Can the Celtics Operate in the Buyout Market?

[Jiri Welsch]

I figured I would start a topic rather than hijack the general buy-out thread. Apologies if that was the wrong move!

I've been reading vague statements from Celtics writers about their ability to operate on the buyout market. Comments like this from Keith Smith...

No roster spot created yet. If Kornet or Wagner is waived, and the team projects Brown to not hit all of his bonuses, they can add a buyout player. There's just enough room to make that happen and avoid paying the luxury tax.

Or this from Adam Himmelsbach...

Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
Was told that the Celtics do not have plans to immediately waive Luke Kornet. With Theis gone and Tristan Thompson still out, they might even need some reinforcements in the short term.

But with the shortened season, the buyout market could get rolling quickly.

So here are my questions: Can the Celtics sign someone on the buyout market without going into the luxury tax? Do they want to?

[Celtics2021]

They can afford one player in the buyout market, although doing so could put the Celtics into the tax if they win it all.  I think the Celtics would accept that trade off, so ultimately I would be surprised to see Kornet on the roster in a couple weeks.

While the Celtics writers are being a little vague, the fact is that merely trading Green and Teague got the Celtics sufficiently below the tax line.  Trading Theis for Wagner and Kornet saved enough additional salary to afford one rest of season free agent.  So unless the Celtics thought either Wagner (possible but unlikely) or Kornet (no chance) were superior to Theis, that move was made to afford someone in the buyout market, and it would be surprising for them to not go after someone.

[radiohead]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/increasing-momentum-for-lamarcus-aldridge-to-sign-with-heat/ar-BB1eYxGH?ocid=uxbndlbing

The article says that it's common for buy out candidates to have reached an agreement with a new team even before the buy out becomes official. So if Aldridge is believed to be going to Miami and Otto Porter is staying put in Orlando (according to Chris Haynes), who are we left with? Is Drummond a possibility?

[liam]

They can afford one player in the buyout market, although doing so could put the Celtics into the tax if they win it all.  I think the Celtics would accept that trade off, so ultimately I would be surprised to see Kornet on the roster in a couple weeks.

While the Celtics writers are being a little vague, the fact is that merely trading Green and Teague got the Celtics sufficiently below the tax line.  Trading Theis for Wagner and Kornet saved enough additional salary to afford one rest of season free agent.  So unless the Celtics thought either Wagner (possible but unlikely) or Kornet (no chance) were superior to Theis, that move was made to afford someone in the buyout market, and it would be surprising for them to not go after someone.

I wouldn't mind a look at Kornet but I'd be shocked if he wasn't cut for a buyout guy.

[Celtics4ever]

I wouldn't mind a look at Kornet but I'd be shocked if he wasn't cut for a buyout guy.

Why do peeps think it is a given he is better than Tacko?   

[liam]

I wouldn't mind a look at Kornet but I'd be shocked if he wasn't cut for a buyout guy.

Why do peeps think it is a given he is better than Tacko?

I don't know that he is but he's played in 115 NBA games and looked OK when he was with the Knicks. A late bench guy. I'd just like to have a look. He looks a little like Kaminsky, who I wanted to pick up early this year. He's big and he has some game. I'm not saying he's the answer to anything or can even be a rotational player but I'd like to have a look. This season has been going straight down the crapper something had to change. I hope things get better. I hope the energy picks up and we are heathy by the end of the season.

[jambr380]

If we don't get a quality buy-out guy, then sending out Theis was a terrible move. Theis is obviously better than Wagner/Kornet and we'd have been able to re-sign him if there was no interest on the FA market. One would have thought with Javale McGee getting two 2nds, that Theis could have fetched at least one 2nd...or at least complete salary relief like we did for ORL, but nope. This has to be all about the buy-out and hopefully they already have that person in mind.

[NKY fan]

It’s insane that trader Danny got rid of Kanter and Theis both of whom make $5mil for some very inferior scrubs that make a little less. His moves with centers are so baffling

[NKY fan]

If we don't get a quality buy-out guy, then sending out Theis was a terrible move. Theis is obviously better than Wagner/Kornet and we'd have been able to re-sign him if there was no interest on the FA market. One would have thought with Javale McGee getting two 2nds, that Theis could have fetched at least one 2nd...or at least complete salary relief like we did for ORL, but nope. This has to be all about the buy-out and hopefully they already have that person in mind.

It’s possible that GMs low ball Danny because they know he’s desperate and Theis is just an average to below average starter but still doesn’t justify the exchanged value

[PAOBoston]

If we don't get a quality buy-out guy, then sending out Theis was a terrible move. Theis is obviously better than Wagner/Kornet and we'd have been able to re-sign him if there was no interest on the FA market. One would have thought with Javale McGee getting two 2nds, that Theis could have fetched at least one 2nd...or at least complete salary relief like we did for ORL, but nope. This has to be all about the buy-out and hopefully they already have that person in mind.

Per KOC (so take it with grain of salt), Drummond is considering Cs/NYK/LAL once he gets buyout

[Roy H.]

If we don't get a quality buy-out guy, then sending out Theis was a terrible move. Theis is obviously better than Wagner/Kornet and we'd have been able to re-sign him if there was no interest on the FA market. One would have thought with Javale McGee getting two 2nds, that Theis could have fetched at least one 2nd...or at least complete salary relief like we did for ORL, but nope. This has to be all about the buy-out and hopefully they already have that person in mind.

I see Theis as an MLE guy, and at that price I would have retained him.  However, if the projections of $15 million per season are correct, then I think you have to move on.  If Wagner is really going to sign here for $3.8 million or less, than it’s worth a look at him I guess.

I do think that trading our starting center sends a bad message to the team.  It’s not quite the same situation, but I remember in 2011 when we had no problem trading our starting center because we had two other good centers on the team. That move sent us into freefall.

If there was another way to shed salary, I wish we had gone that route.  And, it still chafes me that we’re still carrying a $1 million cap hit for Yabu.

[Surferdad]

...
Do they want to?

THAT is the big question.  My guess is 'no' since this isn't a competitive team that will go deep in the playoffs.  It seems that Wyc has decided to be a budget hawk for the time being and hope a better option comes along in the off-season.

[GreenBoomer]

Drummond meeting with Celtics. If Danny could add him to Fournier and Wagner, I think that's an excellent deadline haul. Big upgrade with AD - RWill still gets his minutes but doesn't have to carry the whole load inside. TT and Wagner give you a couple bangers for depth in a physical series. Bigs with attitudes! I like it.

[perks-a-beast]

I hope Olynyk gets bought out and comes back just so I can see him be mediocre for the remainder of the season, and then suddenly explode for like 35 in a playoff game...The Jeff Green of big men in terms of consistency lol.

[Roy H.]

Drummond meeting with Celtics. If Danny could add him to Fournier and Wagner, I think that's an excellent deadline haul. Big upgrade with AD - RWill still gets his minutes but doesn't have to carry the whole load inside. TT and Wagner give you a couple bangers for depth in a physical series. Bigs with attitudes! I like it.

I don’t think it will go anywhere, but I would love to have him.  We just wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance of retaining him.  The Knicks would.

Assuming we don’t land Drummond and Porter stays put, I’d be down with KO.  He’s a good fit for our roster.



As an aside, I have always wondered if fanswould like KO better if he had a crew cut.  Does appearance matter?