Courtney Lee was acquired by the Boston Celtics in a sign-and-trade with the Houston Rockets in exchange for JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore, Sean Williams and a draft pick. Tom Martin of The Dream Shake, SB Nation's Rockets blog, helps us analyze.
What are the Boston Celtics getting in Courtney Lee?
The Celtics are getting a bouncy, shifty two-way player who can make an impact on both ends. He's a great lightening rod off the bench, but he's also a capable starter. Don't expect the moon from him, but he can guard an opponent's best player and can give you 10-12 points at an efficient rate.
What are Lee's strengths and weaknesses on the court?
Strengths: Terrific athlete, can finish in transition with ease. Great three-point shooter, especially in the corners -- he led the league in corner threes (either the overall volume or just percentage, can't remember which) last season and shoots 40% overall from deep. Very effective pull-up jumper off one dribble. He's a great teammate and never ran into any problems as a Rocket in the locker room or off the court. He's also a top-tier wing defender and can give smaller forwards and guards tons of problems.
Weaknesses: Doesn't have a great handle and is not effective in isolation. He can get bullied on defense by bigger players in the post. He's aggressive when he needs to be, but he's not someone who will give you anything more than a solid lift - you shouldn't depend on him to carry anything.
How well do you think Lee will mesh with Rajon Rondo and the Big Two?
I think it's a perfect fit. He won't be asked to do too much, but he should be better than Ray Allen was last year. I think it will work out wonderfully. He's a winner.
Are you happy about getting JaJuan Johnson in return?
Not particularly. The Rockets have enough power forwards as it is, and I've never fallen in love with JaJuan's game. What's more intriguing to me are the picks that could be coming Houston's way. I also wouldn't rule out more players going to Houston (who will likely be waived thereafter) just to make the salaries work.
What are some of your best and worst memories of Lee?
I don't have any bad memories, honestly. He doesn't screw up often. As for the best memories, I'd say they all came during his spurt when Kevin Martin went down. Nothing in particular, but a bunch of great games made him really tough to lose.
OK, we must ask ... your thoughts on landing Harvard product Jeremy Lin (again)?
Stoked. Absolutely stoked. He may not be the "star" player that Houston needs, but he'll certainly be fun and hopefully good at basketball.
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