Joe Johnson in 2010

[Roy Hobbs]

Would a more likely scenario be that Ray gets traded straight up for Joe Johnson near the deadline? Both teams then get to keep the player's Bird rights and Johnson could resign with Boston at the max. This way, Atlanta gets a player of similar quality, a chance to resign him, which they won't have with Johnson and still keeps their hopes up for a playoff run this year.

I think if Atlanta is going to trade Joe Johnson, they'd hold out for more than Ray Allen.  Ultimately, though, I think they'll just up their offer to him.

[wdleehi]

Would a more likely scenario be that Ray gets traded straight up for Joe Johnson near the deadline? Both teams then get to keep the player's Bird rights and Johnson could resign with Boston at the max. This way, Atlanta gets a player of similar quality, a chance to resign him, which they won't have with Johnson and still keeps their hopes up for a playoff run this year.

I could see that as long as Boston put in a draft pick or two.  


Or more likely, include Scali and TA for a longer contract.

[OCsWestCeltic]

Well said, no cap room.  Wouldn't make sense to dump our roster for on max. contract player - End of discussion.

[JSD]

We don't have the cap space to sign a major free agent next season.  I know people don't seem to believe that, but it's not going to happen.  The Rasheed and BBD deals should have shut the door on any speculation about us being involved in the free agent market.

We'll see, I'm not ruling out PP testing the free agency market himself. But what you said here is more likely.

We don't have the cap space to sign a major free agent next season.  I know people don't seem to believe that, but it's not going to happen.  The Rasheed and BBD deals should have shut the door on any speculation about us being involved in the free agent market.

We'll see, I'm not ruling out PP testing the free agency market himself. But what you said here is more likely.

Paul Pierce isn't testing free agency. He has an option for 19 Million theres no way he leaves that and tarnishes his reputation in Boston.

He could opt out of his contract and become a free agent. By doing so he could get more money in a long term contract. It's possible.

It's possible, but he won't be doing it for the purpose of giving us additional cap room.  If Pierce agree to a bargain-basement $10 million contract, we'd still be looking at less cap space than the MLE would give us. 

Literally, for this team to have any more cap space than they would have with the MLE, Pierce would have to agree to contract for around $4 million per season.  Depending on how the league performs financially, that would leave us with between $6.5 and $10 million in free agency (i.e., still not enough to sign a max free agent.)

It's not going to happen. 

(As for Pierce getting more money long term, that's not really feasible.  It doesn't make sense to give up a one year, $21 million contract for a four year, $22 million deal.

Are we 100% certain Paul Pierce is a lifelong Celtic? If he was to opt out he'd be looking for something around the 4/$60 JJ just turned down. That said, the only way the Celtics could obtain JJ is from PP opting out and leaving (I was never disputing that). Again, PP leaving is possible but unlikely.

[WeMadeIt17]

Pierce would not leave unless there was a big falling out over the season between him and the Celtics.

[mgent]

I don't know why the Hawks would just let him walk like that.  Offering him a max deal wouldn't be that much more money than what they already offered.

And in Joe Johnson's case, the Hawks are the best possible team he could play for next year.  So if they did offer him more money he'd be stupid not to take it.

[SCBirdman]

While I agree with Roy that its not a likely move. Conceivably, we could offer Ray,a nd other expirings, a nd a future 1st. If the Hawks are planning on building around their other young guys, then they may take that since that would be over 25 mill in expiring contracts.

Personally, I don't think JJ wants to stay in ATL. I would be all for the trade, as I think JJ is a great player, who could be a lot like PP right now, and he can stroke it. He is long and he was originally a Celtic. If we can I would love to bring him back home.

We could then resign Joe, Rondo and have a dream team next season with an eye on the future with Rondo and JJ as franchise players.

[KCattheStripe]

Just a thought, how filthy would LeBron and Joe Johnson be together?