Nobody on this team is getting traded this year, end of story.

[BballTim]

That's it.  Its All Over.  World Champions.   

We were 27-2 last year....

Nothing is "over".

  Notice, though, he said "The only way we lose this year is if one of the majors gets hurt".

I'm not convinced that this team would have won a championship even with a healthy KG last year.  After the quick start, things got pretty spotty.  I still think that, even with KG, you would have seen a tired Ray and Pierce in the playoffs.  I think any of Los Angeles, Orlando, or Cleveland would have had a shot at beating us; the bench just wasn't strong enough.

  I think we would have swept Chicago and easily handled Orlando. We were up on them 3-2 even though we were shorthanded and went into the series dog tired. Paul and Ray would also have played fewer minutes late in the season with KG playing. We'd have likely had home court against Cleveland as well. Would have been an interesting finals, though,

I'm not sure that we would have had gotten by Cleveland, and I'm not sure we would have had home court. I believe we had about the same record as Cleveland at the time of the injury, and Cleveland had been gaining ground on us since our quick start.  Last year's squad was simply inherently flawed. 

This year's team is much better.

  Cleveland lapped us during our 2-7 stretch. We were gaining ground on them (I think we actually caught or passed them) and had the easier schedule going forward. We were more likely than them to have home court. Our defense was also improving as the season went on. We were somewhat flawed compared to this year but were still as good as any team in the league. Really, how many teams with serious flaws win 60+ games when their best player misses a third of the season?

[Evantime34]

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rasheed Wallace, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Marquis Daniels, Eddie House, Shelden Williams, Glen Davis, Tony Allen, Brian Scalabrine, Bill Walker, JR Giddens, Lester Hudson.

We are almost +15 right now in margin of victory.

That's it.  Its All Over.  World Champions.   

The only way we lose this year is if one of the majors gets hurt and that is how it is for every team in the league.  No team will win the title this year without one of their top 3 or top 4 players. 

Also I forgot the scenario where A-Rod puts a camera up near the basket and if LeBron or Kobe hits it, it is worth 10 points.  So if that doesn't happen the Celtics will be World Champions again.   

If we can jump in a trade that needs extra expiring contracts, for a future number one. Say we trade Giddens, TA and Scal (Scal gets cut, signs with us) for a future first. That is a deal we need, doesn't take anything away in the present and helps with the future.

[Celtic]

As long as this team is winning without contributions from TA, Scal, Giddens, and Walker, they are all trade bait to add a piece to this team to make it truly unstoppable.

[clover]

Yeah, I wouldn't put any money on that. 

How often has Ainge gone through a season without making roster moves?

He may not always have made a move or the move we'd like, but I bet ya he was always working the phones, staying up on what was out there.  (And believe me, anyone who ends up bringing in Mikki Moore midseason only did so after working the phones over and over and over!)

[Roy Hobbs]

Yeah, I wouldn't put any money on that. 

How often has Ainge gone through a season without making roster moves?

He may not always have made a move or the move we'd like, but I bet ya he was always working the phones, staying up on what was out there.  (And believe me, anyone who ends up bringing in Mikki Moore midseason only did so after working the phones over and over and over!)

Yep.  He offered Rondo and Perk in trade this off-season, and it wouldn't shock me if Ray's name was thrown out there, as well.  Danny isn't the type of GM who rests on his laurels and collects a paycheck.

[BballTim]

Yeah, I wouldn't put any money on that. 

How often has Ainge gone through a season without making roster moves?

He may not always have made a move or the move we'd like, but I bet ya he was always working the phones, staying up on what was out there.  (And believe me, anyone who ends up bringing in Mikki Moore midseason only did so after working the phones over and over and over!)

Yep.  He offered Rondo and Perk in trade this off-season, and it wouldn't shock me if Ray's name was thrown out there, as well.  Danny isn't the type of GM who rests on his laurels and collects a paycheck.

  I'm pretty sure Ray was the first player he started with. All of the early Rondo trades were "Rondo and Ray for an all-star" trades, where Ray was the big salary and Rondo was the young talent to bring back the star, kind of like Theo and Big Al.

[Chris]

Yeah, I wouldn't put any money on that. 

How often has Ainge gone through a season without making roster moves?

He may not always have made a move or the move we'd like, but I bet ya he was always working the phones, staying up on what was out there.  (And believe me, anyone who ends up bringing in Mikki Moore midseason only did so after working the phones over and over and over!)

Yep.  He offered Rondo and Perk in trade this off-season, and it wouldn't shock me if Ray's name was thrown out there, as well.  Danny isn't the type of GM who rests on his laurels and collects a paycheck.

I agree, which is why I think there will be even more trade rumors next summer.  Although I also think Danny is smart enough not to mess with the core of this team, unless it is a deal he can't refuse.  But if he sees an opportunity to help this team (on the floor, or fiscally...or both), he will ship out anyone other than the starters, and Wallace.

[ManUp]

on the 2nd Tuesday of next month, it will rain ...end of story

see, anyone can play this game!

seriously though, I disagree - I think at least a minor move will be made before the deadline

I will try to remember to carry an umbrella...

[nickagneta]

I actually think that Danny would be a fool not to move his expiring contracts for parts that, even if they don't get playing time this year(which I think is ludicrous, Doc will get them minutes, even if not a lot), will be there as part of the core for next year and/or the year after. Why go nuts trying to fit some people all into the MLE and minimum contracts, next off season. I don't see Daniels coming back at just 8% above what he is making now and Tony, Giddens, Scal, Walker and sadly, Eddie might all be gone for one reason or another as well. So turn them into assets this year.

If Danny could move Eddie, Tony, Scal, Giddens, Walker for someone that is good enough to contribute this year, good enough to be a part of the core for next year and maybe beyond and is good enough to want to keep away from the competition if they become available, I think he has to do it.

I mean if New Orleans continues to look like they may fall out of the playoffs, George Shinn is going to move salary and long term contracts. My guess is David West, Julian Wright, Morris Peterson and James Posey will become available with West and Wright being the guys I would try to procure from the Hornets. Don't forget, NO still needs to shed $3 million from their payroll to get under the tax and, believe me, they will do it.

Also, maybe Washington decides that they have to start over because what they have isn't working. Getting Caron Butler and Andray Blatche would be nice for next year and we could provide the Wiz with some $14 million of salary relief for next year which might give them some roon to add someone to Arenas.

Perhaps Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Gerald Wallace or Boris Diaw become available because because Memphis or Charlotte's ownership sale needs to have that franchise shed salary.

Maybe teams going nowhere want to shed salary because of tough economic times and the lowering of the luxury tax level next year. Perhaps players with extra years still on their contracts become available. Players like Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Jarret Jack, Andres Nocioni, Beno Udrih, Ryan Gomes, Ramon Sessions, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Brandon Wright, Monta Ellis, Jason Terry, Kirk Hinrich, Marvin Williams or the rights to Josh Childress.

You never know what will happen or who will become available for what reasons. I think it is incumbent upon Danny to make sure he moves players this year if it will improve the team this year and/or find replacements for players that might not be back next year while still retaining his MLE to add just one impact player rather than using it to spread over several not so great players, Like the Cavs did last year.

[indeedproceed]

I think there may be a trade stop Simply because during next summer after Rondo's extension and our current salaries we won't have much of a chance to improve our team and stay below the salary cap stop Also there are many players on our roster that are redundant stop Seems like a trade would be natural stop


Wait we weren't supposed to write it in telegraph form? I just read the thread title and I thought...

[RAcker]

Even though he was a Yankee, don't forget what this guy said.

[nickagneta]

I think there may be a trade stop Simply because during next summer after Rondo's extension and our current salaries we won't have much of a chance to improve our team and stay below the salary cap stop Also there are many players on our roster that are redundant stop Seems like a trade would be natural stop


Wait we weren't supposed to write it in telegraph form? I just read the thread title and I thought...

Stop

[BudweiserCeltic]

I wouldn't be surprised if no one is traded, unless it's from someone of substance. Reason being is that we have a lot of free-agents and only our mid-level to replace them, so it stands to reason that we may opt to keep some of this guys around simply because we can sign them without dipping into our other resources... and some of them should come cheaply, like Scal.

[JSD]

I think Tony Allen and Scal could realistically go by the deadline. They both have valuable expiring contracts that could net the Celtics a good valued return.

[slamtheking]

completely disagree with the OP.  Danny will move someone.  Most likely TA, Scal and probably Giddens to get a usable wing or backup PG.  Team is losing those players next year anyway.  Also need to bring back Daniels.  As someone else said, it makes no sense for him to take just an 8% raise.  Probably would have to let him go and resign him with much of the MLE money to keep him.  Same for Williams--definitely showing he's worth more than the min and would be worth keeping.  Not sure what $ would be left to resign House (or if they'd want to).

In short, bank on Danny moving someone by the deadline.