What happens if...IF...we lose this series?

[Redz]

4. The "Beat LA" chants start.

For the Bulls? 

It will triple-dog suck if we get eliminated by the Bulls on the home floor

[Junkyard Dawg]

the focus on improving the bench should, as it should have been last offseason, getting quality vets who can reliably spell Pierce and KG for stretches.  I know its been beaten to death, but Posey would have done that masterfully for Pierce; yeah he wanted more money than he deserved, but if it meant maximizing the potential of our team during this "window", why in God's name would we not do that??

and now we're seeing the results; a slow, worn out pierce who everyone agrees has played too many minutes this season.  Ainge and Co. has to be smarter this offseason.

[BballTim]

I'm sure Ben Gordon's thrilled some of you think Posey wanted more money than he's worth. Wonder what he'd be worth on this disaster of a bench right now.

Frankly, just about anyone Ainge could have brought in would have been an improvement over Tony Allen, O'Blount and Darius Miles, two of which didn't last and one who should be gone the moment this season ends.

Roger Mason ring a bell? Andersen? Mutombo? Remember the Magette stuff?

Ainge did as poor a job as possible this summer. He needs to do much better this summer, or we'll be in this spot next spring when injuries strike again.

  No doubt Posey would be holding Gordon scoreless this series if we had him. I'm convinced of this, especially since Gordon's numbers against NO this year were better than he's done against us in the playoffs. Is it too late for the other western conference teams to forfeit since any team with Posey is pretty much unbeatable? He's like the Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark, only better. And can we still get Anderson? He could start playing for us tomorrow, without having practiced. He'll look about like he does now for Denver.

[Kuberski33]

Pierce, KG, Ray, Rondo, Perk, Scal, Walker and Eddie all return.  Big Baby is re-signed.  Tony Allen likely doesn't return. Moore, Pruitt and Marbury don't return.  Then they look at the cap and see what they can bring in.  I would imagine the cap goes down (correct me if I'm wrong) due to the state of the economy, so don't automatically assume they're going to bring in a bunch of significant new additions.

In the offseason they need to upgrade the backup center slot, replace Tony Allen, hopefully with someone who can defend quality 3's, and get another backup PG.

There's also the matter of replacing Leon for a minimum of half of next season.  Because of this, Scal is going nowhere and I don't think there are any guarantees that they're necessarily better next year.  Hopefully Walker can help address the likely TA departure.

[CoachBo]

Pierce, KG, Ray, Rondo, Perk, Scal, Walker and Eddie all return.  Big Baby is re-signed.  Tony Allen likely doesn't return. Moore, Pruitt and Marbury don't return.  Then they look at the cap and see what they can bring in.  I would imagine the cap goes down (correct me if I'm wrong) due to the state of the economy, so don't automatically assume they're going to bring in a bunch of significant new additions.

In the offseason they need to upgrade the backup center slot, replace Tony Allen, hopefully with someone who can defend quality 3's, and get another backup PG.

There's also the matter of replacing Leon for a minimum of half of next season.  Because of this, Scal is going nowhere and I don't think there are any guarantees that they're necessarily better next year.  Hopefully Walker can help address the likely TA departure.

A title costs money. Luxury tax money.

If ownership is tied to the cap, then there are several clear and logical inferences that can be drawn about their commitment to pursuing a title. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the Celtics paid luxury tax money last season and it seems like they're paying it now.

Certainly their option to place profit above another title. As it is a fan's to criticize them for trading Al Jefferson's career for one title. I don't think anyone can or should expect ownership to commit another $10 or $15 million to bench players. However, I don't expect ownership to quibble over one or two million either when the result leaves us without quality backups at the 3 and 5.

As illustrated above - regardless of whether some posters want to believe it or attack - there will be options available to ownership. It would appear McDyess is one already. One would hope they'll display a little more commitment toward acquiring proven players rather than the litany of mistakes that cluttered the roster this summer.

[HYPE.]

Please do not trade Marbury UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. My favorite player on the Celts' aside from KG, and I believe he has potential to be an awesome back-up for Rondo.

[QuinielaBox]

Trade KG, Big Baby, Mikki Moore, and Giddens, and draft picks for Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes.

Trade Marbury and draft picks for Delonte West.

Sign Bruno Sundov.

Get the band back together with Ray Allen on keyboard.

C Perkins/Bruno Sundov
PF Al Jeff/Gomes/Walker
SF Pierce/Walker/Gomes
SG R Allen/DWest
PG Rondo/DWest


Edit:
Hell, throw in Ray Ray to the Twolves and go original youth movement.
Perk, Al jeff, Pierce, DWest, Rondo

Trade Pierce and Perkins to Portland for Brandon Roy and Travis Outlaw.

[GroverTheClover]

We get on with our lives.. until July 1.

[BballTim]

Pierce, KG, Ray, Rondo, Perk, Scal, Walker and Eddie all return.  Big Baby is re-signed.  Tony Allen likely doesn't return. Moore, Pruitt and Marbury don't return.  Then they look at the cap and see what they can bring in.  I would imagine the cap goes down (correct me if I'm wrong) due to the state of the economy, so don't automatically assume they're going to bring in a bunch of significant new additions.

In the offseason they need to upgrade the backup center slot, replace Tony Allen, hopefully with someone who can defend quality 3's, and get another backup PG.

There's also the matter of replacing Leon for a minimum of half of next season.  Because of this, Scal is going nowhere and I don't think there are any guarantees that they're necessarily better next year.  Hopefully Walker can help address the likely TA departure.

A title costs money. Luxury tax money.

If ownership is tied to the cap, then there are several clear and logical inferences that can be drawn about their commitment to pursuing a title. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the Celtics paid luxury tax money last season and it seems like they're paying it now.

Certainly their option to place profit above another title. As it is a fan's to criticize them for trading Al Jefferson's career for one title. I don't think anyone can or should expect ownership to commit another $10 or $15 million to bench players. However, I don't expect ownership to quibble over one or two million either when the result leaves us without quality backups at the 3 and 5.

As illustrated above - regardless of whether some posters want to believe it or attack - there will be options available to ownership. It would appear McDyess is one already. One would hope they'll display a little more commitment toward acquiring proven players rather than the litany of mistakes that cluttered the roster this summer.

  They did try and bring in McDyess after he was bought out, he just foolishly decided to try and win a title with the Pistons this year.

[ACF]

9. i cheer for the cavs to beat the lakers

That makes us two. TP.

[EJPLAYA]

I'm sure Ben Gordon's thrilled some of you think Posey wanted more money than he's worth. Wonder what he'd be worth on this disaster of a bench right now.

Frankly, just about anyone Ainge could have brought in would have been an improvement over Tony Allen, O'Blount and Darius Miles, two of which didn't last and one who should be gone the moment this season ends.

Roger Mason ring a bell? Andersen? Mutombo? Remember the Magette stuff?

Ainge did as poor a job as possible this summer. He needs to do much better this summer, or we'll be in this spot next spring when injuries strike again.

I'm not disagreeing that some of these guys are better than who we signed ( Mutombo excluded because he is so far past done it isn't funny). I am saying though that these guys weren't really options. None of them had any intention of signing with us. Just like someone else said below McDyess also preferred to go elsewhere. Of the guys you mentioned only Anderson was a viable option that likely would have signed. Mutombo pretended he might have signed with us, but I think that was another Joe Smith situation and him not wanting to upset anyone. We ALL knew he was headed for Houston.

We made attempts to sign better players, but they just had other ideas. I'd like to think that this will change in the offseason, but I sadly believe it will only get worse. We are going to try and bring in guys that are veteran ""last few pieces", and want to win a title. If we are being honest, why would they think Boston with their older guys who are more likely to have another injury plagued season, would be the right place to get that ring?! The team that loses between LA and Cleveland is going to be the hot spot. Both younger rising teams with a better chance of winning it all.

[Jeff]

I'll cross that bridge if we come to it.  Not ready to start the long offseason just yet.

[Fan from VT]

The following players will definitely be on the roster:

Pierce
Allen
Rondo
Perkins
Garnett
Walker
Giddens
Tony
Scal

I say this because these are the 9 players with guaranteed deals, and the Celtics are in no position to just pay a player who has been cut. Additionally, because they are way over the cap, they need to be able to trade the salaries of any players they can in order to add other players and you can't trade the salaries of cut players. It's just dead money.

Pruitt has a team option around 700,000; no idea if they'll exercise it. It's cheap, but he really hasn't shown anything.

Eddie House has a player option at about 2.5 million. Does he take it? I don't know. I think there's a good chance he does, since he may not be able to find that money in this upcoming econo-crunch offseason.

They probably bring back Baby and Powe (with Powe being quite cheap). Neither would cut into their MLE and I don't see other teams offering a lot for either player. There's also that rumor that Doc is lobbying for Powe, but we'll see.

Then who do they add? The Celtics really only have the MLE to offer to players; same as every other team. After this season, which players, if offered equivalent contracts, would join Boston over teams like LA, Cleveland, et al?

One thing to watch is that if Eddie picks up his option and the C's pick up Pruitt's, the Celtics can put together about 11 million in the expiring deals with Scal, Tony, Eddie, Pruitt, Walker, Giddens. A team looking to trim money for 2010 could trade up to 13.5 million or so in salaries for the above package, then wouldn't feel bad about cutting pretty much all the above players.

Who would be a realistic option for that type of money? Well, Golden State wants out of Maggette's deal at about 9 mil next year. I could see the Clips trying to dump Kaman or the Bucks getting rid of Jefferson so they can afford to keep Sessions and Villanueva. Philly probably wouldn't mind getting out from under Dalembert's deal. Jason Richardson in Phoenix? Antione Jamison or Caron Butler, if the Wiz still stink for all that money?


Then, what free agents will be available for about 5 mil per year and would fit the C's?
Quick glance through the unrestricted ranks:
Ime Udoka
Drew Gooden
Matt Barnes
Grant Hill
Foyle
Robert Swift
Des Mason
Wilcox
Al Harrington (maybe)
Luther Head
Quinton Ross
Odom
Ariza
Fred Jones
Nesterovic
Artest
Iverson
McDyess
Boozer (maybe)
Sheed
CHris Anderson
Jason Kidd
Verejao (maybe)
Joe Smith
Ben Gordon
Zaza
Bibby


Keeping in mind that many of the above players will re-sign with their own teams, some will sign for more than the MLE, and some will not opt out of their contracts, which of the above players should the C's make a run at and which of those players would choose boston over another team?

an example of what may work would be if the C's could land Wallace for less than the MLE while trading Scal, Eddie, Tony, Giddens, Walker, Pruitt, and a second rounder to Phoenix for Jason Richardson, (helping PHO out financially):

Rondo
Ray/Richardson
Pierce
KG/Baby
Perk/Sheed

fill in the rest with vet min. types.

On the flip side, what if you can snag Gordon for the MLE? THen you could help out either LAC or Philly by offering expiring deals of Scal, Eddie, TOny, and Giddens for either Kaman or Dalembert:

Rondo - Pruitt
Allen - Gordon
Pierce - Walker
KG - Baby
Perk - Kaman/Dalembert


Food for thought. Really shows how good it would be for Eddie to pick up his option.

Additionally, in this post I did not explore the following options:
-Sign and Trade with BBD packaged with the other expiring deals for a pricier trade target
-Signing BBD/Powe to extensions then packaging them with Scal et. al for a pricier trade target after december 15th (the date when free agent signed players can be traded)
-Trading Ray

[Spfldkid]

Well, I'd say sign Leon if he is healthy...although i love the guy, and his game was right on....teams don't sign a guy who can't play anymore....but they could get him cheap, a couple hundred K....they should do it..Scal, gotta go, he makes way too much money, he is a minimum $$$ guy now......TA, well, he never gets to play, so he might as well see what he can get else where,,i think he will do okay....remember dontay jones, he is starting for denver,,(isn't that right..?) i think that is his name......Ainge and doc did okay with the signings, but it could be a guard mentality or just a coincidence...but we have MANY guards, but no spare big men......i mean 6' 10" - 7 ".......(i still wish doc tried POB and let him play prime time..he wasn't worse than MM)....!

[Fan from VT]

Well, I'd say sign Leon if he is healthy...although i love the guy, and his game was right on....teams don't sign a guy who can't play anymore....but they could get him cheap, a couple hundred K....they should do it..Scal, gotta go, he makes way too much money, he is a minimum $$$ guy now......TA, well, he never gets to play, so he might as well see what he can get else where,,i think he will do okay....remember dontay jones, he is starting for denver,,(isn't that right..?) i think that is his name......Ainge and doc did okay with the signings, but it could be a guard mentality or just a coincidence...but we have MANY guards, but no spare big men......i mean 6' 10" - 7 ".......(i still wish doc tried POB and let him play prime time..he wasn't worse than MM)....!

The problem with "getting rid" of Scal and Tony is that they are under contract for next year. So the only way to get rid of them would either be to cut them and still have to pay them; they'd just be free to play for someone else; or to trade them away, but who would want them individually? Yes, Scal gets too much money, but he's going to get that money from the Celtics whether he plays for them or not. Additionally, other than the MLE, the only way for the Celtics to add players would be by trading for other players; add up the expiring deals of Tony, Eddie, Scal and our rookies and suddenly there's a tempting offer for a team trying to get out from under a long term contract.