What if... (Jeff forgot a scenario)?

[Vicirus]

I think the safest and most likely scenario is that we 1) resign Ray for something like 2 years at 10M per 2) Pierce opts-out and then is resigned at a more manageable cap number 3) Sheed’s contract is traded for a big and then 4) we sign Brad Miller or Shaq for the MLE. I personally wouldn’t mind any of that, but I did think of one thing that no one has spoken about.

I think that if Danny gets the opportunity, he will try to make a big splash, just as he tried to do at this year’s deadline with the failed Boozer trade. I’ve done the math, and there is actually a “long-shot” way that the Celtics can get 2 max guys and retain Pierce.

Out of the top FAs, I see only Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Amare, JJ, and Boozer as max guys with a total of 11 openings (CHI 2, MIA 3, NY 2, NJ 2, LAC 1, MIN 1). I’m not counting Rudy Gay, Dirk, or PP because I’m assuming they all stay with their teams. That means that a few teams will be disappointed and a few will be suicidal if they get shut out (NY anyone?). So here is my idea…

Someone will get desperate when those top FAs start telling them they aren’t interested, and they’ll have to make some type of move. I could see NJ/NY/LAC saying, we’ll take KG off your hands for draft picks, just to appease the fans. If this happens, we would get back a trade exception for 18.8M, which could be used in a S&T scenario. Prior to the trade, management would need to get the OK from Pierce, and he would opt-out and then sign a 6 year $60M extension which would start at ~8M next season. We would then orchestrate a trade for one of the top FAs using the trade exception, Big Baby, Bradley, and any picks possible (‘11, ’13, and ability to swap picks, etc.) Then we’d sign one other max guy.

So in summary:
1) Pierce opts-out and then re-signs
2) We trade KG only for draft picks
3) S&T for one of the top FAs
4) Sign another top FA

Factoring in cap holds as well as renouncing players, this works with a 56M salary cap. I’m not saying it’s realistic, but I’m sure this is the type of scenario that Ainge has thought of, probably not for too long though.

[action781]

Wow, I like the Eric Weiss plan.  Here's a variation I like:

Celts trade: Pierce (after option picked up), Rondo, Sheed, future 1st or 2nd ($37M)

for

Hornets trade:  CP3, Okafor, Peja ($42M)

Hornets save $5M off the bat if 'sheed doesn't retire, possibly 6 more if 'sheed does retire, and a ton more in the future by unloading Okafor.  They are actually still somewhat competitive this season with a team of Rondo/Collison at pg, Posey/Pierce/Wright at wings, West at PF, and they could draft Cole Aldrich for center...  (oops, that could never be possible!!)

We now use the MLE for Outlaw or M. Miller.

PG:  CP3/Nate/Bradley
SG:  Ray/TA/Bradley
SF:  Peja/MLE/Scal
PF:  KG/Baby/Okafor
C:  Perk/Okafor/Erden

That's 13 players, so we could put Bradley or Erden in the d-league or deactivate Scal until needed.  We could also probably afford to not re-sign Nate or TA.  Could a team going over the cap from FA signings like NYK or Miami be interested in a Sign and Trade for Nate?

Man, I can think of a million reasons why I like this team for now and the future.

[PosImpos]

No team is going to win a championship with Peja starting.  Not at this point in his career.  Absolutely massive defensive liability.

Nobody in their right mind would take on his contract, either.

Frankly, all of the scenarios listed on the front page and in this thread are simply nonsense.  But Jeff knew that very well, I'm sure.  Just for fun.

[action781]

No team is going to win a championship with Peja starting.  Not at this point in his career.  Absolutely massive defensive liability.

Nobody in their right mind would take on his contract, either.

Frankly, all of the scenarios listed on the front page and in this thread are simply nonsense.  But Jeff knew that very well, I'm sure.  Just for fun.

OK, what about Miller/Outlaw starting with Peja off the bench?   Peja doesn't have to do as much here as in NO.  He becomes the 4th option in the offense rather than 2nd or 3rd in NO, pretty much just shoot 3's with CP running the show and Ray and KG being more focal points of the offense.  His last 3 seasons he still shot 44%, 38%, 37.5% for 3's.

And taking on "his" contract, were you referring to Peja or Okafor?  Peja is on his last season so it's not that bad.  If Okafor, you gotta do something for NO to get Chris Paul.  This is Chris Paul we're talking about.  This is a player you never have to worry about being in that "rebuilding phase" with, because you are always competing with him on your team if you have a reasonably competent GM and owner willing to spend enough to compete.  Do you remember what he did in 2008 with David West as his #2?  He scored 20+ or dished out 10+ every game (often both), beat the Mavs, and took the Spurs to 7.  I'm not even sure if Kobe beats the Spurs if he was surrounded with the cast that CP was that year.  I love Rajon, but don't see him doing what CP can without his current HOF cast.

[Jeff]

the front page article was categorized under "Humor"

need I say more?

and Coach - silly season hasn't even begun yet - this is just the calm before the free agency storm - we'll have much more fun in the dog days of August

[action781]

I realize it was humor, hence my saying "Wow" because I didn't expect to get anything realistic out of it.  But I think in the Weiss plan, the only really unrealistic part of that "plan" was the PP buy out and returning for MLE.  I took that out of my version of the idea completely.  What is disliked about it?

[timepiece33]

the front page article was categorized under "Humor"

need I say more?

and Coach - silly season hasn't even begun yet - this is just the calm before the free agency storm - we'll have much more fun in the dog days of August

I guess you could have used ambionic pentameter and superfluous to make the sarcasm more biting.