Tyler Zeller to the C's

by **beat** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:11 am

Danny finally made a move
We get Zeller. Marcus Thorton and his expiring contract. AND a first round pick from Cleve (protected 2016-18)

Gave up a future second round pick. Third team involved Nets get Jack.

More to come

by **beat** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:14 am

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2014/07/09/reports-cavs-making-their-move/?ls=iref:nbahpts

by **kdp59** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:17 am

Zellers' a nice get for nothing, but how does Thornton fit in witht our glut of guards?

by **beat** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:20 am

kdp59 wrote:Zellers' a nice get for nothing, but how does Thornton fit in witht our glut of guards?

Stay tuned...........

revolving door is my bet.

beat

by **cowens/oldschool** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:23 am

Who cares, we got a young 5 with upside and a first round pick for nothing....great move.

Zeller is a serviceable 5 whos playing for a contract, way better than Iverson.

by **beat** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:27 am

Does Cleveland think they have a legit chance at Bron now?

beat

by **kdp59** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:29 am

did Ainge use the Trade exception to do this deal?

Thornton has a$8.5M salary this year.

Zeller is at $1.7M

since we are supposedly sending no players to anyone in this deal, how does it past muster under cap rules?

only way I can see is that $10M trade exception that is expiring on the 12th.

by **Outside** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:31 am

Assuming no other centers walk through the door, this is a huge opportunity for Zeller. Maybe he's learned enough in two seasons to have a positive impact.

I don't know if Zeller is an NBA starting center, but I think he's at the top of the list in Boston.

by **cowens/oldschool** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:34 am

were gonna find out if hes a starting center, hope hes working his ass off this summer.

by **kdp59** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:35 am

Outside wrote:Assuming no other centers walk through the door, this is a huge opportunity for Zeller. Maybe he's learned enough in two seasons to have a positive impact.

I don't know if Zeller is an NBA starting center, but I think he's at the top of the list in Boston.

if there are no other additions, I wouldn;t be surprised with KellyO, Zeller and Fav essenially being the Celtics centers for next season.

With Sully , Bass and Joel at PF.

I just see Zellers game more like Kelly's than a true NBA center...so maybe there is some out of the box thinking.

by **beat** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:35 am

kdp59 wrote:did Ainge use the Trade exception to do this deal?

Thornton has a$8.5M salary this year.

Zeller is at $1.7M

since we are supposedly sending no players to anyone in this deal, how does it past muster under cap rules?

only way I can see is that $10M trade exception that is expiring on the 12th.

According to what I can fine he did use it.

beat

by **bobheckler** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:36 am

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/z/zellety01.html

Tyler Zeller, 7'0 1/2" with shoes, 250#, 7'0" wingspan

/36MPG:

-------------G---GS---MP---FGM---FGA---FG%---FTM---FTA---FT%---ORB---DRB---TRB---AST---STL---BLK---TO---PF----PTS
2012/13-----77--55---2033--4.3----9.9----.438---2.1----2.8---.764----2.8----4.9---7.8----1.7----0.6---1.2---1.7---4.4---10.8
2013/14-----70---9---1049--5.4----10.0---.538---3.0----4.2---.719----3.5----6.1---9.7----1.2----0.6---1.3---2.1---4.7---13.7

He's not a great rebounder for a center, not a great shot blocker. His minutes got cut in half last year. Anybody know why? The Hawes trade didn't come until later in the year, Hawes only played 27 games for Cleveland, so why did Zeller only start 9?

bob

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by **cowens/oldschool** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:40 am

hope this kid is in the weight room, hire Dave Cowens to teach this kid how to rebound.....tell him you want a 8-9 mill contract, avg 10 boards a game. If he can't do it, tell him he'll be gone. its a cold world.

by **beat** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:45 am

bobheckler wrote:http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/z/zellety01.html

/36MPG:

-------------G---GS---MP---FGM---FGA---FG%---FTM---FTA---FT%---ORB---DRB---TRB---AST---STL---BLK---TO---PF----PTS
2012/13-----77--55---2033--4.3----9.9----.438---2.1----2.8---.764----2.8----4.9---7.8----1.7----0.6---1.2---1.7---4.4---10.8
2013/14-----70---9---1049--5.4----10.0---.538---3.0----4.2---.719----3.5----6.1---9.7----1.2----0.6---1.3---2.1---4.7---13.7

He's not a great rebounder for a center, not a great shot blocker. His minutes got cut in half last year. Anybody know why? The Hawes trade didn't come until later in the year, Hawes only played 27 games for Cleveland, so why did Zeller only start 9?

bob

.

Quick look at Cleveland last year....Varejao started 29 games Bynum started 19 and Hawes started 25

That only leaves 9 games.

beat

by **beat** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:47 am

cowens/oldschool wrote:hope this kid is in the weight room, hire Dave Cowens to teach this kid how to rebound.....tell him you want a 8-9 mill contract, avg 10 boards a game. If he can't do it, tell him he'll be gone. its a cold world.

What Cowens did I doubt can't be "taught". this kid is what he is. a serviceable center for now. Plus who knows if he will ever play here............more moves might be coming

beat

by **kdp59** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:51 am

beat wrote:
kdp59 wrote:did Ainge use the Trade exception to do this deal?

Thornton has a$8.5M salary this year.

Zeller is at $1.7M

since we are supposedly sending no players to anyone in this deal, how does it past muster under cap rules?

only way I can see is that $10M trade exception that is expiring on the 12th.

According to what I can fine he did use it.

beat

looks like it

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/07/09/reports-celtics-acquire-tyler-zeller-marcus-thornton-1st-round-pick-in-3-team-deal-with-nets-cavs/

another note:

this puts us at about $78M in salary by my count and OVER the Luxury tax line .

now we know that Bogans and his $5M will come off one way or another, but even then we are at $73M.

I am not sure that Ainge will be able to talk the owners into going over that tax line to sign anyone for that $5M mid-level exception.

right now we have

Bass-$6.9M
Anthony- $3.8M
Thornton- $8.5M
Rondo- $12.9M

all on expiring deals

by **bobheckler** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:55 am

kdp59 wrote:
Outside wrote:Assuming no other centers walk through the door, this is a huge opportunity for Zeller. Maybe he's learned enough in two seasons to have a positive impact.

I don't know if Zeller is an NBA starting center, but I think he's at the top of the list in Boston.

if there are no other additions, I wouldn;t be surprised with KellyO, Zeller and Fav essenially being the Celtics centers for next season.

With Sully , Bass and Joel at PF.

I just see Zellers game more like Kelly's than a true NBA center...so maybe there is some out of the box thinking.

kdp,

Anthony has played center his entire career. I would expect him to play center for us too.

bob

.

by **bobheckler** Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:58 am

cowens/oldschool wrote:hope this kid is in the weight room, hire Dave Cowens to teach this kid how to rebound.....tell him you want a 8-9 mill contract, avg 10 boards a game. If he can't do it, tell him he'll be gone. its a cold world.

cowens,

Especially with your finger on the trigger. LOL.

"Do ya feel lucky, kid? Well, do ya?"

bob

.

by **bobheckler** Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:03 pm

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4713851/rapid-reaction-cs-cash-in-on-3-way-deal

Rapid reaction: C's cash in on 3-way deal
July, 9, 2014
JUL 9 11:05 AM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Rapid reaction after the Boston Celtics acquired center Tyler Zeller, guard Marcus Thornton, and a future first-round pick as part of a three-team swap with the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

The Celtics are expected to give up nothing more than a possible second-round pick (likely with protection from being too high in the round) in exchange for taking on the salaries of Thornton ($8.6 million) and Zeller ($1.7 million) with the $10.3 million trade exception generated during last summer's blockbuster swap with the Nets. Boston will also receive a future first-round pick from the Cavaliers.

The Nets get a valuable sixth man in Jarrett Jack, while the Cavaliers free space to make a run at LeBron James. But the Celtics come away with three assets for helping to facilitate the deal. Let's look at each piece closer:

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

• THORNTON: The 27-year-old shooting guard has averaged 13.4 points per game over five NBA seasons. More importantly, he's an expiring deal, which will allow Boston to create its own cap space for the summer of 2015 (and could still be a possible sign-and-trade asset next offseason as well). Or, if the Celtics give Thornton minutes early (tricky because of their young guard depth), they might be able to create an in-season market for him.

• ZELLER: The 24-year-old center has averaged 6.9 points and 4.9 rebounds over two NBA seasons with the Cavaliers. The 7-footer was the 17th pick in the 2012 draft and will get a chance to develop with size-deprived Boston. The Celtics will hold a $2.6 million team option for Zeller next season, giving them the chance to evaluate him this year and decide if they want to continue to nurture him based on his performance.

• FIRST-ROUND PICK: The Celtics add another future first-rounder to their overflowing surplus that already included two in each of the next two seasons (their own and the Clippers in 2015; their own and the Nets in 2016). Boston now likely has eight first-round picks in the next four drafts (and that could be nine if the 76ers were to make the playoffs this season, though that seems unlikely). The Cavaliers, if they lure James back to Cleveland, would seemingly be picking late in the first round, but nothing is certain in this league.

Even with an impending deadline to use their trade exception, the Celtics patiently waited for an opportunity to pounce and took advantage of the needs of some of their Eastern Conference rivals. All three parts received have potential to help Boston moving forward.

The Celtics have further positioned themselves to have money to spend next summer. If the 2013-14 season is heavy on development, Boston can stomach a salary like Thornton's while knowing their chance for true fireworks looms next summer with further flexibility. With the growing pile of picks, Boston can pick its spot on when to cash in. The key here is patience and it paid off for the Celtics with this deal.

Some will wonder if this move puts them in a better spot to pursue Kevin Love moving forward. Boston did little to add established talent that Minnesota might crave. They certainly have more assets to add to a rebuilding-themed package, but is that what the Wolves desire? Boston has helped its case on the chance that Love reaches unrestricted free agency next summer.

Keep this in mind: If the Celtics find a way to move the final season of Gerald Wallace's deal and Jeff Green opts out of the final year of his contract, Boston would be committed to less than $14 million in total salary for the 2015-16 season (and able to bring back Zeller at low money, too). That leaves this low-cost base to build around:

Marcus Smart - $3.6 million
Jared Sullinger - $2.3 million
Kelly Olynyk - $2.2 million
Vitor Faverani - $2.2 million (nonguaranteed)
James Young - $1.7 million
Chris Johnson - $981,000 (nonguaranteed)
Phil Pressey - $947,000 (nonguaranteed)

That available cap room could allow Boston to bring back Rajon Rondo and still pursue another big-ticket name, or go after two stars of their choosing without having to navigate the trade path that they're restricted to this summer.

bob

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by **kdp59** Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:03 pm

Bob,

I don't expect Joel to do anything but sit on the bench, like he has for the past 3-4 season.....LOL.

by **Outside** Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:04 pm

bobheckler wrote:http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/z/zellety01.html

/36MPG:

-------------G---GS---MP---FGM---FGA---FG%---FTM---FTA---FT%---ORB---DRB---TRB---AST---STL---BLK---TO---PF----PTS
2012/13-----77--55---2033--4.3----9.9----.438---2.1----2.8---.764----2.8----4.9---7.8----1.7----0.6---1.2---1.7---4.4---10.8
2013/14-----70---9---1049--5.4----10.0---.538---3.0----4.2---.719----3.5----6.1---9.7----1.2----0.6---1.3---2.1---4.7---13.7

He's not a great rebounder for a center, not a great shot blocker. His minutes got cut in half last year. Anybody know why? The Hawes trade didn't come until later in the year, Hawes only played 27 games for Cleveland, so why did Zeller only start 9?

I think the big difference in his playing time was Varejao, who was out most of the 2012-13 season, thereby giving minutes to Zeller, but back last season, thereby taking those minutes back.

As for starts, Andrew Bynum actually got some of those (19), but Varejao (1,800 in 65 games) and Hawes (804 in 27 games) were the ones who got the minutes.

Zeller's per-36-minute rebounding numbers look decent to me. He was a pretty good offensive player in college but wasn't a focal point of the offense in Cleveland. He shoots over 70% on free throws. I think he's more of a stretchy-5 than a back-to-the-basket post player, but a young, athletic big could be a nice addition (think Miles Plumlee in Phoenix). My concern is that he's on the soft side for an NBA center, but that's what you have immoveable objects at power forward for. He's not plug-and-play like Gortat, but I'm cautiously optimistic that he could be a sneaky-smart pickup. It's certainly a low-risk move, and if he doesn't work out, he cost next to nothing. But a seven footer with a couple of years under his belt could be just what the doctor ordered.

by **NYCelt** Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:10 pm

Looks like we got our rent-a-center. Outside chance he ends up as more than that.

Young, and better potential than anyone in this year's draft at the center position (except Embiid).

Zeller will be a step up from anyone we put on the court last year, is young and learning. He had a very nice career at UNC. There is some potential with him for the future, which makes him a good player to throw into the mix with other young, developing players. Zeller isn't a defensive monster, but can hold his own. He can nail it from the free-throw line, so there won't be any late game hack-a-Tyler in close ones.

Good pick-up on the cheap. At worst fills the spot for a year.

Leaves upcoming cap room too.

Way to go Danny. Not "fireworks", but a smart rebuilding step.

by **bobheckler** Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:24 pm

Marcus Thornton

6'4", 205#, 6'5" wingspan, 27 years old.

Hoopshype's scouting report on him: A scorer first and foremost... Better slasher than shooter... Pretty strong... Doesn't look much to create for others.

Career numbers, /36mpg:

FGM---FGA---FG%--3PTM--3PTA--3PT%---2PTM--2PTA--2PT%---FT---FTA---FT%---ORB---DRB---TRB---AST---STL---BLK---TOV---PF----PTS
6.8----15.8--.431---2.3----6.3----.361----4.5----9.5----.478---2.6----3.1---.828----1.3----2.9---4.2----2.1---1.3----0.2----1.6---2.3---18.5

Tyler Zeller to the C's BfgvZkAvbglGcAAAAASUVORK5CYII=

Tyler Zeller to the C's BfgvZkAvbglGcAAAAASUVORK5CYII=

bob

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by **bobheckler** Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:47 pm

btw, Thornton's Wikipedia page already says he plays for the Boston Celtics.

Boy, that didn't take long did it?

bob

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by **bobheckler** Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:00 pm

Another thing to consider is that NEXT summer the Celtics will have $32M in salary coming off the books.

Brandon Bass - $6.95M
Rajon Rondo - $13M
Joel Anthony - $3.8M
Marcus Thornton - $8.7M

Also, Vitor will be in a 'Team Option' year. So, if he isn't cutting it (he's cheap and has some game, but he's coming off of knee surgery, so who knows? I'm seeing a lot of instagram shots of him lying on a beach in Spain and not many of him in the training room rehabbing) there's another $2.2M. Kelly and Sully will be in 'Team Option' years too, but I don't see Danny NOT picking them up.

Yes, we will need to use some of that money if we want to re-sign Rondo, but still, $32M is a LOT of money. Barring other future trades (Love?) we will be way under the salary cap next year.

bob

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