Best backup option for Pierce?

[jdub1660]

The consensus is that we still need a wing to play D and not be a liability on the offense. But who's out there available for Sheed's contract and/or maybe a throw in of BBD or Scal(s/t)?

--Prince for Sheed,Gaffney,Laffayete and maybe BBD(as many draft picks as need)
  All are expiring contracts, but Detroit gets free draft picks and a nice backup PF for Maxiell/Villanueva. We get a talented SF that can post up, hit the 3, and guard LeBron. Plus he's only 30(usually never hurt) so he could resign to grow with Rondo/Perk

--Battier OR Ariza for Sheed and draft picks
  Yao is always hurt, and the Rockets are at best a 2nd round Playoff seed. They save money from losing either contract and get free draft picks. Either of these players sound great to me, but I prefer Ariza. He's young enough to stay and thrive after the Big 3.

--Najera for BBD(Sheed traded elsewhere)
  Najera fills the need we need where BBD is a 5th or 6th wing come playoff time and is likely to dash to another team next year for a little pay increase(Tell Tony we said Hey in Memphis) Plus Najera's contract fits in the 3 year window for us, and maybe BBD stays to play with Jordan's Bobcats

--Other ideas? I checked every teams roster and played with salaries and there's really not many options out there due to Sheed's pay and our lack of trading pieces.

My pick out of these is probably Nocioni since he has 2 years left and can play both forward spots. Defends(sometimes dirty but we could use that against Artest/Kobe) and can score in every way

[Rashi]

Ariza, Shane and Prince (in that order).


But for the vet min and possibly 3rd string option, I would get Rodney Carney for the vet min.

[Asijs]

Via Celticsblog twitter:

celticsblog
 
Ainge: happy with the team but may add another perimeter player - likely through a vet min. signing

celticsblog
 
prediction: we buy out Sheed and sign Hughes

[Brendan]

I like Marvin Williams as a bench player, he's probably not realistic in a straight up trade with ATL, but I'm not sure either HOU guy is realistic either.

[Bankshot]

Rasheed and a pick for Corey Brewer.

[Rashi]

Rasheed and a pick for Corey Brewer.

I'd love for that to happen.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

let's asses the situations.

Battier.

But Houston said they are not interested. So Tayshaun is the next pick.

But to get Prince, we have to offer somebody. BBD would be the i think the best option. But Detroit already has 4 PF's, they might not bite on this. And Perk is too much of a price to give for Prince I think.

Najera is pure physical, defense mentality dude. And I think we can get him for fillers + draft picks. But is an offensive liabilty with a hot/cold shooting and no off ball movement. Though expect him to be under the basket battling it out for the offensive board.

Andres Nocioni would be the easiest (but not the best) choice. Philly has enough SF's in the lineup and they could use salary relief. We can get him too for Sheed + Gaffney and/or draft pick. He has length, as the earlier guy said, plays (dirty) defense (still defense), and is still athletic enough and can shoot. And he has two years left in his contract (3 actually but 3rd is team option) which puts him on Danny's 2 years, then reload program. Only problem is, he might be a chemistry killer, he sometimes has a knack of shooting questionable 3's and his sometimes shoot first mentality even for a guy coming off the bench. But for Sheed's contract, a filler or two and a 1st round pick, I'd take the risk.

Brewer is nice, but i doubt Minny will give him up.

Noche will be my pick because of the availability factor and what he can offer. Im not saying he can be picked up easily, but not as hard as the others. Really wanted Prince though.

[Brendan]

I don't think Nocci can play SF anymore. He's slowed down and was never a great option there anyways. With four big men + Perk, I don't see him getting big man minutes in the important games, he'd basically be a way over priced Scal.

With Philly I'd go after Thaddeus Young... he could play backup SF/PF and has some long term potential. You'd need to trust he could play D on the bigger SF in the C's system, but he'd be a nice guy to have.

If the C's still want a shooter, they could take back Kapono and send Rasheed, BBD. They would probably waive Von Wafer if that happened - or wait and trade Daniels or Nate at a later point in time.

[Jon]

More and more I'd say Posey or Nocioni. 

I don't think Battier or Brewer is going to happen, though obviously those guys would be tops. 

Najera is a 4.  Don't need another. 

I like Prince, but I think even Baby isn't going to be enough to get him.  Not only is he valuable as a player, he expires after this year.  Detroit likely will hold him till the deadline and use him as tradebait. 

Which leaves, Posey and Nocioni.  Both are overpriced and both likely aren't what they were.  However, we need size at the 3 and I don't see how we're going to get it another way. 

Wafer and Daniels are enough for the regular season; however, what about a Miami series?  Neither has the size for LeBron.  Moreover, we may need 3 backup bigs given fouls Wade and James are going to accumulate. 

Both Posey and Nocioni are also done by 2012, which keeps them in the window. 

[Fan from VT]

More and more I'd say Posey or Nocioni. 

I don't think Battier or Brewer is going to happen, though obviously those guys would be tops. 

Najera is a 4.  Don't need another. 

I like Prince, but I think even Baby isn't going to be enough to get him.  Not only is he valuable as a player, he expires after this year.  Detroit likely will hold him till the deadline and use him as tradebait. 

Which leaves, Posey and Nocioni.  Both are overpriced and both likely aren't what they were.  However, we need size at the 3 and I don't see how we're going to get it another way. 

Wafer and Daniels are enough for the regular season; however, what about a Miami series?  Neither has the size for LeBron.  Moreover, we may need 3 backup bigs given fouls Wade and James are going to accumulate. 

Both Posey and Nocioni are also done by 2012, which keeps them in the window. 

Brought this up in another thread, but I'd take Posey if Julian Wright came along too...he'd be the better Pierce backup, as Posey is basically cooked.

[Roy Hobbs]

I expect a guy like Bobby Simmons or Jarvis Hayes.  If we get one of those two, and trade Rasheed for a trade exception, I'll be okay with it.

[RJ87]

If Ariza was a realistic option, I'd be all over that trade. He's a solid defender and can shoot the spot up three when needed, I think he struggled last year as a primary offensive option - that's not really his forte. Bring him to a team with a role centered around his strengths, and he'd excel.

[Sizzlack]

I expect a guy like Bobby Simmons or Jarvis Hayes.  If we get one of those two, and trade Rasheed for a trade exception, I'll be okay with it.

I think Danny's quote about the buyout being likely makes the trade exception talk kinda go out the window. It's possible he's just playing hardball, as potential suitors for that deal are probably asking for a 1st round pick. He may be trying to get them to settle for a 2nd by saying he'd rather buy Sheed out directly then give up a 1st round pick.

But I take it as a sign that teams aren't caving, or maybe Danny isn't even willing to give up a 2nd rounder, since he doesn't think the exception will net anything worth while anyway.

So it seems a buyout, and signing another wing is most likely. Personally, Hayes, Hughes, or anything else at the bottom of the minimum barrel right now I think is useless. I'd rather see what Gaffney can do. I just don't understand spending an extra 700k on a guy we know sucks, than paying Gaffney 700k total to see what happens. He's never had a chance to prove he can play in the NBA, why not take one, at a lower rate over the rest of the bums that we already know for a fact are junk, and have proven that already.

[arctic 3.0]

realgm is reporting that detroit is looking to unclog the logjam on the wingand is willing to move hamilton or prince.
same article says that prince will not be moved unless he requests a trade. don't quite know how to read that.

hamilton is listed as a shooting guard but at 6-7 he would be the tallest bench wing on our bench. can he guard the 3?
 

[Roy Hobbs]

I expect a guy like Bobby Simmons or Jarvis Hayes.  If we get one of those two, and trade Rasheed for a trade exception, I'll be okay with it.

I think Danny's quote about the buyout being likely makes the trade exception talk kinda go out the window. It's possible he's just playing hardball, as potential suitors for that deal are probably asking for a 1st round pick. He may be trying to get them to settle for a 2nd by saying he'd rather buy Sheed out directly then give up a 1st round pick.

But I take it as a sign that teams aren't caving, or maybe Danny isn't even willing to give up a 2nd rounder, since he doesn't think the exception will net anything worth while anyway.

So it seems a buyout, and signing another wing is most likely. Personally, Hayes, Hughes, or anything else at the bottom of the minimum barrel right now I think is useless. I'd rather see what Gaffney can do. I just don't understand spending an extra 700k on a guy we know sucks, than paying Gaffney 700k total to see what happens. He's never had a chance to prove he can play in the NBA, why not take one, at a lower rate over the rest of the bums that we already know for a fact are junk, and have proven that already.

Did Danny say a buyout was going to happen?  I missed that.  Here's the Globe's write up on what was said:

Only yesterday did we learn that Rasheed Wallace has officially taken off his Air Forces for then final time, and already Celtics president Danny Ainge has revealed that he has plans for the two-year, $15-million contract the veteran big man left behind.

As far as what the plan is exactly, Ainge was coy today. But he said it would all be settled soon. The Celtics have been trying to shop the contract all offseason, and Ainge sounds like he's found someone willing to bite.

"It is probably going to be resolved sooner rather than later," Ainge said via teleconference. "I expect it to be done before training camp. We have looked at trade possibilities throughout the summer and will continue to look at those, but it will likely all be resolved shortly."

The Celtics are still looking to add one more ingredient: a shooter. It's a position they're always in the market for.

"I've been saying that since last year," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

Ainge said if the Celtics add a player it will likely be through the veteran minimum rather than with Wallace's contract. But with 15 players, Ainge said he was content with the roster as it stands.

"One more piece is possible," Ainge said. "I like the pieces we have at this stage and would be happy going into training camp with this team. It is possible though we could add another player, most likely for the veteran's minimum, possibly a trade, but the most likely scenario is for the veteran's minimum."

The Globe implies that Rasheed's contract will be moved, but who knows?  Earlier in the summer, there was talk of Rasheed filing retirement papers, which would be a lot better than a buyout.

I don't think there's any way that Danny trades Rasheed + a #1 for a trade exception.  That doesn't do us much good at all.

We have different opinions on Tony Gaffney, and I'm not comfortable having him as our primary backup 3 when Marquis inevitably is injured.  We're in "win now" mode, and we already have three rookies on the roster.  Also, Danny wants a shooter, which definitely isn't Gaffney.  At least Simmons and Hayes are NBA-caliber players.

Regarding the financials, I believe Gaffney is making $762,195 (non-guaranteed).  The Celtics would only have to pay a vet with 2+ years experience $854,389 (the two year vet-minimum; the league subsidizes the rest.)  Therefore, we're only looking at a financial difference of about $92k (or $184k when luxury tax is taken into account.)