Where Do We Go Now? (Celts off season plan)

[JSD]

Prince is not happening. 

Why do you say that? The Pistons will be moving both Prince and Rip this summer and are looking for expiring contracts/players to fill out their roster.

Joe Dumars is hardly gonna move an elite player within the conference for pieces that range from mediocre to bust. He'll get picks and players for both Hamilton and Prince.

Within Conference? Irrelevant.... It was the Boston Celtics that helped facilitate an elite player going to Detroit did they not? Dumars wants out of the contract, sure he'd like some young talent and a pick but what if he can't get it? Expiring contracts are gold right now.

[crownsy]

Prince is not happening. 

Why do you say that? The Pistons will be moving both Prince and Rip this summer and are looking for expiring contracts/players to fill out their roster.

why would they be moving rip? Prince, mabey, but no way are they moving rip. the just signed him to an extension. With AI coming off the books with sheed, they have plenty of cap room. There not going to trade to pieces of their puzzle for peanuts.

detroit only needs to get a marque player, which they can already afford, and a decent center. they don't need to rebuild. i mean, they could very concivably end up with:

1. stucky (who they are sold on, i don't agree yet, but clearly he's a decent player.)
2. rip
3. prince
4. boozer
5. someone competent at rebounding, don't have enough time to put thought into this on and name names.

why rip out, pardon the pun, the 2 and 3 out of that lineup for house, allen, and scal?

[fugazzi24]

A couple ideas I have that are a little different then other peoples.

1.)  Sign and Trade Big Baby or let him walk, his value is high right now and he will always be a third big man at best, based on his physical attributes.

2.)  Try to sign Marbury to play back-up pg for Vet's minimum, I think after a full training camp he could be a very good back-up PG for cheap.

3.)  Target Chris Wilcox for $4mm a year.  He is an underappreciated athletic big man.  He would be the perfect player for Garnet to mentor and can play Center a little bit too.  

4.)  Sign Keith Bogans with remainder of MLE to back up Allen and Pierce.  He is a very solid defender who can make an open shot and defend both 2 and 3's.  

With these 3 players we would have the bench necesary to back up our stars and limit their regular season minutes with solid veterans.  

I am not sure if we can get Wilcox, he might be worth more than $4mm a year, but I do feel Bogans is very underated and should be a priority this offseason.

[indeedproceed]

Prince is not happening. 

Why do you say that? The Pistons will be moving both Prince and Rip this summer and are looking for expiring contracts/players to fill out their roster.

Joe Dumars is hardly gonna move an elite player within the conference for pieces that range from mediocre to bust. He'll get picks and players for both Hamilton and Prince.

Within Conference? Irrelevant.... It was the Boston Celtics that helped facilitate an elite player going to Detroit did they not? Dumars wants out of the contract, sure he'd like some young talent and a pick but what if he can't get it? Expiring contracts are gold right now.

Are you talking about Billups? We have never traded an elite player to Detroit in the last 10 years to my knowledge.

Money is one thing but if you're correct and all Dumars wants is cap room, then he'll get picks along with it. What about Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen and George Hill for Prince? That works and that saves them exactly as much money, and they get a viable PG in the process. They will get back talent or picks or both for either Hamilton or Prince, assuming he moves either guy. 

[JSD]

Are you talking about Billups? We have never traded an elite

The Pistons owe Our Danny big time.

Ainge not only helped midwife the deal that enabled Detroit to land Rasheed Wallace, he also took on backup point guard Chucky Atkins, giving the Pistons the financial flexibility the team needs to re-sign Mehmet Okur next summer. Oh, and just for good measure, Ainge also threw in Mike James, who, lest we forget, was the only Celtic not named Paul Pierce to have started every game this season.

A few hours before yesterday's big, three-team, multiplayer deal involving Detroit, Atlanta, and the Celtics, there was concern among the Pistons that their pursuit of Wallace would be fruitless. Simply, they needed a third team to get involved because the Hawks ...

Article from:
The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)
Article date:
February 20, 2004
Author:
PETER MAY

[JSD]

Money is one thing but if you're correct and all Dumars wants is cap room, then he'll get picks along with it. What about Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen and George Hill for Prince? That works and that saves them exactly as much money, and they get a viable PG in the process. They will get back talent or picks or both for either Hamilton or Prince, assuming he moves either guy.

Ok, so maybe you have to include a pick as well. My point is it's very possible for the Celtics to make such a deal.

[crownsy]

Money is one thing but if you're correct and all Dumars wants is cap room, then he'll get picks along with it. What about Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen and George Hill for Prince? That works and that saves them exactly as much money, and they get a viable PG in the process. They will get back talent or picks or both for either Hamilton or Prince, assuming he moves either guy.

Ok, so maybe you have to include a pick as well. My point is it's very possible for the Celtics to make such a deal.

I disagree, unless they want ray allen, and rip aint worth ray allen. If they want to move those two, a ton of teams will happily offer them better than 2 scrubs, one shooter and a second round pick.

What picks are you throwing in? our 2nd? we dont even have a first.

and scal, Ta, and house are not something detroit looks at and goes "wow!"

[JSD]

Why do you say that? The Pistons will be moving both Prince and Rip this summer and are looking for expiring contracts/players to fill out their roster.

I believe the Pistons would prefer to start Stuckey at the 2... I know I would.

[JSD]

Money is one thing but if you're correct and all Dumars wants is cap room, then he'll get picks along with it. What about Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen and George Hill for Prince? That works and that saves them exactly as much money, and they get a viable PG in the process. They will get back talent or picks or both for either Hamilton or Prince, assuming he moves either guy.

Ok, so maybe you have to include a pick as well. My point is it's very possible for the Celtics to make such a deal.

I disagree, unless they want ray allen, and rip aint worth ray allen. If they want to move those two, a ton of teams will happily offer them better than 2 scrubs, one shooter and a second round pick.

What picks are you throwing in? our 2nd? we dont even have a first.

and scal, Ta, and house are not something detroit looks at and goes "wow!"

The expiring deals and ability for Dumars to cheaply fill out his roster (only 8 players under contract) are enticing. A near future 1st rounder would be incentive enough for the Celtics, although possibly not necessary.

[indeedproceed]

Are you talking about Billups? We have never traded an elite

The Pistons owe Our Danny big time.

Ainge not only helped midwife the deal that enabled Detroit to land Rasheed Wallace, he also took on backup point guard Chucky Atkins, giving the Pistons the financial flexibility the team needs to re-sign Mehmet Okur next summer. Oh, and just for good measure, Ainge also threw in Mike James, who, lest we forget, was the only Celtic not named Paul Pierce to have started every game this season.

A few hours before yesterday's big, three-team, multiplayer deal involving Detroit, Atlanta, and the Celtics, there was concern among the Pistons that their pursuit of Wallace would be fruitless. Simply, they needed a third team to get involved because the Hawks ...

Article from:
The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)
Article date:
February 20, 2004
Author:
PETER MAY

Lol...well I mean thats not exactly grounds for a full on fleecing of Scal, Tony and House (was it house?) for a guy that rates top 15 at his position

[cordobes]

Prince is not happening.

Here's what I'd do:

Keep the starting 5, House and Scalabrine. Let Marbury, Moore and Pruitt walk. Offer Davis a LLE type of contract for 2 years, he'll probably walk as well. Sign Powe for a 2 year min. salary contract with a team option for the 2nd year. Try to move Tony Allen away, at least to save the luxury tax money.

Focus on signing Marcin Gortat or Grant Hill. I think it's unrealistic to expect the Polish Hammer to sign with us, so let's assume Hill accepts a LLE offer.

Offer something to Orlando for Fran Vasquez draft rights (money, 2nd round pick). Sign him. If it doesn't work, try to sign McDyess with part of the MLE.

Romain Sato, Austin Nichols, Quinton Ross, Carlos Delfino, Othyus Jeffers, Ime Udoka: sign one of these guys (they are aligned by order of preference) to be Grant Hill's backup.

Sign Brian Skinner and Terrel McIntyre (I wouldn't mind to see a younger guy here, say Bobby Brown or DJ Strawberry).

Rondo/House/McIntyre
Allen/Sato/Giddens
Pierce/Hill/Walker
Garnett/ Skinner/ Scal
Perkins/Vasquez (McDyess)

Well done, I agree with everything you said. I can live without the mention of Ime Udoka, however. I don't think the guy is a NBA caliber player. 

With the addition of Roger Mason Jr, Udoka got relegated to the 4th sf off the bench, behind Finley, Ginobli, and Bowen.

Ime Udoka is a guy that is capable of being the #1 stopper on a team, and a guy that is limited offensively but likes to hit the corner 3. He's got the size at 6'6 and strength to guard bigger perimeter players, and he's a smart defensive player.

Sound like anyone?

He's def a NBA player.

I believe you're overrating him a tad, I don't value Udoka as much as you do. I think he's a legitimate NBA player, but a min. salary guy (or close to it) to be the 4th player in a wing rotation - that's the spot where I have him in "my team".

[cordobes]

Prince is not happening. 

Why do you say that? The Pistons will be moving both Prince and Rip this summer and are looking for expiring contracts/players to fill out their roster.

Perhaps, but if so, they can get a better offer than the one you were putting on the table.

[Galiza Ceive]

A couple ideas I have that are a little different then other peoples.

1.)  Sign and Trade Big Baby or let him walk, his value is high right now and he will always be a third big man at best, based on his physical attributes.

2.)  Try to sign Marbury to play back-up pg for Vet's minimum, I think after a full training camp he could be a very good back-up PG for cheap.

3.)  Target Chris Wilcox for $4mm a year.  He is an underappreciated athletic big man.  He would be the perfect player for Garnet to mentor and can play Center a little bit too.  

4.)  Sign Keith Bogans with remainder of MLE to back up Allen and Pierce.  He is a very solid defender who can make an open shot and defend both 2 and 3's.  

With these 3 players we would have the bench necesary to back up our stars and limit their regular season minutes with solid veterans.  

I am not sure if we can get Wilcox, he might be worth more than $4mm a year, but I do feel Bogans is very underated and should be a priority this offseason.

I like Wilcox but you want to let BBD go because he will never be anything but a 3rd big. What about Wilcox? BBD can fill exactly the same role for the some money (4 million).

I agree that we should try to resign Marbury and Powe for cheap. Also, I will try to pack TA, Scal, Giddens, Pruitt for a good 3 (Marion, Nocioni...). And try to offer the MLE to the best 5 available (McDyess, Pachulia, Gortat...).

The Celtics without Garnett are still one of the 5 best teams in the League. We dont need many changes to be contenders again next season. Just having KG back and improving our first 3 and 5 from the bench.
I would like a roster like this:
Rondo/Marbury
Ray/ House/ Giddens
Pierce/ Marion or Nocioni/ Walker
KG/ BBD/ Powe
Perkins/ Pachulia or McDyes

*If Scal is traded and waived by his new team I would offer him a veteran minimum.
** Of course, if we go for Marion, the idea would be the opposite, offer Marion the MLE and try to pack Scal, TA... for a decent 5

[JSD]

Are you talking about Billups? We have never traded an elite

The Pistons owe Our Danny big time.

Ainge not only helped midwife the deal that enabled Detroit to land Rasheed Wallace, he also took on backup point guard Chucky Atkins, giving the Pistons the financial flexibility the team needs to re-sign Mehmet Okur next summer. Oh, and just for good measure, Ainge also threw in Mike James, who, lest we forget, was the only Celtic not named Paul Pierce to have started every game this season.

A few hours before yesterday's big, three-team, multiplayer deal involving Detroit, Atlanta, and the Celtics, there was concern among the Pistons that their pursuit of Wallace would be fruitless. Simply, they needed a third team to get involved because the Hawks ...

Article from:
The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)
Article date:
February 20, 2004
Author:
PETER MAY

Lol...well I mean thats not exactly grounds for a full on fleecing of Scal, Tony and House (was it house?) for a guy that rates top 15 at his position

Woh woh woh... wait a second. don't say it like that. I'm not trying to make a connection here other than this: It's wrong to say "well there in the same conference that can't happen" when it does happen. Detroit and Boston are headed in different directions right now.

[Kwhit10]

You guys are pipe dreaming if you think we have a chance for Marion.