Avery Bradley = End of Nate Robinson

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At first, I thought Danny was nuts with this pick.  As I looked up Bradley, I figured he can probably be a good bench combo guard/insurance policy.  I think he can probably back up both guard spots off the bench for about 15-20 minutes total, quite likely even this coming year.  Though not a position of need (so we thought), I realized the genius of Danny Ainge.

Most of us agree that Nate and TA are both career backups for various reasons, so there is a clear limit on how much a team can afford to give a bench player.  Perhaps Nate and TA have proven themselves to be worth upwards of $3 million/year by showing good in the playoffs when it counts, and possibly for 3+ years.  No worries any more, as Bradley could replace at least one, and perhaps both of them in the rotation (assuming a SF FA signing or trade).

Short take:  He might replace Nate, Tony, or both, but the pick helped the C's negotiating position considerably when talks w/agents come down to numbers.  Danny won't be held up by Nate and/or TA because they have limited ability to add players otherwise with too many needs to fill.

[wiley]

I think Nate is gone. With the addition of Bradley it seems highly unlikely we use some or all of the mle to bring him back, which we would have to do be he has no bird rights and we are over the cap.

I think most of us realized that we were only bringing one of Nate and TA back if we brought back either. Since we actually have TA's bird rights and he plays the wing position I think he stays and Nate is gone.

No way the team uses the mle on Nate when they desperately need a quality big to replace Sheed and fill in for Perk.

Avery Bradley impacts the Nate Robinson situation very little if at all.

First things first, we can resign Nate without using the MLE.  It's true we don't have his "Bird Rights," but we can still sign him without the MLE to a contract worth 120% of his 2009-2010 salary, meaning we could offer him a 2010-2011 salary of at least 4.8 million dollars.  I doubt he garners that much on the open market.

Second, Bradley is 19 years old, and I dare you to name me the last championship caliber team who had a 19 year old contributor coming off their bench.  Outside of Magic Johnson, they don't come around often.  Best case scenario, Bradley is a situational player who can come in and play good defense for 5 minute stretches.  But we'll still need veteran backups at the 1 and 2. 

Third, Danny rarely lets assets walk away.  Nate is an asset and assuming he can't get a better deal elsewhere, I expect Danny to sign him to a 2-year contract, let him absorb the Celtic way, build up his trade value, and then use him down the line to improve the team via trade.

Personally, I expect Ray, Tony, and Nate to all be back, assuming some team doesn't come in and overpay them.  I expect Sheed to be traded to some team looking to clear cap space, and I expect us to use the full MLE on a veteran free agent.

Well said and very convincing Salmon.  I think people are reacting to the report that the Celtics are looking to turn Bradley into a PG.  I wish this weren't the case, at least not yet.  He's too young, but he's not too young to do some good at a position with less responsibility.  

I'd like to see them use Bradley as Ray's backup for the time being, and let Tony be the primary Pierce backup.  Then you can focus all trades, MLE, etc, on getting bigger up front.


Rondo/Nate
Ray/Bradley
Pierce/Tony
KG/Baby
Haywood, Erden/Perk

That bench lineup might struggle to score sometimes, but would be nice defensively.  Let Nate Shoot and see what Bradley can do offensively as well.

As for the Sheed contract, I'd gamble on Beasley, which would re-wire things a bit....might knock Tony into backup SG and Bradley into backup PG.

[Rashi]

I think Nate is gone. With the addition of Bradley it seems highly unlikely we use some or all of the mle to bring him back, which we would have to do be he has no bird rights and we are over the cap.

I think most of us realized that we were only bringing one of Nate and TA back if we brought back either. Since we actually have TA's bird rights and he plays the wing position I think he stays and Nate is gone.

No way the team uses the mle on Nate when they desperately need a quality big to replace Sheed and fill in for Perk.

Avery Bradley impacts the Nate Robinson situation very little if at all.

First things first, we can resign Nate without using the MLE.  It's true we don't have his "Bird Rights," but we can still sign him without the MLE to a contract worth 120% of his 2009-2010 salary, meaning we could offer him a 2010-2011 salary of at least 4.8 million dollars.  I doubt he garners that much on the open market.

Second, Bradley is 19 years old, and I dare you to name me the last championship caliber team who had a 19 year old contributor coming off their bench.  Outside of Magic Johnson, they don't come around often.  Best case scenario, Bradley is a situational player who can come in and play good defense for 5 minute stretches.  But we'll still need veteran backups at the 1 and 2. 

Third, Danny rarely lets assets walk away.  Nate is an asset and assuming he can't get a better deal elsewhere, I expect Danny to sign him to a 2-year contract, let him absorb the Celtic way, build up his trade value, and then use him down the line to improve the team via trade.

Personally, I expect Ray, Tony, and Nate to all be back, assuming some team doesn't come in and overpay them.  I expect Sheed to be traded to some team looking to clear cap space, and I expect us to use the full MLE on a veteran free agent.

Well said and very convincing Salmon.  I think people are reacting to the report that the Celtics are looking to turn Bradley into a PG.  I wish this weren't the case, at least not yet.  He's too young, but he's not too young to do some good at a position with less responsibility.  

I'd like to see them use Bradley as Ray's backup for the time being, and let Tony be the primary Pierce backup.  Then you can focus all trades, MLE, etc, on getting bigger up front.


Rondo/Nate
Ray/Bradley
Pierce/Tony
KG/Baby
Haywood, Erden/Perk

That bench lineup might struggle to score sometimes, but would be nice defensively.  Let Nate Shoot and see what Bradley can do offensively as well.

As for the Sheed contract, I'd gamble on Beasley, which would re-wire things a bit....might knock Tony into backup SG and Bradley into backup PG.

Tp. I agree with that.

Even though am expecting Danny to do something big, this is a very realistic picture of getting ourselves in a good position.

[birdwatcher]

Yes, he needs to play more than 5 minutes! Rondo was GASSED at the end of game 7. Nate had limited minutes because he just doesn't make the best decisions and tends to over play people, gamble on d or just miss rotations all together. Luckily he didn't chuck up too many ill advised threes...

Don't know if you were talking to me, but I said 1-2 5 minute spurts, which could be up to 10 mpg.  There's really no reason why Rondo can't play 38 mpg in a playoff game.  And there's really no reason Bradley can't play 10 mpg. 

I was talking to you but realized I misunderstood what you wrote. I'd like to see rondo sitting for 12 minutes a game. A full quarter off through out the game would be great.

[SalmonAndMashedPotatoes]

I think Nate is gone. With the addition of Bradley it seems highly unlikely we use some or all of the mle to bring him back, which we would have to do be he has no bird rights and we are over the cap.

I think most of us realized that we were only bringing one of Nate and TA back if we brought back either. Since we actually have TA's bird rights and he plays the wing position I think he stays and Nate is gone.

No way the team uses the mle on Nate when they desperately need a quality big to replace Sheed and fill in for Perk.

Avery Bradley impacts the Nate Robinson situation very little if at all.

First things first, we can resign Nate without using the MLE.  It's true we don't have his "Bird Rights," but we can still sign him without the MLE to a contract worth 120% of his 2009-2010 salary, meaning we could offer him a 2010-2011 salary of at least 4.8 million dollars.  I doubt he garners that much on the open market.

Second, Bradley is 19 years old, and I dare you to name me the last championship caliber team who had a 19 year old contributor coming off their bench.  Outside of Magic Johnson, they don't come around often.  Best case scenario, Bradley is a situational player who can come in and play good defense for 5 minute stretches.  But we'll still need veteran backups at the 1 and 2. 

Third, Danny rarely lets assets walk away.  Nate is an asset and assuming he can't get a better deal elsewhere, I expect Danny to sign him to a 2-year contract, let him absorb the Celtic way, build up his trade value, and then use him down the line to improve the team via trade.

Personally, I expect Ray, Tony, and Nate to all be back, assuming some team doesn't come in and overpay them.  I expect Sheed to be traded to some team looking to clear cap space, and I expect us to use the full MLE on a veteran free agent.

Can you please post a link to give credence to this statement? I might have to change my tune if there is truth to this.

Teams can sign non-qualifying veteran free agents to contracts starting at 120% of their previous year's salary.  It's called the "Non-Bird Exception".  Read more at: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q19

[snively]

Salmon's insight about the infrequent presence of 19 year olds in playoff rotations notwithstanding, Bradley can defend and shoot at an NBA level.  That's almost always enough to get minutes on a Doc team.

Still, Nate would be very useful if he's willing to take the Eddie House role and ownership's willing to pay.  Very few players in the league are as explosive scoring the ball as Nate.