Delonte West Wants to Return to the Boston Celtics


According to the free agent guard’s representative, Delonte West’s desire is to re-up with the Celtics. ESPN reports: “West is an unrestricted free agent this summer and Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge previously expressed a desire in retaining West’s services at season’s end. The team stuck by West during the early portion of last season, even amidst a locker room dust-up with teammate Von Wafer, and it appears that sort of faith resonated with West. ‘Delonte was drafted by Boston and he has a special place for Boston because of that,’ said his agent Jarinn Akana of Lagardere Unlimited. ‘He spent some good years there, then came back last year and was able to play, but had injuries here and there. He did contribute, but he wanted to contribute more and help Boston advance further. Of course he’d like to be back, I think that’s his No. 1 goal to be back and help Boston win another championship.’ The Celtics inked West to a one-year, non-guaranteed, veteran-minimum deal last August. He came with a 10-game league suspension for off-court troubles before his arrival, and, in just his fifth game back, West fractured his right wrist while driving to the basket against the New Jersey Nets, an injury that would sideline him for three months. After just three more games back, West chipped a bone in his ankle during an offday walkthrough with Boston’s trade deadline acquisitions, and missed eight more games. Akana said his client will start offseason workouts soon on the West Coast (though West showed during his time in Boston that putting in the effort to get in playing shape is the last thing to worry about with him). The progress in negotiations between owners and players will dictate whether West will join the growing pack of players considering overseas options.”