Celtics free agents: who do we keep?

[Roy Hobbs]

Glen Davis:  Restricted free agent, assuming the team extends him a  qualifying offer for roughly $1 million (a no brainer)  We can match any offer he is given by other teams, which can be no more than the amount of the MLE in the first two years.  We have his "early Bird" rights.  Has indicated that he'd like to be back, but will go wherever the best opportunity is.

Leon Powe:  If the team offers Powe an approximately $1 million qualifying offer, he will be a restricted free agent.  Otherwise, he will be unrestricted.  If we choose to make a qualifying offer, we can match any contract he is offered.  We have Bird rights.  His agent has asked the team to extend him a qualifying offer.

Eddie House:  Player option for $2,862,000.  If he declines, he is an unrestricted free agent.  As an "early Bird" free agent, we could offer him a contract up to the amount of the MLE without having to actually use the MLE.  I haven't read anything about his intentions.

Stephon Marbury: Unrestricted, "non-Bird" free agent.  We can offer him a pay bump of 20% next season, or roughly $2 million, without having to use the MLE.  Has said he likes playing in Boston.

Mikki Moore:  Unrestricted, "non-Bird" free agent.  We can offer him a pay bump to 20% more than the minimum next season, or roughly $1.57 million, without having to use the MLE.  Wants to come back.

Gabe Pruitt:  Team option for $825,497 next season.  Wants to come back.

So, who should we resign?  Of the above, I'd like to see BBD get a deal between $3-$4 million annually, Powe come back on a minimum deal with a team option, House come back at his option amount, and Starbury stay on for a near-minimum deal.  I'd say goodbye to Moore and Pruitt.

[Who]

Keep House if he's playing the point guard spot, otherwise dump him.

Keep Leon and possibly Pruitt.

Get rid of the others.

[ssspence]

Keep House if he's playing the point guard spot, otherwise dump him.

Keep Leon and possibly Pruitt.

Get rid of the others.

house played much better after getting back to off guard. he can't be dumped, it's his option, not the celtics. leon powe just had mircofracture surgery. pruitt looks like buggs bunny. this is your priority list?

[cordobes]

Keep House if he's playing the point guard spot, otherwise dump him.

Keep Leon and possibly Pruitt.

Get rid of the others.

I agree with this, with the following caveats:

- Dump Pruitt as well. I'd rather give his spot to someone with more upside (DJ Strawberry comes to mind; or Jrue Holiday if we buy a draft pick) or a better player (e.g. Terrell McIntyre).

- Try to keep Powe with a 1+1 min. salary deal, with the 2nd year being a team option.

- Keep BBD as long as 1) it doesn't take more than a LLE salary 2) it doesn't affect other signings, including a backup big man.

[Who]

Keep House if he's playing the point guard spot, otherwise dump him.

Keep Leon and possibly Pruitt.

Get rid of the others.

house played much better after getting back to off guard. he can't be dumped, it's his option, not the celtics. leon powe just had mircofracture surgery. pruitt looks like buggs bunny. this is your priority list?

Pay $3mil to a team below the cap to take his contract of the C's hands -- so the C's can sign someone else while lessening the luxury tax hit -- Maybe throw in a 2nd round pick.

Boston can dump him just fine.

[housecall]

I would like to see BBD,House,and Powe return.As far as Marbury and Moore,Pruitt i feel we can do better.

[crownsy]

Stephon Marbury: Unrestricted, "non-Bird" free agent.  We can offer him a pay bump of 20% next season, or roughly $2 million, without having to use the MLE.  Has said he likes playing in Boston.

The thing i want him to say that he hasn't before im ok with having him do it next year is he is ok with his role as a bench player going forward.

Bizzaro team loving starbury is fine with me near the minimum, but he's been very careful not to define his role (smart i suppose, if you label yourself a bench player as a UFA, thats what teams will treat you as)

[Atzar]

Roy, how do you know that Pruitt wants to come back?  Has he said that somewhere?

Anyway, I'd expect Eddie to return.  I'd try to bring Marbury and Powe back, and BBD as well as long as the deal is reasonable.  These don't really need defending.  

Gabe Pruitt, I honestly don't care.  If we kept him, it wouldn't bother me - there's still in a chance in my mind that he "gets it" at some point and if he does, he has the tools and skillset to be a good player.  It was pretty clear that the coaching staff thought that would happen this year - he got all sorts of chances to earn his rotation spot but it didn't happen.  If we keep him, it's a pretty cheap gamble, especially if Marbury and House come back.  If we don't, then he probably gets a better chance to succeed somewhere else where he gets more playing time.  Like I said, I don't care either way.

Mikki Moore... Look, he's hard not to like as a person from what I've seen.  It's cool that he wants to come back.  Also, I think he's a better player than he showed in Boston.  But he doesn't fit well with this team.  He's a seven footer, but he plays smaller - he can't block shots, he's not strong enough to defend the post, and he's not a good rebounder.  There are many other guys on the market this summer who I'd rather have.  Take care, Mikki.

[Who]

I think Pruitt is fine for a third string point guard. He plays very good defense and he can hit open shots.

As I look around the NBA, there's very few third string point guards that I'd rather have than Gabe Pruitt.

[Drucci]

Thanks for the clarifications about the Celtics free agents, Roy.

I totally agree with you : keep Big Baby, House, Starbury, Powe, try to pay each one the minimum to sign other quality bench players and say goodbye to Moore and Pruitt.

[Roy Hobbs]

Roy, how do you know that Pruitt wants to come back?  Has he said that somewhere?

Yeah, he's stated a preference to return a couple of times (linked on the front page), including here.

[Roy Hobbs]

Thanks for the clarifications about the Celtics free agents, Roy.

No problem.  I'm getting a head start on my "Celtics FAQ: 2009-10 edition". 

[ssspence]

I think Pruitt is fine for a third string point guard. He plays very good defense and he can hit open shots.

As I look around the NBA, there's very few third string point guards that I'd rather have than Gabe Pruitt.

i'll agree with you here, tho he still looks like buggs bunny. but i don't agree with the 'pay a team under the cap to take eddie' idea. IF  he picks up his option, we could easily trade him, because he's a total bargain on a one year deal. if this happens, you'd rather have scal and tony over him?

[KeepBigAl]

-I love Powe, but if it takes his money to keep baby then it's later Leon. Leon has the injury question, Baby is now more proven, and with KG back, minutes will be limited

-Starbury could still be a good backup with proper training camp, etc. Eddie will take his player option and be your 3rd PG (and a reserve 2) - so later Gabe

-Mikki will only get consideration if we cannot get a better big for cheap money.



I've been saying since the beginning of the year that we have no backup 3 to spell paul and replace posey (many people, including sports radio hosts threw tony allen's name back at me - how did that work out?). If Desmond Mason and Nocioni are truly free agents as others have mentioned, I'd look that way.

[Atzar]

Roy, how do you know that Pruitt wants to come back?  Has he said that somewhere?

Yeah, he's stated a preference to return a couple of times (linked on the front page), including here.

Thanks for the link, TP.  It kinda just reinforces my feelings about him - I think the kid can play, but I just don't think he gets it yet - "I'm not too worried" isn't really the response I hoped to hear out of him when asked about his future.