Should TA Be Re-Signed?

[Mr October]

I don't see the correlation between our results in the playoffs and Ray's future with the C's. I understand the idea but whether we win it all, fall short or get beaten badly in the first or second round, it would be a mistake to let Ray go for a simple reason : his departure wouldn't do anything good to us since we wouldn't been able to sign somebody else with his expiring money, and we will still need somebody to fill the guard spot, and which player better than Ray could we realistically (key word here) afford? Nobody.

Shooters like Ray are really rare in the game and they are very valuable. Even if Ray is less efficient than before and starting to show age he would still be big for us as a starting guard or as a potential 6th man. Basically, re-signing him costs us nothing in terms of financial flexibility and it fills a big need, so I don't see the correlation between our results in the playoffs and Ray's situation. Sure, Danny could choose to blow it all up if things went really bad (we know they won't) but what's the point of blowing it all for the sake of blowing it up if you can re-sign a good player like Ray for "nothing"?

Anyway, to come back to the subject of the thread, I think TA should be re-signed. The best case scenario would be to re-sign him to a one year contract so he can play like he did this season because he is in a contract year.

I hope, and think Ray will come back. He's no longer an all star. But if he can be re-upped for about $8-9 million per year over 1-2 years, he'd be coming back at great value. He's still a lethal scorer with excellent conditioning.

However if the C's completely embarrass themselves in the playoffs like Stein and Hollinger seem to believe, then the Celtics may want to strip down and trade all the older guys. Maybe Ray can be sign and traded for a younger player or a modest draft pick. You never know. And we're still a ways away from being forced to make that decision.

[Fafnir]

I don't see the correlation between our results in the playoffs and Ray's future with the C's. I understand the idea but whether we win it all, fall short or get beaten badly in the first or second round, it would be a mistake to let Ray go for a simple reason : his departure wouldn't do anything good to us since we wouldn't been able to sign somebody else with his expiring money, and we will still need somebody to fill the guard spot, and which player better than Ray could we realistically (key word here) afford? Nobody.

If we're not looking to be legitimate contenders for the title next year then we need to look at signing a younger player to develop into a wing for our future. Ray will be our best option for next year, its after that....

[nickagneta]

We are going to have to resigna couple of our vets no matter what. That's a given. The question is who? We have:

Ray Allen
Tony Allen
Marquis Daniels
Nate Robinson
Michael Finley
Brian Scalabrine
Shelden Williams

Without trades, we have 7 vets returning(Paul, KG, Perk, Rondo, Sheed, Baby, Landry) and two draft picks. That's nine slots and three young guys to try to develop(Landry and the picks) that to me means we need at the minimum 5 players signed.

So who do we sign? I think it's just a given that in order to maximize the abilities of the team and get the most out of the MLE that Ray HAS to be brought back or sign and traded, which I'm not sure he will agree to. So bring him back.

I can't see Scal and Daniels coming back. Even at the vet mins as they just have added so little to the team and there will clearly be upgrades out there.

Finley, if he wins a ring with this team this year, is probably going to retire as the most he is destined for is a vet min contract and 10th-12th man on some team's rotation. I wouldn't expect him back.

That leaves Tony, Nate, Shelden and the MLE.

Nate is going to want a raise and a $5 million back up for a PG is awfully expensive. He's also going to want some security. I don't expect the Celtics to give it to him.

So that leaves Shelden and Tony and I think both have earned a raise and a contract from this team to play the roles they play.

So we will have our big man rotation intact, almost, in Perk/KG/Sheed/Baby/Shelden and we will have the SG position in decent hands in Ray/Tony. The problem much like last season will be that we will need a defensive minded wing player with needed skill(ball handling and passing or ability to guard multiple positions or ability to hit the three to space the floor), a back up PG, and shooters.

That leaves two draft picks, the MLE and vet min contracts to do that with.

So yeah, Tony comes back, and probably should.

[Who]

No -- (1) Tony Allen isn't dependable (2) His lack of a jump shot is a large issue

The Celtics should focus on replacing him with a minimum contract player who is able to play solid defense and hit perimeter jump shots at a serviceable clip.

[Jeff]

I'd re-sign him at a reasonable price.

With that said, it might be best for his career if he moved on to another situation.

[nickagneta]

I'd re-sign him at a reasonable price.

With that said, it might be best for his career if he moved on to another situation.

I can see the bring back Tony threads now if he moves on!!

Good luck mods!!!

[Dybdal]

I think the Celtics are done projecting him as a serviceable backup for anything else but the minimum.

Like Jeff said, for TA his greatest hope is that someone in the league see's something they like in him and give him a contract but i really dont hope the Celtics are one of them.

We were ready to part ways with Eddie House, Leon Powe and even James Posey, so i cant see Tony Allen being something the front office is willing to throw anything at besides the cheapest contract possible.

[barefacedmonk]

I'd re-sign him at a reasonable price.

Yes, I would too. I like his defense and his play this year...maybe we can give him a one year contract with team option for the second...that might bring out the "good Tony" next year as well

[jasail]

I don't see why not.  I think the C's end up resigning both TA and Scal.  Neither of them are going to command tremendous money.  They are solid 10-12 guys.  Neither are tremendously consistent, but show me a bottom 1/4 guy that is. So if they are asking for money that is representative of a their role, why not?  
  
They are both capable of playing in a rotational role. They have both stepped up during injuries to play valuable minutes.  They have both played themselves into DNPs and still prepared themselves to be ready when their number is called.  That is valuable in those bottom 1/4 guys.  
  
Point is that they are valuable pieces.  Just don't resign either with the expectation that they are going to be your first wing or second big off the bench. They are, at best, your 9 and 11 guys.    

[Mr October]

I'd re-sign him at a reasonable price.

With that said, it might be best for his career if he moved on to another situation.

I can see the bring back Tony threads now if he moves on!!

Good luck mods!!!

I cringe at this thought..... >_<

[Drucci]

I don't see the correlation between our results in the playoffs and Ray's future with the C's. I understand the idea but whether we win it all, fall short or get beaten badly in the first or second round, it would be a mistake to let Ray go for a simple reason : his departure wouldn't do anything good to us since we wouldn't been able to sign somebody else with his expiring money, and we will still need somebody to fill the guard spot, and which player better than Ray could we realistically (key word here) afford? Nobody.

Shooters like Ray are really rare in the game and they are very valuable. Even if Ray is less efficient than before and starting to show age he would still be big for us as a starting guard or as a potential 6th man. Basically, re-signing him costs us nothing in terms of financial flexibility and it fills a big need, so I don't see the correlation between our results in the playoffs and Ray's situation. Sure, Danny could choose to blow it all up if things went really bad (we know they won't) but what's the point of blowing it all for the sake of blowing it up if you can re-sign a good player like Ray for "nothing"?

Anyway, to come back to the subject of the thread, I think TA should be re-signed. The best case scenario would be to re-sign him to a one year contract so he can play like he did this season because he is in a contract year.

I hope, and think Ray will come back. He's no longer an all star. But if he can be re-upped for about $8-9 million per year over 1-2 years, he'd be coming back at great value. He's still a lethal scorer with excellent conditioning.

However if the C's completely embarrass themselves in the playoffs like Stein and Hollinger seem to believe, then the Celtics may want to strip down and trade all the older guys. Maybe Ray can be sign and traded for a younger player or a modest draft pick. You never know. And we're still a ways away from being forced to make that decision.

We agree on most points. But, frankly I don't see which team would trade a young player for Ray, but who knows, crazier things have happened.

I don't see the correlation between our results in the playoffs and Ray's future with the C's. I understand the idea but whether we win it all, fall short or get beaten badly in the first or second round, it would be a mistake to let Ray go for a simple reason : his departure wouldn't do anything good to us since we wouldn't been able to sign somebody else with his expiring money, and we will still need somebody to fill the guard spot, and which player better than Ray could we realistically (key word here) afford? Nobody.

If we're not looking to be legitimate contenders for the title next year then we need to look at signing a younger player to develop into a wing for our future. Ray will be our best option for next year, its after that....

Yeah, of course it's more logical to look for a young player who can improve in Boston and be a Celtic for years to come, it's a good idea and we can't stay with "old guys" undefinitely but like I said in my previous post, these scenarios, although possible (but improbable : do you think a young player with a lot of potential would accept a big paycut to come and play for the C's? Not likely...), are not the most realistic so, in my opinion, in the short term, re-signing Ray is our best option.

As for TA, I didn't mention it because I thought it was obvious but when I say "re-sign him", it's for cheap money of course (in the lines of his current contract). If he wants a big paycheck, he's not going to find it in Boston.

[Jeff]

the key opportunity here for TA is the fact that the C's will have little money to spend on outside FA's.  They can re-sign their own FA's but have only the MLE and Vet Min to offer other FAs. 

...and have I mentioned (this week) that we have only 6 guys under contract so far?

if he's still around when we're done looking around, there's no question in my mind that we'd toss a contract offer at him for a minimal raise from his current salary

[nickagneta]

the key opportunity here for TA is the fact that the C's will have little money to spend on outside FA's.  They can re-sign their own FA's but have only the MLE and Vet Min to offer other FAs. 

...and have I mentioned (this week) that we have only 6 guys under contract so far?

if he's still around when we're done looking around, there's no question in my mind that we'd toss a contract offer at him for a minimal raise from his current salary

Don't we have an ability to offer Landry a qualifying offer and keep him as well?

[Jeff]

don't know, it wasn't on HoopsHype but I'm too lazy to look it up elsewhere

[droopdog7]

I don't see the correlation between our results in the playoffs and Ray's future with the C's. I understand the idea but whether we win it all, fall short or get beaten badly in the first or second round, it would be a mistake to let Ray go for a simple reason : his departure wouldn't do anything good to us since we wouldn't been able to sign somebody else with his expiring money, and we will still need somebody to fill the guard spot, and which player better than Ray could we realistically (key word here) afford? Nobody.

Shooters like Ray are really rare in the game and they are very valuable. Even if Ray is less efficient than before and starting to show age he would still be big for us as a starting guard or as a potential 6th man. Basically, re-signing him costs us nothing in terms of financial flexibility and it fills a big need, so I don't see the correlation between our results in the playoffs and Ray's situation. Sure, Danny could choose to blow it all up if things went really bad (we know they won't) but what's the point of blowing it all for the sake of blowing it up if you can re-sign a good player like Ray for "nothing"?

Anyway, to come back to the subject of the thread, I think TA should be re-signed. The best case scenario would be to re-sign him to a one year contract so he can play like he did this season because he is in a contract year.

I hope, and think Ray will come back. He's no longer an all star. But if he can be re-upped for about $8-9 million per year over 1-2 years, he'd be coming back at great value. He's still a lethal scorer with excellent conditioning.

However if the C's completely embarrass themselves in the playoffs like Stein and Hollinger seem to believe, then the Celtics may want to strip down and trade all the older guys. Maybe Ray can be sign and traded for a younger player or a modest draft pick. You never know. And we're still a ways away from being forced to make that decision.

I think a contender would offer Ray the midlevel exception so we would need to beat that.  But I am thinking 8-9 million is a little to high.  In the end, it may ultimately depend on the number of years.  For us, two years would be ideal.  But I fear it might take at least three years.