Re: The Official Free Agents and Trades 2010 Offseason thread

[jeb]

Battier is a celtic style baller who would flourish under pressure. I'd LOVE to see him in green.

[bigpygme]

so would i, but i think TJ is right - he's not comin ...

[worcester]

Bob, I'd be surprised if Erden contributes anything, but then again Shelden was a big liability.

[Outside]

In '08, we went 1/2 a season without a backup for Perk. This year, we just need to go 2-3 months with only 1 backup for O'Neal (Erden). Unless Danny and Doc are really, really cool on Erden, do we really need to carry 3 active centers (O'Neal, Erden and Mohammed) and then have Perk come back and have 4 centers? Carrying that many centers will hurt our depth at other positions.

bob

I'm referring to BobH's post here, but I've noticed numerous posts that assume the old Perk will be back at midseason. He's young and tough, and he'll work hard to get back as quickly as possible, but he has a serious knee injury, and it will take some time after he rejoins the active roster before he is back to where he was. He'll get limited minutes at first, and it could be quite a while before he's back to normal minutes and "normal Perk." Maybe he'll get there by playoff time, but I won't be surprised at all if he isn't fully recovered until the start of the 2011-2012 season.

As far as how many centers to carry on the roster, Perk's potentially extended recovery is just one factor. Others to consider:

- How durable will O'Neal be? He's only 31 (32 in October), but this will be his 14th season, and he's had trouble with his knees in recent seasons. Games played the last three seasons:

70 - 2009-10
68 - 2008-09
42 - 2007-08

-- Can Erden be a quality backup at center? And by quality backup, I mean someone who can play passably as a regular backup and occasional starter. I wouldn't get all warm and fuzzy about Erden filling that role. I haven't seen him play, but my recollection is that other posters aren't ecstatic about him. What I know for sure is that he hasn't played a minute of NBA ball.

The prospect of adding Mohammed may not inspire joy, but at least he has experience. He has decent numbers and could be a contributor (http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mohamna01.html). He's certainly more viable than Erden. The thing is, will the Bobcats really trade him for Rasheed's contract? The "plus" for Charlotte is that Larry Brown could convince Rasheed to play one more year, but if he's going to play, why on earth play for the Bobcats instead of the Celtics? Makes no sense to me.

With Perk a question mark for this season and O'Neal pretty much guaranteed to sit out some games, carrying only one other center puts them in a tough spot. Are they willing to have only one other center if O'Neal has to sit when Perk is still out or isn't fully back yet? Maybe BBD can play some minutes at center, but he's undersized even at PF. If Danny can get the Bobcats to trade Mohammed for Rasheed's contract, he should jump on it. Even if they sign another center, it might not be a bad idea to keep Erden around, just in case. Lord knows they need somebody.

Outside

[gyso]

Outside,

I agree with your take on Perk. I read somewhere that he would be back to 95% in 18 months and I believe it.

It is like Leon Powe injury. The "official" word was that he would rejoin the active roster sometime after the all star break. He was activated and in a uniform much later than that and he really was not ready for prime time. Was Leon even activated for the playoffs?

I wouldn't expect to see the old Perk until next season. He may be in a uniform during the playoffs but he will be lacking the strength.

gyso

[Sam]

In one Florida Summer League game, Erden looked like the walking dead. (Of course, he had just arrived from overseas and probably hadn't had even one practice with the team.) In the next game, he looked like a ferocious rebounder and very agile under the offensive basket. The announcers couldn't get over him. I'll take Mr. Hyde please.

I agree about the need for yet another backup center. Perhaps they'll have to use Sheed's contract (if they can) to get one, but I think Battier would be a weapon for the team, whereas a backup center would be more of a filler.

If the scouting reports are correct, at least Nazr could compete with Perk for the stonehands trophy.

Sam

[bobheckler]

Outside,

You've got a good point about Perk's return. Maybe my glasses are tinted a bit too green. Whoda thunk that'd happen?

If there's a bright side (here I go again!), it's that Perk's game has never been about explosiveness or athleticism or jumping or movement. He's always been a straight ahead, brute force player. Maybe (I hope!), he'll be able to get that back faster than any lateral movement and/or jumping.

Still, I'm rethinking my "who needs another center?" thought. Thanks for straightening me out.

bob

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[mrkleen09]

Now, Chris Paul wants out of NO - issues a list of teams he will agree to go to.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5401230

The New York Knicks are the first team on point guard Chris Paul's wish list of clubs he'd like New Orleans to trade him to, according to sources.

Orlando, where he could team with superstar center Dwight Howard, is the second team on Paul's list, which includes Dallas and then Portland, according to sources.

In the ideal scenario, Paul and the Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony would wind up in New York to play alongside Amare Stoudemire, forming a big three that could compete with Miami's newly formed super trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

"Those guys want to beat the three guys in Miami," a source close to the situation said.

A report Wednesday on CBSSports.com said Paul saw what James did in signing to play alongside Wade and Bosh and has designs on doing something similar.

[Outside]

Bob,

No problem. I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunity to return the favor.

Of course, having played center myself might skew my view on the subject. Let's see... four guards, four forwards, and six centers, plus Scal... perfect!

Outside

[bobheckler]

Bob,

No problem. I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunity to return the favor.

Of course, having played center myself might skew my view on the subject. Let's see... four guards, four forwards, and six centers, plus Scal... perfect!

Outside

Scal the Platypus. A mammal, no wings and can't fly but lays eggs like a bird and swims like a beaver but has a duckbill.

A little bit of everything but not really anything.

[RosalieTCeltics]

What happened to the good old days when somebody signed a contract and lived up to it for the amount of years he signed for?????

If I was New Orleans, I would sit back, take my time, and find the best deal for them not him. Let him wait a year and a half. He wants to go to NY, set up shop there and wait for Carmelo to join him and Amare. This is getting to be a farce.

[bobheckler]

What happened to the good old days when somebody signed a contract and lived up to it for the amount of years he signed for?????

If I was New Orleans, I would sit back, take my time, and find the best deal for them not him. Let him wait a year and a half. He wants to go to NY, set up shop there and wait for Carmelo to join him and Amare. This is getting to be a farce.

rosalie,

This what happens when the inmates start running the asylum. We have a a bunch of pedantic, self-centered millionaires who think they walk on water.

New Orleans should trade his contract to Erden's Turkish team. That'll wake a few people up.

bob

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[RosalieTCeltics]

So, I'm guessing you are not a fan of our 'NEW' BIG GUY?????



Me either!

[swedeinestonia]

Celtics signed Quis at 2.5m. Sounds like good value to me.

[tjmakz]

I think we have already heard this from Matt Barnes a couple of times in the last two weeks but he is supposedly going to announce what team he is signing with on Friday. Supposedly it is between Cleveland and the Lakers.
If he does sign with LA, I think LA's team is significantly better then last years team. If anyone disagrees, I would welcome their opinion.
With the possible addition of Barnes and the drafting of Ebanks, LA is much more athletic then they were last year.

PG: Blake, Fisher
SG: Bryant, Barnes, Vujacic
SF: Artest, Ebanks, Walton
PF: Gasol, Odom, Caracter
C: Bynum, Ratliff

Former players: Farmar, Brown, Powell, Mbenga, Morrison.

I don't think they will have more then the minimum 13 so it looks like this will be their team. They were willing to go to 14 when they offered Jeremy Lin a contract which was supposedly a fully guaranteed contract.

[tjmakz]

It is being reported that Matt Barnes just agreed to a 2 year $3.6m deal with the Lakers.
What a steal for LA.

[gyso]

tj,

Lin signed with the GS Warriors yesterday:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-warriors-lin

Barnes reached an agreement (2 years) with the Lakers today. The Lakers also signed Theo Ratliff:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AsX3D6qFjn7ojeNiBbJCJWK8vLYF?slug=ys-lakersbarnes072210

[Sam]

Boy, that Barnes signing really smarts.

[tjmakz]

tj,

Lin signed with the GS Warriors yesterday:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-warriors-lin

Barnes reached an agreement (2 years) with the Lakers today. The Lakers also signed Theo Ratliff:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AsX3D6qFjn7ojeNiBbJCJWK8vLYF?slug=ys-lakersbarnes072210

gyso,

I know Lin did sign with GS but supposedly LA offered a fully guaranteed contract but he wanted to sign with his home team. His GS contract is only 1/2 guaranteed.

[gyso]

tj,

Can Lin opt out and re-sign with the Lakers?

I noticed you had Theo in your team chart after I went back to read it. We had him for a year and he was injured all season. He hardly got off the pine. I'll bet you hope you get more from him. Good luck with that. (not really )

gyso

PS: Look for a PM about the attachment directions. Good luck with that as well!! (yes really )

[tjmakz]

tj,

Can Lin opt out and re-sign with the Lakers?

I noticed you had Theo in your team chart after I went back to read it. We had him for a year and he was injured all season. He hardly got off the pine. I'll bet you hope you get more from him. Good luck with that. (not really )

gyso

PS: Look for a PM about the attachment directions. Good luck with that as well!!

Once he signs with GS he can't back out. LA was willing to give him a fully guaranteed 2nd round rookie contract at something like $437k.
One thing I read today almost makes you want your 2nd round picks to not perform well in Summer League because they can be offered lucrative contracts from foreign teams. (Other countries). Harangody, Ebanks and Caracter were very impresive and should clearly be contributors for Boston and LA. If they sign with a foreign team, Boston or LA could be out of luck. They hold their rights but they doesn't really help the team that drafted them too much.

Ratliff is to replace Mbenga who barely played. With the physical talent Mbenga has, there must be a reason why coaches don't play him.

Got your PM. Thanks.

[bobheckler]

With Barnes and Antoine Wright gone, the scuttlebutt now revolves around Von Wafer and Jarvis Hayes.

Wafer:
6'5", 210#, 25 years old
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wafervo01.html
Von Wafer's numbers have come up almost every year. God knows he couldn't have done much worse than his first year with the Lakers. Here's a blogger's take on him: http://www.celticstown.com/2010/07/23/celtics-interested-in-von-wafer/

The general take is that he's good offensively but lacks intensity and interest in defense. I'd like to hear any comments from the Lakers gallery about anything they remember about him.


Hayes:
6'7", 220#, will be 29 this season.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hayesja01.html
http://hoopshype.com/players/jarvis_hayes.htm


bob

.

[tjmakz]

I think Boston should pass on both.
With Daniels and Harangody, Boston already will have 13 players under contract.
If Bradley will be Ray's back up, they don't need a SG.
If Daniels and Harangody will back up PP, then they don't need a SF.

Instead of clogging up the roster with a journeyman, I think Boston should stay at 13 and see what happens as the season gets closer or closer to the trade deadline.

It's not like Boston will have a hard time making the playoffs without a 14th guy. They should firm up the team later when they know what their needs will be.

Of course, Rasheed's contract is still the big variable in this equation. If Boston trades for a SG/SF with Rasheed's contract, then they really don't need Wafer and Hayes.

[bobheckler]

Good point TJ, and as we saw last year, the playoffs are a whole other beast for a veteran team. We don't need the top seed to advance.

Of course, it'd sure be nice...

bob

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[sinus007]

TJ,
ditto. Plus, I think, Celtics do need one more big.

AK

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