Iverson to the Bobcats = Bell to the Celtics?

[nickagneta]

If reports are correct and indeed, Allen Iverson does sign with the Charlotte Bobcats, Larry Brown is going to have some interesting decisions to make. With Gerald Henderson, recently added to the team through the draft, Raymond Felton likely either taking the qualifying offer or re-signing and D.J Augustin Raja Bell already on board, it would seem that someone might need to go.

Brown is obviously going to install Iverson into the starting lineup and probably play him alongside Felton. Henderson is just as obviously around for the next 3-4 years on the cheap as is Augustin, who Brown likes and is only a second year player. So that seems if someone is going to it may be Raja Bell. At least one beat writer for the Charlotte Observer feels the same way:

http://blogs.charlotte.com/inside_the_nba/2009/08/no-deal-yet-but-iversontobobcats-viable.html

Minutes are another issue: With Raja Bell, D.J. Augustin and restricted free agent Raymond Felton on the roster, where would Brown find sufficient playing time for a nine-time All-Star who averaged nearly 42 minutes his first 12 NBA seasons?

If any guard is traded, I'm guessing it would be Bell, whose contract expires following the coming season.

Bell is an expiring $5.2 million contract and with the Bobcats inching closer and closer to the luxury tax threshold with the signings of Felton and AI and the team up for sale, it is going to be almost a given that the Bobcats are going to want trade exceptions or expiring contracts back. But if the Bobcats are going to sign Iverson as an attendance draw to enhance the teams chances of selling, they had better not just give away Bell.

Enter the Celtics. Now if the Celtics can't get a trade done with Indiana to bring on Daniels and have to sign him for the LLE, playing him behind Pierce and keeping House as the primary backup PG leaves Tony Allen as Ray Allen's primary backup. Wouldn't Bell look real good in green relieving Ray and giving the Celtics some excellent wing depth?

And wouldn't Tony Allen and Brian Scalabrine be a good fit for Charlotte? Charlotte could use a PF who can play good defense(Larry Brown's insistence is on great defensive teams) and shoot. They could also use a defensive minded SG with experience that could guard the bigger more athletic SG's in the league like Ray, Wade, Kobe, Johnson, Carter, etc when they need Iverson on the floor but defense of those players as well.

So why not:

Boston sends: Brian Scalabrine and Tony Allen and a 2011 second round pick
Charlotte sends: Raja Bell

I would then round out the roster by signing Lester Hudson and signing Brian Skinner to a veteran's minimum contract. This would be the team and it would still have an open roster spot for a later addition if needed.


Rondo/House/Hudson
Allen/Bell/Giddens
Pierce/Daniels/Walker
Garnett/Baby/
Perkins/Wallace/Skinner

[vl819]

I like your thinking.

But i just can't see Charlotte accepting that package.

I'll keep dreaming... with Bell, Banner 18 is set. (barring injury, of course)

[kw10]

Boston sends: Brian Scalabrine and Tony Allen and a 2011 second round pick
Charlotte sends: Raja Bell

I would then round out the roster by signing Lester Hudson and signing Brian Skinner to a veteran's minimum contract. This would be the team and it would still have an open roster spot for a later addition if needed.


Rondo/House/Hudson
Allen/Bell/Giddens
Pierce/Daniels/Walker
Garnett/Baby/
Perkins/Wallace/Skinner

I like that idea too, except we would have a 15-man roster, you forgot Shelden Williams-Parker?

[PosImpos]

Does this save them a lot of money?  That's the only way I can imagine them doing it.

Bell has a lot more talent than Scal and Tony combined, which matters even if the Bobcats can't take full advantage of Bell's skill with their current lineup. 

I would be pretty surprised if the 'Cats couldn't get something better than Scal and Tony (a couple of limited end of bench players) for a solid all-defensive team guy like Bell.

[Rtpas11]

That'll be a dream come true...

[Who]

I think Raymond Felton would be the one to go ... should AI sign with the Bobcats.

As for Raja Bell, I'd love to have him on the Celtics. I'd rather have him than Daniels due to his shooting ability.

[Roy Hobbs]

I can't see it.  They'd be downgrading in talent, and adding salary.  If Charlotte were to trade Bell, I assume they'd either want: 1) cap relief or 2) help in the front court.

[Drucci]

I would love to see this trade done, but unfortunately I don't think Charlotte would do that because they wouldn't upgrade that much, and they could probably get a better offer for Bell.

[BrickJames]

I would actually rather have Scal than Raja.

[teddykgb]

Bell is a guy I've tried to trade for in ESPN's trade machine since last trading deadline.

But you're being a bit dishonest in your evaluation for Charlotte.  If Tony Allen were capable of defending the bigger guards in the league we wouldn't be trying to trade for someone like Raja Bell.  The truth is that Tony Allen isn't really capable of sustained minutes on the floor in an NBA game.

Now if you could have thrown Big Baby toward Charlotte in a s&t I think that would have made a lot of sense, but apparently they weren't interested.

[TrueGreen]

A few transaction have gone down in the last few weeks that hopefully will open the door to allowing the C's and Pacers to somehow work out the S&T for Marquis Daniels. I know he will be here, but things will be better for us if we can do the S&T.

[4THQTR]

But you're being a bit dishonest in your evaluation for Charlotte.  If Tony Allen were capable of defending the bigger guards in the league we wouldn't be trying to trade for someone like Raja Bell.  The truth is that Tony Allen isn't really capable of sustained minutes on the floor in an NBA game.

I always find it amusing when people envision trades with tony they usually give him "good defender", "experience" and "great athleticism"...
When they have to envision him being on the celtics' roster these qualities turn to "commits stupid fouls in crunch time", "frequently turns the ball over" and "injury prone, which is probably a good thing..."

[Edgar]

we need a backup pg

[cornbreadsmart]

i love raja bell. i've been wanting him in c's green for awhile. for scal(who DOES'NT play great defense as some say) and tony(who is a mess)though, forget it.

[jdub1660]

I'd love Raja Bell in green, but not at the expense of Scaly.

If we trade both Tony and Scal, it better be for a real talent that fills more holes that an aging vet SG.