Another alternative: Be respectable in '14/'15 while shedding cap space, THEN...

[gpap]

in the summer of 2015, have enough cap space to possibly pounce and get not one but two max players!

So, let's say this summer, the Celts make some moderate moves that improve the team at least to where they could hover somewhere around a 4-7 seed in the East.

Something like acquiring a couple guys on expiring contracts like Carlos Boozer, Andersen Varajeo, Thaddeus Young, Omer Asik and Aaron Afflalo.

Also, along the way during these acquistions, deal Bass, Green and if you are lucky, Gerald Wallace.

If you do this, then by my estimations (please correct me if I am wrong) you ONLY have the following guys under contract for the summer of 2015

-Sullinger
-Olynyk
-Faverani
(and whoever the Celts draft in June.)

Then, that would allow the Celts to go nuts in the summer of 2015 and make an insane offer to Aldridge, Gasol and/or Love while still having enough money to bring back Rondo.

Maybe Rondo agrees to become a free agent, only to allow the Celts to have the cash to get one or two big names and then agrees to come back (ala what Miami did in 2010.)

Anyway, not sure if this is even possible, but just an idea.

I can't think of another team that would be in such an enviable position with cap space.

I mean even the Lakers are stuck with Kobe's albatross of a contract.

And for next year, the Celts keep most of their "assets" and actually become a contending team once again (hopefully Rondo is finally 100 percent healthy and Sully stays in shape.)

[Evantime34]

Yeah I think this is what ends up happening.

My hope is that we add Omer Asik and end up in the top 3, and that moves us back into the playoffs. Then we play well in the playoffs and go into the next season with an emerging young core and a boatload of cap space.

[footey]

To posture ourselves for a FA run in 2015 may be fools gold.  Of those 3, only Aldridge is the real deal, and the chances of him signing here are about 1 in 30.  NY Knicks made this mistake in clearing payroll for Lebron, and ended up ruining their cap  space with Amare signing.

[gpap]

To posture ourselves for a FA run in 2015 may be fools gold.  Of those 3, only Aldridge is the real deal, and the chances of him signing here are about 1 in 30.  NY Knicks made this mistake in clearing payroll for Lebron, and ended up ruining their cap  space with Amare signing.

Understandable. The major problem with this idea is Boston is not a hotbed for NBA stars

HOWEVER, the difference between the summer of 2010 and the summer of 2015 is there were many teams that had serious cap space.

In addition to Miami, you had Cleveland, the Knicks, Clippers and Nets that were courting Lebron.

If the Celts clear the space in 2015, I THINK they might be the only team with that much money available.

Now, if there are other teams that will have cap space in 2015 as well like the Lakers or Knicks, then yes, that could be a problem.

For whatever reason, star players will chose those cities before Boston.

But, it seems to me that many of the top teams are going to be hamstrung with big time deals over the next couple year.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

I'm sure DA will wheel and deal before it is all said and done.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

This sounds like a fun alternative. Though I fear we might have to cough up to many picks and or prospects to get other teams to take our longer term deals for expiring contracts (Gerald Wallace). Other than that I like this idea.

[freshinthehouse]

I think cap room should always be a goal during a rebuild, but I don't think we'll have this kind of cap room until 2016.  I see no realistic scenario for getting rid of Wallace unless we throw in some picks, which I think would be foolish.

[obnoxiousmime]

To posture ourselves for a FA run in 2015 may be fools gold.  Of those 3, only Aldridge is the real deal, and the chances of him signing here are about 1 in 30.  NY Knicks made this mistake in clearing payroll for Lebron, and ended up ruining their cap  space with Amare signing.

Understandable. The major problem with this idea is Boston is not a hotbed for NBA stars

HOWEVER, the difference between the summer of 2010 and the summer of 2015 is there were many teams that had serious cap space.

In addition to Miami, you had Cleveland, the Knicks, Clippers and Nets that were courting Lebron.

If the Celts clear the space in 2015, I THINK they might be the only team with that much money available.

Now, if there are other teams that will have cap space in 2015 as well like the Lakers or Knicks, then yes, that could be a problem.

For whatever reason, star players will chose those cities before Boston.

But, it seems to me that many of the top teams are going to be hamstrung with big time deals over the next couple year.

There are a lot of teams that COULD have cap space in 2015, but being a year away a lot could change. It would require that they don't make any big signings this summer and also that they drop their rights towards some of their own players.

Philly will definitely have cap space as their roster is all young players.

New York's plan is to re-sign Melo, take their lumps in 2014 while Stoudemire/Bargnani expire, then send Phil Jackson out lure a star.

The Lakers basically have nobody on contract past a year besides Kobe and Nash. They're in a similar spot as the Knicks, only they have some space this year to play with too.

A lot of other teams might have space. Teams are being a little smarter about doling out horrible long-term contracts, and also no stars are signing extensions because they want to wait until the last possible moment.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

I think cap room should always be a goal during a rebuild, but I don't think we'll have this kind of cap room until 2016.  I see no realistic scenario for getting rid of Wallace unless we throw in some picks, which I think would be foolish.

we are probably stuck with him for one more year.