Aaron Gray as the Celtics backup Center.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Aaron Gray, along with his teammate David West decided to opt out in their player options and are now unrestricted free agents.

For those who don't know. He's 7'0" close to 270. He was not making any name until he showed some good stuff during the Hornets-Lakers series, rebounding, making shots and being tough against Bynum before he turned his ankle.

I was just listening to the NBA Today Podcast with Ryen Rusillo (http://espn.go.com/espnradio/player?rd=1#/podcenter/?id=6708776&autoplay=1&callsign=ESPNRADIO) and it seems like the new CBA deal could still have the MLE and the LB Rights. That being said, should it be worth it if the MLE or some of it will be spent on Aaron Gray? He can be the solution to the C's backup big problem.

Any thoughts?

[Junkyard Dawg]

i like what i hear.  but we already have a backup.  his name is jermaine o'neal.  JO can not be relied upon to be a starter.  if we thought gray could be a starter I'd be happy but it doesn't sound like it.

[j804]

i like what i hear.  but we already have a backup.  his name is jermaine o'neal.  JO can not be relied upon to be a starter.  if we thought gray could be a starter I'd be happy but it doesn't sound like it.

Who do you imagine or expect us to get?

I wouldn't mind Gray it's not like were landing Tyson Chandler

[Eddie20]

I do like Gray, but I must admit I thought he was a few years younger (turning 28 this year). For the right price he would be serviceable as he can bring in size and physical play.

We don't have the money to sign a "starting" caliber center. So he (or whoever else) and JO will be used in a center by committee approach.

[Jeff]

my expectations are pretty low, so I'll take anyone who's 7 feet and willing to rebound a little

[moiso]

i like what i hear.  but we already have a backup.  his name is jermaine o'neal.  JO can not be relied upon to be a starter.  if we thought gray could be a starter I'd be happy but it doesn't sound like it.

I agree.  It's pretty much a joke heading into the season with JO as the starter.  WHEN he gets hurt, we are screwed.  That could cost us a title.

[housecall]

I like the idea of Gray if Danny signed him.

[the_Bird]

I'd be OK with Gray.  

The other likely candidate is Kwame Brown, who may be a little better defensive player.  Looks like Gray is a little better rebounder, but Brown is a little better defender (maybe more of a pure replacement for what we lost when we traded Perk).  

I wonder if Danny will offer one of those guys a decent-sized chunk of the MLE, but for only one year.

I mean, I don't think we're realistically going to do a lot better than that, with the limited tools we have at our disposal.  Starting-caliber centers usually get paid at least $8M per, and outside of trading one of the big 4 we just can't make the dollars work. 

But, you could do worse than a center rotation of JO, Kwame/Gray, KG playing some smallball C, and maybe bringing back Baby Davis for year.  If JO can be healthy for the playoffs (yeah, a *big* if), that'd be a pretty good defensive rotation. 

[Cman]

I'd be OK with Gray.  

The other likely candidate is Kwame Brown, who may be a little better defensive player.  Looks like Gray is a little better rebounder, but Brown is a little better defender (maybe more of a pure replacement for what we lost when we traded Perk).  

I wonder if Danny will offer one of those guys a decent-sized chunk of the MLE, but for only one year.

I mean, I don't think we're realistically going to do a lot better than that, with the limited tools we have at our disposal.  Starting-caliber centers usually get paid at least $8M per, and outside of trading one of the big 4 we just can't make the dollars work. 

But, you could do worse than a center rotation of JO, Kwame/Gray, KG playing some smallball C, and maybe bringing back Baby Davis for year.  If JO can be healthy for the playoffs (yeah, a *big* if), that'd be a pretty good defensive rotation. 

Pretty much agree with everything here.
(1) We can't rely on JO to contribute starters minutes for the whole year.
(2)... but we can't afford a quality starting C (even if Danny wanted to use the full MLE, which he likely doesn't so as to preserve flexibility in 2012).
(3) So the best bet probably is to get some players on 1 year deals.  The likely players to do this are what I would call "hungry vets".

Not sure Gray fits into the "hungry vets" category yet, but is someone who might come relatively cheap.  I like the idea of Kwame Brown as well, but he might be too expensive (depending on how Danny wants to use the MLE).

[toneskeet]

Just because JO is the starter doesn't mean he is going to play 35 mins. JO is more than likely the highest skilled center we will have under contract, and he'll probably play around 20 mins. Aaron Gray could be be somewhat useful, but we would still need a third C, and let them all get consistent minutes. 

[the_Bird]

Just because JO is the starter doesn't mean he is going to play 35 mins. JO is more than likely the highest skilled center we will have under contract, and he'll probably play around 20 mins. Aaron Gray could be be somewhat useful, but we would still need a third C, and let them all get consistent minutes. 

....  KG.  He's been the de-facto 5 at the end of games for much of the past four years. 

Of the guys that are realistically available (no Dalembert), I personally think Kwame's the best fit.  Good defense.  Good rebounding.  Basically a healthier Perk.  Just hold your nose and forget that he's a bust as a #1 overall pick, he's a useful player that you might get for a year at $5M.  Depends on what Charlotte wants to offer him.  Danny's kicked the tires before and probably would have signed him if Shaq didn't agree to the vet minimum.

Wouldn't mind Kurt Thomas at the LLE for more 4/5 depth. 

[Cman]

On Kwame:

Just hold your nose and forget that he's a bust as a #1 overall pick, he's a useful player that you might get for a year at $5M.  

I think you are right. In people's minds he will always be a bad player because he was taken #1 and not lived up to the hype.  But that's a mistake.  Given the going rate for Centers, he'd be a good deal at the full MLE.

[Eddie20]

Just because JO is the starter doesn't mean he is going to play 35 mins. JO is more than likely the highest skilled center we will have under contract, and he'll probably play around 20 mins. Aaron Gray could be be somewhat useful, but we would still need a third C, and let them all get consistent minutes. 

....  KG.  He's been the de-facto 5 at the end of games for much of the past four years. 

Of the guys that are realistically available (no Dalembert), I personally think Kwame's the best fit.  Good defense.  Good rebounding.  Basically a healthier Perk.  Just hold your nose and forget that he's a bust as a #1 overall pick, he's a useful player that you might get for a year at $5M.  Depends on what Charlotte wants to offer him.  Danny's kicked the tires before and probably would have signed him if Shaq didn't agree to the vet minimum.

Wouldn't mind Kurt Thomas at the LLE for more 4/5 depth. 

Healthier Perk? Brown has always been know as injury prone.

[moiso]

Just because JO is the starter doesn't mean he is going to play 35 mins. JO is more than likely the highest skilled center we will have under contract, and he'll probably play around 20 mins. Aaron Gray could be be somewhat useful, but we would still need a third C, and let them all get consistent minutes. 

20 minutes a game for 40ish games.  I'd rather not disrupt chemistry by putting him in and out of the starting unit when he is healthy enough.

[the_Bird]

Just because JO is the starter doesn't mean he is going to play 35 mins. JO is more than likely the highest skilled center we will have under contract, and he'll probably play around 20 mins. Aaron Gray could be be somewhat useful, but we would still need a third C, and let them all get consistent minutes.  

....  KG.  He's been the de-facto 5 at the end of games for much of the past four years.  

Of the guys that are realistically available (no Dalembert), I personally think Kwame's the best fit.  Good defense.  Good rebounding.  Basically a healthier Perk.  Just hold your nose and forget that he's a bust as a #1 overall pick, he's a useful player that you might get for a year at $5M.  Depends on what Charlotte wants to offer him.  Danny's kicked the tires before and probably would have signed him if Shaq didn't agree to the vet minimum.

Wouldn't mind Kurt Thomas at the LLE for more 4/5 depth.  

Healthier Perk? Brown has always been know as injury prone.

True, but you don't have to be THAT healthy to be healthier than Perk!

He did play 66 games last season, which is nearly as many as we got from Shaq, JO, and Perk (pre-trade) combined!  He was out the first ten games of the season, then only missed a handful of games from them on.