How the Celtics get back on top for next year and beyond...

[Brickowski]

Well, it would work if they renounce Pierce, and then he gives up his 21 million dollar player option to stay with the Celtics for the MLE (around 5 million).  LOL.

[Chris]

Well, it would work if they renounce Pierce, and then he gives up his 21 million dollar player option to stay with the Celtics for the MLE (around 5 million).  LOL.

Nope, if the C's get cap space, then they do not have the MLE.  The MLE is only for teams who are over the cap.  Pierce would have to resign for the league minimum.

[Kwhit10]

And if this happens after looking at hoopshype if the C's sign no one else they will be at about 42 million in salaries.  If the cap is around 56millions then we have about 14 million for free agents.  That's still not enough for a max contract right?

[rondohondo]

Tanguay is not the only moron who is saying this kind of thing. The other day Jackie McMullin was on comcast talking to Tanguay about how the C's could let Ray Allen walk at the end of the year and then use the money they are saving from Ray to sign a max level guy like Joe Johnson . You would think these people who actually cover the NBA for a living would have a clue, but it appears they dont...

[Chris]

Tanguay is not the only moron who is saying this kind of thing. The other day Jackie McMullin was on comcast talking to Tanguay about how the C's could let Ray Allen walk at the end of the year and then use the money they are saving from Ray to sign a max level guy like Joe Johnson . You would think these people who actually cover the NBA for a living would have a clue, but it appears they dont...

I'll give Jackie McMullen a pass, she doesn't cover the C's full time anymore.  I just find it so frustrating that a guy who works with the C's every day can't take the time to understand this stuff.

[Chris]

Nope, he is still sticking with it.  I might have to take my lunch break to call in.  This is so frustrating.  He even claimed that the C's confirmed that "they can resign a player if they opt out of their contract".  Unfortunately, that is not what they are talking about.

I wish they had an email address, this is impossible to explain through texts.

[Kwhit10]

Nope, he is still sticking with it.  I might have to take my lunch break to call in.  This is so frustrating.  He even claimed that the C's confirmed that "they can resign a player if they opt out of their contract".  Unfortunately, that is not what they are talking about.

I wish they had an email address, this is impossible to explain through texts.

They have an instant feedback which is as close to e-mail as you can get. 

http://www.cbssports.com/local/boston/radio

On the left side a little ways down.

[thebirdman]

This HAS to be a joke, right?

If not then Tanguay is the biggest MORON ever!!! How can a guy work as a basketball journalist and have NO idea of CBA!?!??!?

[Chris]

Since Tanguay seems either unable to, or unwilling to understand this, plus he does not seem to have a public email address, I have just sent the following email to Felger.  I can only hope he will read it, and set Tanguay straight.

Hey Felger,

 

This really should be going to Tanguay, but since his email address is not online, and well, you are actually rational and listen to reason, I was hoping you could set him straight.  For a while now (and all day today on the radio), he has been claiming that the C’s could have max cap space this summer if Pierce opts out of his contract, and then resigns AFTER they sign another star.  I have been trying to text him all day to explain why this won’t work, but he is too boneheaded to understand why.  Personally, I find it offensive that someone in the position he is, covering the Celtics, cannot take the time to read up on the CBA, and learn how it works, and then he goes around, spreading these completely false and impossible rumors.  So if you could pass this on to him, or just call him out on it, that would be great (and every Celtics fan who actually knows what they are talking about will be indebted to you).

 

So here is the deal.

 

First off, even if Pierce did opt out of his contract, the C’s would not have max cap room.  They already have about $42 million committed next season in guaranteed salary to Garnett, Perkins, Wallace, Davis, and Rondo.  If they let all of their free agents walk, they would then have about $3-5 million in cap holds eating up more cap space.  So if the Salary cap was at $55 million next year (which is very generous, many experts are expecting it to drop to closer to 50-52 million), that would mean they would then have $8-10 million of cap space remaining to fill the entire roster after those 5 guys.

 

The other, bigger issue is the idea that Pierce can opt out, and the C’s would then have that money to use.  If Pierce opts out of his deal, it will make him an unrestricted free agent.  The Celtics would hold Bird Rights on him, which allow them to then go over the cap to resign him.  However, as long as the C’s want to keep his bird rights, he has a “cap hold” that is equal to a maximum salary.  This cap hold takes up cap space, meaning the C’s would be above the cap until they either signed him, or renounced his rights.  If they renounce his rights, that would then eliminate the cap hold, giving the C’s about 8-10 million in cap space (assuming they also renounce all of their other free agents).  If they then use that cap space, they would then be over the cap, but they would no longer have the Bird Rights for Pierce.  That means that if he wanted to resign with the Celtics, he would have to sign for the Veteran Minimum.  In this scenario, the C’s would not even have the MLE, because that is only given to teams who are above the Cap going into the offseason, and since the C’s were below the cap, they do not get that. 

 

If you want to check on any of this (or hopefully Tanguay will), I recommend reading this site.  http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q20

 

Questions 29-34 talk about this situation, and explain how it does not work. 

 

There is also a more brief explanation of the C’s salary cap situation right here: http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=28668.0

 

I really hope you will set Tanguay straight, because right now, he is creating false hope by spreading these ridiculous rumors, and it is doing a disservice to Celtics fans everywhere. 

 

Thanks,

Chris (a concerned fan)

 

[Chris]

Nope, he is still sticking with it.  I might have to take my lunch break to call in.  This is so frustrating.  He even claimed that the C's confirmed that "they can resign a player if they opt out of their contract".  Unfortunately, that is not what they are talking about.

I wish they had an email address, this is impossible to explain through texts.

They have an instant feedback which is as close to e-mail as you can get. 

http://www.cbssports.com/local/boston/radio

On the left side a little ways down.

I missed that.  Just sent an adjusted version of what I sent Felger.  Although I really want to hear Felger just rip into him with it.  I know he would relish in the opportunity to prove him wrong.

[rondohondo]

Jackie McMullin is about to be on weei to talk about the C's, hopefully she doesn't start talking about how the C's can sign a max level free agent by letting Ray walk. I am not giving her a pass on this , she is a major sports columnist who has been covering the NBA for over 20 years , even if she no longer covers the C's full time she should know about this stuff.

[BballTim]

Since Tanguay seems either unable to, or unwilling to understand this, plus he does not seem to have a public email address, I have just sent the following email to Felger.  I can only hope he will read it, and set Tanguay straight.

Hey Felger,

 

This really should be going to Tanguay, but since his email address is not online, and well, you are actually rational and listen to reason, I was hoping you could set him straight.  For a while now (and all day today on the radio), he has been claiming that the C’s could have max cap space this summer if Pierce opts out of his contract, and then resigns AFTER they sign another star.  I have been trying to text him all day to explain why this won’t work, but he is too boneheaded to understand why.  Personally, I find it offensive that someone in the position he is, covering the Celtics, cannot take the time to read up on the CBA, and learn how it works, and then he goes around, spreading these completely false and impossible rumors.  So if you could pass this on to him, or just call him out on it, that would be great (and every Celtics fan who actually knows what they are talking about will be indebted to you).

 

So here is the deal.

 

First off, even if Pierce did opt out of his contract, the C’s would not have max cap room.  They already have about $42 million committed next season in guaranteed salary to Garnett, Perkins, Wallace, Davis, and Rondo.  If they let all of their free agents walk, they would then have about $3-5 million in cap holds eating up more cap space.  So if the Salary cap was at $55 million next year (which is very generous, many experts are expecting it to drop to closer to 50-52 million), that would mean they would then have $8-10 million of cap space remaining to fill the entire roster after those 5 guys.

 

The other, bigger issue is the idea that Pierce can opt out, and the C’s would then have that money to use.  If Pierce opts out of his deal, it will make him an unrestricted free agent.  The Celtics would hold Bird Rights on him, which allow them to then go over the cap to resign him.  However, as long as the C’s want to keep his bird rights, he has a “cap hold” that is equal to a maximum salary.  This cap hold takes up cap space, meaning the C’s would be above the cap until they either signed him, or renounced his rights.  If they renounce his rights, that would then eliminate the cap hold, giving the C’s about 8-10 million in cap space (assuming they also renounce all of their other free agents).  If they then use that cap space, they would then be over the cap, but they would no longer have the Bird Rights for Pierce.  That means that if he wanted to resign with the Celtics, he would have to sign for the Veteran Minimum.  In this scenario, the C’s would not even have the MLE, because that is only given to teams who are above the Cap going into the offseason, and since the C’s were below the cap, they do not get that. 

 

If you want to check on any of this (or hopefully Tanguay will), I recommend reading this site.  http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q20

 

Questions 29-34 talk about this situation, and explain how it does not work. 

 

There is also a more brief explanation of the C’s salary cap situation right here: http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=28668.0

 

I really hope you will set Tanguay straight, because right now, he is creating false hope by spreading these ridiculous rumors, and it is doing a disservice to Celtics fans everywhere. 

 

Thanks,

Chris (a concerned fan)

 

  Do you really think Felger knows what a cap hold is? I'm 50/50 on it.

  I heard part of this on the radio. When he started talking about Joe Johnson I thought "why would he sgin for the MLE?".

  To top it off, I listened to a few more minutes when I was getting out of my car and they were talking about how useful a player like Josh Howard would be, but I'm pretty sure they meant Josh Smith as they were still talking Atlanta.

[droopdog7]

CAP HOLD

That is all one has to say here. 

[Chris]

  Do you really think Felger knows what a cap hold is? I'm 50/50 on it.

I am sure he doesn't, but I do think he will admit that he doesn't know it, and would actually read Larry Coon's site.  I am starting to think Tanguay knows what is going on, but doesn't care that he is completely wrong, because he wants to talk about this.

[Brickowski]

Well, it would work if they renounce Pierce, and then he gives up his 21 million dollar player option to stay with the Celtics for the MLE (around 5 million).  LOL.

Nope, if the C's get cap space, then they do not have the MLE.  The MLE is only for teams who are over the cap.  Pierce would have to resign for the league minimum.

I think they could sign him for the MLE after signing the big free agent and then paying one of their own players in whom they still have bird rights (e.g. Tony Allen) enough to put them over the cap.