Ray Allen, the first domino of the Celtics offseason

[wdleehi]

this is nit-picky but I think that Doc and Paul will be decided before Ray is, and I think those are pretty sizable dominos (Paul's salary structure will determine how Danny approaches free agency)

and it sounds like Doc is leaning towards leaving, so that will impact things greatly

I don't think the Pierce domino is going to fall.  He would be giving up to much money going into a possible lockout.  He is in that 8 to 10 million range now.

[wdleehi]

this is nit-picky but I think that Doc and Paul will be decided before Ray is, and I think those are pretty sizable dominos (Paul's salary structure will determine how Danny approaches free agency)

and it sounds like Doc is leaning towards leaving, so that will impact things greatly

I don't think the Pierce domino is going to fall.  He would be giving up to much money going into a possible lockout.  He is in that 8 to 10 million range now.

I think the player decision is going to push the coaching direction if Doc retires.

[Chris]

this is nit-picky but I think that Doc and Paul will be decided before Ray is, and I think those are pretty sizable dominos (Paul's salary structure will determine how Danny approaches free agency)

and it sounds like Doc is leaning towards leaving, so that will impact things greatly

I don't think the Pierce domino is going to fall.  He would be giving up to much money going into a possible lockout.  He is in that 8 to 10 million range now.

Agreed.  I would be absolutely shocked if Pierce opts out, and even moreso, if he opts out to go elsewhere.  I could see an (unlikely) scenario where ownership deems the savings in luxury tax this season is more valuable than cap space down the road, so he does opt out, in order to resign a longer deal (but I really doubt that happens).  However, there just is not the money on the open market for him to opt out, and go elsewhere.  Not to mention, KG would probably kill him. 

If Pierce is going anywhere other than Boston this season, it will be via trade, and will likely not happen until mid season.

[guava_wrench]

this is nit-picky but I think that Doc and Paul will be decided before Ray is, and I think those are pretty sizable dominos (Paul's salary structure will determine how Danny approaches free agency)

and it sounds like Doc is leaning towards leaving, so that will impact things greatly

Whether or not Pierce opts out, we can work things out. If Ray doesn't resign to stay with us, then we lose the ability to acquire non-minimum players apart from a sign and trade. I don't see a sign and trade netting us much in the way of a contributor unless that contributor is overpaid.

I don't think the Pierce domino is going to fall.  He would be giving up to much money going into a possible lockout.  He is in that 8 to 10 million range now.

[MF Doom]

With Rudy Gay being a free agent, would it be possible to afford him if Sheed retires, Pierce signs for less, and Ray walks? He'd be the perfect Ray replacment and could also create off the dribble as well as finish.

Rondo Nate
Gay  Morrow Rookie
Pierce Al Harrington <---(Dream)
KG BBD
Perk Rookie

Sign Harrington for the MLE and s&t trade for Morrow

[Jeff]

fair enough - I don't understand enough about the restructuring potential details to know if it is viable or not - but at least we'll know shortly after the draft is done one way or the other

[Lucky17]

this is nit-picky but I think that Doc and Paul will be decided before Ray is, and I think those are pretty sizable dominos (Paul's salary structure will determine how Danny approaches free agency)

and it sounds like Doc is leaning towards leaving, so that will impact things greatly

I don't think the Pierce domino is going to fall.  He would be giving up to much money going into a possible lockout.  He is in that 8 to 10 million range now.

Agreed.  I would be absolutely shocked if Pierce opts out, and even moreso, if he opts out to go elsewhere.  I could see an (unlikely) scenario where ownership deems the savings in luxury tax this season is more valuable than cap space down the road, so he does opt out, in order to resign a longer deal (but I really doubt that happens).  However, there just is not the money on the open market for him to opt out, and go elsewhere.  Not to mention, KG would probably kill him. 

If Pierce is going anywhere other than Boston this season, it will be via trade, and will likely not happen until mid season.

I actually think Pierce has to opt out. This is his last chance at a long-term contract, under current CBA guidelines. One last payday, and he can pretty definitively retire as a Celtic (and further cement his name in franchise legacy).

I expect NBA owners will fight the players' union tooth and nail during the next bargaining session to somehow roll back the lengths, limits, etc. of player contracts. Guys like Jerome James and Eddy Curry are poster children for NBA owners' desires for some sort of recourse for getting out of ridiculous player contracts.

If Pierce opts out now, he can resign a 3- or 4-year deal for good money, and retire as a Celtic.

[Lucky17]

With Rudy Gay being a free agent, would it be possible to afford him if Sheed retires, Pierce signs for less, and Ray walks? He'd be the perfect Ray replacment and could also create off the dribble as well as finish.

Rondo Nate
Gay  Morrow Rookie
Pierce Al Harrington <---(Dream)
KG BBD
Perk Rookie

Sign Harrington for the MLE and s&t trade for Morrow

I don't believe we'd have enough cap space to outbid other suitors for Gay.

And if we did, we wouldn't have the MLE to offer Harrington. Teams either have cap space in excess of the MLE, or the MLE. Not both.

[Chris]

With Rudy Gay being a free agent, would it be possible to afford him if Sheed retires, Pierce signs for less, and Ray walks? He'd be the perfect Ray replacment and could also create off the dribble as well as finish.

Rondo Nate
Gay  Morrow Rookie
Pierce Al Harrington <---(Dream)
KG BBD
Perk Rookie

Sign Harrington for the MLE and s&t trade for Morrow

Well, this scenario won't happen.  If Wallace retires, and Pierce opts out and resigns, he would have to resign for something like $7-8 million per year for the C's to have anywhere close to enough cap space to go after Gay (8-10 million per year).  

And also, in this scenario, the C's would not have the MLE, since you can only have cap space, or the MLE, not both.  

However, if Ainge does want Gay, I could see a scenario where he offers a retiring Sheed, plus Perk, and maybe a first round pick for a resigned Gay.  

[LB3533]

If we go for another run, we need to add more to our bench and rest Ray and Paul more on defense.

We need to save our main offensive threats some burn so they can use that energy for offense.

It must have been really tough for our guys to play such hard nosed and disciplined defense...that we couldn't get rebounds and we couldn't execute on the offensive end (not to mention failure or lack of energy to run in transition).

I would increase Tony Allen's minutes to sub for Pierce. TA can be our defensive stopper on the wing. Pierce can save energy for offense. I do think TA is better for our transition game too. (Bill Walker would have been great here too I think).

If we couldn't get Morrow, we could try for CJ Watson or Ime Udoka (FA). But I would prefer us bring in Von Wafer, who shot .390 from 3 point land with Houston in 2008-2009. Wafer nearly scored 10 PPG in a little over 19 MPG in 2008-2009 season.

We would also need to re-sign Nate, if not, try and get Eddie House back.

Marquis: I am not sold on nor am I down on him that I don't want him back for peanuts.

RR, Nate (House)
RA, Morrow (Wafer)
PP, TA, (Daniels)
KG, BB
Perk, Sheed, Kurt Thomas (FA)   

[nickagneta]

Per ESPN Insider:

Ray Allen, 34, just finished his 14th season in the NBA. Allen and Celtics management have said they don't want to part, but it could happen if Allen wants a long contract.

Allen made $19.27 million this season and will be offered between $5 million to $6 million from the Celtics and the new contract will probably be for only two years

Per Boston Herald:

One league official recently placed Allen’s value on the wildly competitive free agent market at approximately mid-level exception range, or about $5.6 million. This takes into account the number of premium players who will be contending for max contract money, the number of second-tier free agents and even some thought to be max-level honing in on Rajon Rondo [stats]-level money, or roughly $11 million per season.

Allen’s value, however, could be on the rise, especially for a contender like Cleveland that is expected to embark on a serious search for outside shooting help.

But there’s little doubting the 34-year-old Allen’s intent.

“I’ll deal with that when the time comes, but it’s obvious that I don’t want to be anywhere else,” Allen said following the Game 7 loss to the Lakers last Thursday in Los Angeles.

Indeed, everyone from Allen’s mother, Flo, to his wife, Shannon, have expressed a desire to remain in the Boston area.

Good to know Momma Allen wants Ray in Boston.

[snowball]

looks to me like he stays at 5-6 mil/yr for 2 years
and there is no trade.

[Lucky17]

Between $5 and $6 million a year? That seems low to me.

If Ray's willing to take a home-town discount, awesome.

[Chris]

Per ESPN Insider:

Ray Allen, 34, just finished his 14th season in the NBA. Allen and Celtics management have said they don't want to part, but it could happen if Allen wants a long contract.

Allen made $19.27 million this season and will be offered between $5 million to $6 million from the Celtics and the new contract will probably be for only two years

Per Boston Herald:

One league official recently placed Allen’s value on the wildly competitive free agent market at approximately mid-level exception range, or about $5.6 million. This takes into account the number of premium players who will be contending for max contract money, the number of second-tier free agents and even some thought to be max-level honing in on Rajon Rondo [stats]-level money, or roughly $11 million per season.

Allen’s value, however, could be on the rise, especially for a contender like Cleveland that is expected to embark on a serious search for outside shooting help.

But there’s little doubting the 34-year-old Allen’s intent.

“I’ll deal with that when the time comes, but it’s obvious that I don’t want to be anywhere else,” Allen said following the Game 7 loss to the Lakers last Thursday in Los Angeles.

Indeed, everyone from Allen’s mother, Flo, to his wife, Shannon, have expressed a desire to remain in the Boston area.

Good to know Momma Allen wants Ray in Boston.

I hate this stuff.  The ESPN thing is just a tease citing the Herald article.  However, the Herald article just cited a "league source" putting Ray's value on the open market in the mid level exception range.  Somehow that got twisted into saying the C's were going offer Ray a 2 year deal at 5-6 million per year?

And by the way, apparently Mark Murphy thinks that Pierce can "restructure" (not allowed in the NBA) his deal, which has "two years remaining" (I think we are all aware that he only has one year left, if he does not take advantage of his early termination clause).

This is lazy reporting at its finest, which makes me take the tidbit from the "league official" with a grain of salt.    

[Chris]

Also, I am pretty sure the C's can speak with Allen's agent, since he is their free agent.  Allen just can't negotiate with other teams yet.