Mikki Moore Can't Rescue You

The Kings bought out veteran tall dude Mikki Moore last Thursday, prompting Boston to practically wet itself. While Moore weighs his options (!), the Celtics have apparently put in a bid.

Art Thompson III of the Orange County Register suggests that Moore could "duplicate or at least come close to providing the type of production that P.J. Brown supplied."

I like Mikki, and he's a great teammate. I will miss rooting for him more than any of the other five players the Kings traded or waived last week. But anyone expecting salvation in the form of this dude is in for great a surprise.

Dave Berri noted at the Wages of Wins Journal that Moore wasn't really worth the contract he signed with Sacramento in 2007. To be honest, the Kings probably didn't expect him to be worth that contract. But context matters. The Kings had no athleticism in the front court, and had just drafted a 19-year-old center of the future. Shareef Abdur-Rahim inched toward oblivion, Corliss Williamson and Kenny Thomas were the back-up power forwards, and Brad Miller -- coming off the worst season of his career -- owned the middle. Dire straits, man.

As the team attempted to compete with Ron Artest, Mike Bibby and Kevin Martin while holding out for future flexibility, Moore's two-year deal (with a partial guarantee on the third) wasn't so bad. You can overpay in the short-term, so long as you maintain flexibility. The Kings did that in this case.

But yeah, Moore was not good. Berri is correct. Moore is, and has been, among the worst rebounders in the league at the power forward position ... never mind center. He's Mark Blount bad in this area of the game. MARK. BLOUNT.

P.J. Brown, by contrast, is in the Top 100 all-time in rebound rate.

Moore has springs in his legs, but he does not block shots (6'6 Francisco Garcia had more per-minute last season). He can do three things well: take charges (though he'll also rack up a ton of fouls trying to get those), hit the elbow jumper and finish at the rim, provided the ball is handed off to him within five feet of the basket and there are no defenders within 10 feet.

Moore has an amazing story, with a one-in-a-million work ethic and a heart of solid gold. I'm a huge fan of Moore, The Man. So if a team like Boston wants to had him in order to help the youngsters stay motivated, to add 2.3 guttural screams per game, to boost the dreadlock/frightening tattoo quotient ... by all means, do it. But don't think Mikki will come in and be another P.J. Brown. That is not this dude.