Ray wants to see where the big free agents land before making a decision

[dpaps]

Sign and trade for Varejao and Delonte?

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Ray is still a major league shooter and scorer, 2 years for sure, used not as much as this year, with a bit more protection- if the Celts can understand this idea, it should be easy to see where the league is headed after all the dirty hacking that they let go this year......Ray is still hard to cover, someone will have to do it.....we have no replacement for him at the moment...we'll be sorry to lose him, pair him with lebron and a good forward and we got problems there...!

[Bankshot]

Sign and trade for Varejao and Delonte?

I like Varejao, Delonte not so much.  I'd rather Cleveland keep their problem child. Don't help them by taking him off their hands.

[gar]

If we loose Ray would change my opinion of both Ainge and Ray. Ainge because I think he is tight fisted and Ray because I thought he was more committed to the cause. He works his tail off and to reward that with a low ball offer is an insult. Still to play with lebron would be a huge betrayal.

[the_Bird]

Sign and trade for Varejao and Delonte?

I like Varejao, Delonte not so much.  I'd rather Cleveland keep their problem child. Don't help them by taking him off their hands.

If Cleveland's keeping LBJ (the only reason they'd want Ray Allen), they NEED to keep Varejao.  He's their best big man, and he's the perfect fit for what they need out of that spot (defense, rebounding - especially offensive rebounding - cleaning up and getting garbage points). 

If Ray walks to join LBJ or Wade...  well, power to him.  If Miami or New York or Cleveland wants to offer him a ridiculous contract, so be it.  Caveat - as long as Danny/ownership make a move to replace him someone at LEAST of the caliber of a Barbosa or a Mike Miller.  I'd rather pay Barbosa $15M over the next two years rather than Ray Allen on something like a 3 year, $40M contract. 

Ray Allen's a helluva player, but he IS showing his age. 

[Evantime34]

ray allen is a HUGE part of the cavs pitch to keep LBJ. They are telling him they will get ray allen as well as heyward...that would be brutal to see ray play for those bums

I don't believe Cleveland is under the cap far enough to resign Lebron and then offer Ray a large contract. In order for him to go there wouldn't we need to do a sign and trade with them?

[the_Bird]

ray allen is a HUGE part of the cavs pitch to keep LBJ. They are telling him they will get ray allen as well as heyward...that would be brutal to see ray play for those bums

I don't believe Cleveland is under the cap far enough to resign Lebron and then offer Ray a large contract. In order for him to go there wouldn't we need to do a sign and trade with them?

Yeah, as per Hoopshype, Cavs have nearly $50M in actual salaries committed for next season, not counting cap holds for LeBron, draft picks, empty roster spots, or any actual dollars they would commit to LeBron. 

Looking at that roster, unless Danny wanted Jamison for the next two years (and sounds like he didn't want that contract at the last trade deadline), looks like it would almost HAVE to include Sideshow in a S&T.  I mean, Danny's not dumb enough to take three years of Mo Williams at almost $9M per.  Ain't taking Boobie Gibson for three years at $4.5 per. 

If Cleveland wants Ray Allen, if that's how they're going to convince LBJ to return, they've got to give us Varejeo.  And, I'd push for Hickson.  It's not like Cleveland's got a lot of leverage right now.

[celticinorlando]

ray allen is a HUGE part of the cavs pitch to keep LBJ. They are telling him they will get ray allen as well as heyward...that would be brutal to see ray play for those bums

I don't believe Cleveland is under the cap far enough to resign Lebron and then offer Ray a large contract. In order for him to go there wouldn't we need to do a sign and trade with them?

the cavs don't have anything i would want

[the_Bird]

ray allen is a HUGE part of the cavs pitch to keep LBJ. They are telling him they will get ray allen as well as heyward...that would be brutal to see ray play for those bums

I don't believe Cleveland is under the cap far enough to resign Lebron and then offer Ray a large contract. In order for him to go there wouldn't we need to do a sign and trade with them?

the cavs don't have anything i would want

You wouldn't take Varejao at ~$7M - $8M per?  He ain't an All Star, he's annoying as hell, but he's a very good backup 5 and would hold down the fort until Perk returned.  He's a little overpaid, but not egregiously (Perk will make a lot more on his next contract).

I'd love to see Andy running up and down the court with Rondo; I tend to think his talents would be better utilized in Boston than they are in Cleveland.  

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Well, that is one reason i hate varajo...i mean, i want to say he is a scrub (he isn't really)  but he HELD OUT for more money....are you kidding, he held out for more money, he isn't a 6=7 mill player..God, they settle for sooo little for the millions these days.....he rebounds decently, and scores on them decent....that is until someone finally covers him...when they do, he has nothing really, not a 6-7 mill worth of scoring production, sheed got 6 mill, is he better than sheed...? West, no way...the Celts don't dig tattoo problem guys......i know, i should feel sorry for a multi millionaire who can't figure out his problems, it isn't his fault that guns where in his pockets...don't you guys have guns on you at all times...?
Varajo would help, but he is a 3 mill guy to me...! Hickson is a good add, he has shown really good games.....is he a center...?

[CoachBo]

Oh, no question I'd be more than happy to sign Ray at 11 large a year, say, and ship him to Cleveland for Sideshow and Hickson.

That'd be an excellent deal.

[LooseCannon]

Any sign-and-trade with Cleveland would probably involve taking back Delonte West and/or Daniel Gibson.

I think this suggests that a sign-and-trade would best work if a third team was involved.  I think the ideal third team to look for is one in need of backcourt help which has a big man who has fallen into disfavor with his team but who Ainge still likes, perhaps a player signed to an MLE contract who the team now regrets signing.

Do any teams fit that description?

[the_Bird]

Well, that is one reason i hate varajo...i mean, i want to say he is a scrub (he isn't really)  but he HELD OUT for more money....are you kidding, he held out for more money, he isn't a 6=7 mill player..God, they settle for sooo little for the millions these days.....he rebounds decently, and scores on them decent....that is until someone finally covers him...when they do, he has nothing really, not a 6-7 mill worth of scoring production, sheed got 6 mill, is he better than sheed...? West, no way...the Celts don't dig tattoo problem guys......i know, i should feel sorry for a multi millionaire who can't figure out his problems, it isn't his fault that guns where in his pockets...don't you guys have guns on you at all times...?
Varajo would help, but he is a 3 mill guy to me...! Hickson is a good add, he has shown really good games.....is he a center...?

Hickson's not a C, but he's got pretty good potential at the PF spot.  We need depth there, too, especially if we assume both KG and Big Game Davis play a little more at the 5 this season.  Cleveland (and LeBron) seem to love Hickson, they've held off on a few trades because they didn't want to include him...  I'd love to get him if for no other reason that to p--- them off!

Really, there isn't much else on their roster that's worth a [dang], certainly not at their current contracts.

Varejeo; I mean, he's overpaid...  but looking at some of the deals that big men have signed recently, it's like a 4yr/$32M contract at this point.  I'd rather have Sideshow on those numbers than Amir Johnson or Dwight Gooden on the contracts they just signed.  Varejeo's at least established in the league and does certain things quite well - certain things that we really need out of the 5 spot.  

[Meadowlark_Scal]

I don't want to lose Ray.......i know, "my " opinion of what we get for our money...is just that.....just me, a fading common sense..too bad just regular costs so much, but i would take varajo....as long as he is a normal team guy and not a big "hold out ego: type...you never know.....like i said, what i saw from him, is that not many take him seriously, so he gets a lot of hustle rebounds, and good dunks and put backs...but when someone finally covers him full time, he looks pretty weak.....

[the_Bird]

I don't want to lose Ray.......i know, "my " opinion of what we get for our money...is just that.....just me, a fading common sense..too bad just regular costs so much, but i would take varajo....as long as he is a normal team guy and not a big "hold out ego: type...you never know.....like i said, what i saw from him, is that not many take him seriously, so he gets a lot of hustle rebounds, and good dunks and put backs...but when someone finally covers him full time, he looks pretty weak.....

Ok...  but if we've got a lineup of Rondo, and Pierce, and KG, and hopefully a decent shooting guard like Barbosa or Mike Miller...  Varejao IS going to get forgotten about, and pick up loose balls, and extend possessions with offensive rebounds, and get putbacks and get loose for a few dunks off Rondo passes.

We don't NEED out 5 to be the focal point of the offense. 

Cripes, how much better is Varejao at doing those types of things than Perk is?  How often does Perk get free for an alley-oop from Rondo?  I love Perk, but he's more of a liability offensively than Varejao is.