If Wallace is going to retire, who could the Celtics trade him for (cap trade)

[Atzar]

Ideally I'd love to see Ainge turn Sheed into Beasley, and then throw some money at Brendan Haywood.  Resign Ray, and give short-term deals to Nate and TA.  Perk will likely be out until midseason, so the early rotation will be:

Rondo/Nate
Ray/TA
Pierce/???
KG/Beasley
Haywood/BBD

There's a hole at backup SF that needs to be filled.  TA might be able to back the 2 and the 3 and play ~25-30 minutes a game, but that leaves us with a small bench at every position.  I don't expect Bradley to play early next season, and I don't expect Harangody to play at all. 

Later in the year, we get Perk back and the lineup becomes:

Rondo/Nate
Ray/TA
Pierce/Beasley
KG/BBD
Perk/Haywood

We go from having a very small bench to a pretty big bench, at least on the inside.  Beasley hasn't had much success as an SF so far, but I see no reason why that should continue to be the case - he's clearly athletic enough to defend the position, he can post up or shoot over nearly any 3 in the league on offense and his below-average boardwork at PF would become average or above at SF.  Avery Bradley could break into the rotation to replace either TA or Nate at this point in the year, as well.


If Danny really wants to give this core another run, then I really wish we had found a way to get Damion James, either instead of or in addition to Bradley.  I don't expect Bradley to help much this year (although he could prove me wrong), but Damion James would have filled pressing needs for us - we've needed a solid backup 3 for a few years now, and we desperately need somebody to help us crash the glass.

[bobdelt]

Don't know the answer to this question - but I've been advocating this move for days.

My fear, though, is that ownership would prefer to pocket the money.

  Danny doesn't have unlimited money to spend. He might not, for instance, be able to spend the MLE and trade Sheed's contract. But it does seem that he could get a better player by trading the contract than he could with the MLE (unless he wants to split the MLE). The only wrinkle is that, from what Maxwell was saying last night, is that Sheed might want a buyout.

If Sheed wants a buyout, that throws a wrench into the trade ideas.  Just as I was gaining respect for him for walking away when he'd had enough, this pops up where he wants to be paid to walk away.

The buyout is the only way to clear the cap space. Otherwise his contract is there against the cap.

The league has peculiar rules against retiring and the contracts - because of deferred compensation.

[Mr October]

Related to the Sheed trade idea.... Back when Boston traded for Gary Payton, Rick Fox was part of that trade and then immediately retired. Did the Celtics have to pay him anything?

I don't recall Fox's salary being part fo the team's budget.

[Mr October]

Related to the Sheed trade idea.... Back when Boston traded for Gary Payton, Rick Fox was part of that trade and then immediately retired. Did the Celtics have to pay him anything?

I don't recall Fox's salary being part fo the team's budget.

http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/Celtics_Waive_Rick_Fox_To_Faci-118692-25.html

He officially retired for medical reasons. I'm sure Sheed could go that route, or a small buyout route.

[JSD]

Don't know the answer to this question - but I've been advocating this move for days.

My fear, though, is that ownership would prefer to pocket the money.

  Danny doesn't have unlimited money to spend. He might not, for instance, be able to spend the MLE and trade Sheed's contract. But it does seem that he could get a better player by trading the contract than he could with the MLE (unless he wants to split the MLE). The only wrinkle is that, from what Maxwell was saying last night, is that Sheed might want a buyout.

If Sheed wants a buyout, that throws a wrench into the trade ideas.  Just as I was gaining respect for him for walking away when he'd had enough, this pops up where he wants to be paid to walk away.

The buyout is the only way to clear the cap space. Otherwise his contract is there against the cap.

What's the minimum he can get bought out for? And is the buyout based on one year or two years remaining on his contract? Remember, he has a player option on that 3rd year. I'm thinking it's treated as declined right?

We need to net something from last years MLE. The Lakers have Ron Artest, we can't be left with nothing...

[JSD]

The longer nothing is done the more anxious I'm getting about this. 

[Yakmanev]

Can his contract not be traded for "cap math" even after he retires. It seems like Hakeem Olajuwon was getting traded around 10 years after he retired.

[PosImpos]

So, who's the best center we could get for Rasheed's contract plus perhaps a S+T of TA or Nate Robinson?

Maybe a S+T for Tyson Chandler + Derrick Brown or something like that.

[Cman]

Don't know the answer to this question - but I've been advocating this move for days.

My fear, though, is that ownership would prefer to pocket the money.

  Danny doesn't have unlimited money to spend. He might not, for instance, be able to spend the MLE and trade Sheed's contract. But it does seem that he could get a better player by trading the contract than he could with the MLE (unless he wants to split the MLE). The only wrinkle is that, from what Maxwell was saying last night, is that Sheed might want a buyout.

If Sheed wants a buyout, that throws a wrench into the trade ideas.  Just as I was gaining respect for him for walking away when he'd had enough, this pops up where he wants to be paid to walk away.

The buyout is the only way to clear the cap space. Otherwise his contract is there against the cap.

The league has peculiar rules against retiring and the contracts - because of deferred compensation.

I believe both parties can agree to walk away from a contract, which is what Derek Fisher did when he left Utah (there was at least a year remaining). 

[Fred Roberts]

Has Emeka Okafor been mentioned yet? His contract is way too long, but NO would ditch him in a heartbeat for Sheed's expiring deal, yes? No?

We could do much worse than have a 28 year old center who is solid on defense. Clifford Ray could polish up his post moves and rebounding skills.

[LarBrd33]

I like the Sheed for Beasley idea... but the guy only makes 5 million.  Couldn't the Heat just trade him to a team with cap room (okc, for example) and take back nothing but a future 2nd rounder or something? 

[birdwatcher]

We aren't going to trade Sheed. He's retiring and we'll get roughly 3 mil off the books for the next two seasons. It gives us a little cap flexibility to sign a player or two. Plus we can use all of or split up the MLE.

[ForexPirate]

i think we need to give miami a little more than sheed for beasley ... like a future 1st as well.  I would do it in a heart beat.

[JBcat]

Has Emeka Okafor been mentioned yet? His contract is way too long, but NO would ditch him in a heartbeat for Sheed's expiring deal, yes? No?

We could do much worse than have a 28 year old center who is solid on defense. Clifford Ray could polish up his post moves and rebounding skills.

Yeah I mentioned him a few pages back.  His contract is horrible but he is a defensive minded center and rebounder I would like on this team. 

[action781]

And even if Pierce and Allen do come back, I think that money coming off the books would be very valuable for this team, who have been struggling a bit financially, and may not have been able to afford Ray and the MLE if Sheed was on the books.

Struggling financially?  You're joking, right?

The Celtics ticket prices keep going up every year, and they have sold out every game for the last three years.  Additionally, they have had two finals appearances in that same time, which is all pure revenue.  Then add in the fact the Celtics are one of the leagues top sellers of team merchandise, and play in one of the largest TV markets in the country (for a network owned by one of the largest cable companies in the country).  There is no way the Celtics are struggling financially, even with one of the highest payrolls.

I dont have the balance sheet, but I'd have to agree.  No way we could so easily pay out the MLE the last few years and LLE if we were financially strapped.  If we're not making money considering all said above, who is?