Free agency starts / reported signings (merged)

[JBcat]

So Saric finally joins the Warriors.

That does not disappoint me all that much.  Saric may bounce back, he is still young enough, but he has not really done much of anything for several injury riddled seasons.

I think a trade for a bench PF/C (with the TPE and picks) is the more likely avenue to fill this role at this point, although I would not be against bringing in Wood on a min contract.  He will probably end up in MIA or LAL though.  So be it.

We aren’t using the TPE and picks to get someone this year.  Not happening.  If a trade nets us another bench player, it will be because we traded Brogdon for two players.  We’re not going above the second apron.

We don’t need to use the full TPE. We could get someone for around $5 million then cut either Champagnie or Kornet. The net would be only adding about $3 million.  Not suggesting, we just add $6 million to the cap.

It is not likely. But this is something that can be worked out.

But that’s what the MLE is for, not the TPE.

If we use some or all of the MLE, we hard cap ourselves.  If we use the TPE, we are not hard capped.  Both are options.  I see a few options we could go after with the TPE that seem to me more likely than getting a useful bench PF at this point the the MLE:

Isaiah Stewart      $5.3M
Jalen Smith          $5.0M
Jaden McDaniels    $3.9M
Precious Achiuwa  $4.4M
Jon. Kuminga       $6.0M

Again, my idea is to trade for them using picks and the TPE, but also waive Champagnie or Kornet to stay at 14 roster spots and reduce the net impact to the cap.  To me, this is a perfectly viable option.  They probably won't do anything with it but to me, swapping Champagnie in particular for an actual useful PF, for the cost of some picks, would be a really good value transaction.

If I was Brad, I would see if Detroit would trade Stewart for Pritchard+a 2024 first. Then just look to add a 3rd string PG to replace him (and keep under the 2nd apron). Stewart would be a great fit here.

I like Vermont Green’s deal better because Pritchard is an ok 3rd guard. Really like the idea of Beef Stew on this team, with Jaden McD my 2nd choice from VG’s list of PFs.

I don’t see the Wolves willing to trade MCDaniels, and he’s more of a SF. The Wolves wouldn’t include him in the Gobert deal, and rightfully so. He’s a very good player, and just awesome defensively.

The others could be gettable, and I would like a move like that.

[Chief]

Wouldn’t mind seeing Giles in camp on non guaranteed deal & see what he got..plus it’s Tatum best bud isn’t it?

I think it's a smart move. Keep your young star player happy.

[tonydelk]

Wouldn’t mind seeing Giles in camp on non guaranteed deal & see what he got..plus it’s Tatum best bud isn’t it?

I think it's a smart move. Keep your young star player happy.

If that mattered to them they have already signed Javonte Green and brought back Grant. 

[Surferdad]

So Saric finally joins the Warriors.

That does not disappoint me all that much.  Saric may bounce back, he is still young enough, but he has not really done much of anything for several injury riddled seasons.

I think a trade for a bench PF/C (with the TPE and picks) is the more likely avenue to fill this role at this point, although I would not be against bringing in Wood on a min contract.  He will probably end up in MIA or LAL though.  So be it.

We aren’t using the TPE and picks to get someone this year.  Not happening.  If a trade nets us another bench player, it will be because we traded Brogdon for two players.  We’re not going above the second apron.

We don’t need to use the full TPE. We could get someone for around $5 million then cut either Champagnie or Kornet. The net would be only adding about $3 million.  Not suggesting, we just add $6 million to the cap.

It is not likely. But this is something that can be worked out.

But that’s what the MLE is for, not the TPE.

If we use some or all of the MLE, we hard cap ourselves.  If we use the TPE, we are not hard capped.  Both are options.  I see a few options we could go after with the TPE that seem to me more likely than getting a useful bench PF at this point the the MLE:

Isaiah Stewart      $5.3M
Jalen Smith          $5.0M
Jaden McDaniels    $3.9M
Precious Achiuwa  $4.4M
Jon. Kuminga       $6.0M

Again, my idea is to trade for them using picks and the TPE, but also waive Champagnie or Kornet to stay at 14 roster spots and reduce the net impact to the cap.  To me, this is a perfectly viable option.  They probably won't do anything with it but to me, swapping Champagnie in particular for an actual useful PF, for the cost of some picks, would be a really good value transaction.

If I was Brad, I would see if Detroit would trade Stewart for Pritchard+a 2024 first. Then just look to add a 3rd string PG to replace him (and keep under the 2nd apron). Stewart would be a great fit here.

I like Vermont Green’s deal better because Pritchard is an ok 3rd guard. Really like the idea of Beef Stew on this team, with Jaden McD my 2nd choice from VG’s list of PFs.

I don’t see the Wolves willing to trade MCDaniels, and he’s more of a SF. The Wolves wouldn’t include him in the Gobert deal, and rightfully so. He’s a very good player, and just awesome defensively.

The others could be gettable, and I would like a move like that.

I like the bolded trade above, BUT I want to see if JD is ready to be the 3rd guard (after White & Brogdon) OR if Banton can take that spot. I would not add another guard as JB can always play the 2.

[Vermont Green]

John wall working out for teams in Vegas.

I wonder if the Celtics have any interest

I’m sure they’ll go to a workout, but I don’t think they’ll go beyond that.

Brad Steven's track record is that he tends not to go for these over the hill veteran types.  There will be many that no doubt will advocate for him and then complain if he ends up signing in MIA or something.  I can't imagine he would be any help at all to the Celtics.  But brace yourself for the "it was dumb to sign Banton, we could have had Wall"; "Brad is horrible at FA"; "the Celtics are cheap and don't care about winning"; posts starting soon and continuing through the season.

I'm not sure that Wall is the right fit, but if Brad chooses not to pursue him and he has a great year, why shouldn't he be criticized?

There will likely be several players that the Celtics don't pursue that end up doing something on some other team.  But there will also be hundreds that the Celtics don't pursue that end up doing nothing.   I am not trying to judge what any fan can criticize or not, I am just offering my opinion that it seems very selective to me.  You are one for sure who will pick every opportunity to criticize the end of the roster choices, but you are far from alone.  You are already suggesting this.  If Wall becomes one of the couple out of a hundred that actually ends up doing something for another team, you feel the Celtics should be criticized for not taking him, and I am sure you will.  Nothing wrong with a fan doing that and nothing wrong with me disagreeing with the criticism, right?

Yes, if Brad doesn't land capable free agents, his philosophy and/or capability should be questioned.

And "a couple out of a hundred"?  You think minimum free agents have a 2% success rate?

If you take all the FA summer-leaguers, all the undrafted FAs, all the other G-Leaguers, all the players in Europe, plus the over the hill vets who are FAs, there are hundreds of FA vying for those last 3 or so roster spots on the 30 NBA teams.  I am looking at Wall as one of that larger pool that these players will be selected from.  Only say 3 per team will make a roster in the end, and of those 90 or so that actually make a roster, the "success rate" is higher than 2%, but that is different ratio.

And even of those 90 or so out of the hundreds that make a roster, how many are a "success"?  How many will play a meaningful playoff minute?  How many will play any meaningful regular season minutes beyond garbage time?  How many would be able to step in and replace an actual rotation player who gets injured?  Will John Wall do any of these things if he makes a roster?  Most don't do any of those things, that is my whole point.

Last season, the Celtics had two vet min type signings that worked out really well, Hauser and Griffin.  They had one that worked out pretty well (Kornet).  And they had a bunch that only played in garbage time.  Hauser was a little different in that he was not really signed to be a 13-15 roster guy, but he still came from that pool of "scrap heap" players.

This year, we have salvaged Brissett and Banton from the scrap heap.  Brissett, maybe like Hauser, is a NBA player, but we did get him for a min contract.  We have Kornet and Champagnie carried over from last season's scrap heap, at least for now.  And we signed Walsh who could have been a 2-way.

I look at all that and say, "the Celtics did pretty well".  Others look at that and say things like "the owners won't spend and don't care about winning".  It is one thing to debate whether you think Dwight Howard would have helped the team or not (the odds are he would not have, but that is something that can be debated).  Is is another thing to say the owners/management don't care about winning because they didn't sign Dwight Howard.  I just try to offer another perspective when I see what I feel are overly hyperbolic conclusions or statements.

[Who]

Dillon Brooks' contract with the Houston Rockets was finalized at $86 million over four years, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The figure is above the four years, $80 million deal that was originally reported.

The contract could top out at $90 million with incentives.

So that is $86mil guaranteed and $4mil incentives. So $21.5mil per annum plus $1mil per annum in incentives.

[ozgod]

Dillon Brooks' contract with the Houston Rockets was finalized at $86 million over four years, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The figure is above the four years, $80 million deal that was originally reported.

The contract could top out at $90 million with incentives.

So that is $86mil guaranteed and $4mil incentives. So $21.5mil per annum plus $1mil per annum in incentives.

Seems like an overpay, but I guess they have money to spend and nobody to spend it on 

[Who]

Dillon Brooks' contract with the Houston Rockets was finalized at $86 million over four years, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The figure is above the four years, $80 million deal that was originally reported.

The contract could top out at $90 million with incentives.

So that is $86mil guaranteed and $4mil incentives. So $21.5mil per annum plus $1mil per annum in incentives.

Seems like an overpay, but I guess they have money to spend and nobody to spend it on 

One year contracts are Houston's friend.

[Who]

I'd like to see Dallas trade Tim Hardaway Jr to clear the way for Josh Green and Jaden Hardy.

I'd start Josh Green and bring J Hardy off the bench. I see the starter potential in Hardy but I don't like his fit next to Kyrie & Luka. Hardy a prolific scorer. Needs a fair bit of the ball and a lot of shots. I do not see him as a great fit next to two high usage ball-handlers in Luka and Kyrie. I see Hardy more as a 6th man super-sub scorer. So I'd start Josh Green instead.

I wonder what Dallas could get for Tim Hardaway. Can they get a quality backup SF/PF? A better starting center than Richaun Holmes? Can they combine his contract with R Holmes and picks and bring back a low level star?

[Who]

I am surprised nobody has signed Anthony Lamb yet. He was a solid middle of the pack bench SF last season. An excellent 3rd string SF.

[green_bballers13]

I still haven't seen any players signed to minimum deals that will push the needle for their respective teams. This is much ado about nothing.

[Who]

Long term, Jaden Hardy could make Kyrie Irving disposable. A high volume 2nd scorer to play off of Luka. More of a natural SG than Kyrie. Needs less time handling the ball. Better fit with Luka.

Kyrie would have to improve his trade value in order for Dallas to get something worthwhile in return for him. At the moment, they best they can hope for is cap flexability. Rebuild some cap space to pursue a better supporting cast for Luka via FA.

[footey]

I am surprised nobody has signed Anthony Lamb yet. He was a solid middle of the pack bench SF last season. An excellent 3rd string SF.

For the Celtics?

[Who]

I am surprised nobody has signed Anthony Lamb yet. He was a solid middle of the pack bench SF last season. An excellent 3rd string SF.

For the Celtics?

We got enough bench SFs already. Otherwise, yes I would've loved him here.

[Vermont Green]

I am surprised nobody has signed Anthony Lamb yet. He was a solid middle of the pack bench SF last season. An excellent 3rd string SF.

For the Celtics?

We got enough bench SFs already. Otherwise, yes I would've loved him here.

Lamb is a University of Vermont grad.  It would be fun to see him on the Celtics.  Probably less than Hauser or Brissett though, not much need for him with the current roster.