resigning Delonte West - requires MLE?

[greenpride32]

I know many of the rules are likely to change with a new CBA coming.  But under the current rules do we have any cap breaks in resigning Delonte since he was on the team this past year? I know that's not enough for Bird rights.  I just don't see Delonte going for the vet min again.  Now the question is do we split the MLE between Delonte and a center, or do we let Delonte walk for a better center at full MLE?

[jdz101]

I love delonte but in my opinion a players durability impacts how much they should be worth..the guys made of glass

[Roy H.]

We can give him up to 120% of the minimum salary next year, or around $1.42 million, I believe.

We could also sign him with the bi-annual exception (around $2 million+ per season) or the MLE, as could other teams.  This assumes that next year resumes under rules similar to the current CBA, however.

[JSD]

Although there are alternative means as Roy explained, I believe the market will force us into using a portion of the MLE. Despite his injury issues this year, he was healthy in the playoffs and played well for the most part throughout it. Furthermore, aside from smacking Von Wafer around a bit, he showed no off the court issues whatsoever.

Under this current CBA, I think he's $3 million player.

[StartOrien]

It depends on the Center.

I highly doubt that any of the centers being mentioned commonly are going to sign for the MLE. If that's the case, ya, I'd sign Delonte short term for about 3-3.5 per season if he was willing to accept that offer.

[Roy H.]

I don't think Delonte is worth $3 million. 

I like him as a player, but he played 24 games last year, and it's not like his bi-polar has been cured.  He's never missed fewer than 11 games in a season, and hasn't missed fewer than 18 games in the last four seasons.  That's without even getting into his production, a fairly meager 5.6 points and 2.7 assists per game.

We can't go blowing half of our MLE on huge injury risks with mediocre to low production. If Delonte wants more than 120% of the minimum, I'd probably be inclined to let him walk.

[Who]

If Delonte leaves, the Celtics are going to have a very tough replacing him.

There isn't a lot of talent at that point guard position in this free agent class. They'll find themselves reduced to minimum contract guys like Earl Watson, Ronnie Price and Carlos Arroyo very quickly.

Frightening, the thought of one of those guys as the main backup guard next year.

Edit: Taking a chance on TJ Ford might be the best option should Delonte leave. After at ... ugh !!

[JSD]

I don't think Delonte is worth $3 million.  

I like him as a player, but he played 24 games last year, and it's not like his bi-polar has been cured.  He's never missed fewer than 11 games in a season, and hasn't missed fewer than 18 games in the last four seasons.  That's without even getting into his production, a fairly meager 5.6 points and 2.7 assists per game.

We can't go blowing half of our MLE on huge injury risks with mediocre to low production. If Delonte wants more than 120% of the minimum, I'd probably be inclined to let him walk.

What are the alternatives out there? He is an attractive player to other contending teams who can look at it as low risk high reward. He has proven he can play in playoffs. Yes, he has issues, but if he didn't we'd be talking about a multi-year MLE player right? Injuries and off the court stuff aside he definitely will be. I wouldn't be surprised if he got a 1 year deal worth around $3 million. That said, I agree, I'm not sure the we could do it. Our first priority with our MLE should be a big man.

[Roy H.]

If Delonte leaves, the Celtics are going to have a very tough replacing him.

There isn't a lot of talent at that point guard position in this free agent class. They'll find themselves reduced to minimum contract guys like Earl Watson, Ronnie Price and Carlos Arroyo very quickly.

Frightening, the thought of one of those guys as the main backup guard next year.

Edit: Taking a chance on TJ Ford might be the best option should Delonte leave. After at ... ugh !!

I'd rather go with an Earl Watson / Von Wafer combo than give Delonte the majority of our MLE, and have no flexibility to upgrade other positions.

[nickagneta]

Although there are alternative means as Roy explained, I believe the market will force us into using a portion of the MLE. Despite his injury issues this year, he was healthy in the playoffs and played well for the most part throughout it. Furthermore, aside from smacking Von Wafer around a bit, he showed no off the court issues whatsoever.

Under this current CBA, I think he's $3 million player.

I agree, under the current structure Delonte's talent value is about $3million. Now given the fact that he has either not been good enough or not been healthy enough or not been under good enough terms with the league office to play in one third of the games he was eligible to play in, I would reduce the number to offer him by one third and offer him the LLE for two years. That's a bit over $2 million a year. Take it or leave it.

[Evantime34]

We can give him up to 120% of the minimum salary next year, or around $1.42 million, I believe.

We could also sign him with the bi-annual exception (around $2 million+ per season) or the MLE, as could other teams.  This assumes that next year resumes under rules similar to the current CBA, however.

I am on board for bringing him in at the Bi Annual.

[Gainesville Celtic]

I don't think Delonte is worth $3 million. 

I like him as a player, but he played 24 games last year, and it's not like his bi-polar has been cured.  He's never missed fewer than 11 games in a season, and hasn't missed fewer than 18 games in the last four seasons.  That's without even getting into his production, a fairly meager 5.6 points and 2.7 assists per game.

We can't go blowing half of our MLE on huge injury risks with mediocre to low production. If Delonte wants more than 120% of the minimum, I'd probably be inclined to let him walk.

Sadly I agree about West's worth monetarily, but I'm hopeful that Delonte will stay for 120% of the minimum. He left once for more money and I think it was hard for him to manage his depression/bi-polar issues.

I'm hoping that he sees staying in Boston as a way to continue his treatment --- I'd guess that he has a doctor/therapist here that's helping, his relationship with Doc seems to be a real positive in his life, and his role can grow on this team moving forward (as it did in Cleveland).

I'd actually like to see Delonte push to start and have Ray coming off the bench (which I think he's suited well to b/c he plays well with the bench.)

[Marcus13]

There are other exceptions we could use ; the MLE is the most valuable and I dont think it would cost us that to bring him back

[Sizzlack]

I think Delonte could be had at the Bi-annual.

There are still a lot of questions on his mental health, I doubt any team is going to commit substantial money on him. Add in the fact that Delonte is seemingly pretty loyal to Doc and the team, and he'd probably be willing to stick around for bi-annual type money.

It's a matter of a time offering him 4+mil a year, which I have a hard time believing will happen. So if his choice is between Boston for about 2mil a year (Bi-annual) or another team for maybe 2.5-3 max, not crazy to believe he'd pick Boston.

[Fafnir]

We can give him up to 120% of the minimum salary next year, or around $1.42 million, I believe.

We could also sign him with the bi-annual exception (around $2 million+ per season) or the MLE, as could other teams.  This assumes that next year resumes under rules similar to the current CBA, however.

I don't think we'll have too much trouble keeping him for similar money. His injury issues were bad enough to preclude teams from taking a risk on him, plus his play late in the year wasn't anything special.