Trade them Pierce for Beasley, Anthony Randolph and Tolliver (filler)
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7thh33m
Tolliver is just an expiring contract thrown in for filler.
Beasley and Randolph are restricted free agents. We can just let them walk and have 41 million in cap space...
Or, we can just give them qualifying offers and still have 29 mil in cap space.
Naturally, we'd find some draft pick and/or prospect for Ray as well as this would be part of a larger "blow it up" move.
Sota is above .500. This gives them a chance to make the playoffs and possibly make some noise. Pierce makes them better than Beasley can, gives them a mentor... someone to help them be competitive this year until Derrick WIlliams is ready to step up. I think Beasley is on the market, because Derrick Williams is ultimately who will take that role (he's 20 years old and was a top pick) ... So I can't see Sota matching a big offer for Beasley in the offseason. He's expendable despite the fact he's only 23. Randolph is 22 and doesn't even play. Some people use to think he had a ton of potential. He can't find a role there. I doubt they will lose sleep over throwing him in.
umm that makes no sense. Why would we trade PP for Guys who will be free agents next year that we can simply sign as free agents if we want them that bad.
Only way I trade PP is if Derrick Williams is coming back as part of the deal .
Pierce doesn't have that kind of value. You can't get derrick williams for him. You'd be lucky to get a late 1st rounder for him.
Boston does this, because Pierce cripples our cap space next year... he makes 16 mil. Trade him for a couple young prospects (beasley and randolph) and you have flexibility. Go for broke in the offseason and if nobody noteworthy (ie: Dwight/Deron) is willing to sign, you just re-sign Jeff Green, Bass and hang onto Beasley and Randolph. You start your long rebuild around them, Rondo and our two first rounders.
As-is we have 25 mil in cap space. You'd have to offer significant money to Beasley and Randolph in order for Sota to NOT match, you understand? Beasley's qualifying offer is 8 mil. Randolph is 4 mil. So you gotta figure you'd have to offer Beasley at least 12 and Randolph at least 7 for Sota to say "no thanks" and let them go (I know this contradicts what I just hypothesized... in that Sota wouldn't match... but I think if they can just retain them with qualifying offers they will probably do it). That leaves you 6 mil total to sign Ray, KG, Jeff Green and Bass since you'd have to let go of their bird rights in order to obtain enough cap space to TRY and sign Beasley and Randolph. In other words, it doesn't really work.
However, if you trade for them now... your worst case scenario you can at least have:
Rondo
Jeff Green (sign him if you want him)
Beasley (qualifying offer or match if you want)
Bass (he's opting out of 4 mil so you'll have to give him at LEAST 5 if you want him)
Randolph (4 mil minimum on his qualifying offer)
And if nothing happens to Ray and KG this season (and KG doesn't retire next season), you'd have the bird rights to retain them if you wanted them.
BTW, i'm on board with keeping KG (if he will stay) to mentor Beasley and Randolph
