Ainge Should Be Busy Looking for Min-Salary Guys (including the D-League)

[LooseCannon]

This is a longer form of what I've been saying in various threads.

If the next CBA looks a lot like the current one, the Celtics will be able to add, at most, two guys making more than the minimum (or slightly more, if they give their non-Bird free agents the raise they are allowed to give).  If the next CBA looks more like the owners' draconian hard salary cap proposal, the Celtics are probably not going to have room for anything more than bargain basement free agents.

Either way, if the Celtics want to add youth and athleticism to the team, they're going to have to do it on the cheap.  NBA veterans who can be had for the minimum include declining has-beens trying to hang on, never-was journeymen who are career bench players, injured guys looking to bounce back, and failed prospects.  The later category, especially when you can say the player was misused or irrationally in a coach's doghouse would be the best shot at looking for younger, more athletic players.

Another place to look is the D-League.  Austin Ainge in his new front office job may be able to point out players he coached against.  Maybe dreams of Tiny Gallon were burst when Maine traded him to Bakersfield for a draft pick, but maybe you want to think about the guy he was traded to create room for, the familiar Stephane Lasme.  Two big men who intrigue me are Sean Williams, a former Nets first round pick with off-court problems who was runner-up to Chris Johnson as D-League Defensive Player of the Year, and former D-League MVP Courtney Sims, who seems to consistently be [dang]ed with the faint praise of being one of the top bigs in the D-League.  You probably won't find a future All-Star, but you might find the next CJ Watson or Von Wafer, two name to guys who spent time down there without being assigned by an NBA club.  Atlanta grabbed Magnum Rolle at the end of the season to get a head start with him, just as a healthier Celtics big man rotation probably would have led Ainge to hang onto Chris Johnson (who the Blazers seem to have signed through next season).

There are draft picks, and I am sure we will be debating those pretty soon.

And of course there are undrafted free agents.  Ben Uzoh, Wesley Matthews, Marquis Daniels, and Reggie Evans are some recent players to succeed despite not being drafted.  Some players in this category may have spent time overseas before returning to the US.

It's difficult to speculate about trades and free agent signings without knowing what the rules will be in the new CBA, but regardless of what happens in labor negotiations, these are the sort of players the Celtics could and should be looking at and a better choice than looking at broken-down veterans to back up an aged core.

If we're going to speculate about what Boston can do to replenish the bench, we might as well think about things that might actually happen.  Danny Ainge probably doesn't read this board, but you never know....

[bfrombleacher]

Exactly. The free agency players available are either too crappy, too old, too unreliable or too expensive. Unless there is going to be a major move, the C's shouldn't look at the FA too seriously.


I'm curious as to how the CBA will affect the Lakers. Don't they have the most expensive roster?

[BASS_THUMPER]

min salary means min talent

[LooseCannon]

I'm curious as to how the CBA will affect the Lakers. Don't they have the most expensive roster?

Last time I checked, they had salary commitments for the next two seasons that are well over this season's luxury tax.

[LooseCannon]

min salary means min talent

I think I've given enough examples to show that it's possible to get solid, young players for cheap who can contribute off the bench.

[BASS_THUMPER]

min salary means min talent

I think I've given enough examples to show that it's possible to get solid, young players for cheap who can contribute off the bench.

re read

saw none

[BballTim]

  Another are that could help if the CBA were the same is sign and trades.

[paulcowens]

This makes sense to me, but then again, it's what made sense to me at the Trade Deadline.  Try very hard to make some good choices of cheap players to fill in with, and then work hard with Rondo, Baby and Green to overcome their various hangups.  With Rondo it's shooting and not being aggressive enough.  With Baby it's the eternal confusion he has about his role.  With Green, it seems to be an issue of motivation.  I believe that Rondo and Green could potentially motivate each other some.

[jc3celticsphan]

I think its possible... get the right players that fit your system more important players who would compliment rondo they don't have to be supertars look @ the mavericks.. great TEAM its all about team work and chemistry

[Who]

Rodney Carney

Joey Dorsey

Ronnie Price

[2short]

I think Lasme should be on the celtics, energy guy off the bench for 10-15 minutes, rebound play good defense and take charges...wait I just replaced davis for cents on the dollar 

[Jeff]

I think we'll need at least 2 or 3 min salary guys and we might dip into the D-League for one

An interesting development along these lines is if any of the late season pickups like Sasha, Murphy, and Arroyo stick around for min money.  You could make the case that those guys (while somewhat useless in the playoffs) are just as good or better than many of the guys we could get for min money

[2short]

I think we'll need at least 2 or 3 min salary guys and we might dip into the D-League for one

An interesting development along these lines is if any of the late season pickups like Sasha, Murphy, and Arroyo stick around for min money.  You could make the case that those guys (while somewhat useless in the playoffs) are just as good or better than many of the guys we could get for min money

I can't see arroyo staying if delonte does, west does more for us (if healthy) and bradley is already signed and the celts are going to want to give him some minutes next year unless he looks as bad again.  Murphy might do well to stay here in boston and try to get his game back.  Most disappointing pick up for me in awhile, if he can get his pacer game back he'd be great for backup pf minutes.  If c's can keep sasha as 3rd string sf that would be great but I almost think he could get more time elsewhere.

[Who]

I think we'll need at least 2 or 3 min salary guys and we might dip into the D-League for one

An interesting development along these lines is if any of the late season pickups like Sasha, Murphy, and Arroyo stick around for min money.  You could make the case that those guys (while somewhat useless in the playoffs) are just as good or better than many of the guys we could get for min money

I can't see arroyo staying if delonte does, west does more for us (if healthy) and bradley is already signed and the celts are going to want to give him some minutes next year unless he looks as bad again.  Murphy might do well to stay here in boston and try to get his game back.  Most disappointing pick up for me in awhile, if he can get his pacer game back he'd be great for backup pf minutes.  If c's can keep sasha as 3rd string sf that would be great but I almost think he could get more time elsewhere.

I can see Arroyo staying. He is one of the best third string PGs out there so keeping him makes sense.

I don't think Bradley has shown enough to be a given a role. Even one as unimportant as a third string PG. He'll have to prove himself in training camp to win that right / role.

As for Arroyo, he has struggled to get offers for the past few summers so there is a fair chance that nobody offers him guaranteed playing time ... and he decides to stay with Boston despite being third on the depth chart at PG.

------------------------------------

I named Ronnie Price above as a guy who'll likely be available for the minimum that I'd like to see Danny pursue this summer.

I think I'd go with R.Price over Arroyo because he has that wonderful athleticism. That quickness, that explosiveness, that Doc would like to add to the roster. He is also a dogged player who competes hard defensively and goes after loose balls. Plus he plays with great infectious energy.

Price is a guy who can come into the game and make a couple of hustle plays and change things. Change the way the game has been going. Whereas Arroyo is more of steady as she goes type of player at this point in his career. He can step in and keep things ticking without creating problems.

Different skill-sets ... but I think those are the two top third string PGs out there.

Anthony Carter is also noteworthy. Solid defender. Better size, more muscle / heft. Offers very little offensively though. Another steady performer.

[clover]

With a draconian hard cap there'd be more than the usual minimum players--which is why it could be a short season.