Players That MAY Become Available This Offseason

Rumor has it that the NYK may go after EF and the price range is in the $18 million level. If the Celtics were to go there they would be about $10 million into the luxury tax. That figure does not include using any exceptions to build out the roster.

The Celtics have limited financial flexibility.

If Boston does not retain his services look for them to use the smaller MLE. Also make a trade using TT contact to add a PF or a PG.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/cavs-reportedly-looking-clear-space-100046762.html


Cavs reportedly looking to clear space; should the Celtics call about Larry Nance Jr.?



Justin Quinn
Wed, July 28, 2021, 6:00 AM



A player the Boston Celtics were linked to in 2020-21 but could not find a way to pry loose from the Cleveland Cavaliers might be particularly available if recent reporting from The Athletic’s Zach Harper reflects the Cavs current thinking. According to Harper, Cleveland forward Larry Nance Jr. might not just be gettable, but a priority to move.

Per the Athletic analyst, the “Cavs could be willing to take on money now for this coming season if it means clearing deals like Larry Nance Jr. or even Cedi Osman for next season’s books.” If the Ohio franchise was perhaps open to taking back old friend Tristan Thompson on an expiring deal or even nothing at all with the use of the remainder of the Gordon Hayward traded player exception, such a move might suit both parties well.

“The Cavs want to clean up some of this cap mess for the near future since Jarrett Allen is going to cost them,” notes Harper.


While there might be other suitors after Nance or Osman, Boston seems a logical suitor on several levels, and ought to pursue such a path if the ask proves even close to what we’re hearing.


Bob
MY NOTE:  6'7", 245#.  9.3ppg.  36% from 3 last season, and that was his best year ever.  61% from the line.  6.7 rebounds in > 31mpg.  Statistically, he's underwhelming.  He makes $10.6M this year and $9.7M next year.

For comparison sake (Nance played a lot more minutes, so take these with a big grain of salt):  2020-2021

Player.....................mpg......ppg.....fg%......3ptfg%......rpg......apg.....stlpg......blkpg.....TOpg
Larry Nance Jr-------31.2----9.3-----47.1-----36.0--------6.7----3.1----1.7-------.5--------1.6
Semi Ojelaye--------17.0----4.6-----40.3-----36.7--------2.6-----.7-----.3--------0.0-------.4
Grant Williams------18.1----4.7-----43.7------37.2-------2.8-----1.0----.5--------.4--------.9

Nance's numbers are understandably better overall, he plays a lot more minutes to get them, but he also plays against tougher players because he's a starter.  Would Ime play Nance 31mpg?  I doubt it, he's not that good that he'd get those minutes on a good team (vs the Cleveland Cadavers), but he's better than Semi or Grant.  The question is "is he worth roughly $10M/year for the next 2 years when we already have Grant under a cheap contract for another 2"?  Yes, I know about Grant Williams (and I know DBoss' opinion of him) but if we want salary flexibility for another big-ticket player do we want to take on Nance's contract?  I've been told I should pay more attention to the salary cap, even though it's not my money nor my area of expertise.  Ok, so, what would be the impact on our salary cap and our ability to make a big signing over the next 2 years if we get Nance?  If Nance would play 25mpg for us, instead of the 31+ in Cleveland, is he really worth all the extra money for the 7-8 more minutes/game he'd be getting over the other two given the significantly more money he's getting paid?  Furthermore, and perhaps most damnably, isn't Larry Nance Jr. at 6'7" 240# just another undersized PF like Semi and Grant?  Isn't that exactly, precisely what we don't want?


.

All good valid points Bob H. Things to ponder….

Ktron wrote:All good valid points Bob H. Things to ponder….

ktron,

I also thought of another issue.  One of Brad's problems that he inherited from Danny is that we have big contracts (Tatum and Horford), one pretty big one (Brown) but really only one medium-sized one (Smart).  Fournier, obviously would have an impact on this but he hasn't resigned yet nor do we know for how much.

Unless we're doing a blockbuster trade (e.g. Kemba for Horford or, God Forbid in my opinion, Jaylen for Beal) we really don't have enough mid-sized contracts that we can package to get a needle-moving player without including Marcus Smart.  I, for one, would rather not trade him.  You can have the best legs in the world, the strongest backs and the sharpest mind but you aren't going anywhere without a heart.  Therefore, if Cleveland was willing to take the rest of Hayward's TPE for Nance in a straight salary dump, we'd have another mid-sized contract.  That'd give us Smart, Nance and maybe Fournier in that particular contract portfolio.

The real question then is, from a bigger, non-team specific 50,000 foot birds-eye view, "how valued is Larry Nance Jr. in the NBA?"  Is he a player that could be packaged because he is valued or not?  Would he be tradable, again? This was something Danny was pretty good at knowing because he called every GM at least once a month to check in and chat about who they like and who they don't like around the league (he learned that from Red).  That's why a lot of Danny's trades were like rolling thunder.  The first trade was sometimes just a set up to get the player from GM #1 that he could flip down the line to GM #2, who has the player Danny really wanted.  Brad, being a newbie at this new job, may not be up to speed yet when it comes to who covets whom.


Bob


.

bobheckler wrote:

Ktron wrote:All good valid points Bob H. Things to ponder….

ktron,

I also thought of another issue.  One of Brad's problems that he inherited from Danny is that we have big contracts (Tatum and Horford), one pretty big one (Brown) but really only one medium-sized one (Smart).  Fournier, obviously would have an impact on this but he hasn't resigned yet nor do we know for how much.

Unless we're doing a blockbuster trade (e.g. Kemba for Horford or, God Forbid in my opinion, Jaylen for Beal) we really don't have enough mid-sized contracts that we can package to get a needle-moving player without including Marcus Smart.  I, for one, would rather not trade him.  You can have the best legs in the world, the strongest backs and the sharpest mind but you aren't going anywhere without a heart.  Therefore, if Cleveland was willing to take the rest of Hayward's TPE for Nance in a straight salary dump, we'd have another mid-sized contract.  That'd give us Smart, Nance and maybe Fournier in that particular contract portfolio.

The real question then is, from a bigger, non-team specific 50,000 foot birds-eye view, "how valued is Larry Nance Jr. in the NBA?"  Is he a player that could be packaged because he is valued or not?  Would he be tradable, again?  This was something Danny was pretty good at knowing because he called every GM at least once a month to check in and chat about who they like and who they don't like around the league (he learned that from Red).  That's why a lot of Danny's trades were like rolling thunder.  The first trade was sometimes just a set up to get the player from GM #1 that he could flip down the line to GM #2, who has the player Danny really wanted.  Brad, being a newbie at this new job, may not be up to speed yet when it comes to who covets whom.


Bob


.

Good question concerning Nance’s value. I would like to know that as well. He’s a good player but I’m not sure he moves the needle much. Lakers used to tout him as part of their future and then traded him to Cleveland where Lebron stated “Now we have a squad” and then high tailed it out the door the next season.
If we can get him for what you intimated, I believe its worth the risk. Who knows, maybe this is where he finally flourishes. If not, he’s probably good enough to package out the door. Cant fathom him being traded one up for anyone that would do us much good.

https://www.celticsblog.com/2021/7/29/22601162/shams-charania-boston-celtics-interested-in-lonzo-ball-restricted-free-agent



Charania: Celtics interested in Lonzo Ball


Ball enters restricted free agency this summer.



By wjsy@deliberatepix  Jul 29, 2021, 10:45pm EDT



After dealing Kemba Walker to the Oklahoma City Thinder, the Celtics have a point guard-sized hole in the starting lineup. There’s some thinking that Marcus Smart could slot right in. Earlier today, it was reported that Boston was interested in Ricky Rubio before he was dealt to Cleveland. Now, Stadium’s Shams Charania is reporting that Brad Stevens could have his eye on Lonzo Ball:


Stadium
@Stadium
·
Jul 29
Chicago, Boston and Toronto are expected to show interest in RFA point guard Lonzo Ball, per our #NBA Insider
@ShamsCharania
, presented by
@ATT
5G.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1420924032480862212


After the Pelicans dealt Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams for Jonas Valanciunas (and swapped several picks), New Orleans cleared cap space to potentially pursue more marquee names to pair with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. They could retain Lonzo Ball as he enters restricted free agency, but several teams, including the Celtics, will also be interested in his services.

In Ball’s fourth season, he seemed to make the leap after disappointing years with the Lakers. He raised his three-point shooting percentage to 37.8% on a high volume and remains a plus defender on the perimeter as a 6’6 guard. The 24-year-old Ball also fits the team timeline and age profile better. After years of having scoring guards at the helm in Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving, and Kemba Walker, the Celtics focus seems to be on defense-first, pass-first point guards to pair with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Obviously, there isn’t an easy for Boston to get Ball. Charania sets his price tag between $20-22 million and the Celtics do not have cap space. They still have Evan Fournier’s free agency to deal with (if they plan on re-signing him) and any possible sign-and-trade deal with New Orleans would hard cap them for the year.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Suppose, just suppose, Danny Brad (it still hasn't completely set in yet, obviously) does a sign-and-trade with NOP with Fournier going to NOP for Ball.  Would you do that trade?  If yes, then let's ratchet up the deal a bit.  If they won't take Fournier then who would you replace him with in the deal?  How much would you be willing to give up for Lonzo Ball?


.

Yes. In a heart beat (to the first question)
Question 2-?? That’s a tough one. I hate the thought of it but it might work out for everyone. Would you give up Smart?

Yes to 1. Al H for 2.

Check out the salaries, I don't see how you can do a S&T for Lonzo and fit everything within the hard cap of $138M. We appear to be at $135M now assuming that Parker will be released.

I am not in favor of a straight up swap of Smart and Lonzo. Seems like making a change for the sake of making a change. Doesn't change much.

I think that the table is being set for Beal.

Marcus Smart has better court vision and drives better than Ball.

I don't get the love.

With Ball being a restricted Free Agent, he is looking for a big salary bump.   That tells me that if he was traded it would have to be a sign and trade situation if the Celtics were involved.  It would also mean that Smart's contract would probably not be enough to make the trade.  Someone else would have to be included.

Smart is not going to be traded to NOP.  The Celtic are not going to add another $20+ million for a single player to their payroll this year.

More importantly NOLA already moved Bledsoe and if they were to move Ball as well their PG depth would be a big issue unless you think Kira Lewis is ready to run the team.

NOLA is looking to add a big time talent and do it asap because Zion has already served notice that he is not happy there.  

All of these things are in the equation.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-rockets-declining-avery-bradley-230045419.html



Report: Rockets declining Avery Bradley’s team option



Dan Feldman
Sat, July 31, 2021, 4:00 PM



Avery Bradley – acquired as matching salary in the Victor Oladipo trade – played terribly for the Rockets last season.

That helped Houston land No. 2 pick Jalen Green, the centerpiece of its fast-developing rebuild.

With those contributions from Bradley banked, the Rockets will decline his $5,916,750 team option.

Shams Charania of The Athletic:


Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
The Rockets are not picking up guard Avery Bradley’s $5.9 million team option for next season, making him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Sides mutually agreed to part ways.
9:48 AM · Jul 31, 2021

Bradley, 30, will probably play better on a good team. He signed with the Heat last offseason and will likely seek another winner.

His defense is tenacious, though he’s not too switchable and he’s a tough offensive fit with his lack of passing and inconsistent jumper. Still, he’ll likely have his pick of minimum salaries and maybe even some teams offering slightly more.


Bob
MY NOTE:  I know we all love AB from "the good ol' days" but he has to be pretty much done at this point.  He'll be 31 soon, there are tons of young undersized back court defenders who would kill to be able to get up in  another player's grill, and his shooting has fallen off. Why sign him to a minimum NBA contract when you can get someone 8-10 years younger who still has his legs and can switch on defense better?


.

https://nesn.com/2021/08/lonzo-ball-bulls-contract-not-celtics-nba-free-agency/



Lonzo Ball Reportedly Nearing Contract Agreement With Bulls, Not Celtics


NBA free agency begins Monday evening

by Dakota Randall
35 minutes ago



Condolences to those who became invested in the idea of Lonzo Ball joining the Boston Celtics.

Momentum is building toward the point guard signing a contract with the Chicago Bulls when NBA free agency begins Monday evening, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes. Last week, the Celtics were identified as one of the teams most interested in Ball, who is a restricted free agent.

Haynes, who delivered his report during an NBA TV free agency special, also said the New Orleans Pelicans are significantly interested in signing free agent guard Kyle Lowry.


Mark Schanowski
@MarkSchanowski
Watching NBA TV’s free agency special. Well respected @ChrisBHaynes reports unless there’s a major “hiccup”, sources tell him Lonzo Ball intends to work out a contract with the Bulls. Pelicans are going hard after free agent PG Kyle Lowry.
8:23 PM · Jul 31, 2021

Ball, the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, has turned himself into a quality NBA guard.

Still just 23 years old, the UCLA product is coming of a season in which he set career-highs in points (14.6), field goal percentage (41%), 3-point percentage (39%) and free throw percentage (78%).


Bob
MY NOTE:  Time to bring IT back.  He'll be cheap and grateful as Hell for the opportunity, we know he'll play his ass off for us and, the way things are looking, we're running short of options for a veteran point guard.


.

bobheckler wrote:https://nesn.com/2021/08/lonzo-ball-bulls-contract-not-celtics-nba-free-agency/



Lonzo Ball Reportedly Nearing Contract Agreement With Bulls, Not Celtics


NBA free agency begins Monday evening

by Dakota Randall
35 minutes ago



Condolences to those who became invested in the idea of Lonzo Ball joining the Boston Celtics.

Momentum is building toward the point guard signing a contract with the Chicago Bulls when NBA free agency begins Monday evening, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes. Last week, the Celtics were identified as one of the teams most interested in Ball, who is a restricted free agent.

Haynes, who delivered his report during an NBA TV free agency special, also said the New Orleans Pelicans are significantly interested in signing free agent guard Kyle Lowry.


Mark Schanowski
@MarkSchanowski
Watching NBA TV’s free agency special. Well respected @ChrisBHaynes reports unless there’s a major “hiccup”, sources tell him Lonzo Ball intends to work out a contract with the Bulls. Pelicans are going hard after free agent PG Kyle Lowry.
8:23 PM · Jul 31, 2021

Ball, the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, has turned himself into a quality NBA guard.

Still just 23 years old, the UCLA product is coming of a season in which he set career-highs in points (14.6), field goal percentage (41%), 3-point percentage (39%) and free throw percentage (78%).


Bob
MY NOTE:  Time to bring IT back.  He'll be cheap and grateful as Hell for the opportunity, we know he'll play his ass off for us and, the way things are looking, we're running short of options for a veteran point guard.


.

+1000

+2000

worcester wrote:+2000

+ the mid leval exception

gyso wrote:Marcus Smart has better court vision and drives better than Ball.

I don't get the love.

I disagree, Ball is a true point, Smart is more a combo guard not good enough at shooting to be a real 2/SG. Smart has never drove/finished enough near the level of even a young Ray Allen. Ball can also drive at a level much higher than Smart.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

gyso wrote:Marcus Smart has better court vision and drives better than Ball.

I don't get the love.

I disagree, Ball is a true point, Smart is more a combo guard not good enough at shooting to be a real 2/SG. Smart has never drove/finished enough near the level of even a young Ray Allen. Ball can also drive at a level much higher than Smart.

https://www.celticsblog.com/2021/7/29/22601162/shams-charania-boston-celtics-interested-in-lonzo-ball-restricted-free-agent

From comments I read last week.  mmmmm (aka: 5m) is a person that I highly respect over at CelticsBlog.  He (or she, I'm not sure either way) really does their homework, using both the eye test and stats.  If we do sign Ball, he won't last a week in the GameOn thread before most participants there will be calling for his head.

5m on CelticsBlog wrote:He’s not really a very good half-court PG. He’s much more of a ‘ball-handling wing’ than an actual PG. He has no first-step, is terrible at driving to the hoop and is terrible at running pick & roll. Seriously. He just doesn’t have the key skills that you need from an NBA PG. He is a good transition playmaker and a decent defender. But he is not really the playmaking PG that people want.

Lonzo Ball is not at all going to be a comparable asset to what you would be giving up either through salary matching in trade or salary dumping to stay under the hard cap to achieve him. He is NOT a good PG. His drive rates are literally half those of a typical NBA PG and he’s just not good at running pick & roll or other half-court sets. You can’t win in the playoffs without the ability to run your offense in the half-court. That doesn’t mean he isn’t an okay player. He’s an okay small wing. But he is not the player we need and certainly NOT the one we should be trading/losing Fournier, Smart, Tristan and whatever else for.

Offensively, Smart is still better at getting to the hoop than Lonzo. He averaged nearly 8 drives per 36, despite spitting time between ball-handler and wing. Smart is a lousy shooter, but he is a far superior passer in the half court compared to Lonzo and has a much better handle in traffic. Smart is really good at Brad’s favorite technique of putting a defender on his hip and working the ball into the paint, following the weaving screen actions that we like to run (and that Ime will also likely to continue since they are a Popovich staple.

I just don’t get it. Just what is it about Lonzo that is so appealing? I watch him and I just don’t see a player that would be remotely worth all the costs involve (hard-capping, salary dumping, lost offense, opportunity costs, etc.) to get him.

Hmm, good points gyso

Just saw both players avg same assists, 5.7. Lonzo may not be as good as we all thought….

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nba-rumors-sixers-latest-asking-202355185.html



NBA rumors: Sixers' latest asking price for Ben Simmons trade revealed


Nick Goss
Mon, August 2, 2021, 3:23 PM



NBA free agency begins at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, and even though plenty of good players will be available, many of the best options for teams looking to make major upgrades are in the trade market.

One player reportedly available via trade is the Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons.

Simmons has some well-documented offensive limitations. He doesn't shoot from 3-point range and his free throw shooting is also poor. That said, he's a triple-double thread on any night and earned his third consecutive All-Star selection during the 2020-21 season. He also averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game last season.

Understandably, the Sixers' asking price for a trade involving Simmons is incredibly high. Just how high?

"At minimum, the Sixers are seeking control of at least four future first-round picks via direct trade or pick swaps, along with an All-Star-level player in most (but not all) scenarios," David Aldridge of The Athletic wrote Monday.

A league exec recently told Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix the Sixers "want what Boston got for KG and Pierce" in exchange for Simmons.


Four first-round picks is a lot for any player. The Celtics received multiple players and three unprotected first-round picks (2014, 2016 and 2018) and the ability to swap 2017 first-rounders from the Nets in the legendary trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013.

It would be foolish for any team to give up that many prime assets for Simmons. He's a really good player, but that type of trade package should be reserved for top five or top 10 players. Simmons is not a top 10 player right now.

The 76ers don't need to trade Simmons immediately. He's got four more years remaining on his contract, so it's not like free agency is around the corner.

It makes sense to set a high asking price for a 25-year-old All-Star, but it would be pretty shocking if another team was willing to pay what Philly reportedly wants.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Nucking futs, that's what this is.  This is a shooter's league and the player they are offering is not only "not a shooter" he is afraid to shoot.  Hell, he shot 61% from the line last year.  He can't even shoot from 15' when nobody's on him!  Can he pass?  Yeah, in the open court, but in the half court all you have to do is keep him >10' away from the rim and stay home on defense with his teammates and you've negated his passing ability because nobody fears his shot.  NObody.  And I'll tell you this:  while the author is right about there being no rush to trade him because he's young and has 4 years on his contract but, unless his shooting takes a sharp upward turn, his value is going to plummet because he will have lost the cache of "being young and having a lot of potential upside" and will be seen as "maxed out".  I know there are people who already think that but there are others who are still holding out hope that his embarrassing performance in this year's playoffs will light a fire under his ambitions.  To reassure his fans, and confound his critics, Simmons needs to show he has overcome his mental block to shooting and has put in the work to become a complete player.  Simmons averaged 6.9apg and 3.0TOpg (2.3:1), 14.3ppg, 30% from 3 and 61% from the line last season.  His 30% 3pt fg% is based upon a total of 10 3pt fgas.  He hit 3 out of 10.  BFD.  SHOOT THE 3, COWARD!!  His usage rate, the percentage of the plays in which he has the ball in his hands, was 20.2% last year.  Marcus Smart averaged 5.7 and 2.0 (2.85:1), 13.1ppg, 33% from 3 (282 3pt fgas) and 79% from the line.  Smart's usage % was 18.4%.  This means that, with the ball in his hands more often, you would expect a player like Simmons to have more assists, more points, more everything in the same number of minutes.  As nuts as Smart's shooting can make us sometimes he is better than Simmons by a shoot-ton and is a lion on the court and in the locker room.  If you had to share a foxhole with one of these two players who would you trust with your back?


.

Some team out there is going to over pay to get Simmons, there is no doubt in my mind. Giving him that big contract was a huge mistake. The Sixers and the league have been pumping this guy up since he came into the league. Sure,,,,he is a great defensive player. But if you have to take one of the highest paid players off the floor during the final minutes of a game because he cannot shoot, or make free throws, he does not deserve this money. As said above, this is a shooter's league, no one cares how good he played defense if his team loses and loses, his coach throws him under the bus, and his fellow superstar rips him. He is going, there is no doubt about it and it is his own fault. Had he addressed his shooting issues when he was in college, (for a minute) and continued with a shooting coach, he would be irreplaceable

Add all that and now he is ghosting the 76ers. It's hard to come up with a plan for his improvement when there is no communication.

How's that Process working out so far?

I wondered about Simmons right from the start. He only took that LSU scholarship so he could play basketball (I know, all of them do it now, even Tatum and Brown) But, when his team did not reach the NCAA tournament, and they asked him to play in the other tournament (Big 10 or one of those) he refused, quit school and walked away. It proved to me that he really was one selfish player. I know alot of guys do this, it was the way he did it that bothered me.

So the fact that he is incognito, no shock here

I see George Hill has been waived by the Sixers. Any interest in him as a BU PG/mentor if he can be had for the change in our pockets?

atcross wrote:I see George Hill has been waived by the Sixers. Any interest in him as a BU PG/mentor if he can be had for the change in our pockets?

AT,

He's coming off of thumb surgery. That's why he only played in 30 games last year, 16 in Philly.

Good question, though.


Bob