Roster reset: Still room for Allen, Bass - WHERE CELTICS ARE NOW WITH CAP SPACE

Latest news inre Steamer, 7/6:


The Timberwolves are interested in free agent C Greg Stiemsma, but pushed back a meeting with him to Saturday, as they try to figure out their financial situation after agreeing to sign Brandon Roy, and the possible arrival of Nicolas Batum.
Stiemsma was productive for the Celtics last year and he could be a nice backup for David Kahn, Rick Adelman and the Wolves. We should know more on the possibility of him going to Minnesota on Saturday night


bob


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Some more info on the above post:

Brandon Roy negotiated a 2 year, $10.4M deal. Batum negotiated a 4 year, $45M deal. I'm not a capologist, like gyso, but I would suspect this is their mid-level exemption.

Batum's deal can be matched by the Blazers, but he has asked them NOT to. They could do a sign-and-trade deal, which would not impact their cap much.

Minny's on the hook for $48M, not including Roy and Batum's contract.

If they offered the mid-level to Roy, then the most they can offer Steamer is the bi-annual $2M, just like the Celtics. I think. I hope so, because if that's the case then we can match.

bob

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HEY...DOESN'T ANYONE WORK FOR A LIVING!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT ARE WE DOING TALKING CELTIC BASKETBALL BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9 TO 5?

DO NOT TELL THE BOSS!

112288

The advantages of being retired!!

Or The Boss!

112288

bobheckler wrote:Some more info on the above post:

Brandon Roy negotiated a 2 year, $10.4M deal. Batum negotiated a 4 year, $45M deal. I'm not a capologist, like gyso, but I would suspect this is their mid-level exemption.

Batum's deal can be matched by the Blazers, but he has asked them NOT to. They could do a sign-and-trade deal, which would not impact their cap much.

Minny's on the hook for $48M, not including Roy and Batum's contract.

If they offered the mid-level to Roy, then the most they can offer Steamer is the bi-annual $2M, just like the Celtics. I think. I hope so, because if that's the case then we can match.

bob

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bobh,

Batum's deal (1st year $11mil-ish salary) probably took them to the salary cap limit or just over it. HoopsHype shows over 48mil (same number as you stated) in total salary, but that doesn't include the cap hold multipliers, so the actual cap burden may be higher. 'Sota may have had to renounce one or more of their free agents in order to sign him to that offer sheet, it looks to be that close. I don't follow Minny's financials, so there may be other things going on as well.

If Batum signed an offer sheet, he can no longer be included in a sign-and-trade. New cap rule.

Roy's deal sounds very much like 2 years of the full non-taxpayers MLE. With them so close to the sal cap, I would assume the MLE is gone. That is good news, in regards to Stiemsma, as you deduced.

gyso

Not sure where else to put this but, inre when Bradley will be ready to go, this from Chris Forsberg:

Some confusion on Avery Bradley’s return timeline. League source said today that, barring a setback, he’s still on pace for training camp.about 48 minutes ago

bob

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Rumor du jour, 7/8, per ESPN:

The Boston Celtics have emerged as a serious suitor for Courtney Lee after coach Doc Rivers met with the free-agent guard Saturday night, according to sources familiar with Boston’s thinking.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Celtics, in the wake of losing sharpshooter Ray Allen to the Miami Heat, have ratcheted up their pursuit of Lee as a possible replacement.

Lee averaged 11.4 points per game for the Houston Rockets last season and hit 40 percent of his 3-point attempts.

The Celtics don’t have the salary-cap space to sign Lee outright, but sources say the Rockets have let it be known that they’re willing to participate in sign-and-trade deals with both Marcus Camby and Lee amid the increasing likelihood that neither of those coveted free agents will be returning to Houston.


http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/leeco01.html

http://www.nbapostup.com/courtney-lee-scouting-report-2011

He shoots the 3-ball well, but other than that he doesn't do much of anything very well.

He had a qualifying offer from the Rockets for $3.2M, but they retracted it 4 days ago. Never heard of that happening before.

We only have the bi-annual exemption of $2M to offer. Trade for a mediocre guard and a 38 year old Camby? Would you be willing to give mouth-to-mouth to Camby the first time he has to play more than 4 minutes?

I know we have needs but...

bob

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Camby is a mixed bag, but I don't think he's THAT bad. On the plus side, he rebounds and defends. On the negative side, he doesn't score, he's yet another guy who can't make free throws (what is it with that?), and he's old and has had injury issues, although he did play 59 of 66 games this season.

As part of center-by-committee, he's a better option than Jermaine O'Neal ever was. He had 23 games of double-digit rebounds this season, including three of 20 or more. (By comparison, KG was Boston's leading rebounder, and he had 21 games of double-digit rebounds, but his high game was only 14, while Camby had nine games of 15 or more rebounds.) Camby also had 11 games of three or more blocks. He's generally well-regarded as a teammate.

I understand the reluctance to go with yet another old center with the potential to break down, but given the limited options out there, who is better?

Outside

HERE IS A RED FLAG!


REPORT: C'S INTERESTED IN COURTNEY LEE
By: Paul Flannery

Celtics coach Doc Rivers met with free agent guard Courtney Lee on Saturday and the Celtics could try to swing a sign-and-trade deal with the Rockets, ESPN.com reported. Despite agreeing to terms with free agent guard Jason Terry, the Celtics are in the market for another shooting guard after Ray Allen rejected them for Miami. Avery Bradley will have additional surgery on his shoulder on Tuesday and he may not be ready for the start of training camp.

The 26-year-old Lee has played with the Magic, Nets and Rockets in his four-year career and has produced consistent numbers. One of the league's better cutters and defenders, Lee is also deadly from the corner 3-point spot.

In order to acquire Lee, the Celtics would have to work out a sign-and-trade. Their options are limited but they do have a few pieces to include in a sign-and-trade and the Rockets may be open to a deal. Houston rescinded its qualifying offer on Lee to clear room for an Omer Asik offer sheet, making Lee an unrestricted free agent.

112288

C's can't sign-and-trade Krstic

By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

Former Celtics center Nenad Krstic at work for CSKA Moscow last season.
As the Celtics look to fill up the final spots on their 2012-13 roster, armchair general managers (and media alike) are looking for potential avenues that would allow Boston to bring back a healthy salary when the only remaining chip the team holds is the biannual exception (maximum of two years, $4.1 million total).

With an overseas report earlier this month indicating that Nenad Krstic might not return to CSKA Moscow (where he bolted on a two-year agreement during the NBA lockout), some have wondered if the Celtics could utilize his Bird rights (which the team maintains) to facilitate a sign-and-trade.

The new collective bargaining agreement appears to make that impossible.

After the tomfoolery that occurred with Keith Van Horn (Nets land Jason Kidd) and Aaron McKie (Lakers land Pau Gasol), the league closed a loophole in the new CBA by noting that a player can no longer be included in a sign-and-trade unless he finished the previous season on the team's roster.

That appears to wipe out that option for Boston. Now, if the Celtics simply want to re-sign Krstic if he desires to return to the NBA, they can go over the salary cap to bring him back (acquired in the trade deadline swap that sent Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City, Krstic earned $5.5 million in 2010-11). And, regardless of how Greg Stiemsma's restricted free agency plays out, Boston could always use a big man.

112288

Don't expect sign-and-trade between Celtics and Miami

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

WINTER PARK, Fla. -- Now that the Celtics have lost Ray Allen as a free agent to the Miami Heat, there becomes a possibility that would allow the Celtics to get something in return for their loss.
The club could potentially work out a sign-and-trade deal with the Heat, meaning they would sign Allen to potentially a three-year $18 million deal and then trade him to Miami for perhaps a player or draft picks, allowing Allen to earn more money and the Celtics to get a player back.

According to Celtics coach Doc Rivers, that is not likely to happen.

"I doubt it," Rivers said. "I don't know if they have anything to give us. I doubt it. I mean if they want to give us (Dwyane) Wade, then yeah."

In other free agent news, Mike Naiditch, the agent for Greg Stiemsma, said his client did not receive a $3 million offer sheet, as had been reported. He was scheduled to meet with Minnesota again today, but no offer has been made.

112288

BobH and 112288, would you be willing to clarify something for me?

In Bob's initial post about Lee, there's a sentence to the effect that he shoots the 3-ball well but, other than that, he doesn't do much of anything very well. (I don't know whether that was your sentence or a quote from an article.)

In a post by 112288, there's a sentence that says: "one of the league's better cutters and defenders, Lee is also deadly from the corner 3-point spot." Again, I don't know whether that's 112288's comment or a quote from an article.

My question of both of you is how these two opinions can be reconciled? It seems to me that, if Lee really is "one of the league's better cutters and defenders," those two attributes definitely qualify as "doing much of anything (besides three-point shooting) very well."

Thanks,

Sam

Sam,

Those were quotes from me. I looked up Lee and in another post I stated that his stats are not too bad. He also played in 2 bad basketball environments.

He is 26 years old and 6"5" and can run. I am liking what i see so far.

112288

112288,

So what were the stats that gave the tipoff on Lee's defensive prowess?

Sam

It was from one of the sport sources. Let me look. I'm out now.

112288

was Courtney Lee the guy that missed that alley opp that could have won a key game to tie that Finals series vs Lakers in 09?

SAM

WEEI REPORT

Celtics coach Doc Rivers met with free agent guard Courtney Lee on Saturday and the Celtics could try to swing a sign-and-trade deal with the Rockets, ESPN.com reported. Despite agreeing to terms with free agent guard Jason Terry, the Celtics are in the market for another shooting guard after Ray Allen rejected them for Miami. Avery Bradley will have additional surgery on his shoulder on Tuesday and he may not be ready for the start of training camp.

The 26-year-old Lee has played with the Magic, Nets and Rockets in his four-year career and has produced consistent numbers. One of the league's better cutters and defenders, Lee is also deadly from the corner 3-point spot.

In order to acquire Lee, the Celtics would have to work out a sign-and-trade. Their options are limited but they do have a few pieces to include in a sign-and-trade and the Rockets may be open to a deal. Houston rescinded its qualifying offer on Lee to clear room for an Omer Asik offer sheet, making Lee an unrestricted free agent.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

THIS IS DATED REPORT

NBA DRAFT.NET
Courtney Lee

Birthday: 10/3/85
NBA Position: Shooting Guard
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-5
Wt: 200
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
High School: Pike
Team Site Profile
2007 Statistics

NBA Comparison: Bobby Phills
Aran Smith - 2/22/2008

Strengths: Prolific scorer with excellent outside shooting ability ... Knocks down a high volume of 3 pointers and with good efficiency (40%) ... Has a picture perfect shot with a quick release and can get his shot off with just an inch of daylight ... Strong one on one skills with good ball handling and scoring ability ... Shoots well off the dribble or spotting up ... Shows a solid ability to get by his man and finish at the rim ... Does a good job of drawing fouls and getting to the line where he effectively knocks down over 80% of his foul shots ... Has an advanced mid-range game. Does a good job of cutting his drive off before committing a charge and hitting mid-range jumpers or floaters ... Mature decision maker, unselfish player who rarely forces bad shots ... Composed player having four years of experience under his belt ... Has shown improvement in his ball protection and passing ability, raising his a/to ratio considerably from his junior to senior year ... A strong competitor, high character guy ... A solid defender who gets a fair number of pilfers (1.8 spg), though less impressive considering the conference he plays in ... His NBA readiness is better than most with 4 years of experience and a polished offensive game ...

Weaknesses: Not a physical marvel with average athletic ability (by NBA standards) ... He's small for the 2-guard position at between 6-4 and 6-5 with short arms ... Gets a little careless with the ball off the dribble ... Can be a little overaggressive defensively resulting in foul trouble ... Playing at a mid-major, his level of competition gets questioned. 20 ppg doesn't have the same "bling" in the Sun Belt Conference, and in a high octane offense ... Has good quickness, but will struggle to create shots as effectively against bigger and more athletic defenders ... While he is more NBA ready than most, he lacks the upside of a number of the other 2-guard prospects available ... His passing ability is neither great nor terrible. If a teammate is open, he find him, but rarely makes plays to create scoring opportunities for others ... A solid defender but his lack of length and great athleticism will make defending a chore for him at the next level ... Would probably be a better defender if he wasn't forced to spend so much energy on the offensive end ...

112288,

Thanks. That appears to be a scouting report compiled at the end of Lee's college career.

Here are a couple of newer ones. They actually make me feel better about his defense than the former one. I'm not expecting a defensive star. But, if he has basically solid defensive skills, I'm pretty convinced he can thrive in the Celtics' team defensive scheme.

Thanks again,

Sam

Courtney Lee Scouting Report 2011
Submitted by Nba Post Up Squad on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 19:38

Name Position College Feet Inches Weight Pro Debut
Courtney Lee
G Western Kentucky University 6 5 200 2008
Position Player Team
SG Courtney Lee HOU

Category Totals Per Game Per 40 Ratio Grade
Games Played 81
Games Started
Minutes 1724 21.3 40.0 100.0
Two Pointers 182 2.2 4.2 92.9 C
Two Pointers Attempted 402 5.0 9.3 97.2 C
Two Point Percentage 45.3 45.3 45.3 95.5 D+
Field Goals 253 3.1 5.9 94.2 C
Field Goals Attempted 576 7.1 13.4 94.0 C
Field Goal Percentage 43.9 43.9 43.9 100.3 C+
Three Pointers 71 0.9 1.6 98.0 C
Threes Attempted 174 2.1 4.0 87.2 C-
Three Percentage 40.8 40.8 40.8 112.4 A-
Free Throws 95 1.2 2.2 72.1 D+
Free Throws Attempted 120 1.5 2.8 73.3 D+
Free Throw Percentage 79.2 79.2 79.2 98.5 C
Offensive Rebounds 51 0.6 1.2 136.9 B
Defensive Rebounds 158 2.0 3.7 99.1 C
Total Rebounds 209 2.6 4.8 106.3 C+
Assists 100 1.2 2.3 70.5 D+
Steals 58 0.7 1.3 101.6 C
Turnovers 68 0.8 1.6 77.8 B
Blocked Shots 18 0.2 0.4 104.9 C
Personal Fouls 102 1.3 2.4 84.2 B+
Points 672 8.3 15.6 90.7 C-
True Rating 492.85 6.1 11.4 88.3 D+
Courtney Lee Statistics Generated Scouting Report
Courtney Lee is adequate scoring
Takes an average amount of shots
Looks for the three at times
Solid from three point land
Does not really get to the charity stripe
Average free throw shooter
Solid shooting ability from mid-range
Mediocre off the dribble
Struggles with back to the basket
Just adequate in transition
Courtney Lee has solid offensive rebounding ability
Average defensive rebounder
Courtney Lee is not a real passer
Average handle
Courtney Lee gets an average amount of steals

Pretty good at stopping open looks
Very good perimeter defender
Weak defending post players
Solid defending in transition
Courtney Lee is not very strong
Mediocre quickness
Courtney Lee is not a very good basketball player but has some NBA skills and belongs in the league

Basic Scouting Report On Newest Rocket Courtney Lee
by Tom Martin on Aug 11, 2010 9:29 PM CDT in Player Analysis
Remember, Courtney Lee is the same dude who was the centerpiece for New Jersey in the Vince Carter deal. That said, I'm well aware that Carter was a shell of his former self at that point, but still: it's nice to know that the Rockets have acquired a player who they, as well as many teams around the league, have coveted for quite some time.
To begin, here is Sebastian Pruiti's brief take on Lee. Pruiti is the manager of Nets Are Scorching and NBA Playbook and is as knowledgeable about basketball as anyone you'll find on them Internets. Cue Pruiti:
I like him a lot as a player. It was obvious the Orlando trade hurt him and he slumped early because of it. However, he is a decent shooter, a guy who can get out and run and play very good defense. He is almost a poor man's Battier. Would have loved to see him play under Avery, but the Nets had too many wings and someone had to go.
[On his potential as a starter and his capacity to develop further]:
[ He can be] a starting [guard] in the league. Right now he is a really good off-the-bench guy for the Rockets. Could start due to injury though and there won't be much of a drop off.
I think what we have seen is pretty much it. He could improve his shooting form a bit and make himself a more efficient shooter than he already is. But he was never a super high upside guy who was going to develop into more. Just a talented basketball player with good IQ.
After watching about an hour's worth of film on Lee, courtesy of Synergy Sports, I can't say that I disagree with anything above.
My first thought regarding Lee is that he is making a drastic role change. Last year, he was asked to do just about everything for a struggling Nets team. And while he is certainly capable of creating for himself and knocking down open shots, he is obviously not someone who you revolve an offense around or use as a second option. That said, I think his time in New Jersey gave him plenty of experience as a trusted ball handler. Heck, in two seasons, Lee has played a prominent role in an NBA Finals and has conversely played solid minutes for the worst team in the league. That's about as much experience as you can get in your first two years.
While some may argue that Trevor Ariza is the better player than Lee, that's not really my concern. Rather, I'm focused on how Lee fits with the roster, because that's what ultimately matters most. He's perfect for the free-flowing offense that Rick Adelman will likely employ with the second unit, much in the way that Shane Battier was a terrible fit for such a unit. Lee's presence frees up Battier to start once again, where he is much more comfortable. Make no mistake: Battier starting again is a good thing. He may have suffered through an ankle injury last season, but his style of play is not such that it will be affected by his aging. He is an intangibles player, much in the way Lee is. If anything, I'm excited that Lee will be able to learn from Battier, a player whom Pruiti already compared him to above.
Here's what I saw on the tape:

Defense
• Quick feet, can cut off some of the quicker ball handlers out there. Quick enough to keep up with the likes of Deron Williams, etc.
• Forced Derrick Rose into three straight misses in isolation during an overtime game. That's impressive.
• Knows how to force an opponent into a help defender. Effectively used Brook Lopez's help last year.
• Not as rangy as Ariza and doesn't play the passing lanes quite as aggressively, which is both a good and bad thing.
• Despite his height (6-foot-5), he can match up with taller ball handlers. Did a nice job on Kevin Martin when facing the Rockets. May struggle with a taller, more physical player, though.
• Opponents shot 33.8% against Lee in isolation situations last year.
• Decent at getting through picks, but can get caught pretty easily. Does a nice job of trailing if beat, if that's any consolation.
• Closes out nicely against jump shooters, gets a hand up every time.
Offense
• Quick shot release. Can catch and shoot very quickly.
• Natural form, rhythm to his shot, unlike Ariza, who essentially picked up the outside shot five years into his career.
• Can elevate easily off the dribble. Here's a good example.
• Generally looks like a natural basketball player. Has a good IQ, understanding of where to be on offense, how to spread the floor. Likes the short jumper in the corner and shows for post players if doubled.
• Great in transition, among the best regarding his transition points per possession. Good for 29th in the league.
• Can finish with both hands. Can finish below the rim. Doesn't need to rely on athleticism to score around the rim.
• Not terribly great off the dribble, but can take advantage when an opportunity presents itself.
[Update to scouting report: I realize that I never touched base on Lee as a rebounder. That's likely the biggest hit that the Rockets will take. There's no telling how well the second unit will be able to rebound, with Patterson unproven and Brad Miller and Chuck Hayes nowhere near "solid" rebounders. Lee doesn't attack the boards near as much as Ariza did, though it's tougher for him because he's three inches shorter and has shorter arms (from what I can tell). If you don't think rebounding from the guard position matters, Von Wafer's lazy ass never boxed out and it killed us on second chance possessions for opponents. Lee doesn't appear to be as apathetic on the boards, but it's not one of his strengths, either.]

To conclude, I believe Lee can be a very effective on-ball defender, much in the way that Ariza was. Ariza was a lengthier player who could play the passing lanes and look for steals. Lee can force turnovers as well, but he's better suited to simply guard his opponent once they receive the ball. Offensively, he appears to be much further along than Ariza and has the ability to create for himself. He doesn't take many long two pointers, something that really irked me about Ariza's game last year, though there was no guarantee that Trevor would be given the opportunity to force up said long two's again this season. In general, he is a great athlete who is capable of playing off others effectively on the offensive end and can be a stud defender against all three guard positions, though he is better suited to defend the 1 or 2.

cowens/oldschool wrote:was Courtney Lee the guy that missed that alley opp that could have won a key game to tie that Finals series vs Lakers in 09?

Cow,

You're correct. It was a tougher shot than most people gave him credit for at the time (he was under the basket and had to reach pretty far back). We'll never know how things would've turned out if he'd made it and they'd won that game, but even if he had, I don't think Orlando would've won the series.



It's a well-designed play. The pass was a little late.

Outside

thanks outside, I think hes a good player, haven't followed him lately, but from what I remember hes good enough all around that I think he could play effectively here with our talent around him in our system.