IRISH COFFEE: WHY AN ANDREW BYNUM TRADE ISN’T CRAZY

WEEI

By Ben Rohrbach
 
The Cavaliers suspended 26-year-old former All-Star center Andrew Bynum indefinitely over the weekend — a penalization for detrimental conduct that the team lifted after all of 24 hours before placing him on paid leave — so rumors have swirled around Cleveland dealing the oft-injured, much-maligned, weird-hairdoed 7-footer.

Naturally, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is doing his due diligence to determine Cavs owner Dan Gilbert‘s asking price. In a series of tweets on Saturday, Bill Simmons lumped the Celtics in with the title-contending Clippers and Heat among Bynum’s suitors, but there’s a catch to all this.

Regardless of whether or not Bynum eventually lands in Los Angeles or Miami — the latter of which Gilbert would probably like to prevent — the Celtics may still be interested in acquiring him, if only for his quirky contract.


This past summer, after missing the entire 2012-13 NBA season due to knee injuries, Bynum signed a two-year, $24.8 million deal in Cleveland, but the structure of the contract is a unique one. Only $6 million is guaranteed should the Cavaliers or any potential trade partner cut him prior to Jan. 7. Likewise, next year’s $12.5 million price tag does not become guaranteed until July 10, so there are salary cap-saving options galore.

If the Cavaliers and Bynum will ultimately be parting ways, in a strange way there’s no time like the present for them to sell high on him. Of course, the Celtics wouldn’t be willing to part with Rajon Rondo for a guy who’s played just 24 games since 2011-12 and remains on leave for what appears to be a disdain for playing basketball, so a deal between the two teams would have to be a larger one.

Cavaliers blog Fear the Sword proposed an interesting swap (h/t Red’s Army): Jeff Green and Courtney Lee for Bynum and one of Cleveland’s two first-round picks in 2014. The Cavs possess their own first-rounder and the Kings’ top selection (protected 1-12) in this coming June’s loaded draft. With two potential lottery picks and fresh off the disastrous No. 1 overall choice of Anthony Bennett, Cleveland may be willing to part with a prized pick for Green, who the Cavaliers were rumored to be interested in as a third party during the Omer Asik sweepstakes.

So, why would it make sense for the Celtics to part with their leading scorer? Ainge’s stockpiling of first-round picks is no secret, and by cutting Bynum before Jan. 7 (or even at season’s end), he could shave as much as $36.5 million off the cap through 2016 by shipping Green and Lee’s $15 million combined annual salaries. Such a deal slices the C’s guaranteed commitments to just $35.5 million next season, offering complete flexibility on the free agent market while landing a third first-round pick for the league’s most loaded draft in a decade.

Suddenly, trading Green for Bynum doesn’t seem so strange. And if Cleveland won’t take on the remaining $11.1 million due Lee after this season, Ainge might assuage those concerns by including Keith Bogans instead, still saving the Celtics $25.5 million through 2016. This is the kind of creative thinking that expedites the rebuild.

112288

I wouldn't be surprised. Not at all.

IT IS TIME FOR DANNY TO START THINKING CREATIVELY AND START GETTING RID OF SOME DEAD WOOD!

112288

Green and Lee for Bynum. I thought Ainge was supposed to be the one doing the fleecing.

This is a horrible trade on so many levels.



KJ

KJ,

You can buy better talent back on the open market.  This clears so much cap space for the next few years. No one will offer much back for Green with his $9M contract for the next few years and poor play. The guy has no value. Look at what happened today.......a no show!

Lee is just too over payed at this point however with his better shooting this year , his value has risen........you know what they say......SELL HIGH!

112288

112288 wrote:KJ,

You can buy better talent back on the open market.  This clears so much cap space for the next few years. No one will offer much back for Green with his $9M contract for the next few years and poor play. The guy has no value. Look at what happened today.......a no show!

Lee is just too over payed at this point however with his better shooting this year , his value has risen........you know what they say......SELL HIGH!

112288

For the season, Jeff averages 16.2 PPG, 1.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 44.7% FG. Not great numbers but not bad, either.

And who is on the open market now worth bringing in as a SF? No one. If they're gonna make a move to trade Green, this isn't a good one. They should get back something decent. Green actually does have value. In fact, he's one of the most easily tradeable assets on this team. But people need to realize he is a role player not a superstar. And to be fair, none of the starters really showed up (Crawford had a few flashes and not much else).

Lee is only making $5.2M, how is that overpaid? That's actually right around his paygrade as as role player.




KJ

.........................2013 -14.......2014 - 15.....2015 - 16
Courtney Lee    $5,225,000    $5,450,000       $5,675,000    

For his production off the bench, no way. He is in the $3 - $3.5M range max.

As for Green....his numbers are sinking. You cannot score 30+ one night and the next night disappear with 8 pts. They guy should be a 20 + ppg player with his talent.  That is why he sat on the bench in crunch time today.

112288

I have to confess that I don't know how these fan assessments of Celtics' salaries are calculated. For example, in the case of Courtney Lee......

.....he's by far the team's best of the team's most frequent three-point shooters.

.....he's in a virtual tie for second place among the regulars' two-point accuracy.

.....he's shooting 85% from the free throw line.

.....he's equally adept at shooting from outside, from mid-range, and going to the hoop.

.....he's a very good defensive player (including having height at the SG position that Avery Bradley can't boast), and he has a slight lead over Bradley in steals per minute on the floor.

......he's the runaway leader on the team in the differential between charges taken and charges committed.

And he does all this without having started one game this season and, in effect, coming in cold in every game. From all indications, he's also a good locker room guy.

It's not his fault he doesn't play more minutes, as I suspect he would if he went to another club. And, despite playing fewer minutes per game than ever before in his NBA tenure, his points per minute on the floor this season are the highest of his career.

And his stats don't tell the whole story. He's a savvy veteran who know where to be and when to be there.

So exactly what's all that worth per season? Somebody fill me in on how these calculations should be done. I mean, as Elton John put it: Who gets the call and who gets to choose, who gets to win and who gets to lose?

Sam

sam wrote:I have to confess that I don't know how these fan assessments of Celtics' salaries are calculated.  For example, in the case of Courtney Lee......

.....he's by far the team's best of the team's most frequent three-point shooters.

.....he's in a virtual tie for second place among the regulars' two-point accuracy.

.....he's shooting 85% from the free throw line.

.....he's equally adept at shooting from outside, from mid-range, and going to the hoop.

.....he's a very good defensive player (including having height at the SG position that Avery Bradley can't boast), and he has a slight lead over Bradley in steals per minute on the floor.

......he's the runaway leader on the team in the differential between charges taken and charges committed.

And he does all this without having started one game this season and, in effect, coming in cold in every game.  From all indications, he's also a good locker room guy.

It's not his fault he doesn't play more minutes, as I suspect he would if he went to another club.  And, despite playing fewer minutes per game than ever before in his NBA tenure, his points per minute on the floor this season are the highest of his career.

And his stats don't tell the whole story.  He's a savvy veteran who know where to be and when to be there.

So exactly what's all that worth per season?  Somebody fill me in on how these calculations should be done.  I mean, as Elton John put it: Who gets the call and who gets to choose, who gets to win and who gets to lose?

Sam

Personally, I think Lee is a very valuable player on any team. His salary is attractive because of what he brings to the table on offense, defense, and overall experience. Relative to the cap, $5M for a guy that produces on a consistent basis seems very reasonable to me.

Of course, I think when people make this sort of judgment, they judge the progress of the player and determine from there if they are or aren't worth their contract. Wallace, for example and his $10M/year. I don't think he is a bad player, but $10M for him is a steep price to pay considering his age and the fact that he's never been an "elite" player.




KJ

The Genius Reason Why The Lakers May Trade For Andrew Bynum Just To Cut Him
Business Insider By Cork Gaines
10 hours ago

The Los Angeles Lakers have discussed trading Pau Gasol to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Andrew Bynum according to Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.

On the surface, the move seems surprising since Gasol is still a productive player and there are reports that Bynum is no longer interested in playing basketball. But the trade would actually be a genius move that would save the Lakers more than $20 million in salary and luxury taxes.

The second-half of Bynum's salary for this season, as well as his salary for the 2014-15 season are only guaranteed if he is still on a roster on January 7. So, if the trade is made before January 7, the Lakers can just cut Bynum and not have to pay the $18.7 million remaining on his contract.

In addition, by trading Gasol, who will be a free agent after the season, the Lakers would no longer be responsible for the nearly $10 million remaining on his contract. The reduction in payroll would also mean the Lakers would save millions in luxury taxes.

The move makes sense for the Lakers because they are unlikely to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Cavs want to trade Bynum who has been suspended and is unlikely to play for the team again. In return, the Cavs would get an all-star center and make a run for the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conference where they are just 2.5 games behind the eighth seed despite being just 10-20.

One thing holding up the deal is that the Lakers want other players included in the deal. But at this point it would seem the deal makes too much sense for both sides to not get a deal done.

Steve,

I had just read that one not too long ago. The Lakers salary will drop by about $42M next season, granting them a great deal of flexibility.



KJ

KJ,

Would it really create a lot of flexibility for the Lakers (for example, for free agents), or would it simply help get them out of the luxury tax hole in which they find themselves?

Sam

Sam,

You are just talking about this year right?  The preceding few years have been a disaster .............so if he is on an up swing..........sell high and get out of his contract.

112288

112288, sorry but I don't know whom you mean by "he" or whom you're referring to about the preceding few years. I'll be glad to respond if you'll clarify. In the meantime, Happy New Year to you, Karen and the girls.

Sam

Lee

112288

112288,

Thanks for the clarification. The past is not the present. Didn't I read, in several places, that Lee practiced his shooting almost ferociously during the past offseason. And, in the past, wasn't he doing a "Bradley" (aka being asked to play the position of PG, which was foreign to him)?

Sam

Sam,

I read that too a few months ago.

What is that old expression .......BACK TO THE FUTURE............ who knows if Lee will revert back  to his past play........he has value and it would be best to bring someone younger and less costly so he can grow with the team.

112288
112288

In spite of the unreasonable expectations that many people here seem to have for him, Jeff Green is one of the best players in the NBA in his salary range. Even with his inconsistency, he is still scoring 16 ppg on a team with no real PG and a coach who is still learning the ropes.

You dont trade your best player (second best if you count Rondo) for an expiring contract. That is foolish.
In addition, while this coming draft looks good on paper - after the first 5 picks, it is all a crap shoot...and VERY uncommon to find a guy who will step in and make an impact.

Want to take a guess how many rookies in the NBA are averaging 16 ppg? ONE.

I get why people are frustrated with Jeff Green's inconsistency - but to take it to the point that you want to ship him out of town in some cockamamie deal like this is just ludicrous

mrkleen

Think we (some of us) forget this......
Just a year ago the guy had his chest torn open to fix his heart.

I'm willing to give him a season of inconsistency.
We have bigger needs. And I mean BIGGER as in a center.

beat

I am not unsympathetic to the complains - I feel the same way on certain nights.  But if you look at the entire picture, Jeff still has not been put in the best position to succeed.

He only plays 33 minutes per game.  Not sure if that is because he is on some kind of medical limit - or Stevens thinks that is enough, but he should be closer to 35 or 36 IMO.

He only takes 12 shots per game, that is 1 less then Bradley and only 1 more than Crawford and Sully.  How can you be the go to guy on a team and only get 12 shots per game?  You cant.

All of the other "Stars" in the league are getting 16, 17, 20 shots per game.  If the Celtics got him 4 more shots per game (16 total) - even if we account for a reduction in shooting % - he would still easily be a 18 or 19 ppg scorer.

If you want to truly say Jeff Green is a failure, or will never be a star you have to give him a chance to be that player first.  GIVE HIM THE BALL and lets see what happens.  In the absence of that - all you have in conjecture.

Boston's offense has a tendency to look quite atrocious at times. It isn't fair to pin 100% blame on Green.

In a half court game, Boston's deficiencies are magnified because they lack the personnel to execute on a consistent basis. I've watched almost all of the games this year, and too often Green is given the ball too far from the basket. Running ISO every time one gets the ball has to cause fatigue. Yes, he is a young player but he doesn't have a great motor.



KJ