Centers...centers?....we don't need no stinkin' Centers!

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/celtics-reportedly-among-teams-interested-002108774.html


https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/vincent-poirier-1.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Poirier


IF Ainge signs him  then I hope that he'll be better than Faverani was!!!

on another note on a REAL  NBA big man:

Cauley-Stein wants out of Sacramento and would like to become a Un-resticted FA and sign somewhere else.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/free-agent-trade-options-celtics-214026540.html


Free agent and trade options as the Celtics go big man hunting this summer
A. Sherrod Blakely,NBC Sports Boston 12 hours ago
Reactions Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email

Free agent and trade options as the Celtics go big man hunting this summer originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com

BOSTON -- Danny Ainge acknowledges how the buildup to this upcoming season is one in which the Boston Celtics find themselves navigating in uncharted waters.

In the Brad Stevens era, there has never been a stretch in which a huge surplus of talented big men were on the top shelf.

But never has the cupboard been this bare on the cusp of free agency, a period of time in which the Celtics have little choice but to sound the alarm in hopes that they can attract quality big men they can sign outright or acquire via trade.

So who should they pursue?

Steven Adams, Oklahoma City Thunder
Selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft, there are some league officials at the time who believed that Boston, which traded up to No. 13 that year, was angling to select Adams.

A 7-foot center who is considered by many as the strongest player in the NBA, there are a multitude of ways he can bolster the Celtics roster.

For starters, he's one of the better defensive big men in the NBA in addition to being a double-digit rebounder who can impact games at both ends of the floor at a high level.

Which Celtics rookies can help right away?
He's coming off a season in which he averaged 13.9 points per game for the second year in a row, while tallying career highs in rebounds (9.5), assists (1.6) and steals (1.5) per game.

Adams is also one of the more efficient scorers in the NBA, shooting a career 58.8 percent shooter from the field.

He doesn't stretch the floor like many of today's centers and most coming into the league, but he's more than just a player who scores on lay-ups and dunks, too.

But his play hasn't been enough to elevate the Thunder to being title contenders, which is why they are reportedly open to trading Adams who has two years and $53.3 million left on the four-year extension worth $100 million he signed in 2016.

Adams is on Boston's radar, but it's unclear where he falls in the team's pecking order as far as players they plan to pursue, or exactly what they are willing to give up in order to acquire him. But if you're talking about big men who can make a major impact, Adams is one of those players that has to be given serious consideration.

Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic
Here's what we're discovering about today's NBA. You need at least four, high-impact, difference-makers in order to seriously compete for an NBA title. And while Vucevic isn't the kind of player you build around, his skills make him a legitimate target if you're looking to establish a fantastic four-like roster.

The 6-11 center tallied 60 double-doubles last season, a figure bested only by Andre Drummond of Detroit (69) and Utah's Rudy Gobert (66)

Coming off his first all-star selection, the 28-year-old has a lot of the qualities and traits that the Celtics would be looking for in what would likely be a replacement of sorts for Al Horford who is a free agent and is expected to sign elsewhere.

And by trading away Aron Baynes, the Celtics increased their salary cap flexibility to go out and pursue a player like Vucevic who will likely command a multi-year contract that averages $20-25 million per season.

Dewayne Dedmon, Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks moving up to select Virginia's De'Andre Hunter in Thursday night's NBA draft, makes it less of a priority for them to re-sign Dedmon who is coming off arguably his best season in the NBA.

Ainge defiant amid reports of C's demise
While he's not one of the more sexy names you hear on the free agent market, NBA teams are well aware of his play last season.

More times than not, good things happened to the Hawks when Dedmon was on the floor, evident by him having a net rating of +4.5 last season which was the third-highest on the team according to Cleaning the Glass.

After making $6.3 million last season, the issue isn't whether the Celtics can afford Dedmon.

Instead, more to the point is whether the 7-foot Dedmon feels Boston would be an ideal situation for him.

Last season, he averaged 10.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. In addition, Dedmon showed significant improvement as a long-range shooter, connecting on 38.2 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Ed Davis, Brooklyn Nets
Coming off a solid season with the Nets, all signs point toward Davis inking a multi-year deal worth more than the $4.49 million he made last season.

The 30-year-old free agent was an efficient player last season, averaging 5.8 points on 61.6 percent shooting from the field, along with grabbing 8.6 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game.

But he did so primarily as a reserve (he appeared in 80 games with one start), something the Celtics may not necessarily be looking for on the free agent market.

And Davis is not a threat from three-point range so that some extent limits what he brings to the floor from an offensive standpoint.

But the one thing we do know about Davis is when it comes to free agency he knows what he wants.

Celtics teammates on Kyrie's exit: "It's just time"
"First is the money," Davis told Michael Scotto of The Athletic. "Then, two is fit. Then, if it's a playoff team or a non-playoff team or an old team or young team. Whatever fits best for you. The last thing I guess is the city, but for sure a guy like me is definitely the money for sure.

Davis added, "A lot of guys won't say it, but trust me, 99.9 percent of the guys it's about money just like for your job. You're going where the money is at. People look at us athletes and think that we're not supposed to take what's best for us. It's definitely about the money."

Noah Vonleh, New York Knicks
With the Knicks all-in on attracting a pair of max-salaried players with their immense cap space, the potential for a player like Vonleah to be scooped up by another team is real. The former first-round pick from Haverill, Mass., averaged 8.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists - all career highs - in 25.3 minutes per game which is also a career mark for the 23-year-old.

Vonleh, who has spent his offseasons working out at the Celtics practice facility in past years, has five NBA seasons under his belt which fits in well with Boston looking to add what can best be described as youthful experience.

But as we get closer to the start of free agency, much of the momentum and hype surrounding what the Knicks will do this summer has cooled off with it looking less and less likely that they will land one of the top free agents.

That can only increase the chances of them re-signing Vonleh who has played on four different teams in his five NBA seasons while earning $1.6 million last season.

Boston would be in a position to offer Vonleh a significant bump in pay and potentially a chance to start.

Like most of the potential bigs on the free agent market, Vonleh isn't a name that has a ton of sizzle to it.

But he is a serviceable big for a team that's built perimeter-oriented. And with his steady improvement from 3-point range, Vonleh could be a player in helping the Celtics during this period of rebuilding.

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.

since we need TWO bigs, IMO.

pick two please


others not listed who could be options:

H. WHiteside- Mia- Opted in and Miami would like to dump his high salary.

S. Ibaka- Tor-IF Leonard returns they may look to dump Ibaka's salary

N. Noel may be a cheap FA signing ( Like Vonleh above) as bench type big man.

Aminu from Portland is a skinny big who plays high end defense and could be a cost effective big.

I proposed in another thread, that combo of Dedmon and Aminu might be able to be signed using the cap space, instead of one player using most of the space, like Vucivec and say the Frenchman?

Just other thoughts.

Yes we need two bigs, and I do like Dedmon. Danny has something up his sleeve, or should I say, he better have.

Every time the Celtics headed into pre-season camp with too many guaranteed contracts Sam used to say "I'm not concerned.  Danny knows how many he needs to have by opening night.  He'll get there" and, sure enough, he did.

Danny knows that even, if he resigns Theis, he doesn't have enough bigs.  He'll get there.  In a strange way I feel calmer about this issue now than I usually do at thia time exactly, precisely because it is SO obviously in need of addressing.  It is when we could skate by and I don't know if Danny will make a move that I become nervous.  There is no doubt in my mind, NONE, he will do something and Danny is a planner long before he's a trader..  He knew the Horford deal was going to fall apart as soon as he heard their requirements and knew he wasn't/couldn't agree to them.  He has known about this LONG before we did and for all that time he was planning his next moves without Horford.  Does anybody think he would have traded Baynes, our last legit center, on draft night without already having a Plan B queued up?  Does that sound like any version of Danny Ainge you've ever seen?


bob


.

Bob , Vincent Poirier is a much better player than Goga Bitaze, Faverani and Theis. He is tough,play above the rim, fast and a very good defender.Aside from Rudy Gobert , he is the most valuable player on the French national team.Only 25 years old , but with a lot of experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa6mFlGZTWU

Averages 20mpg for his career. Excluding his low mpg rookie season he still has never played more than 25mpg for a season. If he thinks he is going to come to the NBA and start he is going to be disappointed because he'll play 30mpg and run out of gas ("mpg" could be minutes per game or miles per gallon here I guess). Theis averaged about the same in Europe too. He came here and struggled every time injuries put him in a position where he had to play heavier minutes.


bob


.

Est ce-que Vincent Poirier peut devenir un Celtic? Is he unsigned and undrafted? I trust Internationals judgment on all matters East of Labrador.

I do not want to see Boston make any long term deals for centers that are past their prime.

Vuc is the most productive but competition will be fierce so I would be very surprised if we get him.

I would stay away from Adams ($)

Dedmon makes the most sense for me.  He is coming off a $6.8 million deal with the Hawks and he is an unrestricted FA.  The Hawks still have Plumlee under contract for a year and John Collins has turned into a younger version of Al Horford.  I think they got a steal 

Dedmon looks like the best the fit for Boston because he rebounds and he can stretch the floor, can make FT and is a decent shot blocker (not great) and a solid rebounder. The downside is that he is a 25 MPG guy.  Perhaps Robert William will actually get to play this year.

Willie Cauley-Stein. RFA but his agency Roc nation pressuring Sacramento not to match - he wants out and I want to see him running with the Celtics...

Agency are becoming way too powerful.

Jonas Valanciunas is now listed as a UFA also.

he is 27YO now so young enough, might be cheaper than Vucevic and provide  a  solid rebounder and low post scorer , He's not the passer or have the 3 point shot that Vucevic has, but he should come cheaper also.

Bob, How many times have I told you , that stats and minutes  in Europe are deceiving? Due to the fact that teams are alloud to have at least 8 foreign players , is very rare to see a player with 25 minutes or more, also the duration of the  the games is 40 minutes not 48 like the NBA, rebounds leaders are those who got 7 or 8 rebounds , the majority of the time ,teams play 12 players and at leats 10 of them play around 10 minutes.Poirer is well respected in Europe and on the French national team and is very solid.Frankly I don't see much difference between Poirer and Domantas Sabonis as players.

https://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/Spain/Kirolbet-Baskonia-Vitoria/108?Page=3

How about Jonas and Dedmon or Jonas and Poirier both?

Celtics interested in Steven Adams

Adams is on Boston’s radar, but it’s unclear where he falls in the team’s pecking order as far as players they plan to pursue, or exactly what they are willing to give up in order to acquire him. But if you’re talking about big men who can make a major impact, Adams is one of those players that has to be given serious consideration. – via NBC Sports

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


hard to see a deal getting done without a third team

how about

we trade Langfords rights to Indiana

Pacers trade Sabonis back to OKC

we send a first round draft pick next year to OKC

we get Adams?

OKC is $16M over the tax line right now and need to dump salary if they are not a title contender.

They would need a starting type big man in return
we can likely absorb Adams contact in our cap space (may have to send Yabusele to OKC also to be sure).

Pacers drafted Goga to back up Turner in the first, so Sabonis may be expendable.

Just an idea that came to mind, I am sure there are other teams can make more sense.

international wrote:Bob, How many times have I told you , that stats and minutes  in Europe are deceiving? Due to the fact that teams are alloud to have at least 8 foreign players , is very rare to see a player with 25 minutes or more, also the duration of the  the games is 40 minutes not 48 like the NBA, rebounds leaders are those who got 7 or 8 rebounds , the majority of the time ,teams play 12 players and at leats 10 of them play around 10 minutes.Poirer is well respected in Europe and on the French national team and is very solid.Frankly I don't see much difference between Poirer and Domantas Sabonis as players.

International,

I'm not saying he can't play 30mpg+ period, I'm saying he never has and it takes a while for the cardio to ramp up.  In US High School and college players that are destined for the nect level are given heavy minutes by their coaches.  They are used to it.

Poirer might be the next Rudy Gobert for all I know, but going from 19mpg to 30+mpg in a couple of months won't be easy.


bob


.

Regarding endurance, check this out:

https://humanbioscience.org/2019/06/is-there-a-limit-to-human-endurance.html


Pregnant women are the real super athletes.

dboss wrote:Perhaps Robert William will actually get to play this year.

Be careful what you wish for. You led the chorus around Baynes being a limited player. Lets see how limited the big men on this team will be this coming season.

bobheckler wrote:

international wrote:Bob, How many times have I told you , that stats and minutes  in Europe are deceiving? Due to the fact that teams are alloud to have at least 8 foreign players , is very rare to see a player with 25 minutes or more, also the duration of the  the games is 40 minutes not 48 like the NBA, rebounds leaders are those who got 7 or 8 rebounds , the majority of the time ,teams play 12 players and at leats 10 of them play around 10 minutes.Poirer is well respected in Europe and on the French national team and is very solid.Frankly I don't see much difference between Poirer and Domantas Sabonis as players.

International,

I'm not saying he can't play 30mpg+ period, I'm saying he never has and it takes a while for the cardio to ramp up.  In US High School and college players that are destined for the nect level are given heavy minutes by their coaches.  They are used to it.

Poirer might be the next Rudy Gobert for all I know, but going from 19mpg to 30+mpg in a couple of months won't be easy.


bob


.

My bad Bob, I thought you were thinking that Poirer was not a good player, because he was only playing 20 minutes per game.

Last, but not least, is the question of All-Star center Vucevic, who has long been reported, including by The News, as a likely Mavericks free-agent target. Sources, however, now tell The News that while the Mavericks see Vucevic as a viable fit alongside Kristaps Porzingis, Vucevic is seeking a starting salary of $25 million and thus is out of Dallas’ price range. And there is little-to-no chance of Vucevic falling into the Mavericks’ comfort-level price because his current team, Orlando, wants to keep him and because he has other suitors, particularly Sacramento and Boston. – via Dallas Morning News

KDP.

Adams for Langford and Yabusele? Great thought, but I would r e a l l y hate to lose Yabusele.

https://hoopshype.com/2019/06/26/demarcus-cousins-free-agency-rumors-kings-lakers-celtics-warriors/

Four potential DeMarcus Cousins landing spots in free agency Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
1.5k
SHARES
SHARE
TWEET
EMAIL
By: Frank Urbina | June 26, 2019

In an offseason with so many big-name players hitting the open market, one of the most interesting free agencies will be that of Golden State Warriors big man DeMarcus Cousins.

When healthy this season, Cousins put up fairly impressive numbers – 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game – as a fourth, and sometimes even fifth, option on one of the best teams in basketball. His defense may have been shaky and the Warriors were statistically a bit worse during his time on the floor, but it was still a noteworthy showing for a former All-NBA center returning from a brutal achilles injury.

The problem is that in the playoffs, when Cousins really could have put himself back on the map as one of the league’s top big men, he got hurt again – a partially torn thigh this time – and missed 14 of the Warriors’ 22 postseason outings.

He deserves commendation for battling back from the injury and making a speedy return in time for the Finals, but the comeback was far from triumphant, as Cousins averaged just 8.3 points and shot 42.5 percent from the floor during Golden State’s final six games in the season.

Nevertheless, considering Cousins’ pedigree and the fact that he is now heading into the summer healthy, he should still receive a good amount of interest as a free agent this summer as a secondary target.

Below, we break down four potential landing spots for the nine-year veteran center.


SACRAMENTO KINGS
With Willie Cauley-Stein, their starting center of the last two seasons, making it known that he would like out, the Sacramento Kings could have a hole to fill at the 5 next year if that request is obliged.

Might that open the door for a reunion between Sacramento and Cousins?

Their relationship may have had its ups and its downs (and that’s putting it lightly), but considering cost and ability, the Kings may not have a better option than their former big man once free agency opens up.

Other free-agent center possibilities that may interest Sacramento, like Nikola Vucevic or Al Horford, are coming off strong, healthy campaigns, and would be much more expensive to lock down than Cousins.

What’s more, Cousins proved last season that he’s willing to take a less focal role in an offense during his time with the Warriors (his usage rate with Golden State was 28.1 percent – a much lower mark than his combined 34.7 percent usage rate from the four seasons prior), meaning the worry of him taking possessions away from Sacramento’s developing young core might not be so prevalent.

It’s probably not the outcome either party expected when Cousins got traded back in 2017, but a reconciliation between the two parties could very much benefit both the Kentucky product and the Kings next season and beyond.


BOSTON CELTICS
When Cousins shocked the NBA collective by signing with the Warriors last summer, a report from Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes stated that Golden State wasn’t Cousins’ only option when he made his final decision.

The other team that almost signed the four-time All-Star center?

None other than the Boston Celtics.


Chris Haynes

@ChrisBHaynes
ESPN Sources: DeMarcus Cousins had narrowed his choices down to Golden State and Boston.

4,532
9:33 PM - Jul 2, 2018
Twitter Ads info and privacy
2,450 people are talking about this
Well, with Horford and Boston reportedly headed for a split, maybe the Celtics might try and kick the tires on Cousins again.

Without Horford or the seemingly Brooklyn-bound Kyrie Irving on the roster, Boston projects to have over $20 million in cap space this offseason, more than enough to make a competitive offer for Cousins, who will probably land a deal worth less than half that this offseason.

Cousins would be able to replace some of the floor-spacing and playmaking duties Horford is set to leave behind, albeit without the same level of defense the Dominican big man provides.

Still, at a fraction of the cost of the deal Horford is about to sign this summer (reports state it could be worth over $100 million), a Cousins signing could be a worthwhile, low-cost gamble for Boston.


LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Another team that has been previously linked with Cousins, the Los Angeles Lakers could also make some sense as potential suitors for the enigmatic big man.

Although the addition of Anthony Davis might make Cousins seem like a superfluous target for the Lakers, if they can land him at a reasonable price, he could be an extremely savvy acquisition for Los Angeles.

For starters, Cousins at the 5 would allow Davis to shift to his preferred spot as a do-it-all power forward, capable of defending multiple positions and abusing opposing slow-footed bigs on the perimeter.

Plus, let’s not forget how well the duo was starting to play together as New Orleans Pelicans before Cousins suffered the Achilles injury back in 2017, when they were averaging a combined 57-plus points and 25-plus rebounds per game.

That tandem, plus a reinvigorated LeBron James, as well as whoever else the Lakers are able to sign with their still-copious amounts of cap space, should form a force in the Western Conference.


GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Although they won’t have much cap space this offseason no matter what happens with Kevin Durant or Klay Thompson, we still can’t rule out a Cousins return to Golden State.

When asked about his upcoming free agency and whether the Warriors would be in the running for his services, Cousins said the following:

“‘It was a weird summer last summer. So you never know how things work out,’ Cousins said. ‘I’m open and I’ll make the best decision for myself and my family. We’ll see which way the wind blows.'”

Although he can probably get more money elsewhere, Golden State will actually need Cousins’ help next season, with Durant likely gone and Thompson on the shelf until probably next March, if not longer.

If Cousins were to choose the Warriors, there’s a good chance he would finish next season as their second-leading scorer, behind only Stephen Curry, and make himself a whole lot more appealing to prospective suitors next summer when he hits free agency again, provided he makes the sensible decision and signs a one-year deal. That interest would multiply if Golden State makes an improbable playoff run with Cousins as one of their top players.

There is the issue of finances to deal with, though. Using his non-Bird rights, the most the Warriors would be able to offer Cousins next season on a one-season deal is $6.4 million, which would make it two years of the big man’s prime spent taking a pretty steep discount.

Could choosing that path be worthwhile for Cousins anyway if all of the above happens and he puts himself in the position to secure a major contract in the summer of 2020?

Perhaps.

But it would still be a very risky proposition for the almost-29-year-old with a concerning injury history.

You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.

Mark Murphy @Murf56
about 1 hour ago
Per source: For now, Al Horford has not scheduled any meetings with teams.

reply retweet like



bob


.