Free Agency might suck.

[ManUp]

Here's the thing, We need a point guard, a backup wing, and a center. Miami "needs" all the same things. All we have is the MLE, Vet Min, and Bi-annual exception thingamajig, and guess what so do the Heat. We will most likely end up competing for free-agents with the Heat.

AfterAssuming they win the 2011 title free-agents will be lining up to join the Heat. There would be little to no incentive for free-agents to pick Boston over Miami if the money is similar. The Heat will have the city, title, and players to entice free agents, not to mention larger roles on the team. So after Miami gets its pick of the top affordable ring chasers on the market we duke it out with the rest of the contenders (Chicago, Dallas, LAL) for the scraps. When the dust settles it could be a deeper MIA vs a year older Boston team with basically the same depth as this year.

My minds been think glass half empty since we were booted from the play-offs. Am I wrong for thinking this is how free agency is going to go down. Miami's paper thin depth wise they're only going to get better this free-agency.

[jimmehx]

Hadn't thought of it like that at all. What a scary thought!

Hopefully some MLE/min players are feeling anti-heat...

I feel like you're probably exactly right though

[Edgar]

The Heat will have the city, title,

wait wait wait
stop right here keemosabe
still 3 games away

[action781]

I also don't think things are looking good... but not so much this offseason particularly.

I think a bit of the league will be anti-Heat.  Also, if they spend the whole MLE on one elite player (if there is a MLE), then the rest of the cream of the crop will go to other teams that have money available.  So I don't think they'll be able to fill multiple holes with strong talent.  Unfortunately, the only really have 2 holes.  PG and starting C.  If they could fill those 2 holes, they will suddenly have great depth IMO.  Chalmers, Miller, Jones, Haslem, and Anthony are fantastic bench players at each respective position.  But at least one of them will likely be starting next season.

Since there is a lot of FA depth at center this year, I expect them to go after (and likely get one of) Chandler or Dalembert.  If they don't get one of them, there are still options like DeAndre Jordan and Pryzbilla that Miami could throw money at.  Then they'll roll with Bibby and Chalmers again for one more year at point until they can get a PG in '12.  The free agent PG class this in '11 is just crap.  Wouldn't Ray Felton love to join Miami for the full mid-level in '12?     Decent pay and an absolute match made in heaven hell.

Let's hope there's no MLE in the new CBA........

[PosImpos]

Especially with the lockout looming, free agency this year is going to be a very dubious prospect for this team.

People expecting Danny to acquire all the top guys at our positions of need (e.g. Chandler / Dalembert and J.R. Smith) are kidding themselves.  Not only will they be out of our price range by quite a lot, but they will be interested in going elsewhere where they have a better chance of winning over the next few years.


Most likely, many of the best options for us within our price range and given the economic climate / CBA uncertainty will be guys already on the roster.  Expect the bench to look very similar to this season.

[jc3celticsphan]

Well I wouldn't  say all the best free agents will go to miami just for a ring wade and bron dominate the ball so much all wings they aquire won't have a future with miami. I can understand the center spot though they could pick up oden with the mle but he can make more money somewhwere else as his career progresses. I don't think its guna suck that bad yeah miami might get sum decent players some one like dalembert but all they have is the mle. They can't have everyone. their main priority is center. Trust me we won't have scraps

[cman88]

I think its important that we retain delonte and bbd at least for a season and draft a scoring 2 who can contribute right away. A landry fields type.

Assuming the mle stays imo were a deandre jordan or some other athletic center away from being championship level....daour age injuries and nonexistant. Bench is what killed us

[Celtic#9]

We will be in trouble. I was thinking the same thing. Why come to Boston to play with aging players with a difficult sytem to learn?

[ManUp]

The Heat will have the city, title,

wait wait wait
stop right here keemosabe
still 3 games away

I said "assuming they win the title", Edgar and after game 1 I don't like Dallas chances. The Mavs supporting cast was taken out of the game and Dirk was left with a torn tendon in his finger. I do hope I'm wrong though.

I think its important that we retain delonte and bbd at least for a season and draft a scoring 2 who can contribute right away. A landry fields type.

Assuming the mle stays imo were a deandre jordan or some other athletic center away from being championship level....daour age injuries and nonexistant. Bench is what killed us

First, I don't think any of those guys get us close to a Championship. Our problem was an inability to score late in the fourth. None of those guys solve that problem. Second, the issue is Miami needs another wing and center as well. They're going to add depth this off season championship or not. Miami can offer players a chance to play larger role, and are more likely to be back in the finals next year. Do you think free-agents will pick us over Miami for the same money?

[Who]

Yep, it's probably gonna suck.

The talent pool is shallow and the 2012 cap space is a major issue to navigate.

[Marcus13]

Not to mention Danny isn't going to be offering players multi-year deals.  It is going to be virtually the same roster back next season on one-year extensions and a couple end-of-the-bench guys added to the mix

[Kane3387]

Not to mention no state income tax in Florida. So there MLE is better then ours after the taxes. It's why LeBron is making more money with the contract he signed in Florida then if he signed a Max deal in say NY.

It's going to be interesting. I think trades and buyouts will be our only chance.

[BballTim]

Here's the thing, We need a point guard, a backup wing, and a center. Miami "needs" all the same things. All we have is the MLE, Vet Min, and Bi-annual exception thingamajig, and guess what so do the Heat. We will most likely end up competing for free-agents with the Heat.

AfterAssuming they win the 2011 title free-agents will be lining up to join the Heat. There would be little to no incentive for free-agents to pick Boston over Miami if the money is similar. The Heat will have the city, title, and players to entice free agents, not to mention larger roles on the team. So after Miami gets its pick of the top affordable ring chasers on the market we duke it out with the rest of the contenders (Chicago, Dallas, LAL) for the scraps. When the dust settles it could be a deeper MIA vs a year older Boston team with basically the same depth as this year.

My minds been think glass half empty since we were booted from the play-offs. Am I wrong for thinking this is how free agency is going to go down. Miami's paper thin depth wise they're only going to get better this free-agency.

  How would a backup wing have a bigger role on the Heat than the Celts? Do PP and RA play more minutes than Wade/James? And a pg on the Heat has the "role" of standing outside the three point line watching someone else control the ball. Not saying the Heat won't get ring chasers, but a backup wing might see Ray on the last year of his contract before deciding. We might get younger players because of this.

[MBunge]

First, I don't think any of those guys get us close to a Championship. Our problem was an inability to score late in the fourth. None of those guys solve that problem. Second, the issue is Miami needs another wing and center as well. They're going to add depth this off season championship or not. Miami can offer players a chance to play larger role, and are more likely to be back in the finals next year. Do you think free-agents will pick us over Miami for the same money?

First, let's be clear about what Boston's problems were against Miami.

1.  Rondo got hurt.
2.  Boston didn't have home court, largely due to that stretch late in the season when Rondo played like absolute crap.
3.  Big Baby stunk up the court after being a legitimate 6th man of the year candidate during the regular season.
4.  KG played one great game and not much else.  Ray had one good game and not much else.
5.  Jeff Green underperformed.
6.  The team's longstanding offensive chemistry issues and Doc's bad coaching habits converged.
7.  The team's persistent problem with turnovers finally bit them in the behind where they threw away any chance to win two games at the end with two of the dumbest, middle school basketball turnovers you'll ever see.

1-3 can fix themselves and 6 and 7 are mental/emotional things that don't depend on adding anything to the team, especially if Rondo can learn to shoot.  4 and 5 are the two areas where draft/trade/free agent moves might be needed.  As far as competing with Miami in those areas, Boston is clearly better positioned as far as trades and even draft picks with that Clippers first rounder.  Free agency will be largely determined by what the new rules are and what players are looking for.  A young player might actually see Boston as a better place where he could come and play a bigger role, setting himself up for a bigger contract as opposed to Miami, where he'll be a 7th or 8th wheel at best on a team that will have no money to spend for antoher 4 or 5 years.

Mike

[Cman]

From comments Wyc made a couple weeks back, it sounds like the Cs are willing to spend the full MLE.

I think the Cs just need to be smart about how they use it.

I think a player like Carl Landry would be a great addition to the team, and would likely cost the full MLE.  With KG winding down his career, Landry would like see lots of minutes on the floor (meaning injuries will increasingly limit KGs role), He would probably end up starting lots of games.  It is hard to see him preferring Miami given the lack of PT he would have behind Bosh.

Absent a player like Landry, then the Cs need to pick and choose among a few role players.  Players like Jeff Foster, maybe Anthony Parker (depending on if Jeff Green is back), etc.