille O'Neal might not know who Luke Harangody is quite yet. But the two will likely be spending plenty of quality time together the next two seasons.

On the same day the Celtics introduced O'Neal to the Boston media, Harangody, the Celtics' second-round draft choice (52nd overall) this year, quietly inked a guaranteed two-year deal valued at $1.3 million.

After O'Neal's press conference on the practice court at the Sports Authority Training Center at Health Point, Celtics public relations czar Jeff Twiss informed the media that Harangody would be available for questions. O'Neal could be seen turning to coach Doc Rivers and asking, "Who?"

Harangody plans to make his name known, even on a team full of future Hall of Famers like O'Neal.

"Seeing Shaq today, I was kinda in awe a little bit -- starstruck -- but at the same time, I gotta come in the gym everyday," said Harangody. "We’re teammates now. There’s future Hall of Fame players, but you still gotta come in and give the same effort, no matter who’s in on the floor."

Harangody's signing maxes the Celtics' roster out at 15 players signed for the 2010-11 season (though that number includes Rasheed Wallace, who Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge hinted will be bought out before the start of training camp with Wallace set to retire). For the rookie out of Notre Dame, it's a relief to have a deal in place as Boston's roster filled up quickly this offseason.

"It’s a great feeling," said Harangody. "It’s a little bit of job security, especially being guaranteed. I can kind of sleep easy at night. And for it to be officially signed is also a great feeling as well."

Harangody may have essentially played his way into a contract this summer, raising eyebrows throughout Boston's five-game slate at the AirTran Summer League in Orlando (with Ainge and Rivers on hand for the show). He's still got a scar under his left eye from a collision during one game, but it's a nice reminder of his grit. He noted Tuesday that he, "put in the work and basically got a contract," and when talking about his solid showing behind the NBA 3-point arc, admitted he "surprised a lot of people, probably just except myself."

Rivers admitted that was true.

"I don't know [his role], hell he's a rookie, but he can play, I can tell you that," said Rivers. "He can shoot the ball and stretch the floor. He shot the ball extremely well in summer league from behind the NBA 3-point line, which I didn't know he could do, honestly, watching him in college. I didn't know he had the range.

"He's going to be player in this league. He's quirky offensively, and he had to figure out a way of scoring by not being dominant athletically. I love players like that, because that means they play with their heads. That's the type of player that makes it in this league, so that will be good for us."

Report: Harangody coming to town

July, 29, 2010
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Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesLuke Harangody returned to Notre Dame to offer his words of encouragement to summer campers.
Luke Harangody, the Celtics' second-round draft choice (No. 52 overall) last month, is reportedly flying into town Thursday to join the team, according to WNDU, and it would seem logical to expect that a rookie contract could be inked soon.

Harangody returned to the Notre Dame campus where he starred for four seasons to speak at Irish coach Mike Brey's summer camp Wednesday. While he's not officially a member of the Celtics until he signs his deal, the folks at Notre Dame were already celebrating his leap to the pros.

In an interview posted on the school's Web site, Harangody talked about his summer league exploits (including the gash below his left eye from an elbow he caught), being drafted by the Celtics and his message to the Notre Dame campers. Harangody mixed confidence and humbleness while talking about proving himself during Boston's five-game summer slate in the Orlando earlier this month.

"I definitely think I opened some eyes," Harangody told the school's Web site. "The members of the Celtics' staff, they really knew what I can do, so that wasn't a surprise. But some people out there didn't know the kind of ability I have. Like I said [in Orlando], it's always nice to prove those people wrong."

Harangody knows he can't rest on the laurels of his strong summer play.

"There's still a lot of work to do," said Harangody. "The summer league is one thing. Now the real job begins and you have to work every day."

Harangody, who was born in Illinois and played high school ball in Indiana, said growing up he was a Bulls fan based on his hometown, but was familiar with Celtics' lore being raised in the state that bred Larry Bird.

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Paul Pierce
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