Mikki Moore looks to latch on to a contender

Count Mikki Moore among the veterans looking for a home this spring. According to Chris Tomasson of NBA FanHouse, Moore’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, is pushing hard to clear the air not only about Mikki’s health (he’s currently rehabbing after heel surgery), but his timeline for full recovery and intent to sign with a contending team:

“He’s a veteran guy who’s got valuable playoff experience, and he can help a team,’' Bartelstein said...Bartelstein wouldn’t discuss specific teams. But he said four to five teams already have called about Moore, and he expects more will after any players bought out are signed, leaving Moore as perhaps the top remaining free-agent big man.

Well, “playoff experience” is one way to put it...as is “helping a team.” Moore was quite underwhelming when he was the centerpiece of the Boston Celtics’ late-season acquisitions a year ago. He hit an occasional jumper and provided another body to clog the paint, but Moore’s game just doesn’t entail the combination of skill and energy teams typically want out of their third center. He doesn’t really defend the paint, he’s not even an adequate rebounder for his size or position, and his offensive contributions are clearly defined and obviously limited.

I don’t mean to pile it on, but we all need to be completely realistic about what Moore can contribute to a contending team at this stage: he’s a positive force in the locker room, he can serve as an extra body in practice, and he’s an insurance policy in case a team really, really can’t do any better.