Zeller has one year guaranteed and Ainge is thinking ahead that's the whole thing. We don't have to cut him either. Amir is set up the same way and a few others. That's more what I meant. Sully and Turner were the two guys that went elsewhere this year to make room and we can just continue to do that. I think if a deal comes along that improves us Ainge would make it, but it's not the end all be all. We'll remain aggressive I know that.
Zeller doesn't mind sitting on the bench. He knows his place in the league. He is building up his resume for what could be a fifteen year journeyman career. He might even find a niche. Mickey might still be too raw. People talk about Crowder at PF, but I think any one injury to Olynyk, Amir or Johnson would give Zeller an opening, as Olynyk is still unproven for center defense and the other two guys probably feel like they are PFs and not centers.
Of course the league has changed, so the big center seems to be going extinct, although you still need guys to defend Cousins, Mozgov, Deandre Jordan centers.
That is one potential hole I am looking to see if it exists whether or not Horford and Amir are good enough to neutralize big centers. Maybe Olynyk can do it, although it seems unlikely. I think teams need a big Perk kind of guy even if they sit a lot on the bench collecting dust.
Yes, Danny has become somewhat predictable with player contracts running out. They all are given a handshake and so long, nice knowing you, from Humphries to Bass to Turner and Sully.
I think Zeller is probably trade filler. He seems to have a definite ceiling and it isn't high. He is what he is.
Olynyk seems to be as good as Zeller at defending big centers. That didn't take long. It's not saying much. Zeller could become a niche because he does have a good ceiling for offense.
I hear RJ Hunter knows he is on the clock. I think this is good. Players shouldn't expect two or three years of babysitting waiting for them to produce. Young might not be able to do anything to make the final cut.
Hunter might. He has a skeleton of an all-around two-way game. He is not a one-trick pony like James Young.
Barring trades, I count twelve guys who are guaranteed to make the team.
Bradley
Brown
Crowder
Green
Horford
Jerebko
Johnson
Olynyk
Rozier
Smart
Thomas
Zeller
Our roster is incredible. Danny could win GM of the Year.
That only leaves three openings. The competition will be intense for the final slots.
There could be a lot of factors. Maybe both Rozier and Smart look good at pg and then it might be rationalized Jackson isn't needed.
Hunter could show vast improvement, but with Smart, Bradley, Green and Brown, is there room for another shooting guard?
I have no clue. Maybe someone understands all the factors and contracts and can guess closely what Ainge will do. I think if he could pull off a two or three players for one deal, that would be a good idea. It'd be shame to give up on a good albeit unproven player or not at least try to work them into a trade instead of getting nothing.
I guess we have only two more months to wait.
Danny has overflowed the roster. I guess that's okay because as Walker says, he sets it up so he can mostly let contracts run out. I guess Danny likes to buy Brad and himself some time to make sure they don't cut the wrong guy.
I suppose if Hunter is on the bubble, so should Jordan Mickey. James Young at this point is a distraction. It's way past the point of awkward. Sometimes these guys are not good at basketball and should never have been drafted to begin with. The one and out for the draft has truly turned it into a crap shoot. I can see why Danny is working overtime trying to figure out which young players to roll the dice with.