What's left? A look at unrestricted free agents on the market

[cdif911]

Ok well pretty much all of the tier 1 ufa's are gone, and many of the tier 2 as well - with some guys going to Europe (Boykins) and others finding new homes not called Boston, lets look at who is left that could potentially help the Celtics at a vet. min. contract (it ain't looking good)

Big men:

Jamaal Magloire
Juwan Howard
Theo Ratliff
Othella Harrington
PJ Brown
Dikembe Mutumbo
Alonzo Mourning
Jake Vosckul
Francisco Elson
Ren Wright
Melvin Ely
Michael Doleac
Jackie Butler

Of those guys, most are either well past their prime (Brown, Mutumbo, Mourning) or will likely never see a prime (Ely, Butler) - I think Elson may be the best of the bunch left here

Wings:

Derek Anderson
Deven Brown
Juan Dixon
Eddie Jones
Devean George
Flip Murray
Smush Parker
Quinten Ross
Kirk Snyder
Bonzi Wells
Fred Jones
Grant Hill
Michael Finley
Gordon Giricek

Not many of the guys here bring anything Tony Allen/JR Giddens don't.  Of the bunch Giricek can at least hit an outside shot.. Bonzi Wells could actually fit in, but he'd be taking minutes from TA, not filling in the role Posey left behind.  I like Finley and Grant Hill for the vet leadership, but whats left in the tank?  Juan Dixon surprised me that he's still out there, but is he more than Eddie House....

and finally point guards

Jason Williams
Damon Stoudamire
Sam I Am
Darrell Armstrong
Shaun Livingston
Anthony Carter

Slim pickings - if D.A. can bring something like Lindsey Hunter did for Detroit, I'd be all for it. J. Will is another interesting name, but again I think his best years are behind him.  the fact that Livingston is still on the market worries me - his health must be a huge concern

So after going through the list, its pretty clear how slim the pickings are out there - do the c's wait for a guy to get cut/bought out... do they take a chance on an unproven guy?  Give a veteran a chance to earn some minutes - it'll be an interesting rest of the offseason, but I do think overall whatever we do, it won't help much... that said, we still have a world champion roster minus two aging vets and one key role player - can some other guys step into those roles?  I think yes - plus Rondo should continue to develop.... I'm not worried

[ChampKind]

Nice list.  A couple surprises, mainly that no one has taken a flier on Livingston - I guess he must be way further behind in his rehab than I thought.  Of those available, I'd give Devean George, Anthony Carter, and Elson my approval, although none are difference makers or even definite rotation guys at this point in their careers.

I'd love to get PJ, Zo, or even Howard to sign with about 20 games left in the regular season.  They could do ok for us.

[Eja117]

Do we even have the roster spot to be able to add someone? I like Ely, maybe Darrel Armstrong, and maybe Juan Dixon but for some of these guys do they bring that much more than say a Pruitt?

[pearljammer10]

Li would look into Bonzi Wells without question. He can play the 3 spot off the bench and give us a good 6th man scoring option, plus he is a monster on the boards. I would also look into Livingston. He hasnt shown it yet but he could turn into a good player. We need a point guard to be able to handle to ball and run the second unit. House needs to be free of ball handling duties so he can shoot.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Anthony Carter is already signed by the Nuggets. I want no piece of Devean George in this team. I'd pay him just for him to stay away.

Of the big guys, I don't mind:

Pollard
Elson
Alonzo Mourning
Theo Ratliff
Dikembe Mutombo

Of the wings, I don't want any more SG's or short SF's... I don't mind:

Kirk Snyder
Grant Hill (quite sure he's already signed by Phoenix)
Michael Finley
Bonzi Wells

I don't want any more point guards.

I preffer signing the rookies and go as is to start the season. If we sign someone before the season starts, I'd go with a center.

[gustusias]

In one of the papers it was written that Ainge said that there is a chance he could sign a certain player by the late summer, if that player doesn't get the monry he is seeking. If they do sign him though, it wouldn't be till late summer. Other than that he is set.

[Reyquila]

Bonzi and Elson, just in case Perk's shoulder condition becomes a cronic case, which i would not bet against

[Reyquila]

Well, I hope that player that Danny is looking at does not get the monry he wants.

[jdub1660]

My opinions of each guy on the list...

Big men:

Jamaal Magloire - still young big guy, maybe an O'bryant duplicate
Juwan Howard - Should have came here last year, but still efective PF for few mins per game
Theo Ratliff - Could fill the PJB void and add a defensive touch that we need on the bench
Othella Harrington - too old and small
PJ Brown - Bound to retire now that he has his ring
Dikembe Mutumbo - Will take Houston or nothing
Alonzo Mourning - Doubt he'll be back, otherwise I'd take him before Ratliff if available
Jake Vosckul - noooo
Francisco Elson - I don't know about his defense. We need that for our back up big C
Ren Wright - who?
Melvin Ely - Too raw still. Just another O'B
Michael Doleac - no.
Jackie Butler - no prime. no talent.

Wings:

Derek Anderson - too aged
Deven Brown - lack of skill on both sides of the ball
Juan Dixon -  just another eddie house
Eddie Jones - Too old. His jumper is gone by now
Devean George - NO! No skill on D or offense
Flip Murray - too small combo guard. too many of those as is
Smush Parker - He'll be behind bars before we know it
Quinten Ross - can't shoot
Kirk Snyder - not enough offensive talent for us to utilize
Bonzi Wells - Maybe. He could use us to get another big contract like posey did
Fred Jones - he's a less effective shooting House but he can dunk...
Grant Hill - Maybe...But he'll end up in phoenix
Michael Finley - old, but I still trust his jumper
Gordon Giricek - he'll join the other euros and end up back over seas for big cash

Point guards:

Jason Williams - going to orlando or phoenix. too old and can't shoot anymore
Damon Stoudamire - he proved to be worthless in san antonio. we can't use him
Sam I Am - I'd like him back if he doesn't end up in Denver or Phoenix
Darrell Armstrong - I think he's lost his shot as well, but he can play great D for his age.
Shaun Livingston - Must be too risky. If we work him out, then I'd trade Pruitt soon
Anthony Carter - no. let denver have him

[TrueGreen]

Do we even have the roster spot to be able to add someone? I like Ely, maybe Darrel Armstrong, and maybe Juan Dixon but for some of these guys do they bring that much more than say a Pruitt?

There is one roster spot open.

[TrueGreen]

I would add to the above that the draft picks haven't signed yet (I think) so there are 3 roster spots open.

[fairweatherfan06]

You forgot DeMarr Johnson and Darius Miles on the Wings.  Both would be risks but would be very helpful if they panned out, I also wouldn't mind Bonzi.  I kind of like Ross but he provides little to no offense and I think it is a need of the bench that is currently deficient.

At the PG spot both Marbury and I'm thinking Steve Francis may soon be available via trade or waivers. Marbury I wouldn't want (nor could we trade for) but Francis I think could be a good scorer/distributor mentor off the bench as a combo guard between Rondo and Pruitt allowing house to slide to two where he is most effective.

I think you covered all the big men except for David Harrison, who I would take in a second, but only him or Elson of those available.

[fairweatherfan06]

Well looks like Elson could be off the market soon and the Celtics wasn't one of the teams he was talking to anyway.

Free agent center Francisco Elson could soon sign with the Bucks, one source close to the player told HoopsHype.com. The former Spur has received offers from FC Barcelona, Atlanta and Milwaukee and is leaning towards taking the latter.

Elson, who averaged 3.3 ppg and 3.2 rpg with San Antonio and Seattle last season, also had conversations with New Jersey, Washington, Charlotte, Miami and Clippers earlier this summer

[D Dub]

My bet is that the list of available players will get better as the season wears on towards the trade deadline. 

Some solid, vet role player will end up on the outs after a trade or something, and then we will all praise Danny for keeping that roster spot open all year and not making a desperatation signing like Birdman or D Miles.

I am still torn whether we will need a SF or a C more off the bench.  I think I won't be able to give a definitive opinion on that until I see Tony Allen and Patrick Obryant play 30 or so games.  I do think we are all set at PG with House and Pruit. 

I am hoping against hope for Tony to have a breakout year and PJ coming back for the playoffs!!

[greenhead85]

I like us to add Mutombo and Magloire or Mutombo and Raliff.  We need big men.  It showed last playoffs that we really need to address our interior defense against big men.  Remember, Holford of Atlanta? Joe Smith and Ilgauskas of Cleveland? Maxiell and McDyess of Detroit?
Next season we might be dealing again against those teams and other Eastern teams that will pack their frontlines with big men. Detroit just added Kwame Brown and Washington's frontline of Haywood, Jamison and Butler is formidable. LAL will soon add Bynum in their roster for next year's campaign.
We may have added O'Bryant but I believe we must add one or two more bigs.  Mutombo's length(wingspan included) will deter opposing bigs from easily getting baskets near or on the rim. Magloire is talented, not yet past his prime and is very much serviceable. If we can't get him then Ratliff may do. Of course, the best big man that we really need and is, I think, the most sought after now is Rasheed Wallace. He's however not an unrestricted FA.