The Celtics played 4 home playoff games this year. Good move saving salary?

[17wasEZ]

Home playoff games by year:

2008 - 14
2009 - 8
2010 - 12
2011 - 4

I wonder if Danny feels good about the $ he saved not signing TA, extending Perk or other deals he "saved" money on.  Not saying TA or Perk would have made this year's team a champion, but deals like not offering Posey a 4th year may have come back to bite him. Remember, Posey could have saved a lot of miles on Ray and Paul's tread.

Maybe they would have had more gas in the tank for the last few playoff runs?

Either way, I can't believe the C's are better off financially today by cutting corners in recent years.

[kozlodoev]

I wonder if Danny feels good about the $ he saved not signing TA, extending Perk or other deals he "saved" money on.

I wonder if you bothered to check why Tony Allen wasn't resigned, but that would ruin your little story about Ainge, wouldn't it?

[17wasEZ]

I wonder if Danny feels good about the $ he saved not signing TA, extending Perk or other deals he "saved" money on.

I wonder if you bothered to check why Tony Allen wasn't resigned, but that would ruin your little story about Ainge, wouldn't it?

Not really.  I read that he gave the Celtics an opportunity to at least match Memphis' offer.  Did you read something different?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-wojnarowski_allen_inspires_grizzlies_playoff_run_041511

"Allen is still surprised the Celtics let him leave for the Memphis Grizzlies. As it’s turned out, he has been dollar-for-dollar the most impactful signing of the biggest free-agent class in the sport’s history. His agent Derrick Powell negotiated him a three-year, $9.5 million contract, and tried to get the Celtics to match and keep him. When pressed for a rapid response, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge declined to match the offer and Allen’s heart crumbled."

“I guess they wanted to get more offensive-minded,” Allen says. “They got rid of me, and, well, now who do you get to defend the perimeter?

Are you saying Ainge hasn't gambled and cut corners during the Big 3 era? Again, not saying they would have gone any farther, but it would have saved some mileage from Pierce and Allen with a couple of re-signings.

[kozlodoev]

Not really.  I read that he gave the Celtics an opportunity to at least match Memphis' offer.  Did you read something different?

The only thing I read at the time was Allen blabbering all over the media how he wanted to step out of the shadow of the big three and have an increased role. And the Celtics management going on the record about this not being a money issue.

Even with the link you provided, the issue is not money, it's contract length, which are two significantly different issues in the NBA.

[BballTim]

I wonder if Danny feels good about the $ he saved not signing TA, extending Perk or other deals he "saved" money on.

I wonder if you bothered to check why Tony Allen wasn't resigned, but that would ruin your little story about Ainge, wouldn't it?

  How about if he took a look at the player Posey is now and thought about paying double his $7M when you include luxury tax.

[Yogi]

  Tony Allen needed playing time.  He is perfect for Memphis.  He is a rare commodity in the NBA.  An athletic, elite defensive wing with championship experience and veteran leadership.  He would be great for any team to have, but he did not belong in Boston.  He needed room to grow and Memphis was the right spot for him.  His offensive game has developed greatly and Memphis is a much better team for him.  I am happy for Tony Allen. 
  Jeff Green is more what Boston needs.  A 24 year old athletic guy who is going to be trained by the Celtics to become a much better defender and a more efficient offensive player.  Rondo, Perk, Baby, Tony Allen are all better players because they were developed into their roles by the Celtics staff.  Hopefully the same can be said in the future for Avery Bradley, Delonte West, Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic. 

[CelticG1]

Not really.  I read that he gave the Celtics an opportunity to at least match Memphis' offer.  Did you read something different?

The only thing I read at the time was Allen blabbering all over the media how he wanted to step out of the shadow of the big three and have an increased role. And the Celtics management going on the record about this not being a money issue.

Even with the link you provided, the issue is not money, it's contract length, which are two significantly different issues in the NBA.

It's ridiculous to think that TA didn't leave cause of money and years or whatever.

It had nothing to do with "stepping out of Pierce and Ray's shadow"

What sounds better. "I left cause I wanted more money" or "I left because I wanted a bigger role"?

[kozlodoev]

Not really.  I read that he gave the Celtics an opportunity to at least match Memphis' offer.  Did you read something different?

The only thing I read at the time was Allen blabbering all over the media how he wanted to step out of the shadow of the big three and have an increased role. And the Celtics management going on the record about this not being a money issue.

Even with the link you provided, the issue is not money, it's contract length, which are two significantly different issues in the NBA.

It's ridiculous to think that TA didn't leave cause of money and years or whatever.

It had nothing to do with "stepping out of Pierce and Ray's shadow"

What sounds better. "I left cause I wanted more money" or "I left because I wanted a bigger role"?

I'd make the wild guess that he would have stayed if we offered him a max contract. I'd also make the wild guess that this is irrelevant.

[BballTim]

Not really.  I read that he gave the Celtics an opportunity to at least match Memphis' offer.  Did you read something different?

The only thing I read at the time was Allen blabbering all over the media how he wanted to step out of the shadow of the big three and have an increased role. And the Celtics management going on the record about this not being a money issue.

Even with the link you provided, the issue is not money, it's contract length, which are two significantly different issues in the NBA.

It's ridiculous to think that TA didn't leave cause of money and years or whatever.

It had nothing to do with "stepping out of Pierce and Ray's shadow"

What sounds better. "I left cause I wanted more money" or "I left because I wanted a bigger role"?

  Yeah, most of those nba players could care less how much they play or whether they ever touch the ball, right?

[hpantazo]

Not keeping TA and Perk had nothing to do with saving money for the team, it had a whole lot to do with not tying up our future cap space in mediocre players and killing our chances to successfully rebuild a contending team when the big three are gone after next season. That's why Ainge didn't offer more years to TA, cap space after next season. Now, you can argue the point that saving cap space for the future rebuilding process was not worth it, but no one will know for sure until we see what Danny ends up doing with that cap space next summer.

[greenpride32]

This happens with every winning team.  A role player who would otherwise go completely unnoticed on a bad team all of a sudden becomes a "key" contributer to the winning team.  This player's stock goes up and they get paid more than what they are worth.  In most cases you have no choice but to let them go.  For one, the team management doens't want to overpay any player.  And two, for the Celtics they are over the cap meaning they get hit by a dollar for dollar luxury tax.  Let's say the go $3m over the cap to sign someone; they need to pay another $3m to the league in luxury tax.  So even though the number you see on the player's contract is X, the owners actually pay more than that and certainly account for it.

Posey and TA went for their big pay days; likely their only chances in their careers they could get what they got.  BBD is hoping for the same this offseason.  And had we not traded Perk he would have been in the same boat as BBD.  

[17wasEZ]

I wonder if Danny feels good about the $ he saved not signing TA, extending Perk or other deals he "saved" money on.

I wonder if you bothered to check why Tony Allen wasn't resigned, but that would ruin your little story about Ainge, wouldn't it?

  How about if he took a look at the player Posey is now and thought about paying double his $7M when you include luxury tax.

True. But, I'm willing to bet Posey on last year's roster would have brought home a title and over the last few years would have saved some mileage off of Pierce and Allen.

Not saying Ainge is an idiot.  Just saying that loss of home playoff games and sales of championship t-shirts would have offset a lot of that luxury tax money they would have paid. He knew he had a window and I wish he would have maximized. Maybe he did in his own mind?

[JohnBagleyValueMeal]

Posey and TA went for their big pay days; likely their only chances in their careers they could get what they got.  

Except Tony Allen's contract with Memphis was definitely *not* "a big pay day." It's a totally modest contract for a guy with his resume.

[Lucky17]

I wonder if Danny feels good about the $ he saved not signing TA, extending Perk or other deals he "saved" money on.

I wonder if you bothered to check why Tony Allen wasn't resigned, but that would ruin your little story about Ainge, wouldn't it?

  How about if he took a look at the player Posey is now and thought about paying double his $7M when you include luxury tax.

True. But, I'm willing to bet Posey on last year's roster would have brought home a title and over the last few years would have saved some mileage off of Pierce and Allen.

Not saying Ainge is an idiot.  Just saying that loss of home playoff games and sales of championship t-shirts would have offset a lot of that luxury tax money they would have paid. He knew he had a window and I wish he would have maximized. Maybe he did in his own mind?

The consideration wasn't the luxury tax, it was the extra year that Memphis was offering. I believe Ainge was only willing to give Allen a two-year deal at the same money, not a three-year deal.