So with the trade deadline less than a week away..what's the C's best option?

[snively]

Rasual Butler is an inferior option to Parker, IMHO, despite his younger age.

[Drucci]

I say be bold and go for Battier, although we probably won't get him, who knows?

Then get down to the inferior options like Parker (not really a fan) or Butler (not great either but better in my opinion).

Of course we can also hope for buyouts but it's too risky. And I'm not keen on trading Nate and having to rely on Delonte only as the backup PG knowing he is injury prone.

[Fan from VT]

Here's bold:

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4e23ytf


(I think Indy would say no)

[Fan from VT]

You know what? That wasn't bold. This is BOLD:

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4rtqya3

CP3/Delonte
Monte Ellis/Delonte/D Wright
Pierce/D. Wright
Randolph/B Wright/Amundson
Okafor/Shaq/Amundson


perfectly balanced team! Shooters, slashers, scorers, defenders, athletes, bench...

[clover]

You know what? That wasn't bold. This is BOLD:

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4rtqya3

CP3/Delonte
Monte Ellis/Delonte/D Wright
Pierce/D. Wright
Randolph/B Wright/Amundson
Okafor/Shaq/Amundson


perfectly balanced team! Shooters, slashers, scorers, defenders, athletes, bench...

At this point that's not bold--it's sacrilege!

[More Banners]

You know what? That wasn't bold. This is BOLD:

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4rtqya3

CP3/Delonte
Monte Ellis/Delonte/D Wright
Pierce/D. Wright
Randolph/B Wright/Amundson
Okafor/Shaq/Amundson


perfectly balanced team! Shooters, slashers, scorers, defenders, athletes, bench...

At this point that's not bold--it's sacrilege!

True.

But with $3 mil for a JO buyout and 3 future 1st rounders, this

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4cpasun

8-player rotation:

Rondo, Paul, Melo, KG, Perk, with West, Ray, and Harrington off the bench.  Look for minimum guys for size, or take back Shel Williams again (um, no.).

[LooseCannon]

Still, I'm not sure there's a market out there for Nate.  It really sucks that Danny gave him that second year.  I think in some ways this is Danny's lesser Scalabrine deal.  If there were no teams out there willing to give BBD more than 3 million a year after his very impressive run in '09, I can't believe that there were any teams even close to matching the 2 year, 9 million dollar deal that Nate got.  I'd be shocked if there was anyone willing to give him more than the league minimum. 

No player was accepting a one-year deal due to lockout hysteria.  Ainge probably paid a bit of premium because he preferred to sign Nate to two years instead of something along the lines of a three-year deal with a partially guaranteed third year.  Robinson at $4-ish million/year is a better trade asset than Robinson at $2-ish million/year since he better matches up salary-wise in a trade for the sort of player who gets signed to a full MLE contract.

[Surferdad]

Rasual Butler is an inferior option to Parker, IMHO, despite his younger age.

Butler is the better defender which is really the biggest need at the backup 3.  I get the feeling it will be Butler with Parker going to Chicago.

[More Banners]

I think Battier would be the best fit, but would fetch a high price.

But I'm a bit concerned about scoring, and perhaps a "microwave" #1 offensive option on the 2nd unit would be a better idea, but who?

Do we still have a player who can create a good shot for himself in the crunch?  (Not crazy about 22 foot PP fadeaways)

[Fafnir]

I think Battier would be the best fit, but would fetch a high price.

But I'm a bit concerned about scoring, and perhaps a "microwave" #1 offensive option on the 2nd unit would be a better idea, but who?

Do we still have a player who can create a good shot for himself in the crunch?  (Not crazy about 22 foot PP fadeaways)

We don't have a high level iso player on this team anymore, Pierce is still our best option for that. (he's good now but no longer great) KG is another option in the post depending on the match up.

The C's strength offensively is predicated on running the offense.

[More Banners]

I think Battier would be the best fit, but would fetch a high price.

But I'm a bit concerned about scoring, and perhaps a "microwave" #1 offensive option on the 2nd unit would be a better idea, but who?

Do we still have a player who can create a good shot for himself in the crunch?  (Not crazy about 22 foot PP fadeaways)

We don't have a high level iso player on this team anymore, Pierce is still our best option for that. (he's good now but no longer great) KG is another option in the post depending on the match up.

The C's strength offensively is predicated on running the offense.

And this is the thing that is concerning to me a bit.  In a series when the other team knows all of the sets, plays, and options, it comes down to execution.  We can execute well, but I'm a bit concerned that we don't really have a mismatch in our favor at at least one spot on any given night anymore.  When Ray and KG first came here, yes, but not any more.

So I guess this morning my mind is changing on Stephen Jackson as the best option that might be available, even though I really don't like him very much.

[Fafnir]

I think Battier would be the best fit, but would fetch a high price.

But I'm a bit concerned about scoring, and perhaps a "microwave" #1 offensive option on the 2nd unit would be a better idea, but who?

Do we still have a player who can create a good shot for himself in the crunch?  (Not crazy about 22 foot PP fadeaways)

We don't have a high level iso player on this team anymore, Pierce is still our best option for that. (he's good now but no longer great) KG is another option in the post depending on the match up.

The C's strength offensively is predicated on running the offense.

And this is the thing that is concerning to me a bit.  In a series when the other team knows all of the sets, plays, and options, it comes down to execution.  We can execute well, but I'm a bit concerned that we don't really have a mismatch in our favor at at least one spot on any given night anymore.  When Ray and KG first came here, yes, but not any more.

So I guess this morning my mind is changing on Stephen Jackson as the best option that might be available, even though I really don't like him very much.

We have mismatches against many teams, we'll see how it goes. I'm not worried about crunch time scoring, the C's run their offense even in big situations.

[Jon]

Still, I'm not sure there's a market out there for Nate.  It really sucks that Danny gave him that second year.  I think in some ways this is Danny's lesser Scalabrine deal.  If there were no teams out there willing to give BBD more than 3 million a year after his very impressive run in '09, I can't believe that there were any teams even close to matching the 2 year, 9 million dollar deal that Nate got.  I'd be shocked if there was anyone willing to give him more than the league minimum. 

No player was accepting a one-year deal due to lockout hysteria.  Ainge probably paid a bit of premium because he preferred to sign Nate to two years instead of something along the lines of a three-year deal with a partially guaranteed third year.  Robinson at $4-ish million/year is a better trade asset than Robinson at $2-ish million/year since he better matches up salary-wise in a trade for the sort of player who gets signed to a full MLE contract.

Well, Nate may not have wanted a 1-year deal, but I reiterate: what other team out there would've given a 5-7 shooting guard anywhere close to what Danny gave him? 

Is this horrible for the Celtics?  No.  As I said, this is less of a problem than the Scalabrine deal, which really wasn't much of a problem.  All I was saying is that if Danny had given him a 1-year deal, we'd probably have an easier time moving him right now.  And I don't see why he gave him a second. 

As I said above, I can't imagine any team that would give Nate more than the minimum.  I actually like Nate, but he played about 3 good playoff games for the Celtics last year.  Baby played the entire playoffs well the year before and couldn't get more than 3 million a year. 

[Megatron]

I think Battier would be the best fit, but would fetch a high price.

But I'm a bit concerned about scoring, and perhaps a "microwave" #1 offensive option on the 2nd unit would be a better idea, but who?

Do we still have a player who can create a good shot for himself in the crunch?  (Not crazy about 22 foot PP fadeaways)

We don't have a high level iso player on this team anymore, Pierce is still our best option for that. (he's good now but no longer great) KG is another option in the post depending on the match up.

The C's strength offensively is predicated on running the offense.

Pierces isos are fine, in crunch time he fares just as well as anyone else not named Kobe.

Kobe is the only one that has feared isos because he has a jordanesque way of getting a perfect look at the basket and a clean shot off even with a hand in his face.

Hes pretty much the only player that can do that.

[indeedproceed]

I think Battier would be the best fit, but would fetch a high price.

But I'm a bit concerned about scoring, and perhaps a "microwave" #1 offensive option on the 2nd unit would be a better idea, but who?

Do we still have a player who can create a good shot for himself in the crunch?  (Not crazy about 22 foot PP fadeaways)

We don't have a high level iso player on this team anymore, Pierce is still our best option for that. (he's good now but no longer great) KG is another option in the post depending on the match up.

The C's strength offensively is predicated on running the offense.

Pierces isos are fine, in crunch time he fares just as well as anyone else not named Kobe.

Kobe is the only one that has feared isos because he has a jordanesque way of getting a perfect look at the basket and a clean shot off even with a hand in his face.

Hes pretty much the only player that can do that.

Kobe is not even close to the only player that can do that, at least to me.

Carmelo Anthony is better at it, for one..and he's also the most dangerous player statistically in crunch time over the last 3 years, between the usual suspects of Pierce, Bryant, James, etc..

EDIT: Rudy Gay can do that, Luol Deng can do that..there are lots of guys who can create a shot in crunch time off the dribble and hit it, even with a hand in their face.