Celtics Summer Game Plan

[rav123]

James Anderson has no defensive skills whatsoever, and comes from a questionable system.

I will pass on him - entirely.

TP, not crazy about him either.

Damion James, Quincy Pondexter, Stanley Robinson.

Those are the wing prospects I hope Danny is targeting. All athletes extraordinaire. All from great programs and power conferences. All mature with great upside. All plus on the defensive and rebounding side of things. All with great NBA bodies.

I prefer my wings to be able to shoot. Of the SGs/SFs who seem to be in our range, I like Paul George the best.

I hope we resign TA as our 4.5th wing. Then a 2-year MLE for another backup SG/SF (e.g. Travis Outlaw) who can do a bit of everything (shoot, drive, rebound). Our draft pick can be our 4.5th wing i.e. play the same as Tony, and hopefull he will develop into a starter or 6th man. We resign Ray to a 2-year, $17 million deal, and PP opts out to get a 2-year deal for $24 million (more than what he is worth, but the least we can offer him if he agrees to opt out). Then everybody will expire in 2012 and we'll have options. Pierce's new contract means that there is less of a burden on the owners, and a smaller cap-hold if we want to retain him after 2012.

I don't want us to resign Shelden. I want somebody with height, athleticism and defense (at the salary level we can offer, this guy won't have any offensive skill) as our 4.5th big to Big Baby as 3rd big . Sheed is demoted to 4.5th big if we can't get anything else for him. Or maybe if Tony Gaffney works out, we won't need an atheltic 4.5th big, but he'll still need to be 7ft+, defend and rebound.

I don't want to resign Quis, Nate or Scal. We'll get a vet min backup PG, trade up in the second round for one, and he'll battle for minutes with Oliver Lafayette.

[FallGuy]

I can't even get my head around the summer until I know if we're going to be in rebuilding, retooling or tinkering mode. We'll know in the next week.

[PosImpos]

Draft an athletic player with as much upside as possible at #19 (unless we trade the pick for a higher one or some other asset).

Buy another late first rounder and go for upside again.

Try to re-sign Ray Allen to a 2 year deal (expires the same time as Garnett).

Try to sign Pierce to an extension (for about $10 million a year) for the next few years - should last until he retires around 35 or 36.

Trade Perk for something...whether you package him with #19 for a late lottery pick or a trade for some young asset...try to get something for him.  Package Glen Davis with him if necessary.  Anthony Randolph is my dream acquisition.

Sign a long, athletic rebounder or wing with upside for the MLE (think Tyrus Thomas, or Amir Johnson for less than the full).

Re-sign Tony Allen to a deal that lasts 3 years for a few million a year.

Re-sign Shelden Williams to a cheap contract that lasts a couple years.  He's a solid 5th big.

Re-sign Scal to a minimum contract with an option for another year or two.  He's a good roster filler and he knows the system.

Pick up a player or two from the summer league team or the D-league who is athletic, hard working, and has a talent for scoring or rebounding (e.g. Lafayette or Gaffney).

Fill out the rest of the roster with vet. minimum role players.  Need a spot up shooting wing (like Finley only preferably not so old), and a backup PG who can actually run an offense.


Do all that and next year they'll be a 45-50 win team with a shot at making the second round of the playoffs.  They'll also have considerably more young talent so at least it'll be interesting to dream of the youth panning out - assuming Doc plays them.

[PosImpos]

I just want to diagram my ideal offseason, assuming the Celtics don't trade Perk (too hard to predict what they'd trade him for).

1. Re-sign Ray Allen to a 2 year deal for $20 million (10 per)
2. Work on a contract extension for Pierce for 2-3 more years @ roughly $10 million per
3. Trade Glen Davis for another first round pick between #15 and #25 (let's say #20).

Draft:
Larry Sanders @ #19 (project big)
Stanley Robinson @ #20 (athletic wing)
Mikhail Torrance @ #52 (6'5'' combo guard)

4. Re-sign TA to a 3 year deal worth $9 million
5. Re-sign Shelden to a 2 year deal worth around $2 million
6. Pick up Oliver Lafayette's option for next season.

7. Sign Amir Johnson with the MLE for 3 years / $12 million.  I'm assuming Tyrus Thomas won't be available for the full MLE.
8. Sign Anthony Carter to a 1 year vet. minimum deal
9. Sign Jerry Stackhouse to a 1 year vet. minimum deal

Rondo / Carter / Lafayette
Allen / Allen / Torrance
Pierce / Robinson / Stackhouse
Garnett / Johnson / Williams
Perkins / Wallace / Sanders

That team could still win 50 games if they're relatively healthy and there are a lot of new young players with plenty of upside.  They could make it to the second round.

The youth core going forward becomes Rondo, TA, Robinson, Perk, Johnson, Sanders, and possibly Lafayette and / or Torrance.  Certainly not a complete core by any means but it's a start.  We'd have to hope either Robinson or Sanders becomes a big time player (or at least a solid starter) or maybe Amir Johnson realizes his potential with us.  We'll still be praying in the lottery soon enough but this group would be a lot more promising than what we have now.

I'd be really happy with that off-season.

[celticinorlando]

i think they will try to keep what they have in place and just try to make it through next season and then let the rebuild begin when KG comes off the books. i dont think there will be much there at #19 that can be an important cog in the future of this team..


i hope they let tony, sheldon, scal all walk. but the bench is going to have to be rebuilt

[PosImpos]

i think they will try to keep what they have in place and just try to make it through next season and then let the rebuild begin when KG comes off the books. i dont think there will be much there at #19 that can be an important cog in the future of this team

There will be project players - players with raw games and a lot of upside.  That's exactly what we need right now.  We need to try to get at least one more first round pick and we need to open up some roster space so we can use the MLE on a young player with athleticism and potential.  

Then we need to keep the bench players who earned their money and get rid of the rest (aside from Sheed, with whom we are stuck).  In my mind that means TA and Shelden; BBD has done a decent job but if we can use him to make way for players with more upside (and finishing ability) we need to go for it.

After that, fill out the roster with some veterans who can fill a basic role, don't mind variable playing time, and have the ability to mentor the youth.

Basically, this roster needs an infusion of energy and potential, two things it's sorely missing right now as we prepare to enter a rebuilding phase in a year or two.

i hope they let tony, sheldon, scal all walk. but the bench is going to have to be rebuilt

Why?  TA was our most consistent bench player this year, and he did well when he started.  It's either re-sign TA or get somebody for the vet. minimum to play backup SG and TA is better than anybody who we could get for that.

Shelden actually filled his role as the 5th big quite well, in my opinion.  He deserves to be re-signed as well.  I think he'll actually become better as he gets more comfortable playing within our system over another season or two (plus he can work with Cliff Ray some more).

Even Scal was acceptable in a limited role (12th man or reserve player); he wasn't worth the money we paid him, but he'd be worth less than a million for a year or two if we needed him to fill the roster.

I'd be okay signing Finley as the 3rd string SF as long as he can stay healthy...37 seems pretty old to me.  I'd rather get somebody with a bit more left, though.

[celticinorlando]

well...whoever boston drafts i hope they get some PT. tired of getting young guys and letting them sit

[PosImpos]

well...whoever boston drafts i hope they get some PT. tired of getting young guys and letting them sit

I agree.  Danny should make moves this summer that essentially force Doc to use his young players.  Doc needs to understand that moving forward the development of the young players is the top priority, though obviously we want to remain as competitive as possible.

Of course, Doc might not even be here next year so who knows.

[vgulab]

1. If Celtics lose the series against Cavs i expect Doc to leave.Who should replace him? We have the right guy Tom Thibodeau. I think he can be great head coach, great defensive coach with a lot of expirience.

2.By any cost resign Ray Allen at least on a one year contract for 7-8mil a think that's reasonable. He is still important player and we need him we can rebuild at the same time with Ray here. i think he can still score and can help us to develop young players.

3.Talk with the captain and ask him if he can sacriface for the team. If he doesn't accept his 1year player option resign him also with less money. Pierce should finish his game here in Boston so i think there is a good chance that he will agree on a paycut.

4. Resign Tony Allen and Shelden Williams
Tony is our best bench player he has good season. He's been in Boston long time he plays defense and we can pay him about 2mil per season. For those money i think he is great. And Shelden suprised all of us with his game this season we saw that he can be a good role player.

5.keep the 19th pick and select a good prospect maybe Sanders.

6.trade for another first rounder.
there can be two scenarios

- a lot of big guys are in draft this year. I love Perk great defender great body strong but after his contract expires he will ask at least 8mil and even i like him i'm not prepared to give him so my sugestion is make a trade for a lotery pick. I think it is posible something like this Perk,Sheed,Davis,Daniels for a lottery pick. First on my mind i thought of the Kings.They have Evans they want to build around him and they need centar. I know it's a high lottery pick but Kings are young and this trade can make them better. we give them great defensive center a young pf plus expiriece in Sheed and Marquis is also good player. If not the kings maybe samo other team will want this trade but has to be lottery pick.

- second scenario get another first rounder but not lottery. but keep Perk trade Sheed,Marquis and Davis for maybe nuber 18 of miami? if miami keep Wade they will look to improve the team maybe with free agents maybe with trade. 3solid players for number 18 it' posible. and if it's not than maybe 23 from minnesota because they have 3 first round picks.


so how will are going to look?

rondo,min vet,Lafayette
allen,allen,
pierce,pick 18 or 23,finley, landry
garnett, 19th pick
perkins,williams

or

rondo,vet min,Lafayette
allen,allen
pierce, finley,landry
garnett, 19th pick
lottery pick, willams    

head coach Tom Thibodeau

We will have younger team, we will be good team again and we will get more salary cap space for next years

[PosImpos]

so how will are going to look?

rondo,min vet,Lafayette
allen,allen,
pierce,pick 18 or 23,finley, landry
garnett, 19th pick
perkins,williams

or

rondo,vet min,Lafayette
allen,allen
pierce, finley,landry
garnett, 19th pick
lottery pick, willams    

head coach Tom Thibodeau

We will have younger team, we will be good team again and we will get more salary cap space for next years

just so you know, marcus landry is no longer signed with our team

[vgulab]

just so you know, marcus landry is no longer signed with our team

I'm sorry for my mistake. i apologize i thought that he is in the d-league and still with a contract. i'm sorry again

[PosImpos]

just so you know, marcus landry is no longer signed with our team

I'm sorry for my mistake. i apologize i thought that he is in the d-league and still with a contract. i'm sorry again

no need to apologize, just letting you know

[FallGuy]

Here's some intel (which a number of you probably already heard).

Mike Gorman suggested tonight that the summer plan is already in place - and that's retooling the team around younger, athletic players who can run with our superstar point guard.

This makes me very, very happy.

Even if we end up in a transitional year, this team should be a blast to watch next year.

[PosImpos]

Here's some intel (which a number of you probably already heard).

Mike Gorman suggested tonight that the summer plan is already in place - and that's retooling the team around younger, athletic players who can run with our superstar point guard.

This makes me very, very happy.

Even if we end up in a transitional year, this team should be a blast to watch next year.

Should be interesting.  Hopefully that means trying to get some more draft picks to get those players.  Danny might make a creative trade or two to get some more athletes, too.

Fun teams can have success, too.  Just look at the Suns.

[Chris]

Here's some intel (which a number of you probably already heard).

Mike Gorman suggested tonight that the summer plan is already in place - and that's retooling the team around younger, athletic players who can run with our superstar point guard.

This makes me very, very happy.

Even if we end up in a transitional year, this team should be a blast to watch next year.

Was this Mike's opinion, or was this a leak?  It is a very vague statement, and I feel pretty confident is the way the team will end up going based on common sense.  But I would caution people to read too much into the statement since Mike has said many times he does not get inside info (and when he does, I think he keeps his mouth shut, unlike some other guys on the telecast).  Even if that is the goal of the summer, it is easier said than done, given the way the C's are currently built.