MORNING TRADE TALK

Sources say the Bulls and Celtics are widely expected to make a move before the deadline, and each is seeking wing help. The Cavs' Anthony Parker would be an ideal fit in both places. Wizards guard Kirk Hinrich would be a good fit, too, but his $8 million salary next season would make such a transaction troublesome. CBSSports.com

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Richard Hamilton will have to be willing to give back a significant portion of the two years, $25 million owed him to get a buyout on his contract. Sources said the Celtics still remain intrigued with Hamilton as a scorer off the bench. Yahoo! Sports
BOSTON CELTICS, DETROIT PISTONS, RICHARD HAMILTON | SHARE
In addition to the Hornets, several other teams are expected to show interest in Murphy, including the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and Dallas Mavericks, sources said. Yahoo! Sports

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REPORT: CELTICS HAVE INTEREST IN TROY MURPHY AND RIP HAMILTON 02.16.11 at 10:13 am ET
By Paul Flannery | 4 Comments
We’re still a little more than a week away from the trade deadline of Feb. 24 and things are starting to heat up. Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski writes that if New Jersey’s Troy Murphy and Detroit’s Rip Hamilton are bought out of their contracts, the Celtics would have interest in acquiring them.

Murphy was traded from Indiana to New Jersey in the offseason but didn’t mesh with coach Avery Johnson and requested a trade. Wojnarowski writes that several teams would be interested in Murphy — a big man who can shoot from the outside and rebound — including New Orleans, Miami, Orlando and Miami.

Hamilton has been cast aside in Detroit, racking up DNP-coaches decision for the last few months. The Celtics have had interest in Hamilton before. Neither player addresses the Celtics’ most pressing need, a small forward to back up Paul Pierce, but both would be upgrades to a second unit that has struggled for consistency.

Players who are bought out of their contracts are free to sign with any team. The Celtics are over the cap and could sign them for a the veterans minimum. The issue for the Celtics is that they have 15 players on the roster and someone would have to go to make room for a new acquisition.

112288

Tayshaun Prince of Detroit is also now considered to be trade bait. He is making $11M/year and is in his final contract season. The scuttlebutt is that Prince wants to play for another championship, so the likelihood of Prince resigning with Detroit is poor. A buyout for the remaining millions on his contract, also, might be something that is being considered.

If Rip and Prince are both bought out, and both would come here for the minimum (all conjecture at this time), who would you rather see in green?

Rip is an almost 33-year old 6'7" SG. Could he play 3, with his size? Possibly, but that's not his natural position. He can, however, shoot. He's shooting 40% from 3 this year. I'd take him over Nate anyday.

Prince is an almost 31-year old 6'9" SF. Not a great shooter, but a very sticky defender who always made life hard for PP. We're a defensive team and he is a premier defender. I like Marquis a lot, but I'd take Prince over him and most other 3s other than PP and maybe Battier and a few others that slip my mind. My point is, he'd be an upgrade at backup for PP.

bob
P.S. We'd still have to waive someone.


.

Bob

You are right in thinking defense first so Prince makes sense. Why not both!

112288

112288 wrote:Bob

You are right in thinking defense first so Prince makes sense. Why not both!

112288

112288,

Both would actually make sense, since they'd both be second team and they both have been playing together for a long time, so there'd be instant chemistry there.

The question is, as you pointed out, who goes and how? If we add both of them, then we have to lose 2 other players, either through trade or cutting them loose in a mutually agreed upon buyout.

bob

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With those two, there are a number of Celtic players who become expendible.
Who goes? What are the possible scenarios are:

1) Nate, Wafer, one of the rookies: Luke or Bradley. Trade for draft picks/ buy-out
2) Buy-out of MD or JON contract,

112288

I want to hit myself for participating in trade discussions, because anything I contribute is very likely not to happen.

But I wouldn't mind at all seeing both Prince and Murphy in Celtics uniforms, with Bradley being released and Nate (or Quis, if he's judged through for the season) bought out. I refuse to give up on Harangody, who strikes me as a poor man's Dave Cowens in terms of his style of play.

The need for a backup defensive-minded SF is obvious. Sure, maybe Prince can't shoot, but I believe I could "suffer" with a backup SF who is averaging "only" 48% from the field, 39% from the arc, and 69% from the line. And I'd like Murphy as another solid veteran backup at PF in case circumstances call for Davis to spend more time at the center position than any of us would like. I would be happy with Rondo, Ray, Delonte and Wafer in the backcourt rotation, with Marquis hopefully added to the mix later in the season.

I think Wafer is becoming a pretty decent Celtic; and, if entrusted with the backup SG position, I'd wager he would be even better. A player who has knocked around seldom spits in the face of his first real success.

Sam