So where do you think Pierce is going? (if he does get traded)

[CelticG1]

No one else is concerned about Gasol's knees?

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/08/pau-gasol-to-undergo-procedure-to-relieve-tendonosis-in-both-knees/

No more than I would be about Pierce's ongoing decline at age 36.

Pierce at least is staying on the court even at an older age

[Lucky17]

Clippers: difficult to make the salaries match, now that expiring deals can't be used. More than Bledsoe and Butler would be required.

Golden State: has Harrison Barnes and Brandon Rush returning next year (assuming he exercises his player option), so they already seem pretty set at the 3, no? As with the Clippers, making the salaries match is difficult, unless you're looking to take back Jack in a sign and trade, which probably (due to contract lengths) isn't what Ainge has in mind. Although, I think the Warriors could trade their 2014 pick after the 2013 Draft takes place, FWIW.

Dallas: seems like Pierce would be a great pairing with Dirk. It depends on how their free agent shopping goes, as I'm sure they'd like to spend their space on someone younger.

1. Clippers: Bledsoe, Butler and Hill is within 125% of Pierce's $15.3 mil.  I think this is actually the most logical Pierce deal, though it's not my favorite.  For the Celtics, they fill 3 roster spots for almost $3 mil less than they were spending on Pierce, allowing them to stay under the tax.  Bledsoe allows them to bring Rondo back slowly if they wish and gives them a nice trade asset at the deadline (especially if he can impress in a starting role).  Butler gives them a mediocre but rotation caliber wing to allow Green to switch between the 3 and the 4.  For the Clippers, they get a big upgrade at the 3 without necessarily pushing themselves into the tax.  Pierce represents an ideal 3rd banana for CP3 and Griffin - makes them a much more serious contender. 

2. Warriors: Another factor to consider with the Warriors is the luxury tax - I think they'll be very wary of adding any salary for next year given how close they are to the threshold.  I think they'd be one of the teams that would value Pierce more for his buyout clause than his role, unless they could get us to take back more salary then we were sending out (they'd want to dump Jefferson and Biedrins).

3.  Dallas: I can't see Dallas being all that interested in Pierce.  They have capable SF options in Marion and Carter making a combined $3 mil less than Pierce.

1. Nice find. Hill's contract is only guaranteed for $500K for next season, and he's been talking about retirement to boot. I suspect a modest TE for Boston would also be created?

3. Move Marion to PF, and Carter to SG? Team would still need a PG to run the show, plus some athleticism off the bench. But all three would probably get 30 minutes a night without much fuss.

[LooseCannon]

3.  Dallas: I can't see Dallas being all that interested in Pierce.  They have capable SF options in Marion and Carter making a combined $3 mil less than Pierce.

If I were the Mavs, I would be happy to have a rotation that has Pierce at the 3, Dirk at the 4, and Marion as a 3/4 combo forward, while occasionally wheeling out a lineup that has all three of them playing together.

Plus, Pierce would fit into the strategy of rolling over cap space by only having guys with one-year deals.

[TripleOT]

Anyone who watched GS fumble away leads in many of their playoff games shouldn't be questioning why they desperately needed a Pierce type. 

And the Pierce we say against NY was the result of a tired older player being overused in a role that he's not able to fulfill anymore.  On the Warriors, as a half court facilitator and big shot maker, he would have been perfect. 

[gpap]

Lakers for Pau Gasol

Yup.

Paul Pierce/Brandon Bass

For

Pau Gasol/Steve Blake

I just don't see the point of that trade.

Not really In our long or short term plans. Would rather just keep and pay pierce.

Plus I really don't see danny trading Pierce to the lakers under almost any circumstance

It's obviously a win-now move. If Danny just did that trade, it would be a pretty dam good line up.

Rondo
Bradley
Green
Garnett
Gasol

Also, I don't think it matters if its a rivalry or not. If it makes basketball sense I'm pretty sure Danny doesn't care about a team considered a rival who's not even in our conference. I'm sure a team like Miami or Chicago is different because they are direct competition.

Maybe win a round or 2 more which is pretty much what you get with paul pierce anyway.

The big difference in either line up is the addition of Rondo.

No ones going to convince me that addind pau and subtracting pierce turns us into a title contender or even close.

So again I just don't see the point of makng such a lateral move when you will prob get thw same end result.

And paying pau what 5 mil more?

The reason why Gasol would be a great pick up is because we need size. I mean we need size BADLY, which became apparent in the Knicks series. Had we had one more big, then all those rebounds that Martin and Chandler grabbed would've gone our way and thus the series outcome could've been different.

And the way Shumpert outplayed and picked the pocket of Pierce?  Not good.

[snively]

Lakers for Pau Gasol

Yup.

Paul Pierce/Brandon Bass

For

Pau Gasol/Steve Blake

I think the Lakers will be very wary of Bass's extra year.  The scuttlebutt among Laker fans that I'm unfortunately surrounded by here in LA is that cap space in 2014 is the big priority.

I think the most palatable deal to the Lakers would be a straight swap with one of our non-guaranteed guys thrown in for matching purposes.

That way the Laker preserve 2014 flexibility while also improving 2013 roster balance AND saving a big chunk of change on those nasty new tax rates kicking in this year.

Consider that the Lakers are likely going to be at least $15 mil over the tax threshold this season (even if they buyout Duhon and amnesty MWP).  That means that they'll be paying a $28.75 mil bill for the the $15 mil, plus a $3.25-$3.75 to $1 tax rate for every dollar over that $15 mil.

As such a "measly" $4 mil difference in guaranteed money between Pau and Pierce could save the Lakers $12+ mil in tax payments.  So overall, a savings of ~$16 mil.  That's a pretty big financial sweetener, even for a team with gigantic pockets like the Lakers.

The problem is, the Celtics would be paying a pretty steep price on the other end of that deal, though not so bad, relatively.  Given that the C's will likely be in less than $10 mil over the threshold, the $4 mil difference between the player would probably result in an additional tax bill of ~$6 mil, for an increase of $10 mil in overall expenses.

[miraclejohan]

Dallas.

[snively]

No one else is concerned about Gasol's knees?

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/08/pau-gasol-to-undergo-procedure-to-relieve-tendonosis-in-both-knees/

No more than I would be about Pierce's ongoing decline at age 36.

Pierce at least is staying on the court even at an older age

Eh, before this year, Pau's had a pretty strong run of durability. 

He'll only be 33.  I don't see that much difference between trading for a 33 year old Pau coming off a knee procedure to trading for a 32 year old Ray Allen coming off double ankle surgery.  And the latter worked wonders for us.

I think Pau could be good for another 3 years of all-star level production at the 5 spot, much like KG was able to do after his own knee injuries at the same age.

Pau is a fantastic buying opportunity.  His contract is likely to scare off most teams in this new tax era, his current team has excellent reasons  to move him - big holes  at the 3/4, a better 5, a huge tax bill looming, and no other assets to trade - and the Celtics have perhaps the best combination of star player/expiring contract on the market.

And Pau is a fantastic fit for team needs.  We desperately need a star-quality big man to contend and Pau's blend of skills fits beautifully with KG.

Rondo/Terry
Bradley/Lee
Green
KG/Bass
Pau/Sully

Need to tweak the bench a bit, but that's an extremely strong team.

[BleedGreen1989]

No one else is concerned about Gasol's knees?

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/08/pau-gasol-to-undergo-procedure-to-relieve-tendonosis-in-both-knees/

No more than I would be about Pierce's ongoing decline at age 36.

Pierce at least is staying on the court even at an older age

Eh, before this year, Pau's had a pretty strong run of durability. 

He'll only be 33.  I don't see that much difference between trading for a 33 year old Pau coming off a knee procedure to trading for a 32 year old Ray Allen coming off double ankle surgery.  And the latter worked wonders for us.

I think Pau could be good for another 3 years of all-star level production at the 5 spot, much like KG was able to do after his own knee injuries at the same age.

Pau is a fantastic buying opportunity.  His contract is likely to scare off most teams in this new tax era, his current team has excellent reasons  to move him - big holes  at the 3/4, a better 5, a huge tax bill looming, and no other assets to trade - and the Celtics have perhaps the best combination of star player/expiring contract on the market.

And Pau is a fantastic fit for team needs.  We desperately need a star-quality big man to contend and Pau's blend of skills fits beautifully with KG.

Rondo/Terry
Bradley/Lee
Green
KG/Bass
Pau/Sully

Need to tweak the bench a bit, but that's an extremely strong team.

Yea, the more and more I think about it the more I fall in love with the idea. It's not a huge risk either because if I'm not mistaken, doesn't his contract expire at the end of the season?

[celtics2]

Someplace warm and sunny..

[SparzWizard]

Has Pierce ever thought about winning his second ring?

Hopefully not South Beach or Hollywood.

[indeedproceed]

Anyone who watched GS fumble away leads in many of their playoff games shouldn't be questioning why they desperately needed a Pierce type. 

And the Pierce we say against NY was the result of a tired older player being overused in a role that he's not able to fulfill anymore.  On the Warriors, as a half court facilitator and big shot maker, he would have been perfect.

I'm not disagreeing with you; Pierce would've been very helpful for the Warriors. They could've used him.

Just like the Rockets could've used him. But the Rockets and Warriors posses two of the most promising 3s in basketball, and at an absolute bargain. The Warriors also have (after Rush declines his player option and keeps his $4 mil salary next season) some of the best depth at the 3 in basketball, also at a bargain (Green, Rush, and Thompson in small lineups).

Why would they spend 15 million dollars on Pierce? Their core is young and should get better.

And this also begs the question, what are they sending back? It isn't a sign and traded Jarret Jack (I'm 80% sure that those transactions can only happen in 1 for 1 exchanges, or at least can't be paired with other players). They traded away their 2013 first, so they can only trade their 2015 back to us, and if the Warriors can keep their core together, that looks like a non-lotto pick in the late teens or 20s.

[KCattheStripe]

Anyway e could get him to OKC if they get Toronto's Lottery pick?

[CelticConcourse]

Not Miami, that's for sure.