This Summer

[greensamurai]

As we all know, anything short of an NBA Finals appearance or a championship would be deemed a failure for this Celtics team.

I am not going to my feelings about the Perk trade, just trying to get a feel of what everyone thinks we should do if we get knocked out say in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Most of our team will be unrestricted this coming year, so we should have a slight amount of cap space to work with.

I don't see us resigning BBD, and hopefully resigning Jeff Green to a reasonable contract.

Obviously our needs are bigs and maybe another wing player.

As far as bigs, a couple free agents (the ones with an R next to their names are restricted):

Marc Gasol (R)
DeAndre Jordan (R)
Carl Landry
Samuel Dalembert
Chuck Hayes (undersized, I know, but decent defensive big man)
Nene
David West
Greg Oden

Obviously it will be tougher to grab Gasol and Jordan as they are both good pieces on their team. Gasol could be had possibly as Memphis doesn't have that much cap space left after extending Rudy Gay and Mike Conley to outrageous contracts...and their owner is kind of stingy.

Carl Landry is a solid big, and Dalembert is decent but up their in age.

Nene is more than likely going to resign with the Nuggets, and that whole thing about him disappearing in the playoffs is an issue, but he is solid. (Will probably want money so its highly unlikely).

David West is undersized as well and is older but has some skill.

We'd have to be willing to take a chance on Oden who seems to be literally made of glass, but if he could lose weight and play limited minutes he could be fairly productive.

As far as wings go...if we get knocked out early I think it may be time to inject some youth into the team. Trading Ray Allen for Mayo, or something like that I think would help.

We've seen what a lineup of Rondo, Pierce,Green,Garnett, and a big fella would do and as much as I love Ray, his legs seem to let him down every year because of playing too many minutes.

Some free agent wings:

JR Smith (headcase, but talented)
Mbah A Moute
Michael Redd (oft injured, but minimum contract=low risk)
Peitrus

Pietrus is a solid defensive wing and can turn around a game, as we've seen from his years on the Magic. Could be a good 6th man.

There isn't a large selection of talent to choose from and if last offseason is any indication, many teams may be willing to overspend on low impact players. Which once again, puts us in a bad situation since we don't have too much money.

Oh, and there may not even be a season next year.

[Who]

Carl Landry could be interesting. Give the second unit a true go-to scorer and low post threat. Offers the team a different dimension to what they already have.

Unfortunately, I think he'd require a multi-year deal and I wouldn't risk the team's 2012 cap space over Carl Landry.

[slamtheking]

unless Danny unloads the core of the team in trades, I don't think there'll be much change in the roster except probably BBD being moved in a S&T. 

C's need lots of pieces for the bench and only have the MLE and LLE available. 
-C's need a healthy center.  If we're going with the 'big 4' next year, I don't want to have to rely on Shaq and JO as a starter.  Krstic is serviceable off the bench.
- C's need a backup PF with size to play the position.  BBD is just too short to do it regardless of his other positive aspects.
- C's need a backup PG that can stay healthy. Delonte is great off the bench when healthy but that's been a rarity this year.  I also wouldn't be surprised to see Delonte get a better offer than the minimum to leave.  Despite Bradley's play tonight, he's not the answer for next year.  Also, Arroyo isn't bad as a 3rd string PG but I don't want him as the primary backup.
-C's need a back up SG.  Wafer has been better than expected but C's need someone that can really eat minutes for Ray.  Delonte could do well in that role, IF he could stay healthy.

Murphy and Sasha will be somewhere else next year.  They might get an invite to camp but unless they can turn back the clock 4 years or so, they won't make it.

That's a lot of bodies to acquire with very little resources.  Hopefully moving BBD will fill a hole or two but C's need some real help next year.

[PseudoElite]

Celtics should put all of their bets on the DWIGHT HOWARD sweepstakes.

I felt that was "sort of" the plan when they decided Perkins wasn't worth the money he was asking for.

Once you have him, you can start rebuilding and his star power will attract good free agents.

Of course, that is much easier said than done.

[BASS_THUMPER]

i dont wont super gurl over here..

howard is not a good fit here.

[PosImpos]

This summer, the priority should be to set up the rebuilding process.  Any move that is aimed at short term competitiveness to the detriment of rebuilding should not be considered.

[PseudoElite]

i dont wont super gurl over here..

howard is not a good fit here.

He's the best center in the league right now by a mile and he's young, would be foolish not to pursue him.

Boston has long lacked a dominant big man in their roster (Perkins was good but by no means an All-Star).

[Green Hell]

The only way these Celtics stay competitive is by signing a big name free agent center LIKE a Dwight Howard or a Nene to play alongside Rondo.

[slamtheking]

Celtics should put all of their bets on the DWIGHT HOWARD sweepstakes.

I felt that was "sort of" the plan when they decided Perkins wasn't worth the money he was asking for.

Once you have him, you can start rebuilding and his star power will attract good free agents.

Of course, that is much easier said than done.

bad idea.

even by your own admission this won't be easy.  If C's were to "put all their bets" on getting Howard and failed, they're screwed, really screwed.  Think about the results with no alternatives: Rondo, Bradley, 1st round draft pick, what's left of PP in 2 years.  Maybe the players Danny used MLE/LLE money this next offseason.  That's pretty much it besides some assumed $ under the cap for free agents. 

Not sure who else will be available that summer that's a major talent other than Dwight (I don't think there is anyone) but having the $ for FA's doesn't guarantee a signing.  (How'd NJ do this past offseason with all the money?) Also, there's absolutely no certainty that Dwight doesn't just resign with Orlando or someone with better assets doesn't work out a S&T to get something for him.  (Think Bron and Bosh compensation to Cle and Tor -->it wasn't much but it was better than the nothing they would have received if they left through true free agency).

If we got him, that would be terrific.  If we go all in and miss, we're screwed.  I'd rather Danny have several plans in motion and proceed with whatever appears to be the best one at the time.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Carl Landry could be interesting. Give the second unit a true go-to scorer and low post threat. Offers the team a different dimension to what they already have.

Unfortunately, I think he'd require a multi-year deal and I wouldn't risk the team's 2012 cap space over Carl Landry.

I'd risk it. I'm not so sure of our buying power then, particularly with the new CBA and Pierce still in the books. I have a feeling that KG will be resigned for a couple or more years, and that our real free-agency year will be in 2014.

Also, considering that we still have the big 3 signed through next year, I'm not so sure that we can get quality players for what might just be our final real run with this group with just 1 year deals. Having JO and Shaq already signed for next year should help though, but it's a question mark on the type of players we might be able to attract.

Then we have to see how they handle Jeff Green, and this playoff run will be quite telling.

Let's see how the CBA goes about and the prospects of a lockout. If a lockout happens I figure we have a better chance at getting quality players for one year loans.

[Fafnir]

I think the C's have to try and make a run at Dwight Howard, even if they miss the cap flexibility that a failed attempt to sign him will give the C's the best chance to rebuild.