If we keep the Big three+Rondo for next year..which starting Centers can we get?

[Moranis]

A Kenyon Martin or a Shane Battier / Tayshaun Prince type would probably be my favourite targets. Kenyon being the first choice. I greatly like the idea of Kenyon + Garnett playing alongside one another.  

But those guys are going to require multi-year deals that harm Boston's 2012 cap flexibility.

That's the killer.  Does adding Martin or Battier or Prince really push the squad back to Championship level?  I have a hard time thinking so, not with KG and Ray and Pierce all being a year older.  It's just prolonging the inevitable.  Anybody like that who would actually HELP is going to be demanding (and getting) a contract offer of at least three years.

I mean, if you really want to keep your options open for 2012, you have to let Green walk if he signs any offer sheet, and you can't use the MLE.  

Danny has made it no secret that he would have busted up the Bird/McHale/Parish combination long before they did.  I have to believe we may well see him do that - this summer - to Pierce/Ray/KG.

I'd hate to see them TANK, and as long as Pierce and Rondo are playing I can't see them being bad enough to get a top-5 draft pick anyway. 

Trade Ray if you can get some good young prospects for him (Who, aren't you a big fan of one of Chicago's young bigs?).

Trade KG if you can make a huge splash with Orlando.

Buy a first round pick or two this year (they'll be sellers).  The draft looks mediocre, but we need an infusion of youth.  We need to begin the process of acquiring trade assets.  We've got Avery Bradley (meh), our picks, and the Clippers pick if we wanted to put together a trade package using the KG/Ray deals.

The team just isn't good enough.  It's not just this series, it's been evident for months.   

I concur.  I think KG and Ray will be on the block.  The C's aren't going to give them away, but for the right piece back they would be moved without question.  I think someone like Rudy Gay, Deandre Jordan, Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, etc.  Maybe not those exact players, but someone like them to pair with Rondo going forward. 

[Jeff]

If we decide to "run it back" then I think you have to give J. O'Neal a shot at it.  If he can come back healthy enough next season, he's a solid option there.  If not, then he's trade bait at the deadline with an expiring contract.

Shaq is going to retire, I'm sure of it (though I have no source to back me up).

I think that means we re-sign Krstic and hope for the best with giving those two a full training camp together.

Also, I'm all for offering Baby around in a sign-and-trade but I agree, what can you get for him?  I think I'd like to just let him walk and start a new chapter in the backup PF position.  There's got to be guys out there who can fill that role.

[Cman]

Who, Bird, Moranis...
I completely agree (with you and others).

Basically, the 2011 players are the.... 2012 players (perhaps minus BBD).  It's unrealistic to expect that an impact Center is signed over the summer. Realistically, the need is for a backup PF, since JO can (and should) start.

[Who]

A Kenyon Martin or a Shane Battier / Tayshaun Prince type would probably be my favourite targets. Kenyon being the first choice. I greatly like the idea of Kenyon + Garnett playing alongside one another. 

But those guys are going to require multi-year deals that harm Boston's 2012 cap flexibility.

That's the killer.  Does adding Martin or Battier or Prince really push the squad back to Championship level?  I have a hard time thinking so, not with KG and Ray and Pierce all being a year older.  It's just prolonging the inevitable.  Anybody like that who would actually HELP is going to be demanding (and getting) a contract offer of at least three years. 

It's hard to know.

If the Big Three can maintain their performance from this season, the Celtics are very much in the chase for a Championship next season ... especially if they add another quality player off the bench.

I think this current Celtics squad is at a Championship level right now. They got beat this year but it could have gone differently. A little unlucky with injuries + Jeff Green will have another year with the club and hopefully better integrate with the team. This team isn't necessarily done yet.

This is team is close ... very close ... to a Championship.

Then again, the Big Three may decline considerably and leave the C's firmly as a second tier side or even third tier side. Very hard to know.

[MBz]

I know he's undersized, but how much do you guys think Chuck Hayes will get?

[Who]

A Kenyon Martin or a Shane Battier / Tayshaun Prince type would probably be my favourite targets. Kenyon being the first choice. I greatly like the idea of Kenyon + Garnett playing alongside one another.  

But those guys are going to require multi-year deals that harm Boston's 2012 cap flexibility.

That's the killer.  Does adding Martin or Battier or Prince really push the squad back to Championship level?  I have a hard time thinking so, not with KG and Ray and Pierce all being a year older.  It's just prolonging the inevitable.  Anybody like that who would actually HELP is going to be demanding (and getting) a contract offer of at least three years.

I mean, if you really want to keep your options open for 2012, you have to let Green walk if he signs any offer sheet, and you can't use the MLE.  

Danny has made it no secret that he would have busted up the Bird/McHale/Parish combination long before they did.  I have to believe we may well see him do that - this summer - to Pierce/Ray/KG.

I'd hate to see them TANK, and as long as Pierce and Rondo are playing I can't see them being bad enough to get a top-5 draft pick anyway. 

Trade Ray if you can get some good young prospects for him (Who, aren't you a big fan of one of Chicago's young bigs?).

Trade KG if you can make a huge splash with Orlando.

Buy a first round pick or two this year (they'll be sellers).  The draft looks mediocre, but we need an infusion of youth.  We need to begin the process of acquiring trade assets.  We've got Avery Bradley (meh), our picks, and the Clippers pick if we wanted to put together a trade package using the KG/Ray deals.

The team just isn't good enough.  It's not just this series, it's been evident for months.   

I concur.  I think KG and Ray will be on the block.  The C's aren't going to give them away, but for the right piece back they would be moved without question.  I think someone like Rudy Gay, Deandre Jordan, Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, etc.  Maybe not those exact players, but someone like them to pair with Rondo going forward. 

At this point, I don't think they blow it up.

I haven't seen any worthwhile trade ideas for Garnett or Ray yet ... trades that clearly give the team a leg up over their current plans to rebuild in 2012.

But I'm sure there will be lots more discussions on this in the coming weeks and we'll have a better idea of what type of value and opportunities are out there for those guys.

[the_Bird]

A Kenyon Martin or a Shane Battier / Tayshaun Prince type would probably be my favourite targets. Kenyon being the first choice. I greatly like the idea of Kenyon + Garnett playing alongside one another. 

But those guys are going to require multi-year deals that harm Boston's 2012 cap flexibility.

That's the killer.  Does adding Martin or Battier or Prince really push the squad back to Championship level?  I have a hard time thinking so, not with KG and Ray and Pierce all being a year older.  It's just prolonging the inevitable.  Anybody like that who would actually HELP is going to be demanding (and getting) a contract offer of at least three years. 

It's hard to know.

If the Big Three can maintain their performance from this season, the Celtics are very much in the chase for a Championship next season ... especially if they add another quality player off the bench.

I think this current Celtics squad is at a Championship level right now. They got beat this year but it could have gone differently. A little unlucky with injuries + Jeff Green will have another year with the club and hopefully better integrate with the team. This team isn't necessarily done yet.

Then again, the Big Three may decline considerably and leave the C's firmly as a second tier side or even third tier side. Very hard to know.

Ultimately, our opinions are worthless.

The guy who's opinion really matters has, I think, long made it clear that he wasn't going to ride the old guys into the ground forever.

I gotta believe he's thinking about moving Ray Allen; I mean, how much would Chicago love to have him right now?  A seemingly ageless, sharpshooting assassin.

Ray Allen, I believe, still has trade value above and beyond his being an expiring contract.  I can't see Danny just sitting on that.

[Roy H.]

There's literally almost nothing available.  Guys like Chandler, Nene, and Gasol are way out of our price range.  Chuck Hayes and Sam Dalembert should get more than one year. 

The only realistic options I could see on a one year deal are Kwame Brown and Joel Pryzbilla, and even they could get multi-year deals.  I guess there's Erick Dampier and a few other ancient centers, but pickings are slim.

[Who]

Trade Ray if you can get some good young prospects for him (Who, aren't you a big fan of one of Chicago's young bigs?).

Omer Asik -- It was more a case of Asik being the only young talent Chicago had to offer that had any real value. If the C's were going to rebuild, Asik would be a guy I'd have some interest in.

Asik is 25. Has another 8-10 years ahead of him in this league. Has great size at 7-0, 260lbs. Very physical and active in the paint. Has had limited playing time so far but he has played very good defense and done a very good job on the backboards while on the court. He looks like a guy who can become a legitimate starting center in the league.

Expectations wise, something along the lines of what Perk brought to the Celtics. On a rookie scale contract. A useful young big on a cheap deal to help rebuilding. Either as a emerging trade asset or by using his cheap deal to help restructure after acquiring a major free agent.

Edit: Oh actually, Asik's contract expires in 2012. So much for that. I thought he had another year on his deal. Being paid $1.8 million. Still has some value but less than I thought.

[EJPLAYA]

If we decide to "run it back" then I think you have to give J. O'Neal a shot at it.  If he can come back healthy enough next season, he's a solid option there.  If not, then he's trade bait at the deadline with an expiring contract.

Shaq is going to retire, I'm sure of it (though I have no source to back me up).

I think that means we re-sign Krstic and hope for the best with giving those two a full training camp together.

Also, I'm all for offering Baby around in a sign-and-trade but I agree, what can you get for him?  I think I'd like to just let him walk and start a new chapter in the backup PF position.  There's got to be guys out there who can fill that role.

For some reason I just can't envision Shaq fading off into the sunset that way. I think he will look at how well they played early and decide that if he was healthy they would have won it all. That might have been true.

I don't see Kristic coming back if JO and another quality big return. He knows he can get starter minutes elsewhere. I would love to have him at the 3rd center spot, but doubt he'll do it.

[Who]

There's literally almost nothing available.  Guys like Chandler, Nene, and Gasol are way out of our price range.  Chuck Hayes and Sam Dalembert should get more than one year. 

The only realistic options I could see on a one year deal are Kwame Brown and Joel Pryzbilla, and even they could get multi-year deals.  I guess there's Erick Dampier and a few other ancient centers, but pickings are slim.

Yeah, and by the sounds of it, Michael Jordan is intending on re-signing Kwame Brown.

So there will be some competition for his signature. Likely have to pay $4+ million to land Kwame.

Taking a chance on Pryzbilla on a one year deal could be a very good option though. After those injuries and poor play this season, he is a possible bargain. Potential bust though.

[OsirusCeltics]

I have been saying all the time before. We should have gotten Kwame Brown for the 2010-2011 season

Obviously, he wasn't going to live up to his potential of a #1 Pick in the draft

But he is a very very good post defender, shot blocker. Young. Score a little points. And most of all, He's never injured

Played very well for the Bobcats this year

[the_Bird]

Trade Ray if you can get some good young prospects for him (Who, aren't you a big fan of one of Chicago's young bigs?).

Omer Asik -- It was more a case of Asik being the only young talent Chicago had to offer that had any real value. If the C's were going to rebuild, Asik would be a guy I'd have some interest in.

Asik is 25. Has another 8-10 years ahead of him in this league. Has great size at 7-0, 280lbs. Very physical and active in the paint. Has had limited playing time so far but he has played very good defense and done a very good job on the backboards while on the court. He looks like a guy who can become a legitimate starting center in the league.

Expectations wise, something along the lines of what Perk brought to the Celtics. On a rookie scale contract. A useful young big on a cheap deal to help rebuilding. Either as a emerging trade asset or by using his cheap deal to help restructure after acquiring a major free agent.

Edit: Oh actually, Asik's contract expires in 2012. So much for that. I thought he had another year on his deal. Being paid $1.8 million. Still has some value but less than I thought.

You have any interest in Taj Gibson?  Young PF.  Haven't seen him play too much, but seems to be a physical guy, seems to get a lot of rebounds.  Would you trade Ray for Asik and Gibson (and whatever other filler would be needed)?

[Who]

Trade Ray if you can get some good young prospects for him (Who, aren't you a big fan of one of Chicago's young bigs?).

Omer Asik -- It was more a case of Asik being the only young talent Chicago had to offer that had any real value. If the C's were going to rebuild, Asik would be a guy I'd have some interest in.

Asik is 25. Has another 8-10 years ahead of him in this league. Has great size at 7-0, 280lbs. Very physical and active in the paint. Has had limited playing time so far but he has played very good defense and done a very good job on the backboards while on the court. He looks like a guy who can become a legitimate starting center in the league.

Expectations wise, something along the lines of what Perk brought to the Celtics. On a rookie scale contract. A useful young big on a cheap deal to help rebuilding. Either as a emerging trade asset or by using his cheap deal to help restructure after acquiring a major free agent.

Edit: Oh actually, Asik's contract expires in 2012. So much for that. I thought he had another year on his deal. Being paid $1.8 million. Still has some value but less than I thought.

You have any interest in Taj Gibson?  Young PF.  Haven't seen him play too much, but seems to be a physical guy, seems to get a lot of rebounds.  Would you trade Ray for Asik and Gibson (and whatever other filler would be needed)?

I don't see Chicago giving up both guys. Might not even give up Gibson for Ray. They like him quite a lot and he is their sixth man. They'll be reluctant to part with him.

Taj Gibson is a solid role player. Above average defender / rebounder and is a solid complementary scorer. Can shoot, can finish at the rim. Athletic. Long. Not that physical a player but he is fine. More of a thin and long type than a banger.

He is a useful piece but I don't see trading Ray for Gibson altering the Celtics rebuilding process significantly. Ditto for Asik. Role players.

[vinnie]

Your starting center ought to be Jermaine O'Neal. He had a great playoff stretch and was definitely not the reason we are going to be out in the semi's. I'm not so sure that Shaq can't do some major re-hab and come back strong if he is able to shed a lot of weight. Let's not forget how dominant we were at the beginning of the season with him in the starting lineup. I don't think our problem is at the center spot. I think we just ran into a younger version of ourselves that gelled at the right time. That coupled with injuries to Shaq and Rondo and it was enough.

That mens you will have a starting center that probably won't be able to play more than 25 minutes per game.