What is Danny's plan for the PF spot?

[RJ87]

dangle Ray at the trade deadline for one if Sullinger doesn't pan out?

Doubt that will be possible.  If Ray does come back, it will likely be a with a no-trade clause.  I'm expecting his contract to have a player option on the 2nd year, which would give Ray such power (due to CBA rules).

Danny didn't give Paul a no-trade clause, no reason to believe that he'd offer one up to Ray who has less sentimental value to the organization than Paul.

[ScottHow]

Give Sullinger the min and keep KG at center. Then use Melo at center and either keep Sullinger at pf or move KG over. That's my hope anyways.

[snively]

Stuck with Bass starting. Unfortunately.

I really hope not. I really don't like him playing with Rondo. The only good thing about that pairing is Rondo finding him for the easy jumper. But Bass's terrible hands just don't mix well with Rondo, who is a flashy passer, and his passes are often bullet passes.

His tendency to hesitate on open Js was pretty irritating too.

[KGs Knee]

dangle Ray at the trade deadline for one if Sullinger doesn't pan out?

Doubt that will be possible.  If Ray does come back, it will likely be a with a no-trade clause.  I'm expecting his contract to have a player option on the 2nd year, which would give Ray such power (due to CBA rules).

Danny didn't give Paul a no-trade clause, no reason to believe that he'd offer one up to Ray who has less sentimental value to the organization than Paul.

My point was that if Danny is going to give Ray a 2 year deal, by structuring it as a 2 year deal with the 2nd year as a player option, it inherently comes with no-trade protection.

My guess is Ray may demand this and there really is no reason for Danny not to.  A good number of 2 year deals work this way.

[snively]

As for the OP, we just have to hope Bass doesn't bail for another suitor.

I think our best bet to upgrade the PF spot is in a midseason trade.

Josh Smith, Paul Millsap, Big Al, Luis Scola... all could be available depending on what our assets are looking like (do our rookies storm out of the gate?  JJJ? Stiemsma? Will we have Krstic on a short-team deal as ballast?).

[jv2764]

smith or scola would be sweet. 

[RJ87]

dangle Ray at the trade deadline for one if Sullinger doesn't pan out?

Doubt that will be possible.  If Ray does come back, it will likely be a with a no-trade clause.  I'm expecting his contract to have a player option on the 2nd year, which would give Ray such power (due to CBA rules).

Danny didn't give Paul a no-trade clause, no reason to believe that he'd offer one up to Ray who has less sentimental value to the organization than Paul.

My point was that if Danny is going to give Ray a 2 year deal, by structuring it as a 2 year deal with the 2nd year as a player option, it inherently comes with no-trade protection.

My guess is Ray may demand this and there really is no reason for Danny not to.  A good number of 2 year deals work this way.

Are you sure about that? I thought that was with one year deals where a trade would mean the player would forfeit his bird rights.

[Boris Badenov]

With KG, Pierce, Bradley and Rondo we need the fifth starter to be a high-quality offensive player. Rondo and Bradley are too limited.

Bass was actually a great fit in that group, with his shooting. And his defense was very good too.

I don't see why we'd go in another direction unless we have to, given how well that starting lineup performed.

[ChefEricT]

I think we need to think outside the box a bit here.  Guys are going to play minutes at multiple positions.  It's not going to be as clear cut as, KG is a 5 now or KG is moving back to 4.  If we sign say Camby, KG will start at 4.  KG will see time at both spots.  Jeff Green will see time at 3 and 4.  Bradley will see time at 1 and 2.  Sullinger will see time at 4 and 5.  You get the picture.  Doc likes to move guys around and he is good at it.  We will get the best guys we can and make it work.

[CelticSooner]

Stuck with Bass starting. Unfortunately.

It's looking more and more likely. I think Ainge intends to resign Bass.

That means once KG hits the bench the paint will open like the red sea once again.

[clover]

With KG, Pierce, Bradley and Rondo we need the fifth starter to be a high-quality offensive player. Rondo and Bradley are too limited.

Bass was actually a great fit in that group, with his shooting. And his defense was very good too.

I don't see why we'd go in another direction unless we have to, given how well that starting lineup performed.

I agree.  But my present guess for Danny's backup solution, should Bass be too costly, is to bring back Krstic and start the year with KG at the 4.

With Ray apparently out the door, he may have more money for Bass, but he'd probably like to have Krstic backing up KG at the 5.  So even if he does bring Bass back, it might still be at a limited pricepoint.

[ManUp]

smith or scola would be sweet. 

Scola would be great.

[Eddie20]

smith or scola would be sweet. 

Scola would be great.

Love Scola! Bass for Scola would be a major upgrade. Bass may be more athletic, but Scola has more basketball IQ, is a better rebounder, and actually has a good post game. Has 2 years left on his deal, the 3rd is not guaranteed, which will go well with our other contracts.

[Stig]

smith or scola would be sweet. 

Scola would be great.

Love Scola! Bass for Scola would be a major upgrade. Bass may be more athletic, but Scola has more basketball IQ, is a better rebounder, and actually has a good post game. Has 2 years left on his deal, the 3rd is not guaranteed, which will go well with our other contracts.

I agree, how about sign Bass 7m a year, plus JJJ (1m), trade for scola's 9.5m?
Or sign Bass 6.5m, Steamer 2m?

[Jon]

First and foremost, I think there's a decent chance that Jeff Green starts at the PF spot.  Even if he doesn't start there, he's going to get significant minutes there.  Danny Ainge isn't going to give him fairly big money to play 15 mpg behind Paul Pierce.  People can gripe about it, but it's going to be a reality regardless of how you feel.  

Second, I think the C's have to be hesitant to give Bass a long deal.  Bass is very good at what he does--hitting open jumpers and finishing around the basket when he's set up--but he is very much a role player.  How soon will it be before Sullinger and/or Johnson surpass him on the depth chart?  And since none of those three are particularly well equipped to play the 5 (at least not paired with each other), Bass could very well be an overpaid bench player getting very little time in the not so distant future.  

Short term it would be nice to hold onto Bass, but I'd be worried about him getting beaten out by the younger guys and then losing his value as a trade commodity as he rots on the bench.  

I'd rather go with Green, Sullinger, and Johnson (with some mixing in of KG).  Then I'd focus on centers like Wilcox and Krstic.  That gives the C's more flexibility as a guy like Wilcox can play the 4 or 5.  Both also would be more likely to agree to smaller and cheaper deals.