Win or lose the off season of change is upon us.

[guava_wrench]

Bold predictions, but I think you're right Nick.  But if the C's don't sign Ray, who steps in as a starting level 2 guard on this team?  That worries me quite a bit.

is there even a SG out there on ray's level? 

Yes, but there's no way for us to sign Joe Johnson.

I don't think Joe Johnson is a better fit than Ray Allen. I don't expect any team to offer Ray more than the Celtics. If Miami resigns Wade and signs Bosh, they'd have 5 players under contract at 45 millions. If they offered Ray 10 millions a year, they'd be over the cap and they'd need to sign at least 7 players to the required 13 roster minimum.

Ray will get 10 millions a year, that's in the middle of Kidd and Nash kind of money. And the Celtics could offer him 2 years and after that, him and KG could sign year-by-year to retire as celtics. Nobody is going to trade for them at this stage, and it's highly improbable that any team pays Ray more than the MLE, unless it's a sign and trade.

The sad thing is Perk's injury will ruin his expectations to get Rondo's money, I feel bad for him. That could mean the Celtics extend him to 6-7 millions a year.

Don't expect huge changes over the next 2 years, I think Danny is going to draft future assets to reload in the summer of 2012, when Rondo and Perk enter their primes. Glen Davis, TA, Nate and the rookies could be good trading pieces by then, and maybe a good pick and a very good FA can boost the Celtics to another championship run.

I hope so 

But tomorrow it's all about winning game 7. Go Celtics!!! Beat LA!!!

I would take Joe Johnson over Ray at this point because he is only 28. But Johnson is too expensive, so Ray is fine.

[dark_lord]

i cant/dont wanna even think of the offseason.....game 7 is 24 hours and 48 min away!

[Mr October]

If Ray is willing to take a 2 year deal, I bet he stays with Boston.

A Wade, Bosh, Ray plus minimum contract guys team isn't going to sniff a serious title run for a few years, if not more.

If Ray takes that deal, I expect to see the C's make 1 more run at a title.

[jasail]

If the C's win tomorrow Ray gets resigned, Danny tries to keep as much of this team intact and will likely use the MLE to bring in a veteran rebounding big or a 3 that is either long or can stretch the floor.

If the C's lose tomorrow it is a different story.  I think it is time to get younger and build around Rondo.  DA probably lets most FA's sign elsewhere, or sign and trade, and maybe keeping TA.  Rasheed will likely be out the door as well.

Either way I think it behooves the C's to buy some picks in the draft.

Regardless it is a HUGE offseason and likely one that determines what the Rondo era will looklike.   

[Eeyore III]

I had thought that the Cs would be able and willing to buy a late 1st-round pick, given the number of teams with multiple picks this year, but from what I've been reading, the Celtics have not been mentioned as being among the several teams in the hunt for what turns out to be only one or two available picks.

So it could be just #19.  That's my current working assumption.

Sorry, no link.  FWIW

[Beat LA]

I agree that there will be changes but, to me, the Ray rumor doesn't make any sense.

If Ray isn't thrilled that Rondo has a more prominent role in the offense, why would he sign with Miami, where Wade and (potentially) Bosh would get all the shots and run the majority of the offense?

I'm with you.  This makes absolutely no sense.  We need Ray to come back and retire here - as I believe he wants to.  We need to let the Big Three retire together. 

Regardless, we need to address the age of our squad through the draft.  We need to get someone who can play multiple positions and has considerable upside.  I think we really need to get Paul George, but I doubt there's any way to acquire him.  I'm sure that Danny will go BPA, as he should, but he also needs to draft according to need as well.  In light of this, our best option might be Lance Stephenson, who has lost significant weight and is learning about nutrition for the first time, according to the interview below.  If we have the opportunity to buy multiple 1st rounders, we must do so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQkF9eoy70c

[Chief]

"Sources close to the Celtics' veteran shooting guard say that he's not exactly thrilled that Rajon Rondo is playing a more prominent role in the offense".


If this is true, it is very sad.

[Yakmanev]

"Sources close to the Celtics' veteran shooting guard say that he's not exactly thrilled that Rajon Rondo is playing a more prominent role in the offense".


If this is true, it is very sad.

I wonder if any of these scources are out in Los Angeles. I mean surely they wouldn't want to start any drama in the Celtics locker room during the Finals now would they?

[blackbird]

I don't see Pierce opting out. The guys opting out have below market contracts. Pierce's contract is above his current market value.

In fact, Pierce's contract for next year is more than Lebron or Wade can hope to get based on years in NBA.

If he opts out, I might be fine with us cutting bait on him and Ray instead of making too long of a commitment for too much money, but I don't think the market will drive up Pierce contract excessively unless he is willing to go to a bad team.

The issue isn't next year's salary of $21M, it's the following year (lock-out) salary of $0 and the unknown but surely far lower salary after the new CBA. Apparently agents are directing most players to opt out while they can and get a contract under the current more generous Agreement.

Players like Tyson Chandler are not below market value, but he's opting out. On the other hand there are players like Richard Jefferson and Michael Redd who are so far above what they could reasonably make ever again that they should not opt out. Dirk Nowitski is opting out and his contract is identical to Pierce's, though he probably has more value (at least until Pierce wins his second finals MVP! )

But Ginobili just got a three-year extension for $39M. Kobe just got stupid money on his extension. I think it's totally within the realm of possibility that a team would give Pierce something in the range of 4 years, $50+M and if he thinks he can get that now then it makes sense for him to opt out.

[bballee]

Whether the Celtics win it all tomorrow night or whether they don't I believe Danny Ainge has already decided which direction to proceed with in the upcoming off season. And that direction is going to mean lots of change and a transition to a different style of personnel and style of ball being played in Boston.

....

Nick,
Excellent appraisal and teaser for a most interesting off-season.

[incoherent]

We might have to draft / trade for a young SG prospect, some more youth in the starting 5 isn't a bad thing.

Someone that can run and finish with Rondo would be nice.

[Brendan]

If Pierce opts out - it could be blow it up time. If he opts out, and they try and get him on a team friendly two or three year deal, but he won't bite, then I could see Danny pulling the trigger on a full reboot. I think KG has played himself into missing piece level trade material - not the big O, but definitely a missing piece.

[More Banners]

Um...can someone help me find the official "Bring Back Gerald Green" thread?

I'm assuming that everyone who expressed a need for a young, athletic wing that can run with Rondo and finish on the break are dreaming about having Gerald Green back, right?

Would someone be so kind as to point me to the "Bring Back Antoine" thread?

I'm assuming that everyone who wants a 5th big with good hands, makes good passes, boxes out and rebounds would love to have Toine back for a minimum deal.  I hear he could use a job and that our players like him.

We should probably have a "great 3 year run appreciation thread" since there's only one way to go from here, folks...

[More Banners]

If Pierce opts out - it could be blow it up time. If he opts out, and they try and get him on a team friendly two or three year deal, but he won't bite, then I could see Danny pulling the trigger on a full reboot. I think KG has played himself into missing piece level trade material - not the big O, but definitely a missing piece.

Too bad KG's deal is still a Big [size=240pt]O[/size]

TP for the Shel Silverstein reference...

[Brendan]

If Pierce opts out - it could be blow it up time. If he opts out, and they try and get him on a team friendly two or three year deal, but he won't bite, then I could see Danny pulling the trigger on a full reboot. I think KG has played himself into missing piece level trade material - not the big O, but definitely a missing piece.

Too bad KG's deal is still a Big [size=240pt]O[/size]

TP for the Shel Silverstein reference...

Exactly - find a team that is close and has a bad contract, but a young guy you want and a couple of good draft picks... done. KG's big deal will help you trade for talent, not hurt.