2021 Free Agency

Patty Mills to Nets.


Bob


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bobheckler wrote:Patty Mills to Nets.


Bob


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I was curious about that one.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-free-agency-nets-to-sign-patty-mills-to-two-year-12-million-contract-per-report/

The Brooklyn Nets have won the Patty Mills sweepstakes. Mills will join the team on a two-year, $12 million contract, with a player option on the second year, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

It would be just north of the taxpayer MLE and has a player option second season.  Too rich for the Celtics, who (apparently) don't want to be capped by the larger nontaxpayer MLE and don't want any contracts going past one season, as much as they can avoid that.

Yuck, the Nets.

Rudy Gay to the Jazz.

Enes Kanter back in boston

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Enes Kanter back in boston

Ok by me as it is a one year deal. Good roster guy who can help, albeit in a limited way.

Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
about 6 minutes ago
Celtics and Enes Kanter are working out a deal for likely a portion of the MLE, league sources tell The Athletic. Salary still being figured out as team settles its cap situation.


Jay King
Jay King @ByJayKing
about 6 minutes ago
Enes Kanter back to the Celtics on a one-year deal, according to our guy Shams Charania. Boston needed depth at center in case Robert Williams or Al Horford miss time. Kanter has limitations, but is useful in the right situations.



Brian Robb
Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
about 8 minutes ago
The sequence of events here for Celtics is something. They traded Kanter last offseason to help clear room to sign Tristan Thompson and now are signing Kanter after dumping Thompson's contract.


Bob
MY NOTE:  We'll never hear Brad or Wyc admit this, but I see this as evidence of Brad not being totally happy with some of the roster changes imposed upon him by Danny.  As noted above Brad just reversed Danny's strategy, and did it in pretty quick order too.  I'll bet, if he wasn't dealing with such a hamstrung salary cap issue, he'd have brought Theis back too.

Looking at this from a BBall perspective I'm kinda liking the Horford/Kanter and Horford/RWill high-low post game we could have.  Horford is a mediocre 3pt shooter (36.8% last year which was almost exactly league average, but he shot 42.9% for us back in 2017-2018).  So you cannot just leave him alone out there.  He took 1/3 of his total fgas from 3-16' and shot 44.4% from that range.  His numbers were even better in his much-maligned year in Philly.  He cannot play low post with Kanter on the floor, there'd be no room in the paint, but  RWill is a different can of fish.  RWill took about 30% of his total fgas from 3-16' last season.  He shot 65% from 3-10' and 64% from 10-16'.  Those are very nice numbers.  When Al is on the floor he might just have to take more of them so that he and Al can switch high/low and put pressure on the defense.  Do they switch onto Horford or not?  Horford isn't a dunk machine like RWill but he is still good down low.

Assuming the contract deal can be worked out with Kanter that only leaves veteran depth at point guard to be addressed.


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Welcome back Kanter!!

Tristan Thompson's promise was not met. He has no hops and gets blocked too many times by the actual rim, let alone by other players. He'd get multiple O-rebounds in a single sequence, and we'd still come away with zero points.

Excellent locker room move too. Kanter was very popular here, and he must have liked it too to com back.  I figured he would finish out  his career in Portland and then go back to Oklahoma where he plans on opening a school.

You are right on with the Theis observation, Brad was very unhappy to lose him. Too bad, he fit in here so well

gyso wrote:Welcome back Kanter!!

Tristan Thompson's promise was not met.  He has no hops and gets blocked too many times by the actual rim, let alone by other players.  He'd get multiple O-rebounds in a single sequence, and we'd still come away with zero points.

gyso,

Kanter is a career 77% frito shooter. Thompson shot 59.2% from the line last year. Both are under-the-rim players but when they got fouled Kanter made them pay.

I saw one report that said he was signing for the vet min. That would be surprising but if true it's a no brainer.

I'd be glad to sign for the vet minimum if the Celts need another 5'9" point guard with no D. I shoot 25% from the free throw line.

Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
about 36 minutes ago
According to a league source, Kanter's deal is for 1 year, $2.7 million.
MY NOTE:  An absolute no-brainer, as pointed out by ATCross.  His defense sucks, we know that, but he owns the offensive glass which means you can shoot with freedom knowing that Kanter will go get it and, perhaps most importantly, it's only a one-year deal which preserves our flexibility next year.


Mark Murphy @Murf56
about 31 minutes ago
Hearing that Kanter will be signing a minimum deal, and that "that there are still three or four balls still in the air," though nothing major.
MY NOTE:  Translation:  the team you see is pretty much the team you get.  Maybe some tweaks, not much more.


Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
about 24 minutes ago
Brad Stevens said heading into free agency he wanted players that fit best around Tatum/Brown Worth noting Tatum/Brown/Kanter lineups had +9.9 net rating over 283 minutes during 2019-20 season.



Abby Chin @tvabby
about 40 minutes ago
A reminder for anyone who needs to hear it: The Celtics have a new President of Basketball Operations. Brad Stevens is running the show now. For all the questions and criticisms of past moves, that was the previous regime.
MY NOTE:  Brad is already making moves that show he's not Danny.  I don't know if that's good or bad yet, none of us do I believe, but it isn't looking like "meet the new boss, same as the old boss".


Bob


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bobheckler wrote:

gyso wrote:Welcome back Kanter!!

Tristan Thompson's promise was not met.  He has no hops and gets blocked too many times by the actual rim, let alone by other players.  He'd get multiple O-rebounds in a single sequence, and we'd still come away with zero points.

gyso,

Kanter is a career 77% frito shooter.  Thompson shot 59.2% from the line last year.  Both are under-the-rim players but when they got fouled Kanter made them pay.

Kanter is more adult-like and will often flush when it was needed. Thompson could rarely find the handle.

Given the owner dictated salary concerns and limitations, methinks Brad is doing a superior job -- although I question the Moses and Wright moves. For sure next year we will be more flexible.

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
56 minutes ago
Free agent options still available for Celtics G: Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Brad Wanamaker, Javonte Green, Jeff Teague F: Jonas Jerebko, Guerschon Yabusele C: Aron Baynes, Ante Zizic


Bob
MY NOTE: With the addition of Kanter I don't think we need Zizic. Baynes would be nice but I don't know if we need him now either with the ascension of RWill.

Our bigs are RWill, Horford, Kanter. We normally carry 3 with a spare in the G-League (Tacko with another lease?). What we don't have is, and I know I'm sounding like a broken record (for those of you who are old enough to remember what a record is), a veteran floor general. I like Pritchard, I'm hopeful for Madar, I'm even willing to open my mind to a ballhandling Romeo but, but, but...

Of the above it's IT or Wanny. What say you?


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bobheckler wrote:Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
56 minutes ago
Free agent options still available for Celtics G: Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Brad Wanamaker, Javonte Green, Jeff Teague F: Jonas Jerebko, Guerschon Yabusele C: Aron Baynes, Ante Zizic


Bob
MY NOTE:  With the addition of Kanter I don't think we need Zizic.  Baynes would be nice but I don't know if we need him now either with the ascension of RWill.  

Our bigs are RWill, Horford, Kanter.  We normally carry 3 with a spare in the G-League (Tacko with another lease?).  What we don't have is, and I know I'm sounding like a broken record (for those of you who are old enough to remember what a record is), a veteran floor general.  I like Pritchard, I'm hopeful for Madar, I'm even willing to open my mind to a ballhandling Romeo but, but, but...

Of the above it's IT or Wanny.  What say you?


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Completely agree. IT or Wannamaker would be fine for different reasons. BW would be a good insurance package but IT could be a game changer at times. But did the Hornets release Wanamaker?

2021 NBA offseason: Resetting Celtics roster after trades, free agent signings


Nick Goss
Wed, August 4, 2021, 12:52 PM



The Boston Celtics have been busy making changes to their roster since being eliminated by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs.

New president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has already made a couple trades. One of them was acquiring wing Josh Richardson from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for center Moses Brown.

Another trade not yet official is a reported three-team deal that would send center Tristan Thompson from the Celtics to the Sacramento Kings, as well as guard Kris Dunn, forward Bruno Fernando and a 2023 second-round draft pick from the Atlanta Hawks to the C's.

The first trade the Celtics made this offseason came in June when Kemba Walker, a 2021 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick were sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Al Horford, Brown and a 2023 second-round pick.


The Celtics also agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.7 million contract with free agent center Enes Kanter on Wednesday, per reports. Kanter played for the C's during the 2019-20 season. He averaged 11.2 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Portland Trail Blazers last season.

Boston also had a few departures in free agency. Veteran wing Evan Fournier signed with the New York Knicks on a four-year deal worth almost $80 million. Semi Ojeleye signed a one-year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Here's an updated look at the Celtics' roster after recent trades (assuming the BOS-ATL-SAC three-way becomes official) and the reported Kanter signing.

Guards
Jaylen Brown

Marcus Smart

Payton Pritchard

Josh Richardson

Kris Dunn

Romeo Langford

Carsen Edwards

Juhann Begarin (rookie)


Forwards

Jayson Tatum

Aaron Nesmith

Grant Williams

Jabari Parker

Bruno Fernando


Centers

Robert Williams

Al Horford

Enes Kanter


Free Agents

Tremont Waters, Guard

Tacko Fall, Center

Luke Kornet, Center


Bob
MY NOTE:  Romeo Langford is a guard and Nesmith is a forward?  Not sure I agree with that.  When healthy I think Romeo's the more physically robust player.  What makes it even weirder is that they have 6'7" 225# Jaylen Brown listed as a 'guard'.  He's bigger, stronger and heavier than either of those other two.  Another point is they have 2021 Draft-and-Stash Juhann Bergarin on the roster.  He is not, nor will he be, this year.  Sadly, waste of space Carsen Edwards is legitimately on this list.  I try to stay away from sugar but I'd be more than happy to donate the box of Krispy Kremes I'd take in trade for him.  Setting aside my beefs with his categorizations of the players, that's the roster.  There is talk that Kris Dunn may be moved.  My gut, and this is only my gut, is that Tacko gets signed to a 3rd and final two-way contract.  He's a crowd-favorite (and this is an entertainment business) and I can see that having a 4th center on tap that knows the Celtic playbook but isn't occupying a roster spot would be a good idea.  If one of our 3 go down we can call up a two-way player, that's the idea behind having two-way players in the first place.

What could be fun to watch is how Parker responds to Fernando's place on the roster.  They are both PFs, 6'9" and 6'10" respectively, but very different players.  Jabari's game is very offense-oriented while Bruno's appears to be more like Kanter and RWill's game, around the basket, but maybe (hopefully) better defense than Jabari (not that it would be particularly hard).  Does Jabari work harder to keep his place on the depth chart, which you would think coming into camp would be ahead of Bruno, or does he think he's gonna keep it by just shooting?


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Please, lets not get desperate. We speak of a floor general and then we speak of Wannamaker. He was dumped by a Warriors team in real need.

If we have to get low enough to think of Wannamaker, what is wrong with Dunn? Al least aim for an upgrade on Dunn if you are suggesting floor generals.

Love IT but the team is not in desperate need of offense. We just got rid of Kemba who would be a bigger, better IT (based upon career body of work).

prakash wrote:Please, lets not get desperate.  We speak of a floor general and then we speak of Wannamaker.  He was dumped by a Warriors team in real need.

If we have to get low enough to think of Wannamaker, what is wrong with Dunn?  Al least aim for an upgrade on Dunn if you are suggesting floor generals.

Love IT but the team is not in desperate need of offense.  We just got rid of Kemba who would be a bigger, better IT (based upon career body of work).

It's becoming apparent there are no starting floor generals that are both available and affordable. Maybe Brad can surprise us, but at this point it looks like he would have to trade Smart to do so. I can see PP stumbling for a bit but eventually becoming a solid PG/FG. He stepped in last year and did a pretty credible job with no summer league, no training camp, and very little practice between games. PG is arguably the hardest spot for someone to step into. He did a damned good job considering. Considering salaries I think any Walker to IT comparison is apples and oranges. And if he can be had for vet min or thereabouts, I would take IT as second or third string PG. His points per $ would be a lot better than Walker.

So Kemba joins the Knicks after an OKC buyout? SMH. Not sure of what the Knicks have put together.

Regarding Kemba vs. IT, my issue is not points-or-productivity/$. My issue is room in the game plan. If there was no room for Kemba, how can there be room for IT? At the end of the day, if either is not contributing offensively then what will they contribute?

PP is good enough for spot, primarily offensive, contributions from the 1 spot. If you need defense, rebounding and reduced offense, then use Smart and Dunn.

The Celts appear done with Kanter addition. Aren't they now at luxury tax limit? Can they still add vet. min. guys and not go over the tax limit?

I have a vague memory that vet. min. contracts do not count against luxury tax threshold. Not sure though.

Cap space is obviously the main objective, like it or not. I like it. IT is familiar with Brown and Tatum and led them to the Eastern Conference finals.Yes, I know its not the same IT, but he can be a sparkplug in limited minutes.It's not the same Brown and Tatum either, Dunn's issue is staying on the floor. Nobody has mentioned Madar.He may settle some of the dust at PG. has anybody signed Danny Green? I think he would be a nice addition. Keeping the core and adding around the edges seems like the best strategy to me. Wan't it a team option on Parker? Did they pick it up?

Thank you, all, for the updates and insight. It’s hard to get pumped about the moves so far, and I hated to see Moses go. We’ve been weak at center since Perk & KG and I worry about always-injured RW, over-the-hilo AH and what, defense? EK. If I had to take IT or another back-up guard, I’d take IT because of the way he left last time and the damage this did to the team’s reputation. Another stint in a clearly backup role might end much better. If Williams can stay on the floor, this team will be interesting. Here’s hoping! Hawk

prakash wrote:So Kemba joins the Knicks after an OKC buyout?  SMH.  Not sure of what the Knicks have put together.

Regarding Kemba vs. IT, my issue is not points-or-productivity/$.  My issue is room in the game plan.  If there was no room for Kemba, how can there be room for IT?  At the end of the day, if either is not contributing offensively then what will they contribute?

PP is good enough for spot, primarily offensive, contributions from the 1 spot.  If you need defense, rebounding and reduced offense, then use Smart and Dunn.

The Celts appear done with Kanter addition.  Aren't they now at luxury tax limit?  Can they still add vet. min. guys and not go over the tax limit?

I have a vague memory that vet. min. contracts do not count against luxury tax threshold.  Not sure though.

Regarding Walker vs. IT, Walker was the starting PG. IT would be second or third PG. The game plan when you bring in a high buckets player off the bench is let him score. I'm not thinking of IT as a starter. I don't think anyone does. I doubt he would get a lot of minutes with both Js. So the game plan changes. We've been lacking scoring off the bench. IT might help in that regard.

atcross wrote:

prakash wrote:So Kemba joins the Knicks after an OKC buyout?  SMH.  Not sure of what the Knicks have put together.

Regarding Kemba vs. IT, my issue is not points-or-productivity/$.  My issue is room in the game plan.  If there was no room for Kemba, how can there be room for IT?  At the end of the day, if either is not contributing offensively then what will they contribute?

PP is good enough for spot, primarily offensive, contributions from the 1 spot.  If you need defense, rebounding and reduced offense, then use Smart and Dunn.

The Celts appear done with Kanter addition.  Aren't they now at luxury tax limit?  Can they still add vet. min. guys and not go over the tax limit?

I have a vague memory that vet. min. contracts do not count against luxury tax threshold.  Not sure though.

Regarding Walker vs. IT, Walker was the starting PG. IT would be second or third PG. The game plan when you bring in a high buckets player off the bench is let him score. I'm not thinking of IT as a starter. I don't think anyone does. I doubt he would get a lot of minutes with both Js. So the game plan changes. We've been lacking scoring off the bench. IT might help in that regard.

Hope and pray that all of these moves and non moves work out after next season where they should have much more flexibility. Until then, hold your nose.