"We still have J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker's situation."

[The Walker Wiggle]

Alright, so any insight into Ainge's motivation for leaving both rookies in the lurch? Would seem to suggest that one or both aren't long for Boston. Only, if dealing our 1st round pick was a consideration weren't there more widely liked players available at 30? Chalmers and CDR, even Jordan or Hardin. I love Giddens for the Celtics, but if you're asking another team to swallow guaranteed years, wouldn't you avoid a poor-FT shooting SG with a spotted history?

Likewise, Walker, who's in the midst of rehabbing from another knee surgery, is questionable as a trade asset. Of course, second round picks often don't catch on, but given Walker's injury and the "cash considerations" involved, it would seem Celtics are already invested. Possibly this delay has more to do with Ainge's practice of signing his favorite 2nd rounders to three year deals using MLE money. But if that's the case, couldn't Ainge speak to it?

And back to Giddens; no dialogue at all?

"We haven't had any conversations with them," Ainge said yesterday of Giddens and his management. "We're concentrating on other things right now."

I hardly believe negotiations would be time consuming. So what is it that Ainge isn't saying? Neither are likely European prospects, despite Danny's pre-draft bluster.

P.S. Anyone know exactly how much the draft rights to Bill Walker cost us? (TP?)

[Jeff]

a couple reasons to not sign them yet:

1. Easier to trade them without a contract
2. Not sure who they can get on the open market - if the best free agents left are all swing players, then why sign two more swing players?

[Roy Hobbs]

Regarding Bill Walker, here are the approximate dates on which Danny's previous second-rounders signed their rookie contracts:

July 18: Leon Powe
July 26: Orien Greene
July 28: Brandon Hunter
August 18: Ryan Gomes
August 27: Justin Reed 
August 30: Gabe Pruitt
September 3: Glen Davis

It's not a problem; I'm sure the team is just waiting to figure out if they can offer him a two- or three-year deal, depending upon whether we need to use the entire MLE on free agents or not.

As for Giddens, the sides are negotiating.  We can sign Giddens to a contract for anywhere between $638,080 and $957,120 in his first year.  That's a difference of $319,040.  Most rookies are given the full 120%, but with our team over the luxury tax, it's likely that Danny is trying to avoid going that high.

[BringToughnessBack]

I do not believe they ever released the exact dollar figure on the cost to get Bill Walker from Wash.

[winsomme]

a couple reasons to not sign them yet:

1. Easier to trade them without a contract
2. Not sure who they can get on the open market - if the best free agents left are all swing players, then why sign two more swing players?

yeah, i'm starting to wonder if Danny is cooking up some trade that isn't on anybody's radar at the moment...

[libermaniac]

Regarding Bill Walker, here are the approximate dates on which Danny's previous second-rounders signed their rookie contracts:

July 18: Leon Powe
July 26: Orien Greene
July 28: Brandon Hunter
August 18: Ryan Gomes
August 27: Justin Reed 
August 30: Gabe Pruitt
September 3: Glen Davis

It's not a problem; I'm sure the team is just waiting to figure out if they can offer him a two- or three-year deal, depending upon whether we need to use the entire MLE on free agents or not.

As for Giddens, the sides are negotiating.  We can sign Giddens to a contract for anywhere between $638,080 and $957,120 in his first year.  That's a difference of $319,040.  Most rookies are given the full 120%, but with our team over the luxury tax, it's likely that Danny is trying to avoid going that high.

Good stuff Roy, and chance you have the dates on when Ainge's first round picks signed their contracts?  I'm not worried about 2nd rounders, as generally you wait till they show something in camp to sign them. But, the Giddens situation is perplexing (and frustrating) me.

[winsomme]

Regarding Bill Walker, here are the approximate dates on which Danny's previous second-rounders signed their rookie contracts:

July 18: Leon Powe
July 26: Orien Greene
July 28: Brandon Hunter
August 18: Ryan Gomes
August 27: Justin Reed 
August 30: Gabe Pruitt
September 3: Glen Davis

It's not a problem; I'm sure the team is just waiting to figure out if they can offer him a two- or three-year deal, depending upon whether we need to use the entire MLE on free agents or not.

As for Giddens, the sides are negotiating.  We can sign Giddens to a contract for anywhere between $638,080 and $957,120 in his first year.  That's a difference of $319,040.  Most rookies are given the full 120%, but with our team over the luxury tax, it's likely that Danny is trying to avoid going that high.

Good stuff Roy, and chance you have the dates on when Ainge's first round picks signed their contracts?  I'm not worried about 2nd rounders, as generally you wait till they show something in camp to sign them. But, the Giddens situation is perplexing (and frustrating) me.

yeah, not inking Giddens is a little more curious as we did have to wait on BBD and Pruitt last year due to not knowing how we were going to spend our MLE and whether we would be able to use some of it to sign them to three year deals and get their Bird Rights...

i'm not totally sure about Giddens....maybe there is a trade in his future. i know that i saw rumors that Wallace liked him around draft time....is there anybody on Memphis that would be a good fit for us......how bout Warrick?

[Roy Hobbs]

Regarding Bill Walker, here are the approximate dates on which Danny's previous second-rounders signed their rookie contracts:

July 18: Leon Powe
July 26: Orien Greene
July 28: Brandon Hunter
August 18: Ryan Gomes
August 27: Justin Reed 
August 30: Gabe Pruitt
September 3: Glen Davis

It's not a problem; I'm sure the team is just waiting to figure out if they can offer him a two- or three-year deal, depending upon whether we need to use the entire MLE on free agents or not.

As for Giddens, the sides are negotiating.  We can sign Giddens to a contract for anywhere between $638,080 and $957,120 in his first year.  That's a difference of $319,040.  Most rookies are given the full 120%, but with our team over the luxury tax, it's likely that Danny is trying to avoid going that high.

Good stuff Roy, and chance you have the dates on when Ainge's first round picks signed their contracts?  I'm not worried about 2nd rounders, as generally you wait till they show something in camp to sign them. But, the Giddens situation is perplexing (and frustrating) me.

We signed Big Al, Tony, Delonte, Gerald, and Rondo between July 3 and July 5 in their respective draft years, and signed Marcus Banks and Perk on July 10.

In none of those years, though, were we heavily involved in the free agent market, and in none of them were the negotiations done with the luxury tax penalty over their heads. 

[The Walker Wiggle]

Great list, Roy. TP for your troubles. It's somewhat reassuring anyway.

Maybe the terseness of Ainge's answer is only due to the fact that he's struck out thus far in Free Agency?

[Jon]

I have a lot of trouble believing Giddens is going to be traded.  If Ainge wanted to trade the pick, he either would've done it before the pick was made or he would've taken someone with a little more name recognition than a guy many projected as a mid-second round pick. 

[Ersatz]

I have a lot of trouble believing Giddens is going to be traded.  If Ainge wanted to trade the pick, he either would've done it before the pick was made or he would've taken someone with a little more name recognition than a guy many projected as a mid-second round pick. 

He couldn't have traded the pick, could he have. Isn't our first-rounder next year going to Minny, and you can't trade to number ones two years in a row, right?

[Lucky17]

Giddens is represented by Bartlestein, no? Same agent as Posey.

Maybe Ainge and Bartlestein simply wanted to see where the Posey negotiations went first, before turning attention to Giddens?

[libermaniac]

Giddens is represented by Bartlestein, no? Same agent as Posey.

Maybe Ainge and Bartlestein simply wanted to see where the Posey negotiations went first, before turning attention to Giddens?

Hope so, seems plausible.

[Brendan]

I have a lot of trouble believing Giddens is going to be traded.  If Ainge wanted to trade the pick, he either would've done it before the pick was made or he would've taken someone with a little more name recognition than a guy many projected as a mid-second round pick. 

He couldn't have traded the pick, could he have. Isn't our first-rounder next year going to Minny, and you can't trade to number ones two years in a row, right?

You can always trade the current draft pick though, basically you pick for someone else, and create an "agreement in principle" and then the trade goes through later. Happens all the time - the draft pick means you can't have a consecutive future years without number ones. (Basically all draft trades are done after the fact, for example Banks and Perk were traded from Memphis to BOS technically after they were picked by BOS.)

Roy can correct the part I messed up.

[Montrossity]

Giddens is represented by Bartlestein, no? Same agent as Posey.

Maybe Ainge and Bartlestein simply wanted to see where the Posey negotiations went first, before turning attention to Giddens?

true.  Plus, Posey's signing is directly related to Gidden's value.  If as time goes on Gidden's is looking more and more like a candidate for a lot of playing time, his camp is in greater position to ask for more money.  Honestly, I think thats all thats holding it up.  Giddens wants first rounder/potential impact player money while Ainge is probably pushing to see if he can get Giddens for a bit less considering he was projected as a mid 2nd rounder.

He will sign, but it may take a bit of time as the Celts work out their FA signings and money situations.