Since Ainge nearly traded for Boozer this season + David Lee talk

[nora gretz]

but held off so perk could contain shaq & howard (good job perk) & Boozer said on first take today that he'd like to be on a contender what are the odds that ainge tries to go after boozer since it was basically a done deal but fell through because washington gave caron butler to Dallas instead of us, as originally planned, because of the Cavalier front office [you see what that got you Danny Ferry  ]


sidenote, i read this week in an article of nate robinson praising the celtics & downplaying the appreciation the knicks showed him & david lee as players who put their time in ... it appeared to me in the article that nate was swaying his once teammate david lee to join the celtics ...is there any way this could happen since David Lee's contract is up and isn't a "big free agent" [ironic] but is a consistent center/pf for his size ...

could you see the celtics with a frontcourt of


KG/Lee/Baby
Boozer/Rasheed

just wishful thinking i'm afraid...the only plus for us as a community is that Scalabrine would inevitably be moved to the 3 spot and take marquis daniels minutes (that's if he isn't included in the David Lee/Boozer deal)

are only weakness is frontcourt scoring with a dominant offensive center (sorry perk) although we give up defense in the post we're able to stretch the floor better & get those aggravating bigs [elbow howard, shaq & bynum] in foul trouble easier...it also gives rondo, nate, t.allen & pierce easier lanes to the basket for more possible fouls on the opposing team...

hope you're reading this Danny

[LarBrd33]

I think Boozer and Lee are a bit small for center.  I look at them both as PFs.   They are both talented.  Neither seems to play a lick of defense, though.  Perk is fantastic for his role and I'm not sure we get this far with Lee/Boozer in his place.  You might get more scoring, but you sacrifice what causes us to win... defense.

[Roy Hobbs]

The most we can offer free agents is $5.8 million, total.  Both Lee and Boozer will earn much more than that.

Also, I didn't see the same reports that you did, saying that a Boozer trade was a done deal.  I don't think anything was ever imminent on the trade front with the Celts, outside of the Nate / Eddie deal that was completed.

[Lucky17]

What's this about a deal for Boozer mid-season?

I assume any trade would have necessitated Ray Allen as an outgoing piece? I'm definitely grateful that never happened.

[LarBrd33]

What's this about a deal for Boozer mid-season?

I assume any trade would have necessitated Ray Allen as an outgoing piece? I'm definitely grateful that never happened.

http://www.celticsblog.com/2010/5/6/1461471/the-blockbusters-that-didnt-happen

In February the Celtics discussed a makeover that would have dealt Allen to the Wizards for a package involving forward Caron Butler, followed by a second blockbuster that would have sent center Kendrick Perkins and other salaries to the Jazz for power forward Carlos Boozer - leaving Boston with a revamped lineup of Garnett, Boozer, Pierce, Butler, and Rondo.  The idea died when the Wizards moved Butler to the Mavericks instead, but it's an example of Ainge's willingness to consider anything.

[nickagneta]

The only way the Celtics get Boozer is through a sign and trade where we move Perk and then probably Rasheed too because we would need to match salary. I don't see that getting rid of those two inside defenders to switch a still not 100%(and maybe never 100% ever again)KG to center and Boozer to PF with only the MLE to try to sign someone like Brendan Haywood or Brad Miller.

[Lucky17]

What's this about a deal for Boozer mid-season?

I assume any trade would have necessitated Ray Allen as an outgoing piece? I'm definitely grateful that never happened.

http://www.celticsblog.com/2010/5/6/1461471/the-blockbusters-that-didnt-happen

In February the Celtics discussed a makeover that would have dealt Allen to the Wizards for a package involving forward Caron Butler, followed by a second blockbuster that would have sent center Kendrick Perkins and other salaries to the Jazz for power forward Carlos Boozer - leaving Boston with a revamped lineup of Garnett, Boozer, Pierce, Butler, and Rondo.  The idea died when the Wizards moved Butler to the Mavericks instead, but it's an example of Ainge's willingness to consider anything.

Interesting, but it doesn't sound as though it ever got past the "spitballing" stage.

[nickagneta]

Forget David Lee, that's not happening. The Knicks won't renounce him until they are just about to announce the signing of their second max level FA signing, but it doesn't matter because unless we are trading perk and Ray, we don't have what the Knicks want in a S&T scenario. And we don't have what it takes to get him with just the MLE as he is going to command a minimum of $10-12 million on a five year deal.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

I "heard" Lee gets short money..not sure, but he is good. He scores well, rebounds hard, and has a good shot too. It would be nice, but we prob won't get a chance..unless he thinks about the "Ring" thing, same for Boozer, Boozer can play center, but prob not Lee....

[LarBrd33]

I was talking about sign-and-trades with Roy... trying to brainstorm a scenario where Boston would actually have cap room to play with.  All sorts of crazy stuff like Pierce opting out to sign a long contract starting at 15 mil... Ray taking a paycut at 8 mil a year... possibly renouncing Ray... etc.   And at some point I just realized that all that stuff is irrelevant.  

Davis, Perk, Sheed = 14 mil.  I think that means we could package those 3 for a guy making 17.5 mil?

So I guess if David Lee (or Boozer... or Bosh... or even LeBron, I guess) was DESPERATE to play in Boston and demanded to be traded to Boston... we could have the salary to make it happen (I think).  Unlikely with Lee, because NY is letting him walk for nothing.  But Utah, Cleveland and Toronto could all be willing to get SOMETHING instead of NOTHING.

Say Bosh says to Toronto, "Look... either I'm leaving you high and dry with nothing... or you can take Perk, Baby and Sheed from Boston", apparently that works.  Shoot, we could even throw in the #19 pick.  Sheed's 2 years is a pain, but Perk, Baby and the #19 aint so bad for Chris Bosh if Chris Bosh is leaving anyways.

[Brendan]

I was talking about sign-and-trades with Roy... trying to brainstorm a scenario where Boston would actually have cap room to play with.  All sorts of crazy stuff like Pierce opting out to sign a long contract starting at 15 mil... Ray taking a paycut at 8 mil a year... possibly renouncing Ray... etc.   And at some point I just realized that all that stuff is irrelevant.  

Davis, Perk, Sheed = 14 mil.  I think that means we could package those 3 for a guy making 17.5 mil?

So I guess if David Lee (or Boozer... or Bosh... or even LeBron, I guess) was DESPERATE to play in Boston and demanded to be traded to Boston... we could have the salary to make it happen (I think).  Unlikely with Lee, because NY is letting him walk for nothing.  But Utah, Cleveland and Toronto could all be willing to get SOMETHING instead of NOTHING.

Say Bosh says to Toronto, "Look... either I'm leaving you high and dry with nothing... or you can take Perk, Baby and Sheed from Boston", apparently that works.  Shoot, we could even throw in the #19 pick.  Sheed's 2 years is a pain, but Perk, Baby and the #19 aint so bad for Chris Bosh if Chris Bosh is leaving anyways.

If I'm the acquiring team and I wanted Perk and Baby - I'd make Boston S&T Tony Allen on a one year deal rather than take Wallace. And I'm getting a *couple* of draft picks.

[nickagneta]

Davis Perk Sheed and #19 to Toronto for Bosh cripples this teams front line defense and makes the Celtics a much worse team overall.

[Chris]

Perk and Ray for Boozer, and whoever Utah gets with the NY pick....

[More Banners]

Well, regarding this year's offseason, I'm an optimist.

I think players will be willing to come here due to Doc being a pretty good guy, and the team having a good shot at winning.  Still, I don't expect people to jump at a chance to play for a discount.

But, optimistically, I think quite a few good rotation-caliber players will drop.  So many teams under the cap means fewer teams with the MLE, and I suspect teams w/space will blow it in the bidding frenzy for the small handful of players that are worth big deals, and many others will drop.  Hard.

Is it true that cash can be combined with a contract to match a salary?  i.e. BBD's $3 mil, plus $3 mil in cash = $6 million in salary coming back?  

If so, imagine Wyc opening the checkbook to take on TWO MLE-level players this year, and costing us only BBD and some of Wyc's money.  Perhaps we get both much-loved Mike Miller AND either Outlaw or a guy like Al Harrington...  If PP and Ray play along by signing friendly deals in exchange for no-trade clauses, we're set.  

[Brendan]

Well, regarding this year's offseason, I'm an optimist.

I think players will be willing to come here due to Doc being a pretty good guy, and the team having a good shot at winning.  Still, I don't expect people to jump at a chance to play for a discount.

But, optimistically, I think quite a few good rotation-caliber players will drop.  So many teams under the cap means fewer teams with the MLE, and I suspect teams w/space will blow it in the bidding frenzy for the small handful of players that are worth big deals, and many others will drop.  Hard.

Is it true that cash can be combined with a contract to match a salary?  i.e. BBD's $3 mil, plus $3 mil in cash = $6 million in salary coming back?  

If so, imagine Wyc opening the checkbook to take on TWO MLE-level players this year, and costing us only BBD and some of Wyc's money.  Perhaps we get both much-loved Mike Miller AND either Outlaw or a guy like Al Harrington...  If PP and Ray play along by signing friendly deals in exchange for no-trade clauses, we're set.  

No its not true.