The future.

[Quinn]

What do we do when KG and Allen's contracts run out?
Do we resign them or do we let them go and start rebuilding.
The way I see it, we're only a contender for the next year or so. Sure the goal is another title now, but is Ainge planning for the future at all? We have Rondo, but I'm having a hard time seeing any other solid piece for the post-big 3 era.

Just wanted to see what some of your thoughts were.

[Mr October]

When KG's contract runs out, he'll be done.

With Ray Allen, the decision will depend on a number of scenarios. His expiring contract could be a nice piece... especially if an Amare Stoudamire, Chris Bosh, etc talent becomes available from a desperate team.

Realistically, I think Allen is resigned for a fraction of his salary, say $16/2 years. And then he walks into the sunset around the same time as KG and Pierce.

My main thought looking into the future is that the Celtics have only 1 core player to build around (Rondo), everyone else is a role player and the C's need to make sure they don't overpay them. For example, when Perkins contract runs out, I'd try to resign him for 7 million a year (35/5). If he (or his agent) think they will get $50/5, they are nuts, and we'll find another center.

[LarBrd33]

Do everything possible to bring Kevin Durant to the Celtics. 

[Actionjakson]

Do everything possible to bring Kevin Durant to the Celtics. 

Agreed! Who knows how this would play out, but he will be the best scorer in the league in a couple of years, and i would welcome him in with open arms. Hopefully Rondo continues to develope, and Big Baby can score like he has been the last two nights consistently. His mid range shot, along with his girth inside could be lethal. If he could but up 15-18 a game in the next few years after the big-3 depart. That would be great. Other than that, it is hard to tell how the rest of the team will work out. Who knows if TA can stay healthy. Or how Giddens and Walker develop. I would love to work the guys we have. A core of Rondo, Giddens, Walker, Baby, (and hopefully Durant ) would we great. I am very excited to see how it all works out. BUT I am even more excited to see how the team we have now works out, and i am excited for the chance for a few more championships.

[Jon]

When KG's contract runs out, he'll be done.

With Ray Allen, the decision will depend on a number of scenarios. His expiring contract could be a nice piece... especially if an Amare Stoudamire, Chris Bosh, etc talent becomes available from a desperate team.

Realistically, I think Allen is resigned for a fraction of his salary, say $16/2 years. And then he walks into the sunset around the same time as KG and Pierce.

My main thought looking into the future is that the Celtics have only 1 core player to build around (Rondo), everyone else is a role player and the C's need to make sure they don't overpay them. For example, when Perkins contract runs out, I'd try to resign him for 7 million a year (35/5). If he (or his agent) think they will get $50/5, they are nuts, and we'll find another center.

I don't know if Ray is so easily placated.  I mean if he's still competing at the same level as PP and KG, why should he settle for half?  Still, the other side of the argument might be that no one probably wants to invest max dollars on an aging shooting guard.  

One easy fix might be extending him 1 year at around the same money he's making now.  That does a number of things for the C's.

1) It doesn't extend him beyond 2010-2011.  That year the C's have a qualifying offer for Rondo that's only 3.7 million or so.  They year after, he'll likely get his huge pay day.  

2) It still leaves the C's with the same big expiring contract, it'd just be 1 year later they could use it.  So the option to trade him for a big time player would still be possible.  

3) It means that Ray and Paul both expire after 2010-2011, which would give Danny more time to gauge what he should do.  If it's apparent that the Big Three are in decline after next season, he could potentially trade Pierce and Allen.  If it's not apparent until 2010-2011 that they're in decline, he could let them both go, clearing huge cap space and use KG's then expiring deal to make a trade.  Or, perhaps it's apparent that the Big Three are still a juggernaut, he could extend Pierce and Allen each additional year to have all three members of the Big Three expire at the same time at the end of the 2011-2012 season, clearing a ton of money in the summer of 2012 to fill in slots around Rondo and whoever else is still around.  

[Michael Anthony]

Two trades this off-season, together they are essentially cap neutral:

Scal and House to Phoenix for Barbosa and thier 2009 first rounder (Late Loto). Sarver does it to save $2.6 million next season (remember, he is a tax payer) and $15 million for the two season after that. We turn that pick into a high-upside guy like BJ Mullins.

Next, we move Ray and Tony Allen to Detroit for Hamilton and Wallace (Sign and Trade, 1 year @ $7.5m). Dumars does it because Detroit needs to deep-six Hamilton's contract if it wants to make a play for Wade. The C's save $4 (tax) million on the deal.

Our tight looks like this:

Rondo - Barbosa
Hamilton - Barbosa
Pierce - Hamilton
Garnett - Wallace
Perkins - Wallace

The 8-12 spots include Pruitt, Giddens, Walker, Moore (Vet minimum), Mullins. A vet minimum wing and a second round forward to round out the 13 & 14 spots.

[MattG12]

Two trades this off-season, together they are essentially cap neutral:

Scal and House to Phoenix for Barbosa and thier 2009 first rounder (Late Loto). Sarver does it to save $2.6 million next season (remember, he is a tax payer) and $15 million for the two season after that. We turn that pick into a high-upside guy like BJ Mullins.

Next, we move Ray and Tony Allen to Detroit for Hamilton and Wallace (Sign and Trade, 1 year @ $7.5m). Dumars does it because Detroit needs to deep-six Hamilton's contract if it wants to make a play for Wade. The C's save $4 (tax) million on the deal.

Our tight looks like this:

Rondo - Barbosa
Hamilton - Barbosa
Pierce - Hamilton
Garnett - Wallace
Perkins - Wallace

The 8-12 spots include Pruitt, Giddens, Walker, Moore (Vet minimum), Mullins. A vet minimum wing and a second round forward to round out the 13 & 14 spots.

Barbosa is the Suns future at guard. In all likelihood they lose Nash in two years and while Nash has been out the last three games Barbosa has shown he can be a very good starter. He would be so unhappy here, he is deserving of a starting role. He wouldn't want to be backing up Rondo. If the Suns want to do anything in the future they will keep Barbosa. Scal and House probably don't get you Barbosa... and they definitely don't get you Barbosa and a 1st rounder. However, if they were to trade Barbosa... they would make sure they were getting equal value for him.

[Scalablob990]

Do everything possible to bring Kevin Durant to the Celtics. 

Now THAT would be a center piece for the future!

[makaveli]

Seriously you can't tell what's gonna happen...how many people saw Ray coming to the C's on draft night...
There are a million scenarios so any type of speculations about the future are pointless...

[Fan from VT]

Also who knows what shape the league will be in/major changes to salary structure in the 2011 doom and gloom lockout year.

[Edgar]

Rondo
Joe Johnson
LeBron
Bosh
Perk


No.20

[Cman]

Danny's philosophy seems to be:
(a) build through draft and trades;
(b) fill in the missing pieces with cheap FAs

So I wouldn't be surprised if Danny tries to use Ray Allen's contract, perhaps with a future 1st round draft pick, to try to pry away a big name player this summer or next fall. 

For example, I could see Danny trying to trade for Luol Deng. Chicago could be interested because with the new cap space they could go after LeBron James. 

[guava_wrench]

The future will eventually be borderline playoff team and then rebuilding.

[BigAlTheFuture]

Rondo
Joe Johnson
LeBron
Bosh
Perk


No.20

And then number 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, etc. 

[xmuscularghandix]

we're only a contender for the next year or so? i disagree, with the big three getting older and resigning for lower salaries that can open up to sign a pretty good size FA.

This offseason KG's salary bumps down from 21 mil to 16 mil, that money can help resign either Baby or Leon, and maybe another role player. (I'd like to see Moore stay on as our length off the bench)

Summer of '10, Ray's 18 million comes off and i think that he could sign for a sub 10 million dollar salary. opening about 8 million to get younger players/ FA's signed. (Rondo's contract also ends this offseason)

Summer of '11, PP's 21 million comes off the books, i'm guessing he'd take a hometown/getting old discount to continue winning championships.
   Perk's contract also expires this year and if he asks for too much they might want to go for a FA with Perkins' 4.4 plus however much less Pierce takes.


And in 2012 KG's 21 million will come off the books, this could be the year that we pickup a big Free Agent.