Checking out a possible shopping list for Celtics

By Gary Washburn
Globe Staff / January 22, 2012

The summer of change is approaching for the Celtics.

Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are coming off the salary cap - a combined $31 million in salaries - and the Celtics have a slew of other impending free agents, allowing president of basketball operations Danny Ainge room to shape his roster for the next era.

Of course, just because the Celtics have satchels of money to offer doesn’t mean that they will attract premium players. The market this summer will not be not loaded with impact free agents, and those who are impact players won’t be coming to Boston.

Yet for the first time in years, Ainge will have money to invest. The Celtics are on the books for approximately $34 million in salaries next season if Brandon Bass returns on his $4 million player option.

That means they will have about $25 million to spend, and under the new collective bargaining agreement, they must spend at least 85 percent of the yet-to-be-announced salary cap number.

“I have always said cap space is a little overrated, but with the new collective bargaining agreement, cap space allows you more flexibility than it has in the past,’’ said Ainge.

“Again, people look at cap space as an opportunity to go get a great player as a free agent. But there really aren’t franchise-changing players in the free agent market - other than a couple of guys, and there will be a lot of teams vying for them.

“But it will be a different world than we’ve lived in the last four or five years, that’s for sure.’’

The Celtics will be buyers, and Ainge will have a chance to attract players strictly with cash. One thing he is keeping abreast of is the progress of contract negotiations with fourth-year free agents such as Kevin Love.

All fourth-year players have until Wednesday to sign extensions with their current teams or they become restricted free agents.

Russell Westbrook signed a five-year deal estimated at $80 million last week, taking him off the market, but Love is still unsigned beyond next season, and the Timberwolves are uncertain whether they will offer him a five-year maximum deal.

The money the Celtics hold can also be used to extend offer sheets to restricted free agents. Given that the list of quality free agents is meager, that may be the Celtics’ best chance of landing an impact player.

Here’s a look at some unrestricted free agents and restricted free agents and their chances of playing in Boston:

■Dwight Howard - The reason his name is mentioned is that he has an opt-out clause that he will almost certainly exercise if he is not traded to his desired destination by March 15. There is no chance he comes to Boston, though, because he does not want to play here. If he did, the Celtics would roll out a green carpet from his house all the way to TD Garden. Chances: 1 percent.

■Kevin Love - He seems to be a perfect fit for the Celtics, but the Timberwolves would really have to botch this one for him to become available. He is only 23, one of the game’s top rebounders and a smooth outside scorer. The Celtics would offer him max dollars, but the Timberwolves would have the right to match. Chances: 15 percent.

■Jason Thompson - He has been left out of the Kings’ mix because they are loaded with big men. If the Celtics want to get younger and sign an East Coast kid (he played at Rider in New Jersey), they could take a chance on this restricted free agent, who won’t be that expensive. Chances: 30 percent.

■Ryan Anderson – The Magic swingman is developing into a weapon and will cash in on a nice payday unless Orlando decides to extend him by next week. The way he can stretch the floor with his shooting is an attractive feature, and the 6-foot-10-incher doesn’t turn 24 until May. Chances: 35 percent.

■Chris Kaman - He could be only a rental in New Orleans, and though it seems he’s been in the league for 25 years, he doesn’t turn 30 until April and can consistently hit the jumper off the pick-and-roll. If the Celtics are seeking a workmanlike big man with some miles left, Kaman may be their best option. Chances: 40 percent.

■O.J. Mayo - Memphis has tried to trade him twice already and is unlikely to offer him an extension before next week. He doesn’t have a true position, but imagine how explosive he could be at shooting guard. He will be a restricted free agent, and at least six or seven teams will be interested, but the Celtics have the money to make a tempting offer. Chances: 35 percent.

■Michael Beasley - He is in that class of 2008 waiting for an extension offer from Minnesota, but if the Timberwolves pass, the mercurial swingman could be had. He is a former second overall pick and has talent, but he would be a Doc Rivers project. His price could be manageable because of his history. Chances: 20 percent.

Pick left from Perkins deal

HIDDEN TREASURE?
The Celtics have one piece remaining from the Kendrick Perkins trade, a draft pick.
Nenad Krstic, who played 24 games with Boston, signed a four-year deal with CSKA Moscow just days after the lockout began. He could have been a key contributor if he had stayed. And Jeff Green is unavailable because of his aortic aneurysm.

But the Celtics also acquired a first-round pick from the Clippers, whose acquisition of Chris Paul dramatically changes how the pick can be used.

It is top 10 protected until 2015, and given the bright future of the Clippers, they are unlikely to finish in the top 10 for a few years. The Clippers also have Minnesota’s first-round pick, and if the Celtics decide to take the Clippers’ pick, it will be the worse of the two, so they could not claim the Timberwolves’ expected lottery pick.

If the Celtics use the pick in June - in what is considered one of the more fruitful drafts in recent memory - they can supplement their roster with two potential cornerstones.

Players such as Washington’s Terrence Ross, Duke’s Mason Plumlee, and North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller could be available with that Clippers’ pick, which could be in the late teens.

So even if the Celtics don’t do a thing this season, they could enter next season with E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson ready to make more of a contribution, plus two other rookies who likely would have been lottery picks in any other draft.

So that one draft pick - an afterthought on the day Perkins was shipped to Oklahoma City - may be the thing that makes the trade worthwhile.

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The Clippers also have Minnesota’s first-round pick, and if the Celtics decide to take the Clippers’ pick, it will be the worse of the two, so they could not claim the Timberwolves’ expected lottery pick.

Is that the 1st-round pick that was transfered to New Orleans in the Chris Paul trade?

Gyso,

I guess that is what happened. This may be dated by a few weeks by the author.

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I guess I'm a little slow. How can the Celtics supplement their roster with two cornerstones by using one draft pick?

Sam

Sam

here is a mock draft for 2012, based on the standings as of a couple days ago shows the C's with 2 picks their own at 10 and the one traded for at 19.

Interesting to see the players that may or may not be available as many are underclassmen.

http://www.nbadraft.net/2012mock_draft

beat

Sam,

Be interesting how many first rounders we can accumulate.

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