Free agent Centers next year

[arctic 3.0]

can we afford sam dam?
if not how about a sign and trade, baby for jason thompson?

[OsirusCeltics]

Samuel Dalembert is the only guy I want on the Celtics. He is a real good player. Can run the floor, good rebounder, shot blocker, team guy, good character, nice offensive skill. Underrated defense.

In that Sixer-Magic series a few years back, he guarded Dwight Howard pretty well. And don't forget he took that falcon punch from Howard and hardly flinched!! Can't beat that lol

[arctic 3.0]

Is it possible for the Celtics to throw some money at the Kings and say one of our extra 2nd rounders to have us buy out Dalembert then sign him for this season?  We really need one more healthy big for the playoffs.  I'm not confident we'll get back both O'Neals at even 90% health.  Kristic is a nice skilled big man but he's no defensive presence in the paint.

trade deadline has passed so we cant offer Sac, anything for sam dam right now.
Also for a player to be eligible for the playoffs with his new team he must be bought out by 3/1, so even if they bought him out he would not be eligible for the playoffs with us.

[democritic]

Whatever we offer will likely be matched but I'd take a hard early run at the RFA, DeAndre Jordan. Would fit great into our defense, would be catching lobs from Rondo all game. That kid has a huge upside. With enough money and a chance to play on a contender, it'd be worth a shot and we'd get our money back in 7 days if matched.

[Finkelskyhook]

Draft a center and groom him.  Hopefully somebody a little further along than Bradley is this year.

Nothing to worry about.  Jermaine O'Neal will be in a contract year and will give 15/8 next year when he's playing for a contract.

His pain threshold and durability will be that of a 29 year old when there's money at stake.  65-70 games at 25mpg next year.

I agree about O'Neal.  The drafting part is a little tougher.  It is incredibly tough to identify quality centers late in the draft.  Generally, if you are not in the top 5 it is a total crapshoot.  If there is someone they like, then fine, otherwise, I don't think they should throw away draft picks, just for the sake of getting a center.

Well, we sorta drafted Perk...You're right, though.  This upcoming draft is a crap shoot squared...Danny has never shown a history of drafting for position anyway.

I don't see why Krstic, if reasonably paid, isn't resigned.  He's not Perk defensively...But he's not bad.

[Roy H.]

It depends on what we do with BBD and Krstic.  Let's say we re-sign Krstic, but let BBD walk.  In that case, I could see us going after a guy like Chuck Hayes, who can play either the 4 or the 5, and who is a good rebounder and defender. 

[KG_ended_Bias]

Oden or Bust this Summer,if not! Then we can maneuver for Howard in 2012. Also if we miss out on Oden this summer, we win the championship again like we did when we missed on him 07-08' 

[Chris]

Draft a center and groom him.  Hopefully somebody a little further along than Bradley is this year.

Nothing to worry about.  Jermaine O'Neal will be in a contract year and will give 15/8 next year when he's playing for a contract.

His pain threshold and durability will be that of a 29 year old when there's money at stake.  65-70 games at 25mpg next year.

I agree about O'Neal.  The drafting part is a little tougher.  It is incredibly tough to identify quality centers late in the draft.  Generally, if you are not in the top 5 it is a total crapshoot.  If there is someone they like, then fine, otherwise, I don't think they should throw away draft picks, just for the sake of getting a center.

Well, we sorta drafted Perk...You're right, though.  This upcoming draft is a crap shoot squared...Danny has never shown a history of drafting for position anyway.

I don't see why Krstic, if reasonably paid, isn't resigned.  He's not Perk defensively...But he's not bad.

Yeah, Perk was a diamond in the rough that late in the draft though.  Plus, he took a while to become a useful player.

I agree about Krstic as well.  Obviously it depends on the price, but if its reasonable, he is a very solid player, and its hard to give up those Bird Rights.  

And honestly, if they resign Krstic, I think a combination of him, and the Oneals can hold it down for another year, and then they will hopefully have some more flexibility to go after Howard, or more realistically, one of the young restricted guys like one of the Lopez brothers, McGee, Love, Hibbert (depending on how the cap shakes out, they may not all be locked up).  Any of those guys could be good options to help with the rebuilding effort.

[footey]

Whatever we offer will likely be matched but I'd take a hard early run at the RFA, DeAndre Jordan. Would fit great into our defense, would be catching lobs from Rondo all game. That kid has a huge upside. With enough money and a chance to play on a contender, it'd be worth a shot and we'd get our money back in 7 days if matched.

Doubt Clippers would let him go. What is Kaman's contract status?

[arctic 3.0]

Oden or Bust this Summer,if not! Then we can maneuver for Howard in 2012. Also if we miss out on Oden this summer, we win the championship again like we did when we missed on him 07-08'  

I actually think this could be an acceptable risk.
with the o'nials and possibly kristic on board we could take a risk with oden. his potential is still enormous but so is the potential of having three 7'ers riding pine for most of the season.
but oden could turn it around, (grant hill) and the thought of a healthy oden in green is making my mouth water. "somebody pass me a napkin, so i can wipe my mouth." Max.

[ScoobyDoo]

Two quick notes -

Bankshot, agreed it's not a playoff team but looking at the post, I did mention it was only a "nice young core" to start rebuilding around...The good thing is that if you could add a couple of good and possible max free agents to that young group of players, you will isntantly be competing.

I think that every single player you see Ainge adding either through small trades, the draft or through free agency, from now until the free agent class of 2013 - will be guys who are young, athletic and who can fly up and down the court with Rondo on a high octane, fast break team like the old Cousy one...

Second thought - the guy I wanted instead of Giddens in that draft was DeAndre Jordan. His porfile said a bit of an under achiever but NBA class athleticism, size and strength at the center position. I figured, it's a gamble but we had Perk and we could see how he panned out with the guidance of Perk, KG, Doc and Danny. I was very diappointed we chose Giddens over Jordan because I thought we had the Flex to take a shot on him.

But overall I have ultimate confidence in Ainge and no one is perfect.   

[ScoobyDoo]

PS: Naturally, I've also made my share of crap "mock draft picks"...which, as it turns out, is what Giddens was.

[BringToughnessBack]

I would accept the Oden risk for next year with a big, hopeful smile. My brain says he will never be healthy but a part of me hopes he will and could turn into something great in the future. Maybe he needs a new regimen to get more durable.  

Can you imagine if we did somehow end up with Oden in Green. We could look back on that fateful year we lost the number 1 pick that sent our Green pick for Ray which got KG to come and banner 17. Now, we have our number five pick back with Ray still here and we could actually end up with that number 1 pick that we missed out on. That would be a wild irony and one I would gladly take! Here is hoping that the Shamrock magic continues to shine on us for the next few years.

I would rather not sign a mediocre center though for more then 1 year with option with even the slightest bit of hope that we could make a run at Howard.

So I guess my scenarios are :

1a. Sign Oden to 2 year deal and pray to Celtics Gods that he gets healthy and begins to show the promise/talent that we know he has
1b. Convince Dwight to come here when he is a free agent after 2012 or parlay a massive trade to get him before that(not sure how feasible that will be though)

Hey, we could have the Towers of Power on the court together grabbing all rebounds and terrorizing opponents in the paint-

2. Sign Krstic to 2 year deal and leave our flexibility for 2012 in tact

Avoid multi year commitments to mediocre players who can prevent us from going after a super star free agent after next season.

[Cman]

It depends on what we do with BBD and Krstic.  Let's say we re-sign Krstic, but let BBD walk.  In that case, I could see us going after a guy like Chuck Hayes, who can play either the 4 or the 5, and who is a good rebounder and defender. 

I like this idea -- in particular I like that it is the type of move that is in the realm of the possible (whereas, as much as I'd like Tyson Chandler on the Cs for the MLE, its not going to happen).

Something for everyone to keep in mind -- before even figuring in what Danny might do with Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic and BBD, let alone the MLE, note that the Cs salary is already pegged at $70+M next year.  

Given that, I think the most realistic outcome is that Danny resigns Green, keeps one of Krstic and BBD and lets the other walk for nothing in return, and maybe spends $2M of the MLE on a 3rd stringer PF/C.  The hope will be that Shaq and JO (who are signed for next year) will be back and playing relatively injury free.

[billysan]

There is also a possibility of resigning Troy Murphy. If he plays well in the playoffs and gets a ring then I dont have a problem with bringing him back for depth at the 4/5. I dont think I would spend alot on him but something like half the midlevel might be where Danny puts his value.

I would definitely try to resign Baby and Krstic if all we have to go with them are the two broken down, save it for the playoffs, O'Neals. Somebody has to get us there.

Chris Kaman is definitely available from the Clippers but has a long, really ugly and huge contract that we dont want any part of for our future.

I would love to add Chuck Hayes to this roster.