The buyout / 15th roster spot thread...

[Vermont Green]

I am having a hard time deciding what the top priority is, Guard, Wing, or Big.  In my mind, this is what we have now:

Guards:   White, Holiday, Pritchard, Mykhailiuk, Springer
Wings:    Tatum, Brown, Hauser, Brissett, Walsh
Bigs:       Porzingis, Horford, Tillman, Kornet, (Queta)

If we are going to continue to mostly play with 1 big and an extra guard or wing, then another guard or wing (Oladipo?) is probably more useful than another big (or an upgrade to Queta).  If we are going to go back to playing more 2-big, then I think more of a PF type who can shoot (Gallinari or Bertans or someone like that?) would be a more useful add.

I personally would lean more towards adding more of a PF and playing bigger more.  Or just doing nothing and converting Queta to be on the roster for the playoffs.

We have some flexibility in that Brissett for example can be in the wing group or the big group.  Mykhailiuk could be a guard or a wing.  So if there is someone better we need to fit in, others can shift to balance things back out.  And I feel that Mykhailiuk could still be waived/bought out, if they pick up someone better and decide to convert Queta.

[hpantazo]

With Tillman and Springer on board now, the priority for the last spot imo is a wing.

[greenhead85]

If he still has enough in his tank, I like the prospect of bringing in a stabilizing veteran like Rudy Gay for the 2nd unit.

Edited

[liam]

If he still has enough in his tank, I like the prospect of bringing in a stabilizing veteran like Rudy Gay.

Where is Rudy Gay? Isn't he like 100?

[jay]

I think it's Delon Wright if he is released. Brad clearly values defense and Wright fits right in.

If Al or KP have to miss a game, we still have Tillman and Kornet to fill in. Plus Tatum and Brissett can each play the 4 when needed.

If Tatum or Brown miss a game, we won't find anyone to replace them. Would probably go with 3 guards. Which would include Wright.

If White or Jrue miss a game, will they really trust Pritchard to play big minutes? That's really where a veteran guard could be the biggest help. I really liked the idea of Jevon Carter for the TPE just for emergency. Delon Wright, if bought out, could be helpful.

I wonder if they picked up an older 4 like Gay, Gallo, or Otto - would they ever see the floor under any circumstance?

[green_bballers13]

Don't we have enough players on our team that don't get playing time? I'd like to see what Jordan Walsh can do before bringing in other guys that won't play in the playoffs.

[ozgod]

Don't we have enough players on our team that don't get playing time? I'd like to see what Jordan Walsh can do before bringing in other guys that won't play in the playoffs.

New toys are always more exciting than the ones you got earlier in the year 

[CelticsWhat35]

Don't we have enough players on our team that don't get playing time? I'd like to see what Jordan Walsh can do before bringing in other guys that won't play in the playoffs.

Walsh may have a bright future but he has no place on the basketball court in the playoffs.  I’d much rather have a solid veteran take the last roster spot.  It’s all about what gives us the best chance to win the title.  No one really thought much of the PJ Brown signing in 2008 but he came up big in moments during the playoffs; that’s all it takes sometimes

[BitterJim]

Don't we have enough players on our team that don't get playing time? I'd like to see what Jordan Walsh can do before bringing in other guys that won't play in the playoffs.

If Walsh can't earn minutes over a buyout guy, then I'd rather have the buyout guy on the court. Walsh can get his reps in in Maine and practice until he's at least replacement level.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Don't we have enough players on our team that don't get playing time? I'd like to see what Jordan Walsh can do before bringing in other guys that won't play in the playoffs.

Walsh may have a bright future but he has no place on the basketball court in the playoffs.  I’d much rather have a solid veteran take the last roster spot.  It’s all about what gives us the best chance to win the title.  No one really thought much of the PJ Brown signing in 2008 but he came up big in moments during the playoffs; that’s all it takes sometimes

Correct...PJ won us at least one game in a 7 game series. VETERAN, no rookies.

[Vermont Green]

I was reading about Oladipo.  OKC got 2 seconds when they took him from MIA and then got two more when they traded him to HOU.

Anyway, he is a FA and BOS could sign him. He had knee surgery last April and was supposed to be able to start basketball activities in 6 months.  What is he doing?  Is he still trying stay in the league this season?   

[radiohead]

I was reading about Oladipo.  OKC got 2 seconds when they took him from MIA and then got two more when they traded him to HOU.

Anyway, he is a FA and BOS could sign him. He had knee surgery last April and was supposed to be able to start basketball activities in 6 months.  What is he doing?  Is he still trying stay in the league this season?

If he still has something left I’d imagine Miami would go after him.

[green_bballers13]

Don't we have enough players on our team that don't get playing time? I'd like to see what Jordan Walsh can do before bringing in other guys that won't play in the playoffs.

Walsh may have a bright future but he has no place on the basketball court in the playoffs.  I’d much rather have a solid veteran take the last roster spot.  It’s all about what gives us the best chance to win the title.  No one really thought much of the PJ Brown signing in 2008 but he came up big in moments during the playoffs; that’s all it takes sometimes

Correct...PJ won us at least one game in a 7 game series. VETERAN, no rookies.

I think I got thrown off by the title of this thread, specifically the "15th roster spot".

In the clinching game 6 of the 2008 Finals, PJ Brown played 16 min and 11 seconds, which was the 6th most minutes in that game (just ahead of Eddie House). In game 5, PJ Brown clocked the 5th most minutes.

Are we looking for PJ Brown? Yes. Do we need a 15th man? No.

[Roy H.]

Don't we have enough players on our team that don't get playing time? I'd like to see what Jordan Walsh can do before bringing in other guys that won't play in the playoffs.

Walsh may have a bright future but he has no place on the basketball court in the playoffs.  I’d much rather have a solid veteran take the last roster spot.  It’s all about what gives us the best chance to win the title.  No one really thought much of the PJ Brown signing in 2008 but he came up big in moments during the playoffs; that’s all it takes sometimes

Correct...PJ won us at least one game in a 7 game series. VETERAN, no rookies.

I think I got thrown off by the title of this thread, specifically the "15th roster spot".

In the clinching game 6 of the 2008 Finals, PJ Brown played 16 min and 11 seconds, which was the 6th most minutes in that game (just ahead of Eddie House). In game 5, PJ Brown clocked the 5th most minutes.

Are we looking for PJ Brown? Yes. Do we need a 15th man? No.

Is there any reason not to fill out the last spot on the roster, though?

Here's what Wyc said last year:

I’d be very surprised if we went into the playoffs with an open roster spot, don’t think that’s going to happen. There’s a question whether you sign people to 10-day contracts to check them out if they’re willing to accept a role where the team’s pretty deep, so there may not be a lot of minutes People don’t necessarily want to sign for that. It might not be good for their career.”

“Although it might be a fun playoff run, it might not be great for the free agent to sit on the bench,” Grousbeck said. “All those things are in process, but no, we’re not saving roster spots for a rainy day. We just gotta find the right fit.”

I assume the same applies this year. 

Last year, the team should have signed Danny Green as a locker room presence, since he wanted to be here.  Instead, we signed Champagnie toward the end of the season.  Whoever we sign will probably be a glorified mascot and towel waver, but that's better than signing nobody.

[Vermont Green]

Don't we have enough players on our team that don't get playing time? I'd like to see what Jordan Walsh can do before bringing in other guys that won't play in the playoffs.

Walsh may have a bright future but he has no place on the basketball court in the playoffs.  I’d much rather have a solid veteran take the last roster spot.  It’s all about what gives us the best chance to win the title.  No one really thought much of the PJ Brown signing in 2008 but he came up big in moments during the playoffs; that’s all it takes sometimes

Correct...PJ won us at least one game in a 7 game series. VETERAN, no rookies.

I think I got thrown off by the title of this thread, specifically the "15th roster spot".

In the clinching game 6 of the 2008 Finals, PJ Brown played 16 min and 11 seconds, which was the 6th most minutes in that game (just ahead of Eddie House). In game 5, PJ Brown clocked the 5th most minutes.

Are we looking for PJ Brown? Yes. Do we need a 15th man? No.

Look at it this way.  It is the 15th roster spot kind of chronologically, not necessarily in terms of where that player will fit in to the rotation.  It is a good point that if the player we sign is no better than Walsh or Mykhailiuk, and will never realistically play, be the 15th man in the rotation, there is not much point.

There can be other motivations though.  Look at Springer.  He is not expected to play any meaningful minutes in the regular season or playoffs but he is a prospect.  It is worth having him on the roster.  Even a contending team like the Celtics can afford to have a few roster spots for prospects.

I am not so sure it will help much to bring in a veteran to provide leadership or a winning culture or whatever, if that player never plays.  A player has to play at least some in order to provide that.  If the Vet you bring in isn't good enough to play, I would rather have the prospect like Springer or Queta.  But there still might be a player like Tillman who become available.  A vet who will play some, and may also bring some leadership.