Danny's patience will pay off...

[Andy Jick]

I think it's wise to step back for a second and look at what's happening in the NBA...

INFLATED salaries are being given to players who do not deserve them.  Teams are making FOOLISH decisions they will regret.  The numbers of some of these guys are receiving are just staggering.

Let's not panic, folks.  Danny will give his due diligence to this process and will fill out the roster with players that mesh nicely.

I might be in the minority here, but count me as one who is thankful that he's played it cool and has stayed patient.  We got Jermaine O'Neal quickly and that was a nice signing (which looks like a bargain in comparison to the other contracts given).

Patience will be Danny's virtue this offseason, and I'm glad he's watching other teams make really dumb decisions, all the while resisting the temptation to listen to 75% of the posters here who think some of these guys will come here for minimum contracts.

[Evantime34]

I hope so.

The championship year when he was patient and got James Posey near the end of free agency for little money he looked like a genius. When he filled out the rest of the roster with Cassell and PJ he looked even smarter.

The year after that he was patient and ended up with little.

I think this could be a year where his patience pays off or it could be a year where we get left out. The fact that there are so many free agents this year would lead one to believe the patience will pay off.

[Who]

The signing of Jermaine O'Neal has taken that option off the table, no?

Of obtaining a signing similar to the Posey one three years ago?

[Chris]

Well, I don't know if he has had a lot of choice, but I do think Danny will end up with a couple vet minimum guys, who really should not be vet minimum guys.  There are still a ton of free agents out there, and the money is starting to dry up a bit.  Once August comes around, we are going to see the ring chasers, who had hopes of getting part of the MLE make the rounds, and the C's are going to fill in some holes nicely with them. 

But he needs to hurry up and make something happen with Sheed's contract for a legit 6th man!

[democritic]

Danny knows what he's doing. His first priority isn't to get us players we need, it's to make sure that he doesn't tank the team's future in trying to get the players we need.

He could overpay, and we'd have a decent team that could contend for the next two years, but then have bunch of people who'll tie up the rebuilding process post-lockout. He could also, be patient, not get ripped off in the wake of people scrambling in the aftermath of the Lebron and Wade signings, and pull something out like he has done in the past that makes us better now without mortgaging our future.

While this may be true of certain GMs *cough*Kahn*cough*, Danny Ainge is actually better informed than the fans are when it comes to the Celtics and the NBA. I think his patience will pay off this year, and if it doesn't, then his stubbornness will pay off in the next two.

[sk7326]

Danny has handled this well.  Clearly he is loading the guns for the next 2 seasons.  Aside from Rondo and Pierce, virtually everyone else will be gone.  Allen wanted more job security and to get into post-2012 years ... Danny's view there was sound. 

The Celtics by 2012 should have a ton of cap room - and the new CBA probably will benefit them as one of the teams without a ton of money committed. (assuming the salary cap is both lower and hard here)

[erisred]

I think part of the reason for the overpaid (and over long) contracts some GM's are giving out this summer has to do with what the owners are going to demand as part of the new CBA. I think they are going for the right to void (or renegotiate) already signed contracts from the old CBA...IOW's no grandfathered deals. For example, JJ's max money deal is for this year, part of the lockout year and then it's voided and a new contract will have to fit under the new rules Those contracts don't look so bad if it plays out this way. I think Danny is betting the owners don't win that point.

[Cman]

Nice topic Andy.  I tend to agree.

... all the while resisting the temptation to listen to 75% of the posters here who think some of these guys will come here for minimum contracts.

^I'm sure he's daydreaming of signing all sorts of guys to the vet min.  NOthing wrong with a little dreaming.  I think your point is more that... most players we list are just not going to sign for the vet min.

[twinbree]

Let's hope so. Even if it doesn't I think I prefer low end vet min guys instead of overpaid role players with long contracts to go all out in the short-term. That approach can get ugly. 

[Andy Jick]

Nice topic Andy.  I tend to agree.

... all the while resisting the temptation to listen to 75% of the posters here who think some of these guys will come here for minimum contracts.

^I'm sure he's daydreaming of signing all sorts of guys to the vet min.  NOthing wrong with a little dreaming.  I think your point is more that... most players we list are just not going to sign for the vet min.

they will have to once the well runs dry.

Have you looked at some of these salaries?  Do you really want to believe the Nets will have been wise in over-spending for Petro, Farmar, or Wright?  Wes Matthews getting a ridiculous salary offer...Amir Johnson's deal from the Raptors which grossly overpays him.  Dallas just gave Mahinmi 2 million dollars for doing nothing more than riding the pine.  Josh Childress will make 34 million over 5 years for a Suns team that believes a title can be won with 10 tweeners on the roster.  Is Travis Outlaw really worth 7 million a year?  And it gets worse...

I mean, some of this stuff is a joke.  Danny will end up looking like a genius for simply doing nothing.  Have you noticed how quiet the Celtics and Lakers have been?  It's because they are wise...  There will be plenty of players left that Danny will be able to attract and they'll be decent players, possibly better than some of these clowns who pilfered 5 year contracts for 30-45 million dollars.

[jr_3421]

My prediction is that we end up getting Antoine Wright from Toronto in a sign and trade for Rasheed. Remember he was going to be their starter until he got injured and DeRozan emerged and took his spot. He is a quality bench player who would be a great fit on this team.

[Thruthelookingglass]

This year was an anomaly with teams having freed up tons of cash to enter the LJ sweepstakes.  Now GMs seem to be spending like drunken sailors -- not because there's lots of value, but simply because they have cap space.

As much as I want to win next year, I don't want to see the C's future strangled in an attempt to keep up with the ridiculous spending of other teams in this very rare year.  I'll certainly settle for being only very good next year if we can take advantage of the buyers' market over the following couple of years.