Bill Walker next year...

[ScoobyDoo]

In limited minutes this year, I've seen enough of Bill Walker to know that come next year he will be fully capable of backing up Pierce at the small forward spot. If he continues to progress as he should, with the aggressive defense and physical play and attacking the rim...continues to improve his outside shot...we will have one tough, nasty, physical 1-2 punch at small forward. I now see perhaps among other reasons why Ainge passed on Posey if he felt this kid would be ready within a year of so; short term gamble, long term payoff though. Because if he builds on this year and rolls into next season with momentum, he's going to be a very solid bench guy.

In fact, with the way Marbury is rounding into form, I wouldn't be opposed to bringing him back. He may want more money elsewhere but it's also possible he may feel he's amde bank already and now wants to win and have fun the next 2-3 years at $2.5 to $3.5 mil a year...?

We will have a very deep team and with some good young guys in the wing as well.

Perkins / Moore / Erden
Garnett / Baby / Powe
Pierce / Walker / Scal
Ray Allen / House / Giddens
Rondo / Marbury / Pruitt

[indeedproceed]

I agree that Walker should be our full time 2/3 backup. I think Erden, Marbury, and Moore all being here next season is being a little hopeful, however.

[Fafnir]

In limited minutes this year, I've seen enough of Bill Walker to know that come next year he will be fully capable of backing up Pierce at the small forward spot.

I just don't see it. I see the potential. But I have yet to see him play enough non-garbage minutes to be that confident he can step into a primary reserve role.

Especially a primary reserve role on a contending team. He's only played 184 minutes total this season. How many of those were meaningful? It is an awfully small sample.

[crownsy]

I agree that Walker should be our full time 2/3 backup. I think Erden, Marbury, and Moore all being here next season is being a little hopeful, however.

marbury and moore have little shot.

moore has a better shot if teams come after BBD or Leon hard.

[Fafnir]

I agree that Walker should be our full time 2/3 backup. I think Erden, Marbury, and Moore all being here next season is being a little hopeful, however.

I hope he can become the primary backup 2/3. But I don't think it is a given he can beat out Tony Allen for that role. Even with his injury Tony has 770 minutes compared to Walker's 184.

That is not enough time to tell how well he'll shake out as a player. Especially with so much of it garbage time. Will he be allowed to play through struggles next year? Will he continue to progress? A lot of unknowns.

[lon3lytoaster]

I think he'll play a little more next year (Probably around 10, MAYBE 15 minutes) Mostly because I don't expect Tony to be back, or at least remain in Boston for the full season. I still think he can be a really solid, surprising player. People doubted Powe, too and while I think Walker can surpass Powe in terms of NBA talent and especially scoring productivity, Powe had equal ciriticism regarding his knees and he's proved everyone wrong, so far (until the strain, which I forgot about while I was writing this)

As for the rest of the team next year, Erden would be a wasted spot, he's not good enough to contribute. We would probably have better luck trying to find a team who doesn't want their lottery pick and trading for that, And I hope that will actually become a legitimate option because I don't think both baby and Powe will be back next year so, and again, I think we have better chances of stealing Jordan Hill's draft rights via trade than we do bringing Erden over, or keeping Powe and Davis

And, finally... even if we do repeat this year, I won't feel confident walking into the season with that lineup. At that point, we'll really need to re-up via free agency, and trades using expiring contracts to have a legit chance at a three-peat (or second in three years)

Man, I really strafed away from Bill Walker, I'm sorry.

[Chris]

I have been thinking the same thing about Walker.  He definitely needs more time to continue working on his shot and ballhandling.  However, if he can get those to a reasonable level over the summer, I think he will earn Doc's trust next year.  He is already close as an NBA defender, and has shown flashes on offense, so I would pencil him in as the 5th wing next year, with the possibility to move up.

I think the biggest value in Walker's development is that it means they don't have nearly as much of a need to fill the backup wing spot as they did this year.  Allen, Walker, House, and Scalabrine can certainly hold down the fort, and they can concentrate on finding a backup PG (Marbury won't be back), and big man (either a replacement for Powe or Davis, or for Nikki).

[The Incredible Hulk]

As much as I love Bill Walker, I think he is just a trade chip in the making for Danny.... Next year's trade deadline we will have $27 million in expiring contracts between Ray Allen, Eddie House, Tony Allen, and Scalabrine. I see the C's making a serious push with some of those contracts combined with Billy, JR, etc. I don't see him making it to the 2010 season unless he either a. starts playing really bad and has no trade value, or b. turns into a borderline elite player. Or there simply are no deals to be made.

[D Dub]

I think we will see more of Billy next year.  Ainge's system is to find talented players on cheap deals and Billy's fits that bill, especially with TA coming up on his pay day.

My thinking is that Tony Allen will be packaged up with either Baby or Powe to land another piece.  That has to be an attractive package right now (two young, skilled players on expiring deals).  Billy's development makes this scenario all the more likely. 

We are well positioned asset wise.  I can see re-signing Mikki for the vet min, re-signing one of POwe/Baby and landing a dynamic bench player via trade (TA, Baby, & Scal for Shane Battier anyone?).

I predict that Eddie, Powe and Walker are regular rotation players for us next year, along with an undetermined former All Star type guy. 

Anyone else glad we didn't handcuff ourselves with a 4 year deal for Posey last year?

[Change]

Anyone else glad we didn't handcuff ourselves with a 4 year deal for Posey last year?

Meee, Posey is so last year.

Next season Billy cracks the rotation, JR probably traded with Scal , and (M&M, BBD, and Powe) resigned

[xmuscularghandix]

the thing about him is that the team doesn't run any plays that use him as a major option, he's always option number 5. Imagine if they set picks for him to get up on alley-oops (he had one thrown from Rondo that looked like it was up for KG) I think he could be an explosive option on our second unit. And he could be dominant in the second unit if we have next years Cassell/Marbury backup PG.

[ScoobyDoo]

Yeah D Dub, that's what I was talking about. Walker fits exactly what we need, a young, aggressive kid with talent who can back up Pierce. Powe came into his own in his second season. I think Walker has shown as much or more and I expect him to be playing 10-15 a night behind Paul next season.

I'm not sure if he has much value ina  trade "yet"...and Ainge likes to hang on to guys, develope them and then package them. So I see Powe or Baby along with TAllen for another player.

The main reason I think he'll get minutes is because like Powe, Baby, his body is NBA ready at the PF spot, he plays very physical and isn't shy about it. Doc likes those types, he trusts them when they're in their really mixing it up for him. I'm not saying he won't have any growing pains, but I thinkhe could be really solid off the bench come mid season. And that's all we need off the bench behind Pierce...10-15 minutes of solid.

Meanwhile, I just like Moore. He's a great energy guy with length and he seems like a good citizen. I wouldn't mind signing Moore again on the cheap and as our 3rd string guy.

Marbury, yeah, he;ll probably go somewhere else. To be honest I actually like Pruitt and his defense behind Rondo. I just wish he'd take the reigns on offense, I feel like he has the ability, just isn't taking the lead on Offense.

Anyway, SF is our biggest weakness. We seem to be able to plug in a Vet big man and Vet point every year. I think Bill Walker will cover our SF spot and Ainge will let him grow there a few more season on the cheap before packaging him.      

[RebusRankin]

Walker replaces TA next year.

[xmuscularghandix]

Walker replaces TA next year.

I'd like for them both to be here next year. Right now we have ALOT of bodies at PF, and come next season we'll have a chance of losing half of them (Powe, Baby, Moore) Walker's ability to atleast body up on bigger guys while TA does his thing at 2/3 will allow for them to coexist. Walker is the type of player that you can kick it to inside and let him jump over the big men, so let him do it.

[Bankshot]

In limited minutes this year, I've seen enough of Bill Walker to know that come next year he will be fully capable of backing up Pierce at the small forward spot.

I just don't see it. I see the potential. But I have yet to see him play enough non-garbage minutes to be that confident he can step into a primary reserve role.

Especially a primary reserve role on a contending team. He's only played 184 minutes total this season. How many of those were meaningful? It is an awfully small sample.

I don't see it either.  He's had some nice dunks in garbage time, but I haven't seen anything meaningful from him to make me think he can take Tony's spot next season.  If he can't stay out of foul trouble first, he won't be beating anyone out for a rotation spot.