A Combo of Moves that Works IMO

[winsomme]

So it looks like the Ray trades are dying down. Not sure if teams are lowballing us or salary concerns are taking over, but I still think there is a combo of moves out there that could work quite well for us.

The combo is Ray (and change) for Jamison + Miller and Sheed (and change) for DJ Augustin.

IMO those moves put us right in the mix for another Title. Miller steps into the starting lineup allowing Daniels to still play his multi-faceted role. Jamison takes an even bigger role than Sheed coming off the bench allowing KG to rest more during the next 6 weeks and Augustin becomes a scoring spark off the bench.

I'm not ushering Ray out the door, but if Danny isn't going to reup Ray next year, the Cs HAVE to trade him. It's the only realistic way to use Ray's salary to add to the team. S&T just doesn't make sense as a possibility. The teams that are willing to give up talent for Ray are teams looking to dump salary when Ray comes off the books next year. S&T trades don't do that and thus wouldn't land near the talent of trading him right now IMO.

So, the lineup we go into the playoffs with is:

Rondo
Miller
Paul
KG
Perk

Augustin
Eddie
Daniels
Jamison
Baby

not ideal by any means. Defending the paint would still be a problem. But Jamison is a big jump up over Sheed. Miller holds down the fort at SG and Augustin becomes a Crawford like potential scorer off the bench.

Plus, for the defense, maybe Jamison allows KG to get better which is the main problem with our interior defense anyway.

Also, this extends the window through next season in which we can hope KG REALLY comes back well. That's the hope anyway because his movement toward health is the only way we become Title contenders this year or next.

[BballTim]

  If you trade Sheed you don't have any length off the bench.

[winsomme]

  If you trade Sheed you don't have any length off the bench.

yep, not ideal but not really seeing Sheed taking advantage of his length at this point anyway.

Could also do Baby for Augustin but Baby seems to be more aggressive in the paint than Sheed which is why I would prefer to move Sheed for Augustin.

I think the plusses of a Jamison for Sheed rotation swap would work to our advantage. Jamison is actually a decent defender and sticks his nose in there under the basket more than is IMO commonly thought about him. and he's having a really nice season.

[snively]

  If you trade Sheed you don't have any length off the bench.

yep, not ideal but not really seeing Sheed taking advantage of his length at this point anyway.

Could also do Baby for Augustin but Baby seems to be more aggressive in the paint than Sheed which is why I would prefer to move Sheed for Augustin.

I think the plusses of a Jamison for Sheed rotation swap would work to our advantage. Jamison is actually a decent defender and sticks his nose in there under the basket more than is IMO commonly thought about him. and he's having a really nice season.

I don't see the need to get Augustin unless you're desperate to shed Sheed's salary to free up some of ownership's money to spend on the MLE next year.

Augustin's playmaking would be less vital with Miller and Daniels as mainstays in the rotation.  Both of them are playmaking oriented wings who bring much more to the table overall than Augustin.

Even better, if Ray gets bought out and resigned, you'd have Ray playing the Eddie House role in conjunction with either Miller or Daniels off the bench.

If you have a back-up PG that's absolutely roasting Daniels/Ray, you just sub one of them for TA and bring in Miller at the 3 to replace the lost shooting or ballhandling.

If we added Miller and Jamison and resigned a bought out Ray, I'd peg us as favorites for the title.  The offense would crank into a higher gear and the defense would likely stay consistent with its current league leading level.

[winsomme]

  If you trade Sheed you don't have any length off the bench.

yep, not ideal but not really seeing Sheed taking advantage of his length at this point anyway.

Could also do Baby for Augustin but Baby seems to be more aggressive in the paint than Sheed which is why I would prefer to move Sheed for Augustin.

I think the plusses of a Jamison for Sheed rotation swap would work to our advantage. Jamison is actually a decent defender and sticks his nose in there under the basket more than is IMO commonly thought about him. and he's having a really nice season.

I don't see the need to get Augustin unless you're desperate to shed Sheed's salary to free up some of ownership's money to spend on the MLE next year.

Augustin's playmaking would be less vital with Miller and Daniels as mainstays in the rotation.  Both of them are playmaking oriented wings who bring much more to the table overall than Augustin.

Even better, if Ray gets bought out and resigned, you'd have Ray playing the Eddie House role in conjunction with either Miller or Daniels off the bench.

If you have a back-up PG that's absolutely roasting Daniels/Ray, you just sub one of them for TA and bring in Miller at the 3 to replace the lost shooting or ballhandling.

If we added Miller and Jamison and resigned a bought out Ray, I'd peg us as favorites for the title.  The offense would crank into a higher gear and the defense would likely stay consistent with its current league leading level.

I don't know how realistic getting a bought out Ray would be, but that would be an ideal scenario....trading Ray for Miller and Jamison while still getting Ray back.

not sure what happens to our bigs rotation but that's a lot of talent for sure.

I think if a buy out is an actual possibility, then I might be more inclined to look at a CHI deal for Hinrich and Thomas. getting Ray back keeps the starting rotation together. and really shores up the defensive options coming off the bench.

both Thomas and Hinrich would help correct defensive deficiencies...and give us a lot of different looks to throw at teams.

but like I said, I don't know how realistic it is to think we could trade Ray and get him back after the 30 days.

[Who]

I don't like the idea of Augustin and House playing alongside one another. That is a one tiny defensively deficient + rebounding deficient backcourt.

If Augustin were acquired, House should become the third string point guard.

[winsomme]

I don't like the idea of Augustin and House playing alongside one another. That is a one tiny defensively deficient + rebounding deficient backcourt.

If Augustin were acquired, House should become the third string point guard.

yeah, I don't think that would happen. I list House because he's another option on the bench.

I think come playoff time our bench rotation would essentially be Augustin (if he adjusts well) Marquis, Jamison, and Baby.....

[Who]

I don't like the idea of Augustin and House playing alongside one another. That is a one tiny defensively deficient + rebounding deficient backcourt.

If Augustin were acquired, House should become the third string point guard.

yeah, I don't think that would happen. I list House because he's another option on the bench.

I think come playoff time our bench rotation would essentially be Augustin (if he adjusts well) Marquis, Jamison, and Baby.....

That would make a good nine man rotation.

[snively]

  If you trade Sheed you don't have any length off the bench.

yep, not ideal but not really seeing Sheed taking advantage of his length at this point anyway.

Could also do Baby for Augustin but Baby seems to be more aggressive in the paint than Sheed which is why I would prefer to move Sheed for Augustin.

I think the plusses of a Jamison for Sheed rotation swap would work to our advantage. Jamison is actually a decent defender and sticks his nose in there under the basket more than is IMO commonly thought about him. and he's having a really nice season.

I don't see the need to get Augustin unless you're desperate to shed Sheed's salary to free up some of ownership's money to spend on the MLE next year.

Augustin's playmaking would be less vital with Miller and Daniels as mainstays in the rotation.  Both of them are playmaking oriented wings who bring much more to the table overall than Augustin.

Even better, if Ray gets bought out and resigned, you'd have Ray playing the Eddie House role in conjunction with either Miller or Daniels off the bench.

If you have a back-up PG that's absolutely roasting Daniels/Ray, you just sub one of them for TA and bring in Miller at the 3 to replace the lost shooting or ballhandling.

If we added Miller and Jamison and resigned a bought out Ray, I'd peg us as favorites for the title.  The offense would crank into a higher gear and the defense would likely stay consistent with its current league leading level.

I don't know how realistic getting a bought out Ray would be, but that would be an ideal scenario....trading Ray for Miller and Jamison while still getting Ray back.

not sure what happens to our bigs rotation but that's a lot of talent for sure.

I think if a buy out is an actual possibility, then I might be more inclined to look at a CHI deal for Hinrich and Thomas. getting Ray back keeps the starting rotation together. and really shores up the defensive options coming off the bench.

both Thomas and Hinrich would help correct defensive deficiencies...and give us a lot of different looks to throw at teams.

but like I said, I don't know how realistic it is to think we could trade Ray and get him back after the 30 days.

I strongly doubt Chicago would buyout Ray.  He's too good a fit for the Ben Gordon role they lost and even in the likely case that Ray isn't in their long-term plans, they have no reason to tank out of the playoff race by buying out their only legit 2-guard.

Washington on the other hand is in full-on tank mode with Arenas out for the season and the writing on the wall finally legible for their Arenas/Jamison/Butler core.  They have no reason to play Ray over guys like Nick Young and Randy Foye (both weak prospects IMO, but Washington still seems to like them), or Bill Walker and JR Giddens if we threw them in.  They have every reason to save money, develop young talent and suck bad enough to improve their draft odds.

I'd be shocked if they didn't buy him out in such a scenario.

I don't like the idea of Augustin and House playing alongside one another. That is a one tiny defensively deficient + rebounding deficient backcourt.

If Augustin were acquired, House should become the third string point guard.

yeah, I don't think that would happen. I list House because he's another option on the bench.

I think come playoff time our bench rotation would essentially be Augustin (if he adjusts well) Marquis, Jamison, and Baby.....

That would make a good nine man rotation.

I just don't think Augustin's good enough to go out of our way to fetch.  A big bench backcourt of a bought-out Ray/Daniels is much more appealing to me: far more imposing.  And I don't see a substantial improvement from House/Daniels to Augustin/Daniels in the event that Ray doesn't return.

[celticinorlando]

in the end...i dont expect boston makes one trade and the team we have now is the team we will end may with. i dont think that this team as it stands is good enough, healthy enough or mentally ready than to do anything but win a a round in the playoffs