picking from the Amnesty Cuts pile

[PosImpos]

Well, I'm a Rashard Lewis guy, so I'd love to see him here.  He may be too expensive, though, since we need to use the MLE on a big man.

Move Rashard back to the four alongside Garnett at the five. Run and gun.

Let Rondo loose in the open court surrounded by the finest collections of shooters in the league. Pick and roll centric halfcourt sets. It could be fun.

Because what the Celtics need is more over 30, no longer athletic guys whose offensive game consists primarily of jumpshots (not to mention more guys stuck between positions).

[Kane3387]

We have what 6 or 7 guys under contract, so I would take any of those guys in bench roles.

1) Haywood
He will likely stay in Dallas but if he was released he would be a great guy to start beside KG for a year and rotate in with JO and possibly Baby

2) Shard
CAn never have enough shooting and he can stretch the floor. He won't play D like Posey did but he could play that stretch four role and he has a lot more talent offensively then Posey did.

3) Baron
I honestly could see him stealing crunch time minutes away from Rondo. He is only 3 here because I think he goes to Miami. Can't see him wanting to come off the bench.

4) Okur
If healthy he is #1 on my list, but I question his durability. He could provide a lot offensively that Rasheed was supposed to a couple years ago

5) Rip
He's likely in Chicago but I think he complements Delonte well off the bench. Doubt he wants to be a backup but he would be perfect behind Ray

6) Diop and any other big guy.

I don't think Brand is cut or he is clearly number one, and I am not counting guys like Kwame who will be FA regardless of Amnesty

[chambers]

I hope that was a joke about Gnomes.

I would not take Lewis.  Too many jumpshots and little or no d and inability or unwillingness to use his frame in a team plan and play inside.   He plays soft to me.  It would be ok if he came off the bench.   But he is little more than Walter McCarty with a better jumper.  Orlando soured on him and Seattle did as well.  That being said he is one of the best players on this list.   I think we'd be better off the PP though at SF.  KG doesn't like playing C folks.   I would rather have KG at the four hole.

Diop, Okur and Brand is who I would target.  C help is what we need most.  Okur is somewhat injury prone.  Diop isn't qa strong rebounder.  Brand is the best of these three but he may not be amnesty cut.   But if he was I would go for him.   He boards the best and can score down low.  None of these guys is a lock down post defender.

I think you're underrating Lewis' defense. He does a very good job at hedging/help defense and keeping his man in front.
He was way overpaid but I'd take him in a heartbeat as a backup 3/4. We already have Jeff green but I wouldn't say no.

Of these mentioned guys I would take:
Gooden as a back up.
Pietrus as a backup.
Brad Miller as a backup.
Ben Gordon as a cheap Ray Allen replacement/backup.

Pietrus would be an awesome addition to our bench.

[snively]

Well, I'm a Rashard Lewis guy, so I'd love to see him here.  He may be too expensive, though, since we need to use the MLE on a big man.

Move Rashard back to the four alongside Garnett at the five. Run and gun.

Let Rondo loose in the open court surrounded by the finest collections of shooters in the league. Pick and roll centric halfcourt sets. It could be fun.

As fun as it would be offensively, I think that line-up gets killed on the boards.  I do like him a little better than Jeff Green for us, but I'd rather bring back Green on his QO than use our offseason money on a slight upgrade.

Memo Okur is the more intriguing stretch big of the listed potential amnesty candidates.  Hard to see Utah waiving him (they're under the tax, he's only got one year left and they like him), but he'd be a great fit.  Like Shaq, he'd be liability in the team defense, but a solid man defender and position rebounder.  Also like Shaq, he'd always command a defender, with the added benefit of drawing that defender all the way out to the 3 point line.

[action781]

Well, I'm a Rashard Lewis guy, so I'd love to see him here.  He may be too expensive, though, since we need to use the MLE on a big man.

Move Rashard back to the four alongside Garnett at the five. Run and gun.

Let Rondo loose in the open court surrounded by the finest collections of shooters in the league. Pick and roll centric halfcourt sets. It could be fun.

Because what the Celtics need is more over 30, no longer athletic guys whose offensive game consists primarily of jumpshots (not to mention more guys stuck between positions).

I don't think there are any under 30, athletic guys with diverse offensive games that will be waived.  So, while not ideal, in terms of guys who will actually be available, I'd say Shard is a viable option.

EDIT:  This post was rewritten, because I feel like I was snide in my original post.  I apologize, no disrespect intended, Pos.

[toneskeet]

Getting Okur would be great.


Rondo / Bradley / Moore
Allen / West / G. Brown
Pierce / Green / J. Howard
Garnett / Baby / Johnson
O’Neal / Okur / K. Brown


I think that that should be what the Celtics realistically shoot for. I think that's title contention, without sacrificing future space.

[Finkelskyhook]

Getting Okur would be great.


Rondo / Bradley / Moore
Allen / West / G. Brown
Pierce / Green / J. Howard
Garnett / Baby / Johnson
O’Neal / Okur / K. Brown


I think that that should be what the Celtics realistically shoot for. I think that's title contention, without sacrificing future space.

Do you actually think that O'Neal is going to play this year?

[toneskeet]

Getting Okur would be great.


Rondo / Bradley / Moore
Allen / West / G. Brown
Pierce / Green / J. Howard
Garnett / Baby / Johnson
O’Neal / Okur / K. Brown


I think that that should be what the Celtics realistically shoot for. I think that's title contention, without sacrificing future space.

Do you actually think that O'Neal is going to play this year?

Yeah? I don't know how much given his history, but I would assume we see him begin the season as our starter.

[CFAN38]

Roy is also a possible amnesty cut, would be great as our sixth man if he can stay healthy. He could down alot on rays minutes and be our backup pg. with rondo, roy,west bradely at point and ray,roy,west,moore at sg we would have good depth at those positions.

[PosImpos]

Well, I'm a Rashard Lewis guy, so I'd love to see him here.  He may be too expensive, though, since we need to use the MLE on a big man.

Move Rashard back to the four alongside Garnett at the five. Run and gun.

Let Rondo loose in the open court surrounded by the finest collections of shooters in the league. Pick and roll centric halfcourt sets. It could be fun.

Because what the Celtics need is more over 30, no longer athletic guys whose offensive game consists primarily of jumpshots (not to mention more guys stuck between positions).

I don't think there are any under 30, athletic guys with diverse offensive games that will be waived.  So, while not ideal, in terms of guys who will actually be available, I'd say Shard is a viable option.

EDIT:  This post was rewritten, because I feel like I was snide in my original post.  I apologize, no disrespect intended, Pos.

the lack of such players doesn't justify giving a lot of playing time, let alone a starting role, to a player who doesn't help us in our biggest area of weakness and actually exacerbates our existing issues.

[celticinorlando]

they have to have a legit center ready to play big minutes once o neal goes down

[LooseCannon]

Reports are that as few as three teams are expected to use the amnesty clause this off-season.

I would hope for a legit backup center who is not really good enough to be a starter on a top team but who is healthy enough to play starter minutes.

[Chris]

Reports are that as few as three teams are expected to use the amnesty clause this off-season.

I would hope for a legit backup center who is not really good enough to be a starter on a top team but who is healthy enough to play starter minutes.

Don't count on it.  However on the plus side, I think many more teams will use the Amnesty clause next summer...which is also when the C's would be under the cap and able to make bids on them. 

[LooseCannon]

Not really counting on it.  I have doubts that there will actually be an amnestied player that the Celtics should go after.  Amnesty or not, I'm just hoping the Celtics can pick up a free agent center who is a questionable backup center but who is healthy enough to play starter minutes if he doesn't foul out.  That's the low bar I am setting.

[Boris Badenov]

What about Villanueva? He's on that list.