Celtics 15 man roster.

[Mazingerz]

Starting 5 would be:

Rondo
Lee
JG
Sully
KO

Frst 5 bench players

Pressey
Bradley
GWallace
BBass
Iverson

Benchwarmers

M. Brooks
Bogans
Kardashian
Shavlik

Waterboy:

Fab Melo

[LooseCannon]

Well, I want the team to be run intelligently, so I wouldn't cut any guaranteed contracts right now.

I said I'd go with Randolph for the last spot, but I might change my mind and go with a PG if Rondo will be out for a while.  I'd have more patience with Melo than I would with Crawford or Brooks.

Players get bought out of their guaranteed contracts every year.

Melo makes 1.3mil this season, cutting him isn't going to devastate our cap.  If you know Melo can't play and you aren't picking up his option next season, how is it intelligent to take up a roster spot with him rather than waiving him?  Sure I'd try to trade him but my understanding is that other teams have scouts and video machines.

Melo got dominated by career D-Leaguers, 1st year undrafted players, and NBA bench warmers in all four games this summer.  He rebounds less than guards.  He shot two entire airballs from less than 10 ft away and had three dunks blocked.  There is no reason to keep him.

I'm not convinced that Melo can't play.  I don't really expect him to be better than a shorter, poor man's Hasheem Thabeet, but I'm not closing the door on the possibility.

If I were going to waive him and replace him with someone like an undrafted rookie free agent, it'd have to be for a guy who I would be willing to give a multi-year guaranteed contract for more than the minimum if it was necessary to win a bidding war against other teams, someone who I would be willing to stick immediately into a rotation role with no veteran third-string safety net behind him on a playoff team that I wanted to go deep.

I'm not in a hurry and I'm not desperate.

[More Banners]

PG:  Rajon Rondo - Phil Pressey - Nolan Smith - Jayson Granger
SG:  Avery Bradley - Courtney Lee  - Jordan Crawford - Marshon Brooks - Keith Bogans - Tony Mitchell
SF:  Jeff Green - Gerald Wallace - Tim Abromaitis - Kris Joseph - Courtney Fells - Omar Reed
PF:  Jared Sulinger - Kelly Olynyk - Brandon Bass - Kris Humphries - DJ White - Lawrence Hill
C:   Vitor Faverani - Shavlik Randolph - Fabricio Melo - Colton Iverson - Eli Holman

Who do you keep?

Assuming no trades, everyone with a guaranteed contract for next season, plus Iverson.  If Faverani signs, he gets the last spot.  If not, I'd go with Randolph.

This, TP.

Bingo.

The non-guaranteeds are there to match salary in a deal to swap (for example) Lee for Gerald Henderson or Bass for Asik. 

It looks like it'll be Fav. 

Starters (barring trade, which I hope results in a few 2-way players):

Rondo/Bradley/Green/Sully/Olynyk

Bench rotation:

Brooks/Crash/Hump/Melo (hahahahaha!)

Deep bench:

Kris Joseph, Iverson, New Big Guy,

At home awaiting travel orders:

Lee, Bass

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Lee and Bass not in the rotation?!

[aporel#18]

Core: Rondo, Sully, Green, Bradley, Olynyk

On the fence: Lee, Brooks, Crawford (could be traded or could stay long-term)

Contract too big and too long to be traded right now: Crash

Long-term project: Melo

Out of those players, the rest are going to be traded during the season.

Bass: I'd trade him for a TPE/expiring contract + a second rounder, or swap him for Derrick Williams of the Wolves (saving around 2M/year)

Humphries: Send him to Philadelphia who are tanking nuke mode, for a TPE and their 2014 second rounder. They need to be above the salary floor, I think.

Bogans: you can't trade him until January, but at the trade deadline his 5M expiring contract will have some value. Ideally a young prospect or second rounders.

China Boys: with our roster situation, they'll probably be sent somewhere for a TPE/young player or just be cut. Joseph, Iverson and the undrafted rookies will be cheaper, and the Cs are saving money.

Joseph, Iverson and the undrafted rookies: I could see Pressey and Mitchell get invited at training camp. One out of Joseph and Mitchell, Pressey and Colton Iverson (if he doesn't go overseas) will make the roster as they'll be cheap contracts (around 0.5M each).

This is my guess to start the season:

Rondo/Bradley/Pressey
Lee/Brooks/Crawford
Green/Bogans/Joseph or Mitchell
Sully/Crash/Derrick Williams
Olynyk/Colton/Melo

Use Crash as the first forward off the bench, and give the youngsters as many minutes as you can. Aim for more trades at the deadline. Around the 2014 Draft you'll have 2 first rounders, the 12M TPE, a revamped Crash and a lot of young pieces. Get Marc Gasol or LaMarcus Aldridge and draft Dario Saric and you're set for the future