Celtics open up additional cap space by rescinding Daniel Theis' qualifying offer

Celtics open up additional cap space by rescinding Daniel Theis' qualifying offer

NBC SPORTS BOSTON By Michael DePrisco     July 15, 2019 8:42 PM  

The Celtics have grown accustomed to massive roster changes since the team dealt Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets in 2013, and with that comes familiarity with sequencing moves perfectly to maximize their roster under the current CBA. 
On Monday, the Celtics rescinded Daniel Theis' qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent according to Keith Smith. Theis agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal with the Celtics two weeks ago, so the only change here is the mechanism in which the Celtics will retain him.

Since Theis is now an unrestricted free agent, the Celtics can use Early Bird Rights to re-sign him to the agreed-upon $10 million. This, in turn, frees up additional cap space for Boston to use on their open 15th roster spot, which was opened when the team waived and stretched Guerschon Yabusele earlier this week.

Boston now has about $1.1 million in cap space to use on the last spot, and the series of moves made in order to create that space could clue us in on the Celtics' plans for the final roster spot.

One way the Celtics could go about this is to use the space to secure Tremont Waters on a four-year contract above the minimum salary. Signing a rookie above the minimum in this situation allows Boston to ink Waters for longer than two years. 
The rookie second-round pick agreed to a two-way contract with Boston recently, so this could free up a two-way slot for someone else. Tacko Fall and Javonte Green both had strong Summer Leagues and could be worth a longer look in Maine next season.

Waters was a pleasant surprise in Summer League after he was selected with the 51st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. While undersized at 5-10 and 172 pounds, there isn't much he can't do on the basketball court. Waters is shifty and smooth getting to the rim, has excellent skills in running an offense and is a pesky defender with quick hands and terrific instincts.
While he most likely won't get much of any playing time in his rookie season playing behind Kemba Walker, Marcus Smart, Brad Wanamaker and Carsen Edwards, that's a great group to work with every day and learn from. Waters won't have a limit on the amount of time he spends with the Celtics or Red Claws either.

The Celtics could go a number of different ways with their 15th roster spot, including bringing on an unrestricted free agent using a veteran minimum. But given the way they've worked to free up cap space by rescinding Theis' qualifying offer, it most likely points to Waters earning the last spot. Their next move would be finding a player to fill a vacated two-way slot along with Max Strus.

112288

Theis will be re-signed to that 2 year contract that had been reported. This sets up the possibility of using cap space, 1.1m left, to sign Waters or Fall or someone else at the 15th spot with a multi year deal.

I hope its not waters sorry.

we simply don't need another small PG on this team.

Keeping in mind we already have 14 players under contract with both Tacko and Waters out of the mix.

I still think we'll lose Fall if he isn't added to the roster (unless that can happen with a two way deal with no chance of another team poaching him).

I guess my preference would be to move Tacko and Waters to two way deals and and drop Staus (while he can shoot, he plays horrible defense from what I saw in summer league).

When I first read this I wondered if Ainge had some vet Power forward in mind to add to the roster instead.

thats where I would use the vert minimum deal for, some options still unsigned today I think are:

K. Faried- good rebounder and low post scorer plays good defense also. Will turn 30YO and nor much of a outside shooter at all

J. Jerebko- We all know what he can and can't do.

L. Mbah a Moute- soon to be 33 YO, who missed most of last year with a knee I think. Has been a solid BU PF for some good teams over the years and plays solid Defense and can hit the three on occasion as well.

D. Cunningham- Solid defender who can also hit the three, is 32YO has played for a lot of teams.

I would see any of these guys as only a replacement for Yabusele on the roster.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:So, by doing this will they lose Theis? Or is he in on all of this and will sign with Bird Rights.  What if someone comes up and swoops him off his feet, ala Al Horford????

Rosalie,
Theis will be signed as UFA, thus Danny saves all possible exceptions to fill the 15th spot on the roster. My understanding.

AK

The key to the deal was in the article.  We freed up cap space by allowing Theis to become an unrestricted free agent and then signing him with Early Bird rights.  Theis was in on it and will return.

The little bit of change left over (reportedly $1.1M) allows us to sign a small money new guy for four years instead of two.  That is important.  If the guy they sign makes good, we will have full Bird rights after the contract expires.

On a two year contract, we could easily be out bid on his next contract because we wouldn't have any (or enough) cap space to beat the other team's offer.  With Bird rights, we can go over the cap to sign him.

gyso

gyso wrote:The key to the deal was in the article.  We freed up cap space by allowing Theis to become an unrestricted free agent and then signing him with Early Bird rights.  Theis was in on it and will return.

The little bit of change left over (reportedly $1.1M) allows us to sign a small money new guy for four years instead of two.  That is important.  If the guy they sign makes good, we will have full Bird rights after the contract expires.

On a two year contract, we could easily be out bid on his next contract because we wouldn't have any (or enough) cap space to beat the other team's offer.  With Bird rights, we can go over the cap to sign him.

gyso

Didn’t they make a fix to the bidding issue on rfa’s? I think the Arenas rule. Isn’t that what happened to Tyler Johnson and Jeremy Lin? Or did it get rescinded?

Kyle,

I believe the issue was with 2nd round picks who become free agents after 2 seasons.  The league put limits on the amount the other team could offer.

Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ wrote:This loophole was addressed starting with the 2005 CBA (although not closed completely -- see below). Teams are now limited in the salary they can offer in an offer sheet to a restricted free agent with one or two years in the league. The first-year salary in the offer sheet cannot be greater than the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level exception (see question number 25). Limiting the first-year salary in this way enables the player's original team to match the offer sheet by using the Early Bird exception (if applicable -- see question number 25), or Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level exception (provided they have it and haven't used it already).

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q43

gyso wrote:The key to the deal was in the article.  We freed up cap space by allowing Theis to become an unrestricted free agent and then signing him with Early Bird rights.  Theis was in on it and will return.

The little bit of change left over (reportedly $1.1M) allows us to sign a small money new guy for four years instead of two.  That is important.  If the guy they sign makes good, we will have full Bird rights after the contract expires.

On a two year contract, we could easily be out bid on his next contract because we wouldn't have any (or enough) cap space to beat the other team's offer.  With Bird rights, we can go over the cap to sign him.

gyso

Smart use of contract rules.

another Big guy I would consider a minimum deal would be Marquese Chriss

6-10, and only 22 YO

a former top 10 draft pick

has talent and size for a 4, but takes WAY too many 3's for his bad shooting. Has been getting less and less time each year, which is not a good sign, but for vet minimum it's not much of a risk IMO.

his averages over three years in 65 games per year are

7.6 pts
4.5 Reb
0.8 Blocks

on shooting % of 42.9-29.6-62.8

his per 36 min numbers are
14.2 pt
8.5 reb
1.4 blocks

probably a better value for that 15th spot than Waters would be to be honest.

Everyone is thinking , sign a free agent Power Forward.  I say, why can we not convert an asset we already have into a power forward.

Williams is a perfect example. At 6'8" he is too small for a center position.  Perhaps the new guy from France, or Theis, or package some assets for a better power forward then the retreads that everyone is talking about.

112288

112288 wrote:Everyone is thinking , sign a free agent Power Forward.  I say, why can we not convert an asset we already have into a power forward.

Williams is a perfect example. At 6'8" he is too small for a center position.  Perhaps the new guy from France, or Theis, or package some assets for a better power forward then the retreads that everyone is talking about.

112288

are you talking Grant W. or Rob W?

Grant is a 4 not a 5 and Rob is 6-9 or 6-10.

either way, a 2 for 1 trade with Grant and say Theis could net us back a player with a salary up to about $8M.

I doubt Ainge is looking to do that myself though