the frontcourt problem.. is trading the best option? really?

[KP43]

most of us have been using the offseason/lockout to talk about resigning BigBaby.. or to NOT do it. (if there will be one) a sign and trade for a reliable backup center, or even starting center, would ,without a doubt, be the best option.. according to many of you.

why?

then you say: because, we really need ONE backup for KG. that should be Trey J. then you say: -what if KG gets inured? JaJuan couldnt fill in the 4 spot all alone, and he shouldnt start, so young. I have 2 words for you: JEFF GREEN. We know that he can play the 4. Not like Kevin can, but hey, he started at the PF spot in OKC. Also, JaJuan would get more minutes, and also, more excperience.

then the question.. WHO to sign and trade for?

names like: Marcus Camby, DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson.. and so on..

I think the best option would be (if we could afford it at all, with the new CBA) to SIGN a center, and let BBD go.

Nenê? Chandler?

Well, i would LOVE to pick up both of them, but lets face it: Chandler loves both Mavs and the city of Dallas.. they just won a championship, their first. WHY wouldnt he resign?

and to my personal fav. NENÊ! He would be great for our system. He's [dang] athletic.. and also.. [dang] excpenisive. at least they say so.. i mean, for a one yr deal, would you get a championship, or cash? PS: this guy can be played at the 4.. incase of KG.. uknowwhatimean happens.

who doesnt agree? if we have cap room for Nenê, a one year contract, so we could chase Dwight next season, and in case he goes to another team, resign Nenê, WE SHOULD DO IT.

the C spot would be about this: Nenê, O'NEAL, Kwame Brown, random dude.(a trade for Semih Erden???anyone?)

Kwame Brown would be great in our defensive system. we dont need any offensive minded backup for the 5 spot. we need a dirty worker. he is tho.

if Jermaine focused at blocking shots, and rebound a bit more. that would be a perfect role for him, and when he is injured? let Kwame get more minutes, also we could play JaJuan here, as a 2nd or 3d center option, at times.

Let baby go.. because, the chance that we can get anything great for him this year in a deal, is not looking good. also, this would let Johnson mature, and get excperienced, hey, we're talking about a possible starter in a couple of years.

thoughts?  

[wdleehi]

Front court. 

[KP43]

Front court. 

[dang], mybad. lol

[wdleehi]

Front court. 

[dang], mybad. lol

fixed

[Yogi]

   Nene would be a good fit for the Celtics.  However this is quite impossible.  Just the 6 players we have under contract already puts the Celtics over the estimated hard cap.  This does not include Green, Davis, West and Johnson.  Kwame Brown would also be looking for 3-4 million. 
   Nene earned over 11 million last year.  2011 was also a career best year for Nene, who will be looking for a multi-year contract around 11-15 million a year.  That's around twice what Glen Davis can expect to make as a free agent. Ainge already stated that he won't affect the flexibility of 2012 cap by signing players to multi-year contracts. 
   It would already be a near miracle if Ainge can manage to sign the rookies (Johnson, Moore and Gilbert Brown) Kwame Brown (3 million), resign Green, Davis and West under the new CBA.  That in itself is quite a stretch.  Letting Davis go and signing Nene to a cheap one year contract would be  impossible.

I would be ecstatic just to see this line-up next year (if we even have a season):
Rondo, Bradley
Allen, West, Moore
Pierce, Green, G. Brown
KG, Davis, Johnson
O'Neal, K. Brown 

[RyNye]

Why, all of a sudden, are people talking so much about getting Kwame Brown? His best season was already almost a decade ago, and he was never fantastic to begin with. Sure, at one point he had a lot of upside, but he'll turn 30 next year, and I really don't see him suddenly turning around and becoming a productive player. Seriously, I've always heard his name listed as one of the biggest draft busts in the history of the league, and the past week I've seen like 4 or 5 people on these forums talking about getting him. I mean, yeah we need big men, but why is Brown getting so much attention?

[Chris]

Why, all of a sudden, are people talking so much about getting Kwame Brown? His best season was already almost a decade ago, and he was never fantastic to begin with. Sure, at one point he had a lot of upside, but he'll turn 30 next year, and I really don't see him suddenly turning around and becoming a productive player. Seriously, I've always heard his name listed as one of the biggest draft busts in the history of the league, and the past week I've seen like 4 or 5 people on these forums talking about getting him. I mean, yeah we need big men, but why is Brown getting so much attention?

Well, for one thing his best season was actually last year (ignore the numbers, last year he was as good as he has ever been).

But the real reason is that he is (arguably) the best available center that could concievably be had for the MLE or less. 

The only other starting quality center that will be available is Dalembert, but he will likely be more expensive, and makes Tony Allen look like a brain surgeon.  Everyone else is either a backup at best, or a HUGE injury risk (Przybilla).

Yes, Kwame was a tremendous bust as a #1 pick, but he has turned into a very good NBA center.  He is one of the better low post defenders in the league, he can rebound a bit, and while not the best offensive player, has learned to play within a system. 

Kwame is not flashy, but he has gone from dramatically overvalued when he was drafted to an undervalued commodity at a position that does not have much to choose from.

[bballee]

I concur with both Yogi and Chris.  for the last two slots, I would hope for perhaps two more vet min retread projects still young enough to improve--perhaps Joe Alexander, Josh McRoberts, Kyrylo Fesenko, Brandan Wright, Marquis Daniels, Alexis Ajinka, or Jason Thompson if he was cut loose.  If the aging vets were held to <31 mpg and given the front or back of back-to-backs off, then we might actually hit the playoffs with enough gas in the oldsters and development in the youngsters to make noise and still have the pump primed for the transition from the Big Three to whatever is next.

[cman88]

kwame brown had a really good year last year and was fairly durable....he fits the mold for what we're looking for. He might have been a bust for a #1 pick. but hes a pretty good quality starting NBA center to clog the paint, grab rebounds and alter shots.

Dalembert is most likely going to miami, and most likely will want a long term MLE type deal. Kwame we can probably throw half the MLE at and he can give us roughly similar production(or throw the whole MLE at and sign vet min centers like Kurt Thomas, Pryzbilla behind him)

[Chris]

I concur with both Yogi and Chris.  for the last two slots, I would hope for perhaps two more vet min retread projects still young enough to improve--perhaps Joe Alexander, Josh McRoberts, Kyrylo Fesenko, Brandan Wright, Marquis Daniels, Alexis Ajinka, or Jason Thompson if he was cut loose.  If the aging vets were held to <31 mpg and given the front or back of back-to-backs off, then we might actually hit the playoffs with enough gas in the oldsters and development in the youngsters to make noise and still have the pump primed for the transition from the Big Three to whatever is next.

Not completely on topic, but I think it is going to take close to a full MLE deal to get McRoberts.  He is in a similar spot as Amir Johnson was a couple years ago.  He hasn't completely panned out yet, but is still very young, and finally looked like he was starting to "get it" last year. 

He still has high bust potential, but someone is going to open up their wallet for a 24 year old 6'11" athlete who can shoot, handle the ball, and who put up solid numbers last year.  Honestly, I think if someone can get into his head and explain to him that a layup is as good as a dunk, he will be a 15 and 8 guy pretty quickly.

[paulcowens]

I think we need better Bigs coaching.  We may not have the best Bigs around, but we should be getting more out of the ones we have.

[Chris]

I think we need better Bigs coaching.  We may not have the best Bigs around, but we should be getting more out of the ones we have.

How so?  Which bigs have underperformed in the last 5 years or so?

Other than perhaps Davis (and I think that was beyond a positional coach issue, and he still has performed better than expectations of a second round pick), there have been no big men (at least not washed up big men) who have underperformed for this team lately for any reason other than injury.