Center

[billysan]

In 2014 we will be in the FA market and one of the needs we will be addressing is the center position. I think we will have Olynyk and Faverini, that's it. The rest of our bigs will be Sullinger and Bass who are PF. I would like to see Sullinger eat the majority of the PF minutes and the rest go to Olynyk.

The question is, do we try to sign a top tier center in the 8-12 million per range like: Pau Gasol, Okafor, Gortat, Spencer Hawes?

Or do we go for a second tier guy for less money like Aaron Gray, Greg Stiemsma, Jason Smith, Andres Biedrins, Kaman or Camby?

I dont see a center as being a viable option in the draft this year for us. This of course could be proven wrong as the NCAA season unfolds. Another undersized big is just not the answer.

[Birdman]

Looks like Kwame Brown may be available 

[hwangjini_1]

first, i am not sure stevens sees olynyk, sully, or faverani as either center or pf. all of them can play either position depending upon celtic combinations and individual match ups. i think stevens can "play" with these two positions and gain advantages against other teams.

nor do i think that the two positions are discrete anymore in the nba. given that there are few "true centers" anymore, a number of players slide between the two positions.

having said that, ainge has already said that olynyk is best served as a pf who can stretch the floor. given his build, rebounding, defense, passing, and shooting ainge may be right. olynyk can bring more to the team by creating spacing for guards etc to cut to the basket and by shooting 3 pointers. if anything, he is more a pf type. i would not call him a center in the nba simply because he is 7 foot.

for sully, he is trying to develop an outside shot that is more consistent, but his strengths are the opposite of olynyk and therefore complement olynyk's game, at least to me.

sully is strong under the basket, rebounds well, and can get put back shots against many nba centers. he is made to work under the basket with his game. therefore, he seems to fit the classic idea of center better, though he is not the ideal height.

faverani, he can play center it seems, but being a pf is not out of the question. he seems to have an outside shot, though not TOO outside.  but then, this is all based upon a few preseason games, so i might be dead wrong about him.

given the talents and size and strength of each player, stevens would be better off having them all play differently depending upon opponent match ups and which of them are on the floor for the celtics.

personally, i want to see sully and olynyk together more. it doesnt matter which one is called a center or pf to me.

[EJPLAYA]

I can't see any legitimate reason that DA would sign any of these guys. We are 3-4 years away from contending again unless we pull off some big trade like KG and Ray, which isn't too likely, and this list of guys you call legit are a bunch of old guys. (they are also bums for the most part anyway) Sticking an old center onto a team that is 3-4 years away and paying him that kind of money is a bad move. DA will find youth he can build with. The other younger guys on the list quite honestly are bums as well. No one in that post with any real talent except for a couple guys about to be out of the league due to age. 

[jambr380]

I would be pretty bummed if we signed any of those guys for anything more than a minimal amount. Unless we are going after guys like Cousins, Hibbert, M. Gasol, etc, I really don't see any reason to sign a low impact player when we can simply stick with what we have and see how it works out. We have a number of plus young bigs with potential and they are under very attractive contract terms.

[PhoSita]

The Celtics are not going to be in a position to spend significant money on a free agent center next summer.

Maybe spend a few million on a buy-low option.  A guy who's been a backup and might have the tools to become a decent starter.

[LooseCannon]

The Celtics are not going to be in a position to spend significant money on a free agent center next summer.

The Celtics could spend a bit over $10m next summer in a sign-and-trade for a center using the trade exception they received, sign Bradley to a new deal, and probably still be far enough under the apron to use the full MLE to bring in another useful player.

That could put them on the level of team likely to be a first-round playoff exit with trade assets to acquire a star-level player who can boost them to legitimate contender level (or they can get lucky and draft that player in 2014).

[billysan]

The Celtics are not going to be in a position to spend significant money on a free agent center next summer.

The Celtics could spend a bit over $10m next summer in a sign-and-trade for a center using the trade exception they received, sign Bradley to a new deal, and probably still be far enough under the apron to use the full MLE to bring in another useful player.
That could put them on the level of team likely to be a first-round playoff exit with trade assets to acquire a star-level player who can boost them to legitimate contender level (or they can get lucky and draft that player in 2014).

This is more my line of thinking.

I am not saying we have to spend 10 million, but the young bigs we have under control are Olynyk, Sullinger and Faverani for the immediate future. Sullinger and Vitor have some developing post skils and all three can shoot a little so far. Bass is undersized and Hump will be gone. With any luck we will trade them and get something decent in return.


We will need to add another big next season IMO and a guy like Kaman or Biedrins would be relatively cheap. Not saying they are the best choice, but the Hibbert and Marc Gasol types will be way too expensive IMHO.

I dont think we have to necessarily call guys center or PF either, I just have a Silly phobia with undersized guys like Bass or Brand who dont match up well with a 7 footer at either position.

I believe that if we land a top 5 pick we will spend it on a wing type player. There is also the possibility that we find a big that rises in the draft that can help out right away or develop quickly. Gotta be one with decent length though. As the saying goes, you cant teach size.

[PhoSita]

The Celtics are not going to be in a position to spend significant money on a free agent center next summer.

The Celtics could spend a bit over $10m next summer in a sign-and-trade for a center using the trade exception they received, sign Bradley to a new deal, and probably still be far enough under the apron to use the full MLE to bring in another useful player.

That could put them on the level of team likely to be a first-round playoff exit with trade assets to acquire a star-level player who can boost them to legitimate contender level (or they can get lucky and draft that player in 2014).

I didn't say they couldn't do that.

What I'm saying is that the Celtics are not going to be one or two solid free agents away from being competitive enough to make it worth spending that money.

I believe they'll still be an additional season or two away from that point.  Makes sense to develop the younger guys on the team before spending money to add veteran talent.

[Section301]

In 2014 we will be in the FA market and one of the needs we will be addressing is the center position. I think we will have Olynyk and Faverini, that's it. The rest of our bigs will be Sullinger and Bass who are PF. I would like to see Sullinger eat the majority of the PF minutes and the rest go to Olynyk.

The question is, do we try to sign a top tier center in the 8-12 million per range like: Pau Gasol, Okafor, Gortat, Spencer Hawes?

Or do we go for a second tier guy for less money like Aaron Gray, Greg Stiemsma, Jason Smith, Andres Biedrins, Kaman or Camby?

I dont see a center as being a viable option in the draft this year for us. This of course could be proven wrong as the NCAA season unfolds. Another undersized big is just not the answer.

The answer is: neither option.  I wouldn't want to see the Celtics commit money (and the necessary years) to a center that couldn't easily be seen as a starter on a championship contender for the next 5 years or more.  Getting middle tier and/or aging talent at this juncture  doesn't make sense over the long run.  Free agent signings at this point should only be if there is franchise changing talent.  The players that you mention would have been the sort of addition I'd have loved to see a few years ago when the C's could have used a solid center to take the load off KG, but are not very valuable in a rebuild. 

[slamtheking]

The only centers that would be signed this offseason (if any) are guys who are near vet min and have shown they can eat minutes when called upon.  That's about it. 

This team is a couple of years away from bouncing back to the playoffs.  At that point, I'd think Danny would move some assets for a starting-quality center.  I like both Sully and KO but with both of them being PFs, I wouldn't be surprised to see one traded for a true center and letting the other get the bulk of the PF minutes after that.  -->unless the C's get Randle in the next draft and determine they can go forward with a big man rotation of Randle, Sully, KO and Fav with one of Randle/Sully paired with KO/Fav which would give the C's a versatile frontcourt.

[SHAQATTACK]

Still need a big YOUNG Hiibbert type to,defend the paint .   

Hopefully some of the picks DA has acquired can eventually be used to snare a couple defensive minded bigs ,  not fragile old men on their last legs.

[billysan]

The only centers that would be signed this offseason (if any) are guys who are near vet min and have shown they can eat minutes when called upon.  That's about it. 

This is probably the smartest move economically. The option to sign one of the more expensive centers would only make sense if it was someone who was willing to go through the rebuild. I just dont see it.

The low cost guys are going to be available and if we like one, we sign them to two years at a little above the minimum. This is where a guy like Kaman or Camby could be valuable as a mentor type with their experience level and ability to eat a few minutes while being cheap.

I dont see anyone in the draft that wouldnt take at least 2-3 years to develop. If we have our three of Fav, Olynyk and Sully in place and performing up to par then I guess you take a legit big in the draft if you need one. I would look at our second pick (Nets) in 2014.

I still think we spend our higher 2014 pick on Smart, Exum, Wiggins or another wing type.