Top Centers Remaining
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worcester
NYCelt
sinus007
cowens/oldschool
jrleftfoot
atcross
gyso
bobheckler
12 posters
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Re: Top Centers Remaining
I've always like LaMarcus. Always thought we should have gotten him a few years back.
Before the rock group stole its name, who remembers the Pantera, the sports car form the early 70's?! I always wanted one of those until Corvettes and Lamborghinis caught my eye!
db
Before the rock group stole its name, who remembers the Pantera, the sports car form the early 70's?! I always wanted one of those until Corvettes and Lamborghinis caught my eye!
db
dbrown4- Posts : 5614
Join date : 2009-10-29
Age : 61
Re: Top Centers Remaining
dboss wrote:The Celtics were very successful with their 2 big lineup. Was that a matter of preference or was it due to roster limitations.
If it is a matter of preference we need a pretty solid BU center.
If the Celtics play mostly with a single big lineup then the 3rd string center is not as important because he will not be getting a lot of minutes.
I do think it’s preference and that the NBA is beginning the trend back to the big frontcourt.
That being said, it looks to me like there is one issue to resolve in Boston; two bigs capable of playing meaningful minutes without a terribly major drop off in production. Big order to fill. Pun intended.
I think the re-signing of Kornet shows that those bigs just aren’t available. You’re willing to take what you can get.
We’ll need to keep looking at options as they become available.
NYCelt- Posts : 10794
Join date : 2009-10-12
Re: Top Centers Remaining
Thomas Bryant signs a one-year $2.1M veteran minimum contract with the Lakers.
Another, the best one left, off the table.
Bob
.
Another, the best one left, off the table.
Bob
.
bobheckler- Posts : 62620
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: Top Centers Remaining
NYCelt wrote:dboss wrote:The Celtics were very successful with their 2 big lineup. Was that a matter of preference or was it due to roster limitations.
If it is a matter of preference we need a pretty solid BU center.
If the Celtics play mostly with a single big lineup then the 3rd string center is not as important because he will not be getting a lot of minutes.
I do think it’s preference and that the NBA is beginning the trend back to the big frontcourt.
That being said, it looks to me like there is one issue to resolve in Boston; two bigs capable of playing meaningful minutes without a terribly major drop off in production. Big order to fill. Pun intended.
I think the re-signing of Kornet shows that those bigs just aren’t available. You’re willing to take what you can get.
We’ll need to keep looking at options as they become available.
NYCelt
The Celtics success playing with 2 centers may have impacted the T'Wolves decision to trade for Rudy. There is one caveat however. One of the bigs needs to be able to play away from the basket on offense. With KAT being a very skilled 3 point shooter, his pairing with Rudy may be really good.
Defensively may be where they have problems.
Now that Bryant has signed with LAL the Celtics have to keep looking. One reason why I like Cousins is because he can play away from the basket.
As far as Kornet is concerned, I really do not know why Brad signed him. He played in 12 games last year and scored a totals of 26 points and had 25 rebounds. He is a challenged defender, gets push around under the basket and went 0-4 from deep. He recorded 2 block shots last year. His 7' 2" height looks good on paper.
Ime did not seem to embrace him at all last year.
Behind the scenes there are things that we are not [privy to. For instance, some of the available guys may not be a good fit.
dboss- Posts : 19220
Join date : 2009-11-01
Re: Top Centers Remaining
dboss, yes, I too don't get Luke at all. Seems like he needs a major injection of testosterone.
Re: Top Centers Remaining
dboss wrote:NYCelt wrote:dboss wrote:The Celtics were very successful with their 2 big lineup. Was that a matter of preference or was it due to roster limitations.
If it is a matter of preference we need a pretty solid BU center.
If the Celtics play mostly with a single big lineup then the 3rd string center is not as important because he will not be getting a lot of minutes.
I do think it’s preference and that the NBA is beginning the trend back to the big frontcourt.
That being said, it looks to me like there is one issue to resolve in Boston; two bigs capable of playing meaningful minutes without a terribly major drop off in production. Big order to fill. Pun intended.
I think the re-signing of Kornet shows that those bigs just aren’t available. You’re willing to take what you can get.
We’ll need to keep looking at options as they become available.
NYCelt
The Celtics success playing with 2 centers may have impacted the T'Wolves decision to trade for Rudy. There is one caveat however. One of the bigs needs to be able to play away from the basket on offense. With KAT being a very skilled 3 point shooter, his pairing with Rudy may be really good.
Defensively may be where they have problems.
Now that Bryant has signed with LAL the Celtics have to keep looking. One reason why I like Cousins is because he can play away from the basket.
As far as Kornet is concerned, I really do not know why Brad signed him. He played in 12 games last year and scored a totals of 26 points and had 25 rebounds. He is a challenged defender, gets push around under the basket and went 0-4 from deep. He recorded 2 block shots last year. His 7' 2" height looks good on paper.
Ime did not seem to embrace him at all last year.
Behind the scenes there are things that we are not [privy to. For instance, some of the available guys may not be a good fit.
dboss,
As far as DeMarcus Cousins goes I've been talking up his skills for years now. His knock, of course, has been his temperment. It's amazing that a player as gifted as him isn't locked up despite not being 32 years old until next month but I think his leg issues (ruptured Achilles, ACL, torn quadricep) have taken so much mobility off his game he cannot stay with his man anymore. He got waived by the Bucks last year in January. That blows my mind. He couldn't even stay on the roster until the trade deadline despite them not really having a big man after Brook Lopez (Giannis is sorta a big the same way 6'9" LeBron is. Portis plays big too but he's not the side of beef Cousins is). After coming back from his ACL in 2020-2021 he has played for 4 teams (Houston, LAC, Milwaukee, Denver). 4 teams in 2 years, and only played a grand total of 1431 minutes in those 2 years, a little over 700 each year. I think he may be done. It's a damn shame, we could use an even moderately healthy Boogie. Even a minimally healthy Boogie would be a plus but I'm thinking he's not even that anymore.
On the other hand, Theis played a total of 977 minutes last year but only 393 for us. He played 26 games for Houston and 21 games for us, so not that many more for them, just more mpg for them. If Boogie can play 500-600 quality minutes that might be all we need. Kornet played 85 minutes for us last year. If he plays 285 this year that's a huge increase and would reduce the need for Cousins. It might not do a damn thing for our need for a decent 3rd string center, since they both suck, but we have to work with what we have.
Bob
.
bobheckler- Posts : 62620
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: Top Centers Remaining
[quote="dbrown4"]
Before the rock group stole its name, who remembers the Pantera, the sports car form the early 70's?! I always wanted one of those until Corvettes and Lamborghinis caught my eye!
I am a big fan of classic cars, go to car shows every chance I get. Back in the mid 90’s I bought and partly restored a 70 Mustang fastback with a 302 (no, not a Boss). I Remember the Pantera by De tomaso. The interesting thing about them were that they had beautiful Italian styling but classic American V-8 power, the famous Ford 351 Cleveland. Ford dealers sold them stateside.
Before the rock group stole its name, who remembers the Pantera, the sports car form the early 70's?! I always wanted one of those until Corvettes and Lamborghinis caught my eye!
I am a big fan of classic cars, go to car shows every chance I get. Back in the mid 90’s I bought and partly restored a 70 Mustang fastback with a 302 (no, not a Boss). I Remember the Pantera by De tomaso. The interesting thing about them were that they had beautiful Italian styling but classic American V-8 power, the famous Ford 351 Cleveland. Ford dealers sold them stateside.
willjr- Posts : 837
Join date : 2009-10-19
Age : 61
Re: Top Centers Remaining
Willjr, Yes the Pantera should have been a marriage made in heaven between American engines and Italian styling, but alas it had the same fate as the Grifo, Lela, and IsoRivolta - it never really broke through the snob appeal barrier enjoyed by the pure Italian makes, even though the Pantera and Rivoltas were superior in several ways. I am good friends with the Rivolta family and thought you would enjoy this article about the Pantera and Rivoltas. Fascinating stuff for any car buff.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/rivolta-the-best-failed-automotive-project-ever/
https://www.motortrend.com/news/rivolta-the-best-failed-automotive-project-ever/
Re: Top Centers Remaining
MY NOTE: Now this is a comprehensive list!
https://www.celticsblog.com/2022/7/6/23196646/boston-celtics-dwindling-backup-center-options
Celtics dwindling backup center options
Boston needs to add at least one more quality backup center option before the season starts
By Keith P Smith Jul 6, 2022, 10:41am EDT 40 Comments
Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics have had a busy offseason. When the NBA moratorium lifts at 12:00 noon ET on Wednesday, the Celtics can officially complete their trade for Malcolm Brogdon. They’ll need to wait a bit longer to sign Danilo Gallinari, as he has yet to be waived by the San Antonio Spurs.
Here’s what we’re waiting on for Boston to finalize:
· Acquiring Malcolm Brogdon for Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Daniel Theis and a top-12 protected 2023 first-round pick
· Signing Danilo Gallinari to a reported two-year deal for the full Taxpayer MLE
· Re-signing Sam Hauser to a three-year deal
· Re-signing Luke Kornet to a two-year deal
Brad Stevens said his offseason goals were to add bench scoring, to add some shooting with size and to shore up the team’s playmaking.
Mission accomplished.
Brogdon fills all three stated goals (he has decent size for a guard and can play at the three a decent amount). Gallinari completes the first two goals. Hauser sticks as a developmental shooting prospect. And Kornet gives the team solid enough depth as a third center.
It’s there where Stevens still has some work to do.
The Celtics have a terrific starting center in Robert Williams. Kornet is a solid third center. Missing in-between those two is a quality backup five.
Yes, Al Horford will fill that role to a large degree. The three-big rotation of Horford, Rob Williams and Grant Williams is very good. Good enough to make the NBA Finals and to push the Golden State Warriors to six games.
The challenge is getting through the 82-game regular season first. Horford is 36 years old. He should have his minutes capped at around 30. Ideally, he’ll average around 25 minutes per regular season game.
Williams is coming off his best season. He’s proven he can be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. His offensive game, to those who watch regularly, is rapidly expanding beyond catching impossible alley-oops.
The worry? Williams played 61 regular season games last year and nearly doubled his minutes played for a season. Did that contribute to his late-season injury that impacted him throughout the playoffs? Unclear. But it probably didn’t help much.
That makes finding a quality backup center the last important item on Stevens’ to-do list. The Celtics are likely to take it easy with both Williams and Horford early in the season, and probably throughout the season in Horford’s case. Back-to-back appearances might be limited, if not eliminated entirely.
The problem is the backup center market now is pretty limited. Thomas Bryant was in the mix, but he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, likely because there is a much clearer path to playing time and starting in Los Angeles than there would have been in Boston.
The good news? The Celtics are armed with the soon-to-be-expiring $17.1 million Evan Fournier Traded Player Exception. Boston also has $6.9 million and $5.9 million TPEs they can use to acquire a player via trade.
The not-so-good news? Boston is already about $19.8 million over the luxury tax. Adding another player who makes even around $10 million would push the team into entirely new levels of tax penalties. We’re talking Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers range of a tax bill. That’s probably not where this team is heading.
Still, here are the best options for the Celtics to add as a true backup center. We’ve separated them into: The Trade Targets, The Free Agents and The Off-the-Board Options. We’ll give a little blurb about each option.
Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images
The Trade Targets
· Goga Bitadze – Indiana Pacers: He’s young enough that there’s still development coming. But that’s also the reason the rebuilding Pacers will want to keep Bitadze.
· Khem Birch – Toronto Raptors: Birch makes sense if Toronto is committed to staying switchable and versatile up front. Reasonable contract too.
· Tony Bradley – Chicago Bulls: He’s big and he’s cheap!
· Zach Collins – San Antonio Spurs: If Collins was a good bet to stay healthy, he’d be an ideal pickup. As it is, there’s probably too much injury risk to go here.
· Derrick Favors – Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC clearly has no need for the veteran big man. And it worked out pretty good last time Boston got an older big from the Thunder!
· Willy Hernangomez – New Orleans Pelicans: Hernangomez has done a good job as the “stay ready” big for the Pelicans. His contract is also incredibly affordable.
· Alex Len – Sacramento Kings: Len is huge. He’s also played well when given minutes. His deal is pretty affordable. And the Kings have a lot of other bigs, including…
· Trey Lyles – Sacramento Kings: Lyles can shoot and he’s a passable defender. He’s also on a very team-friendly deal. But the Kings don’t seem all that likely to move him.
· Boban Marjanovic – Houston Rockets: Who doesn’t love Boban?
· Kelly Olynyk – Detroit Pistons: This one goes beyond the “former Celtic” angle. Olynyk fills a need and would fit in perfectly. It would push the tax bill higher than ever, but he’s presumably gettable, considering Detroit has young bigs who need minutes.
· Mason Plumlee – Charlotte Hornets: Similar to Olynyk in that he fills a need and his ability to pass would fit in the frontcourt. Plumlee’s contract would also push the tax bill pretty high.
· Jakob Poeltl – San Antonio Spurs: This would be kind of a dream fit. But the cost is probably more than Boston wants to pay in terms of picks and then salary/tax.
· Dwight Powell – Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs are suddenly flush with bigs. But Boston could, and should be able to do better, especially for the salary/tax impact acquiring Powell would have.
· Naz Reid – Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves are acquiring Rudy Gobert. Presumably they’ll also play Karl-Anthony Towns at center some when Gobert sits. That could make Reid and his barely-above-minimum deal available.
Boston Celtics v Denver Nuggets
Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images
The Free Agents
· LaMarcus Aldridge – unrestricted: Aldridge would provide some more scoring off the bench. But that’s about all he’s got left. He looked pretty well-cooked for the Nets last season.
· DeMarcus Cousins – unrestricted: Cousins showed he’s got enough left when he backed up Nikola Jokic last season. He’s got a prickly attitude, but the hope would be the Celtics could keep him focused. Cousins’ shooting and passing are a nice fit in the frontcourt.
· Dwight Howard – unrestricted: Howard can still block some shots and grab rebounds in his area. But he’s slipped a good deal as an athletic finisher.
· Tristan Thompson – unrestricted: You know what? We’re moving on.
· Hassan Whiteside – unrestricted: Yeah. Let’s get to the next section.
Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
The Off-the-Board Options
· Willie Cauley-Stein: Cauley-Stein played parts of last season with the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers. If he’s ready to play, WCS offers some defense and some passing ability as a backup five. The problem is there’s something that’s kept him from putting it together the last couple of years.
· Harry Giles III: Giles is one of Jayson Tatum’s best friends. That’s almost enough. But there’s talent there too. He’s only 24 years old too. This could be a no-risk, high-reward type of signing. Plus, if it makes Tatum happy, why not?
· Mfiondu Kabengele: He’s on the Summer Celtics, so that’s a start. Kabengele is also coming off a terrific G League season. Is he ready for NBA backup center minutes though? That’s unclear. He’s also more four than five.
· Chinanu Onuaku: Onuaku washed out of the NBA about four years back. But he’s figured things out playing in Croatia and Israel the last couple of years. He’s an NBA-level talent and could probably handle 10-15 minutes a night as a backup. At 26 years old, Onuaku screams classic “late bloomer”.
· Anzejs Pasecniks: Pasecniks is a former first-round pick and he struggled to stick in the NBA. But last year in Spain he played really well. He’s also played well in the G League. He’ll be 27 years old around the holidays, so this one has limited upside.
· Olivier Sarr: Sarr played well during callups with the Oklahoma City Thunder last season. He’s only 23 years old, so there’s room left for development. He’s also very big with good length. He’s probably not ready for backup minutes right away, but down the line, this one could pay off.
· Mike Tobey: Tobey is sort of like Pasecniks, in that he didn’t stick in the NBA and he’s older. But Tobey has played well for five years in Spain. He’s got good touch and good range. Tobey could be worth a look on a minimum deal.
· Trevion Williams: Williams is by far the youngest option on this list. He’s also with the Summer Celtics. He came off the bench for Purdue, but that was because the Boilermakers frontcourt was stacked. Williams can rebound and pass. He’d be the upside play out of this group, as there’s lots of room for development.
· Cody Zeller: Zeller played for the Portland Trail Blazers last year and did what he’s always done: score efficiently and rebound. He’ll be 30 years old at the start of the season, so this is “what you see is what you get” situation. But, if healthy, Zeller can fill 10-15 minutes a night without much worry.
Bob
MY NOTE: It might be worth bringing Kelly back just to make Cowens throw up into his mouth a little bit. LOL. Relax, bro, he'd be our #3 center, and his $12M contract makes it a non-starter anyway.
The problem with these cheap centers is that there isn't much incentive for their clubs to move a big on a cheap contract.
Goga Bitadze - $4.7M, turning 23, 6'11", 250#. 729 minutes last year. I doubt Indy will give him up.
Khem Birch - 6'9", 233#, 7'1" wingspan. Not enough, imo.
Tony Bradley - 6'10", 245#, 7'5" wingspan. $2M contract. 549 minutes last year on the Bulls. He could work for a 3rd or 4th.
Willy Hernangomez - 6'10", 250#, 7'1" wingspan. $2.4M contract. 839 minutes last year for the Hornets. I like him. He'll pound on you.
Alex Len - El Busto @ #5. But for a #3 center? $3.9M.
Naz Reid - 6'8", 260#, 7'3" wingspan. $1.9M. The price is right. Played over 1200 minutes last year. Not going to get more than a fraction of that this year.
Olivier Sarr - 7', 237#, 7'3" wingspan. Had a 10-day contract upgraded to an NBA one. Why would OKC give him up? He only made $925K last year. He might be worth it.
Cody Zeller - Plumlees > Zellers. If he's anything like his brother Tyler he's soft.
.
https://www.celticsblog.com/2022/7/6/23196646/boston-celtics-dwindling-backup-center-options
Celtics dwindling backup center options
Boston needs to add at least one more quality backup center option before the season starts
By Keith P Smith Jul 6, 2022, 10:41am EDT 40 Comments
Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics have had a busy offseason. When the NBA moratorium lifts at 12:00 noon ET on Wednesday, the Celtics can officially complete their trade for Malcolm Brogdon. They’ll need to wait a bit longer to sign Danilo Gallinari, as he has yet to be waived by the San Antonio Spurs.
Here’s what we’re waiting on for Boston to finalize:
· Acquiring Malcolm Brogdon for Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Daniel Theis and a top-12 protected 2023 first-round pick
· Signing Danilo Gallinari to a reported two-year deal for the full Taxpayer MLE
· Re-signing Sam Hauser to a three-year deal
· Re-signing Luke Kornet to a two-year deal
Brad Stevens said his offseason goals were to add bench scoring, to add some shooting with size and to shore up the team’s playmaking.
Mission accomplished.
Brogdon fills all three stated goals (he has decent size for a guard and can play at the three a decent amount). Gallinari completes the first two goals. Hauser sticks as a developmental shooting prospect. And Kornet gives the team solid enough depth as a third center.
It’s there where Stevens still has some work to do.
The Celtics have a terrific starting center in Robert Williams. Kornet is a solid third center. Missing in-between those two is a quality backup five.
Yes, Al Horford will fill that role to a large degree. The three-big rotation of Horford, Rob Williams and Grant Williams is very good. Good enough to make the NBA Finals and to push the Golden State Warriors to six games.
The challenge is getting through the 82-game regular season first. Horford is 36 years old. He should have his minutes capped at around 30. Ideally, he’ll average around 25 minutes per regular season game.
Williams is coming off his best season. He’s proven he can be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. His offensive game, to those who watch regularly, is rapidly expanding beyond catching impossible alley-oops.
The worry? Williams played 61 regular season games last year and nearly doubled his minutes played for a season. Did that contribute to his late-season injury that impacted him throughout the playoffs? Unclear. But it probably didn’t help much.
That makes finding a quality backup center the last important item on Stevens’ to-do list. The Celtics are likely to take it easy with both Williams and Horford early in the season, and probably throughout the season in Horford’s case. Back-to-back appearances might be limited, if not eliminated entirely.
The problem is the backup center market now is pretty limited. Thomas Bryant was in the mix, but he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, likely because there is a much clearer path to playing time and starting in Los Angeles than there would have been in Boston.
The good news? The Celtics are armed with the soon-to-be-expiring $17.1 million Evan Fournier Traded Player Exception. Boston also has $6.9 million and $5.9 million TPEs they can use to acquire a player via trade.
The not-so-good news? Boston is already about $19.8 million over the luxury tax. Adding another player who makes even around $10 million would push the team into entirely new levels of tax penalties. We’re talking Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers range of a tax bill. That’s probably not where this team is heading.
Still, here are the best options for the Celtics to add as a true backup center. We’ve separated them into: The Trade Targets, The Free Agents and The Off-the-Board Options. We’ll give a little blurb about each option.
Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images
The Trade Targets
· Goga Bitadze – Indiana Pacers: He’s young enough that there’s still development coming. But that’s also the reason the rebuilding Pacers will want to keep Bitadze.
· Khem Birch – Toronto Raptors: Birch makes sense if Toronto is committed to staying switchable and versatile up front. Reasonable contract too.
· Tony Bradley – Chicago Bulls: He’s big and he’s cheap!
· Zach Collins – San Antonio Spurs: If Collins was a good bet to stay healthy, he’d be an ideal pickup. As it is, there’s probably too much injury risk to go here.
· Derrick Favors – Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC clearly has no need for the veteran big man. And it worked out pretty good last time Boston got an older big from the Thunder!
· Willy Hernangomez – New Orleans Pelicans: Hernangomez has done a good job as the “stay ready” big for the Pelicans. His contract is also incredibly affordable.
· Alex Len – Sacramento Kings: Len is huge. He’s also played well when given minutes. His deal is pretty affordable. And the Kings have a lot of other bigs, including…
· Trey Lyles – Sacramento Kings: Lyles can shoot and he’s a passable defender. He’s also on a very team-friendly deal. But the Kings don’t seem all that likely to move him.
· Boban Marjanovic – Houston Rockets: Who doesn’t love Boban?
· Kelly Olynyk – Detroit Pistons: This one goes beyond the “former Celtic” angle. Olynyk fills a need and would fit in perfectly. It would push the tax bill higher than ever, but he’s presumably gettable, considering Detroit has young bigs who need minutes.
· Mason Plumlee – Charlotte Hornets: Similar to Olynyk in that he fills a need and his ability to pass would fit in the frontcourt. Plumlee’s contract would also push the tax bill pretty high.
· Jakob Poeltl – San Antonio Spurs: This would be kind of a dream fit. But the cost is probably more than Boston wants to pay in terms of picks and then salary/tax.
· Dwight Powell – Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs are suddenly flush with bigs. But Boston could, and should be able to do better, especially for the salary/tax impact acquiring Powell would have.
· Naz Reid – Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves are acquiring Rudy Gobert. Presumably they’ll also play Karl-Anthony Towns at center some when Gobert sits. That could make Reid and his barely-above-minimum deal available.
Boston Celtics v Denver Nuggets
Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images
The Free Agents
· LaMarcus Aldridge – unrestricted: Aldridge would provide some more scoring off the bench. But that’s about all he’s got left. He looked pretty well-cooked for the Nets last season.
· DeMarcus Cousins – unrestricted: Cousins showed he’s got enough left when he backed up Nikola Jokic last season. He’s got a prickly attitude, but the hope would be the Celtics could keep him focused. Cousins’ shooting and passing are a nice fit in the frontcourt.
· Dwight Howard – unrestricted: Howard can still block some shots and grab rebounds in his area. But he’s slipped a good deal as an athletic finisher.
· Tristan Thompson – unrestricted: You know what? We’re moving on.
· Hassan Whiteside – unrestricted: Yeah. Let’s get to the next section.
Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
The Off-the-Board Options
· Willie Cauley-Stein: Cauley-Stein played parts of last season with the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers. If he’s ready to play, WCS offers some defense and some passing ability as a backup five. The problem is there’s something that’s kept him from putting it together the last couple of years.
· Harry Giles III: Giles is one of Jayson Tatum’s best friends. That’s almost enough. But there’s talent there too. He’s only 24 years old too. This could be a no-risk, high-reward type of signing. Plus, if it makes Tatum happy, why not?
· Mfiondu Kabengele: He’s on the Summer Celtics, so that’s a start. Kabengele is also coming off a terrific G League season. Is he ready for NBA backup center minutes though? That’s unclear. He’s also more four than five.
· Chinanu Onuaku: Onuaku washed out of the NBA about four years back. But he’s figured things out playing in Croatia and Israel the last couple of years. He’s an NBA-level talent and could probably handle 10-15 minutes a night as a backup. At 26 years old, Onuaku screams classic “late bloomer”.
· Anzejs Pasecniks: Pasecniks is a former first-round pick and he struggled to stick in the NBA. But last year in Spain he played really well. He’s also played well in the G League. He’ll be 27 years old around the holidays, so this one has limited upside.
· Olivier Sarr: Sarr played well during callups with the Oklahoma City Thunder last season. He’s only 23 years old, so there’s room left for development. He’s also very big with good length. He’s probably not ready for backup minutes right away, but down the line, this one could pay off.
· Mike Tobey: Tobey is sort of like Pasecniks, in that he didn’t stick in the NBA and he’s older. But Tobey has played well for five years in Spain. He’s got good touch and good range. Tobey could be worth a look on a minimum deal.
· Trevion Williams: Williams is by far the youngest option on this list. He’s also with the Summer Celtics. He came off the bench for Purdue, but that was because the Boilermakers frontcourt was stacked. Williams can rebound and pass. He’d be the upside play out of this group, as there’s lots of room for development.
· Cody Zeller: Zeller played for the Portland Trail Blazers last year and did what he’s always done: score efficiently and rebound. He’ll be 30 years old at the start of the season, so this is “what you see is what you get” situation. But, if healthy, Zeller can fill 10-15 minutes a night without much worry.
Bob
MY NOTE: It might be worth bringing Kelly back just to make Cowens throw up into his mouth a little bit. LOL. Relax, bro, he'd be our #3 center, and his $12M contract makes it a non-starter anyway.
The problem with these cheap centers is that there isn't much incentive for their clubs to move a big on a cheap contract.
Goga Bitadze - $4.7M, turning 23, 6'11", 250#. 729 minutes last year. I doubt Indy will give him up.
Khem Birch - 6'9", 233#, 7'1" wingspan. Not enough, imo.
Tony Bradley - 6'10", 245#, 7'5" wingspan. $2M contract. 549 minutes last year on the Bulls. He could work for a 3rd or 4th.
Willy Hernangomez - 6'10", 250#, 7'1" wingspan. $2.4M contract. 839 minutes last year for the Hornets. I like him. He'll pound on you.
Alex Len - El Busto @ #5. But for a #3 center? $3.9M.
Naz Reid - 6'8", 260#, 7'3" wingspan. $1.9M. The price is right. Played over 1200 minutes last year. Not going to get more than a fraction of that this year.
Olivier Sarr - 7', 237#, 7'3" wingspan. Had a 10-day contract upgraded to an NBA one. Why would OKC give him up? He only made $925K last year. He might be worth it.
Cody Zeller - Plumlees > Zellers. If he's anything like his brother Tyler he's soft.
.
bobheckler- Posts : 62620
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: Top Centers Remaining
worcester wrote:Willjr, Yes the Pantera should have been a marriage made in heaven between American engines and Italian styling, but alas it had the same fate as the Grifo, Lela, and IsoRivolta - it never really broke through the snob appeal barrier enjoyed by the pure Italian makes, even though the Pantera and Rivoltas were superior in several ways. I am good friends with the Rivolta family and thought you would enjoy this article about the Pantera and Rivoltas. Fascinating stuff for any car buff.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/rivolta-the-best-failed-automotive-project-ever/
Worcester, thanks for posting the link to the article. I’d heard of the Rivolta before and saw one at the HHI Concourse D’Elegance a few years ago but I did not know much about the make or history. Great article and it has piqued my interest to learn more. The melding of European styling and American drivetrains yielded some wonderful results. The Shelby Cobra being the most famous but I agree with Dbrown that the Pantera was/is a beautiful automobile.
willjr- Posts : 837
Join date : 2009-10-19
Age : 61
Re: Top Centers Remaining
One of my patients this a.m. has a collection of Mustangs including a Shelby. A friend of his has a unique $3.5M Shelby Cobra. Way above my price range.
Re: Top Centers Remaining
worcester wrote:One of my patients this a.m. has a collection of Mustangs including a Shelby. A friend of his has a unique $3.5M Shelby Cobra. Way above my price range.
Lol, mine also!
willjr- Posts : 837
Join date : 2009-10-19
Age : 61
Re: Top Centers Remaining
https://www.carscoops.com/2020/03/1965-shelby-gt350r-prototype-could-become-the-most-expensive-mustang-ever-surpassing-the-3-5m-bullitt/
Re: Top Centers Remaining
bobheckler wrote:dboss wrote:NYCelt wrote:dboss wrote:The Celtics were very successful with their 2 big lineup. Was that a matter of preference or was it due to roster limitations.
If it is a matter of preference we need a pretty solid BU center.
If the Celtics play mostly with a single big lineup then the 3rd string center is not as important because he will not be getting a lot of minutes.
I do think it’s preference and that the NBA is beginning the trend back to the big frontcourt.
That being said, it looks to me like there is one issue to resolve in Boston; two bigs capable of playing meaningful minutes without a terribly major drop off in production. Big order to fill. Pun intended.
I think the re-signing of Kornet shows that those bigs just aren’t available. You’re willing to take what you can get.
We’ll need to keep looking at options as they become available.
NYCelt
The Celtics success playing with 2 centers may have impacted the T'Wolves decision to trade for Rudy. There is one caveat however. One of the bigs needs to be able to play away from the basket on offense. With KAT being a very skilled 3 point shooter, his pairing with Rudy may be really good.
Defensively may be where they have problems.
Now that Bryant has signed with LAL the Celtics have to keep looking. One reason why I like Cousins is because he can play away from the basket.
As far as Kornet is concerned, I really do not know why Brad signed him. He played in 12 games last year and scored a totals of 26 points and had 25 rebounds. He is a challenged defender, gets push around under the basket and went 0-4 from deep. He recorded 2 block shots last year. His 7' 2" height looks good on paper.
Ime did not seem to embrace him at all last year.
Behind the scenes there are things that we are not [privy to. For instance, some of the available guys may not be a good fit.
dboss,
As far as DeMarcus Cousins goes I've been talking up his skills for years now. His knock, of course, has been his temperment. It's amazing that a player as gifted as him isn't locked up despite not being 32 years old until next month but I think his leg issues (ruptured Achilles, ACL, torn quadricep) have taken so much mobility off his game he cannot stay with his man anymore. He got waived by the Bucks last year in January. That blows my mind. He couldn't even stay on the roster until the trade deadline despite them not really having a big man after Brook Lopez (Giannis is sorta a big the same way 6'9" LeBron is. Portis plays big too but he's not the side of beef Cousins is). After coming back from his ACL in 2020-2021 he has played for 4 teams (Houston, LAC, Milwaukee, Denver). 4 teams in 2 years, and only played a grand total of 1431 minutes in those 2 years, a little over 700 each year. I think he may be done. It's a damn shame, we could use an even moderately healthy Boogie. Even a minimally healthy Boogie would be a plus but I'm thinking he's not even that anymore.
On the other hand, Theis played a total of 977 minutes last year but only 393 for us. He played 26 games for Houston and 21 games for us, so not that many more for them, just more mpg for them. If Boogie can play 500-600 quality minutes that might be all we need. Kornet played 85 minutes for us last year. If he plays 285 this year that's a huge increase and would reduce the need for Cousins. It might not do a damn thing for our need for a decent 3rd string center, since they both suck, but we have to work with what we have.
Bob
.
Bobh
Cousins played 17 games for the Bucks while averaging 16.9 MPG, 9.1 PPG, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He was waved in January and was picked up by the Nuggets. A relatively short vacation for him (played last game with the Bucks on January 5th and played his first game with Denver on January 23rd.
He played 31 games with Denver so that comes to a totals of 48 games played. Plus he played in 5 playoffs games with them. That comes to 53 games played last season.
His MPG went down in Denver to 13.9 but he still managed to average 8.9 PPG and 5.5 rebounds.
I could definitely see him playing for us in a limited role. Maybe 12 MPG or so. He can still score and rebound. Kornet cannot score or rebound as well as he can.
His numbers were actually better than Theis (averaged 18.7 MPG 7.9 PPG and 4.7 rebounds)
dboss- Posts : 19220
Join date : 2009-11-01
Re: Top Centers Remaining
dboss wrote:bobheckler wrote:dboss wrote:NYCelt wrote:dboss wrote:The Celtics were very successful with their 2 big lineup. Was that a matter of preference or was it due to roster limitations.
If it is a matter of preference we need a pretty solid BU center.
If the Celtics play mostly with a single big lineup then the 3rd string center is not as important because he will not be getting a lot of minutes.
I do think it’s preference and that the NBA is beginning the trend back to the big frontcourt.
That being said, it looks to me like there is one issue to resolve in Boston; two bigs capable of playing meaningful minutes without a terribly major drop off in production. Big order to fill. Pun intended.
I think the re-signing of Kornet shows that those bigs just aren’t available. You’re willing to take what you can get.
We’ll need to keep looking at options as they become available.
NYCelt
The Celtics success playing with 2 centers may have impacted the T'Wolves decision to trade for Rudy. There is one caveat however. One of the bigs needs to be able to play away from the basket on offense. With KAT being a very skilled 3 point shooter, his pairing with Rudy may be really good.
Defensively may be where they have problems.
Now that Bryant has signed with LAL the Celtics have to keep looking. One reason why I like Cousins is because he can play away from the basket.
As far as Kornet is concerned, I really do not know why Brad signed him. He played in 12 games last year and scored a totals of 26 points and had 25 rebounds. He is a challenged defender, gets push around under the basket and went 0-4 from deep. He recorded 2 block shots last year. His 7' 2" height looks good on paper.
Ime did not seem to embrace him at all last year.
Behind the scenes there are things that we are not [privy to. For instance, some of the available guys may not be a good fit.
dboss,
As far as DeMarcus Cousins goes I've been talking up his skills for years now. His knock, of course, has been his temperment. It's amazing that a player as gifted as him isn't locked up despite not being 32 years old until next month but I think his leg issues (ruptured Achilles, ACL, torn quadricep) have taken so much mobility off his game he cannot stay with his man anymore. He got waived by the Bucks last year in January. That blows my mind. He couldn't even stay on the roster until the trade deadline despite them not really having a big man after Brook Lopez (Giannis is sorta a big the same way 6'9" LeBron is. Portis plays big too but he's not the side of beef Cousins is). After coming back from his ACL in 2020-2021 he has played for 4 teams (Houston, LAC, Milwaukee, Denver). 4 teams in 2 years, and only played a grand total of 1431 minutes in those 2 years, a little over 700 each year. I think he may be done. It's a damn shame, we could use an even moderately healthy Boogie. Even a minimally healthy Boogie would be a plus but I'm thinking he's not even that anymore.
On the other hand, Theis played a total of 977 minutes last year but only 393 for us. He played 26 games for Houston and 21 games for us, so not that many more for them, just more mpg for them. If Boogie can play 500-600 quality minutes that might be all we need. Kornet played 85 minutes for us last year. If he plays 285 this year that's a huge increase and would reduce the need for Cousins. It might not do a damn thing for our need for a decent 3rd string center, since they both suck, but we have to work with what we have.
Bob
.
Bobh
Cousins played 17 games for the Bucks while averaging 16.9 MPG, 9.1 PPG, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He was waved in January and was picked up by the Nuggets. A relatively short vacation for him (played last game with the Bucks on January 5th and played his first game with Denver on January 23rd.
He played 31 games with Denver so that comes to a totals of 48 games played. Plus he played in 5 playoffs games with them. That comes to 53 games played last season.
His MPG went down in Denver to 13.9 but he still managed to average 8.9 PPG and 5.5 rebounds.
I could definitely see him playing for us in a limited role. Maybe 12 MPG or so. He can still score and rebound. Kornet cannot score or rebound as well as he can.
His numbers were actually better than Theis (averaged 18.7 MPG 7.9 PPG and 4.7 rebounds)
dboss,
No argument from me that Cousins would score and rebound for us better than Kornet. Zero. I keep hoping Luke will show us something. Let's hope this year is his year. If it isn't he cannot be traded before 12/15. The NBA season opens on 10/18. 12/15 is 58 days after that. I know this sounds like I'm really down on Kornet. That's because I am. He makes Tyler Zeller look like Superman, a Superman that couldn't fly. Or jump. Probably couldn't hop either. Nor arm wrestle a 10 year old.
Bob
.
bobheckler- Posts : 62620
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: Top Centers Remaining
My preferences based on BobH lists:
Trade targets:
1. Jacob Poetl (clear favorite for me)
2. Trey Lyles
Free agents:
1. DeMarcus Cousins
2. Dwight Howard
Off the board options:
1. Willie Cauley-Stein
2. Harry Giles
*Didn’t include the Summer League bigs because if they shine/show potential they’ll most likely stick anyway.
Trade targets:
1. Jacob Poetl (clear favorite for me)
2. Trey Lyles
Free agents:
1. DeMarcus Cousins
2. Dwight Howard
Off the board options:
1. Willie Cauley-Stein
2. Harry Giles
*Didn’t include the Summer League bigs because if they shine/show potential they’ll most likely stick anyway.
willjr- Posts : 837
Join date : 2009-10-19
Age : 61
Re: Top Centers Remaining
Luke Kornet signed a 2 year / $4,546,582 contract with the Boston Celtics, including $4,546,582 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $2,273,291. In 2022-23, Kornet will earn a base salary of $2,133,278, while carrying a cap hit of $2,133,278 and a dead cap value of $2,133,278.
I would not hold your breath on waiting for Brad to sign another center unless salary also goes out. The Celtics are deep into the luxury tax so I just do not see them adding anything else.
I think that one of the SL bigs will make the team. We still have 3 open roster spots to reach 15.
On June 29th the Celtics declined a $1.6 million QO on Ryan but they did make a QO for Brodic Thomas.
With Davison signing a 2-way contract it looks like Ryan could be gone or maybe he gets promoted to the 15 man roster.
After watching Thomas get played in game one, I am like, boy go away. However, the Celtics already gave him a offer.
It is also possible that the Celtics may go into the season with a 14 man squad. There is a chance that JD could get promoted and they may want to keep a spot open for him. Also, Boston has a total of 6 TPE's. One expires on 1/19/23 and the other
5 expire on 2/10/23.
I would not hold your breath on waiting for Brad to sign another center unless salary also goes out. The Celtics are deep into the luxury tax so I just do not see them adding anything else.
I think that one of the SL bigs will make the team. We still have 3 open roster spots to reach 15.
On June 29th the Celtics declined a $1.6 million QO on Ryan but they did make a QO for Brodic Thomas.
With Davison signing a 2-way contract it looks like Ryan could be gone or maybe he gets promoted to the 15 man roster.
After watching Thomas get played in game one, I am like, boy go away. However, the Celtics already gave him a offer.
It is also possible that the Celtics may go into the season with a 14 man squad. There is a chance that JD could get promoted and they may want to keep a spot open for him. Also, Boston has a total of 6 TPE's. One expires on 1/19/23 and the other
5 expire on 2/10/23.
dboss- Posts : 19220
Join date : 2009-11-01
Re: Top Centers Remaining
I don't know what in the hell they see in Luke “the Barn” Kornet to hand over 4+ mill. Guaranteed to a
“Player” that is guaranteed to give you nothing in return. WTF?
Ibaka is still a Buck.
Ktron- Posts : 8378
Join date : 2014-01-21
Re: Top Centers Remaining
Ktron wrote:
I don't know what in the hell they see in Luke “the Barn” Kornet to hand over 4+ mill. Guaranteed to a
“Player” that is guaranteed to give you nothing in return. WTF?
Ibaka is still a Buck.
Ktron
No doubt...it is a big WHY? Ime did not play him even when we were down a center.
Brad has made some really good decisions. Letting Kornet steal money when their are a lot of NBA veterans that can still contribute is not a good decision.
dboss- Posts : 19220
Join date : 2009-11-01
Re: Top Centers Remaining
Dwight Howard crashed the WWE Summer Slam tryouts yesterday. He said he'd like a career in the WWE if he doesn't play in the NBA this year.
Doesn't sound like he's getting a lot of nibbles, does it?
He's told a media guy in LA he'd like to play for an Eastern Conference contender. The team he specifically mentioned as one he'd "love" to play for this season is...Brooklyn.
Because, yeah, when I'm looking to play for a contender the first name that comes to my mind is the team that finished last year at 48-34, was 7th in the EC and got swept in the first round. Just when I thought Kenyon Martin was the dumbest player to ever play in the NBA Dwight Howard forces me to stay open to new possibilities.
Bob
.
Doesn't sound like he's getting a lot of nibbles, does it?
He's told a media guy in LA he'd like to play for an Eastern Conference contender. The team he specifically mentioned as one he'd "love" to play for this season is...Brooklyn.
Because, yeah, when I'm looking to play for a contender the first name that comes to my mind is the team that finished last year at 48-34, was 7th in the EC and got swept in the first round. Just when I thought Kenyon Martin was the dumbest player to ever play in the NBA Dwight Howard forces me to stay open to new possibilities.
Bob
.
bobheckler- Posts : 62620
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: Top Centers Remaining
I think Brad may very well hold off on signing a center until the season begins.
Let's see how Kornet plays during training camp and the preseason. Same for Kabangele.
Last year DT played in 21 games after coming over from Houston. He averaged 18.7 MPG. That could be a target number although with less double big lineups that number could be a lot less. The unknown is Rob's availability and managing minutes for AH.
I just do not see the Celtics keeping Kornet and adding another center. If Kornet makes it out of training camp we may not see an additional center on the team. The Celtics are going to want to see how Kabangele fits with different lineups.
I still see a 14 man squad to start the season. Other than a center what else do we need?
Let's see how Kornet plays during training camp and the preseason. Same for Kabangele.
Last year DT played in 21 games after coming over from Houston. He averaged 18.7 MPG. That could be a target number although with less double big lineups that number could be a lot less. The unknown is Rob's availability and managing minutes for AH.
I just do not see the Celtics keeping Kornet and adding another center. If Kornet makes it out of training camp we may not see an additional center on the team. The Celtics are going to want to see how Kabangele fits with different lineups.
I still see a 14 man squad to start the season. Other than a center what else do we need?
dboss- Posts : 19220
Join date : 2009-11-01
Re: Top Centers Remaining
bobheckler wrote:Dwight Howard crashed the WWE Summer Slam tryouts yesterday. He said he'd like a career in the WWE if he doesn't play in the NBA this year.
Doesn't sound like he's getting a lot of nibbles, does it?
He's told a media guy in LA he'd like to play for an Eastern Conference contender. The team he specifically mentioned as one he'd "love" to play for this season is...Brooklyn.
Because, yeah, when I'm looking to play for a contender the first name that comes to my mind is the team that finished last year at 48-34, was 7th in the EC and got swept in the first round. Just when I thought Kenyon Martin was the dumbest player to ever play in the NBA Dwight Howard forces me to stay open to new possibilities.
Bob
.
I have been informed by Steve the Lurker that Brooklyn's record last season was 44-38 and not 48-34. That makes my point even more solid. The team that D12 would "love" to join was the poster child for mediocrity and underachieving.
Bob
.
bobheckler- Posts : 62620
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: Top Centers Remaining
Joe Ingles signed withy the Bucks. They will be a challenge. Aron Baynes is making a remarkable recovery form his neck injury and is set to play in the Australian NBL. He may be back with us in the winter. I always liked his physicality, and now he seems to be regaining that.
Re: Top Centers Remaining
worcester wrote:Joe Ingles signed withy the Bucks. They will be a challenge. Aron Baynes is making a remarkable recovery form his neck injury and is set to play in the Australian NBL. He may be back with us in the winter. I always liked his physicality, and now he seems to be regaining that.
Baynes was physical and added a 3, if he regains his health/game he would really help a team that has an abundance of bigs….want him to regain his health, but not pleased.
cowens/oldschool- Posts : 27706
Join date : 2009-10-18
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