Free Agency

Since the NBA has promised to block the KG to LAC trade, there is a need for a new deal to be done. Who should the Celtics pursue?

http://www.hoopsworld.com/2013-nba-free-agents

So far, Josh Smith and Al Jefferson seem to be the best available targets in my opinion.

Kj

I like both of them. Would prefer Al.

This team is Not going to rebuild. I call it a makeover.

We just need KG to come back, add a center, shooter and bu pg and we are in the mix again.

Dboss

Dboss - you nailed it. Three key additions and we are in the mix.

that's what I been sayin all along, just need a makeover..

Jarrett Jack is one of the best b/u pgs in the league.  Chris Paul's not bad either.  :-)

Keyon Dooling is available for $75k.  Any takers?  No?  I thought not.

Aaron Brooks isn't what he used to be, but he is an NBA point guard and he's only $2.5M

For shooting guards, Tony Allen is available for $3M.  That's a helluva deal for a 1st team all-defense and the premier perimeter defender in the league.  He left because he didn't want to play behind Ray and Paul anymore?  Well, that's fixed.

Lots of other SGs, but I don't see many I like OR that we can afford without help.  T-Will is ours, so if he pulls his head out of his ass, we're in decent shape there.  Interestingly, they have him listed as a SG, probably because of his size, but Danny pegs him as a PG.  He seems to play point on offense and 2 on defense.

SFs. With Pierce either gone or almost gone, we have to start thinking about filling Green's backup slot.
Matt Barnes? I'd have to start loving body art, by the gallery-load.

Dorell Wright, now of Philly, was on GSW for a while.  This. kid. can. shoot.  

Another cheap 3rd SF (assuming PP stays) would be Chase Budinger.  Offense!

Under PFs, it looks like a target-rich environment.

Anthony Tolliver, Blatche and even Rashard Lewis.  NO, I am NOT a fan of Lewis, but he is long and can shoot 3s and is cheap.  Blatche has his well-documented issues with KG, but maybe they were because they were on opposite sides of the ball.  Tolliver is a good, solid bench player, but do we need him if Shav can cut it?

Can't afford Maxiell.  Damn.

I'd love to get Earl Clark but the word is that Cleveland is going after him and they've got $.

Blair from SAS, K-Mart from NYK, good fillers.

Jarvis Varnado just got a ring with Miami?  Jeez.  Talk about stepping into shit and coming out smelling like lilacs.

CENTERS!

ZAZA!!
I've always like Turiaf.  He's limited, but he knows what his limits are and he plays hard and physical.

Dalembert is a little out of our price range without help or sign-and-trades, so is Pekovic.  If we can't get Pekovic, maybe we could pick up Mozgov?  He'd be an excellent battering ram, and cheap at $4M.


bob


.

It looks like the Celtics might be interested in trading for Josh Smith.
I know he has talent, but I am not a fan of his game.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2013-06-25/nba-draft-2013-trade-rumors-free-agency-2013-celtics-josh-smith-luol-deng-jimmer

I'd like to see Tony Allen back in green.

tjmakz,

I'm not the hugest fan of his game, but he is young (27) and very athletic. We could use a guy like him on the frontcourt.

k_j_88 wrote:I'd like to see Tony Allen back in green.

tjmakz,

I'm not the hugest fan of his game, but he is young (27) and very athletic. We could use a guy like him on the frontcourt.

He would definitely be an asset to the Celtics.
I wonder what Atlanta would want to participate in a sign and trade for him?

If Josh becomes a Celtic that menas Rondo is DEFINITELY staying. He and Josh go way back.

tjmakz wrote:It looks like the Celtics might be interested in trading for Josh Smith.
I know he has talent, but I am not a fan of his game.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2013-06-25/nba-draft-2013-trade-rumors-free-agency-2013-celtics-josh-smith-luol-deng-jimmer

TJ,

It would be ironic, would it not, if the reason why Doc expressed ambivalence about staying in Boston was because he didn't want to live through another rebuild (and that encouraged Danny to search for trades for him), that we have an abbreviated rebuild period because Atlanta takes Pierce for Smith for Pierce's expiring contract?

Our team would look like this, not including whatever the hell Danny pulls off on draft day and before 7/1:

5-KG, Melo
4-Josh Smith, Sullinger, Bass, Randolph
3-Jeff Green
2-Bradley, Lee, Crawford
1-Rondo, JET, Terrence Williams (on offense, SG on defense).

So thin as to be see-through at center and SF, but not bad otherwise.  Certainly, quite a bit of speed and only 2 oldsters, KG and JET.  Everybody else is under 30 and athletic (ok, maybe not Sully).  If we can get some height and beef like a Steven Adams or such in the draft and sign a true backup point guard in free agency...I'm not worried about the 3-spot, backup wings are a dime-a-dozen and Smith can play that too.  

Of course, I'd love to trade JET for Zaza, but I don't see that happening.  Not unless their Danny (Ferry) gets Trading Tourettes.

Why would Atlanta trade Smith for a one-year Pierce rental?  Because next year's free agent market is going to be one of the best in 5 years and so is the draft.  A sagging Hawk team and Pierce coming off their books would position them for a decent draft pick and TONS of money under the cap.  One year of pain and they're in good shape with a high quality free agent (or two) and a midlevel-to-perhaps-close-to-lottery pick, say, #14 or 15.

Here's to wishful thinking!

 
bob


.

bobheckler wrote:

tjmakz wrote:It looks like the Celtics might be interested in trading for Josh Smith.
I know he has talent, but I am not a fan of his game.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2013-06-25/nba-draft-2013-trade-rumors-free-agency-2013-celtics-josh-smith-luol-deng-jimmer

TJ,

It would be ironic, would it not, if the reason why Doc expressed ambivalence about staying in Boston was because he didn't want to live through another rebuild (and that encouraged Danny to search for trades for him), that we have an abbreviated rebuild period because Atlanta takes Pierce for Smith for Pierce's expiring contract?

Our team would look like this, not including whatever the hell Danny pulls off on draft day and before 7/1:

5-KG, Melo
4-Josh Smith, Sullinger, Bass, Randolph
3-Jeff Green
2-Bradley, Lee, Crawford
1-Rondo, JET, Terrence Williams (on offense, SG on defense).

So thin as to be see-through at center and SF, but not bad otherwise.  Certainly, quite a bit of speed and only 2 oldsters, KG and JET.  Everybody else is under 30 and athletic (ok, maybe not Sully).  If we can get some height and beef like a Steven Adams or such in the draft and sign a true backup point guard in free agency...I'm not worried about the 3-spot, backup wings are a dime-a-dozen and Smith can play that too.  

Of course, I'd love to trade JET for Zaza, but I don't see that happening.  Not unless their Danny (Ferry) gets Trading Tourettes.

Why would Atlanta trade Smith for a one-year Pierce rental?  Because next year's free agent market is going to be one of the best in 5 years and so is the draft.  A sagging Hawk team and Pierce coming off their books would position them for a decent draft pick and TONS of money under the cap.  One year of pain and they're in good shape with a high quality free agent (or two) and a midlevel-to-perhaps-close-to-lottery pick, say, #14 or 15.

Here's to wishful thinking!

 
bob


.

Bob,

Why would Atlanta even want Paul Pierce at $15.3m for one year?
I don't think they would have any interest in paying him since they will not be contenders in 2013.
I would expect they would demand a 1st round pick for participating in a sign and trade.
Is Smith going to want 5 year max money? If not, he will want very close to that...

BobH,

If Josh Smith were to join this team, I would imagine either Bass or Sully would depart (presumably in trade, though not necessarily for Smith).  On your list, are you assuming they won't bring Wilcox back?

Sam

Sam,

Both Bass and Sully play hard. However, I'd personally be a bit more inclined to keep Sully over Bass. And that is mostly because Bass doesn't have the athleticism of most 3s and last the height of most 4's. In most one on one situations, he'll be exposed. While Sully isn't very athletic, he is quite physical and very skilled, which make up for his deficiencies elsewhere.

One possible path:

1. Paul Pierce gets traded to Cleveland for a $15m TE and two 2013 early second round picks.  This needs to happen before draft day for these draft picks to be in our control.

2. Atlanta facilitates a S&T with Josh Smith for anything south of $15m.  We incentivize Atlanta by giving them our 2013 first round pick or both of the 2013 early second round picks.  If we cannot pull a S&T before draft day, we could make an agreement with Atlanta so that we would pick players of their choice with our draft picks and then do the S&T after the moratorium is over (July 10th).  If we cannot make a "pre-arrangement" with Atlanta, we will have to give Atlanta a future (not 2014) first round pick.

IMO, Josh Smith is a dumb-ass.  He does some really stupid things out on the court.  He is also extremely talented and can be fun to watch.  If we can sign him for something less than a max contract, fine.  If he wants (and demands) max money, well, I do not believe he is that guy.

 gyso

sam wrote:BobH,

If Josh Smith were to join this team, I would imagine either Bass or Sully would depart (presumably in trade, though not necessarily for Smith).  On your list, are you assuming they won't bring Wilcox back?

Sam

Sam,

Wilcox did not cover humself with glory last year. Furthermore, he is undersized.

If we cannot replace him with a legit then we will resign him. Otherwise, no. His one big advantage is that he's cheap.


bob


.

I thought I read that Tony Allen re-signed with Memphis? Are you sure he is still available.

I am sorry but I am not a member of the Josh Smith fan club.  If  nothing else other than I think he plays a  stupid game, shoots way to many three's and never stops, even when he has missed 12 in a row.  Bring on Al.

Rosalie

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I thought I read that Tony Allen re-signed with Memphis? Are you sure he is still available.

I am sorry but I am not a member of the Josh Smith fan club.  If  nothing else other than I think he plays a  stupid game, shoots way to many three's and never stops, even when he has missed 12 in a row.  Bring on Al.

Rosalie

 Last season, he averaged 2.6 3pt attempts per game.

I'm not sure where that ranks in the NBA, but it's far less than it would seem he takes.

Byron Mullens of Charlotte will not receive a qualifying offer.

Underwhelming, but he's 7'0", 275#. Plays a bit too much like a stretch 4 for me, but he's a legit big and he can be had for a song.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mulleby01.html


Also, Andrew Bynum is not expected to be back with the Sixers. Wow, what a fall from grace this is. I read an article by Julius Erving, who is still involved with the Sixers' front office, who said that the Sixers feel like they got sold a bill of goods by the Lakers and "that won't happen again". He made it sound like they won't deal with the Lakers again and not "we'll be more careful next time". Either way, Bynum could be available. At least, for the half season he usually plays.


bob


.

bobheckler wrote:Byron Mullens of Charlotte will not receive a qualifying offer.

Underwhelming, but he's 7'0", 275#.  Plays a bit too much like a stretch 4 for me, but he's a legit big and he can be had for a song.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mulleby01.html


Also, Andrew Bynum is not expected to be back with the Sixers.  Wow, what a fall from grace this is.  I read an article by Julius Erving, who is still involved with the Sixers' front office, who said that the Sixers feel like they got sold a bill of goods by the Lakers and  "that won't happen again".  He made it sound like they won't deal with the Lakers again and not "we'll be more careful next time".  Either way, Bynum could be available.  At least, for the half season he usually plays.


bob


.

Bob,

Dr. J's sour grapes comments were directed at the Lakers and the Celtics.
He really has nothing to do with the 76ers other than being a consultant to the owner.
Here is the link to the story.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9349181/julius-erving-philadelphia-76ers-got-damaged-goods-andrew-bynum

If Bynum is healthy, he could be flipped for a couple of first round draft picks at the trade deadline. Worth a gamble at the MLE to me.

Hi,
I wouldn't go for Bynum. Celtics don't need such a player short term, unless Danny can flip him for a more reliable center but it's too much risk. Long term - he too injury prone and unreliable.

AK

More head cases, just stay away! This guy wants easy money and no work.
Let him go elsewhere

Bynum is worth it..at the right price. His penchant for getting injured ought to disqualify him from max contract money. I say, treat him as year-to-year. If he progresses, then perhaps one could discuss a larger commitment.

In baseball athletes are insured, and if their injuries keep them out for a season, insurance pays 70% of the tab. I had a pitcher making $10M a year for the Rays who rehabbed pretty well, but the Rays wanted the $7M insurance more than the few extra wins they could get with this pitcher, so they kept him on the disabled list. I wonder if this applies in basketball as well. Does the team get any money back from an insurance policy if the player is out for a year?

worcester,

I'm not sure if the NBA has contingencies in place like that. Of course, Philadelphia should have known better than to give up Andre Igoudala and pick up Andrew Bynum and his volatile knees.

KJ