Celtics' Wheelings & Dealings are Works in Progress

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/celtics_insider/2015/01/celtics_wheelings_dealings_are_works_in_progress




Celtics' wheelings & dealings are works in progress



Photo by: The Associated Press
Nate Robinson will not get another chance to don Celtics green.


Wednesday, January 14, 2015
By:  Mark Murphy


Though the Celtics continue to make good progress on a variety of transactional fronts, a source said today that business is unlikely to be completed until tomorrow on any of the deals currently on Danny Ainge's table.

Though the team agreed almost instantly with Nate Robinson on a buyout of his $2.1 million contract after acquiring him from Denver for Jameer Nelson on Tuesday, there are remaining bookkeeping issues that won't be resolved until tomorrow. The Celtics dodged a potentially sticky issue by trading Nelson for Robinson, who will not last long enough for his second stint as a Celtic, namely that the Celtics have avoided having to deal with a $2.8 million option that Nelson holds for next season.

Though Nelson maintained a professional demeanor during his brief time since coming aboard as part of a trade package that sent Rajon Rondo to Dallas, his status as a nightly healthy scratch wore on the veteran guard. Robinson became a buyout candidate the moment the trade was completed Tuesday. On a Celtics team that is also attempting to complete a deal that will move Austin Rivers to the Clippers, there is no place on this team for another veteran guard.

Not with Marcus Smart proving over the last two weeks that he needs more playing time, anyway.

The Celtics and Clippers are still attempting to secure a third team as a facilitator in the Rivers trade. Sources have said that the Celtics will receive two players with expiring contracts in exchange for Rivers, who will next play for his father, Doc Rivers, after struggling to find a role in New Orleans.

Like Tayshaun Prince, Rivers isn't expected to be with the Celtics when they play Atlanta tonight in the Garden.

Prince, who came aboard along with a future first-round pick from Memphis in exchange for Jeff Green, remains a tradeable asset.

Though the Celtics remain open to buying out the forward, there is still the possibility that the veteran has trade value, and could net the team yet another draft pick, almost certainly from a playoff team.

According to a source, the Celtics expect to wrap up much of this business by tomorrow.




bob
MY NOTE: "League sources" are saying Shav Randolph is coming back to Boston as part of the Austin Rivers deal, plus a 2nd rounder. Rivers for Randolph and a 2nd? Rivers' career is in the toilet. It will be interesting going to see what a live body like Randolph's can do in Brad's system.


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I am not sure how many draft picks are too many (Ainge says that there can never be too many), but I would definitely prefer to see Prince traded rather than being bought out although a "buy out" is likely to save some money this season.

So, I would keep Prince and hope to trade him by the trade deadline, and if he is not tradeable then buy him out after February 19th when it will even be easier financially buy him out.

Prince is certainly not part of the current re-build so he will not be on the roster next year no matter what.