Next year's free agent crop is awful w/o Paul, Howard and Williams

[nickagneta]

Seems pretty obvious that Danny Ainge was all in to land Chris Paul and Dwight Howard through trades and free agency with next year's load of cap space the Celtics are going to have. But now that Paul will be in LA and Howard is rumored to be doing everything he can to land there as well they are out of the question as targets for next year. With the C;s still having Rondo, the Celtics won't need Deron Williams or have anything here to attract him to stay here.

So what does Boston do with all their cap space? Anyone taken a look at what is available beyond those three next year? I have and the pickings are pretty slim:

Unrestricted
Ray Allen
Kevin Garnett
Jermaine O'Neal
Kirk Hinrich
Matt Carroll
Boris Diaw
Dasagna Diop
Eduardo Najera
Keith Bogans
Jannero Pargo
Baron Davis
Joey Graham
Ryan Hollins
Antawn Jamison
Ramon Sessions
Jason Kidd
Jason Terry
Ian Mahinmi
Andre Miller
Jason Maxiell
Ben Wallace
Louis Amundson
Charlie Bell
Goran Dragic
Dahntay Jones
James Posey
Brian Cook
Randy Foye
Chris Kaman
Mo Williams
Matt Barnes
Derek Fisher
Eddie House
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Carlos Delfino
Keyon Dooling
Ersan Ilyasova
Beno Udrih
Anthony Tolliver
Jordan Farmar
Stephen Graham
Chauncey Billups
Ronny Turiaf
Royal Ivey
Nazr Mohammed
Nate Robinson
Brandon Bass
Jameer Nelson
Elton Brand
Andres Nocioni
Vince Carter
Steve Nash
Mikael Pietrus
Earl Barron
Marcus Camby
Raymond felton
gerald Wallace
Tim Duncan
Antonio McDyess
Leandro Barbosa
C J Miles
Mehmet Okur

Restricted
Javale McGee
Jeremy Evans
Jerryd Beyless
Solomon Alabi
Daniel Green
Donte greene
Jason Thopmson
Nicolas Batum
Chris Johnson
Armon Johnson
Grant Siler
Robin Lopez
Jodie Meeks
Marresse Speights
Ryan Anderson
Russell Westbrook
Robert Vaden
Landry Fields
Bill Walker
David Anderson
Sundiata Gaines
Brook Lopez
Anthony Randolph
Michael Beaseley
Kevin Love
Darrell Arthue
O J Mayo
Ismael Smith
Sam Young
Derrick Caracter
Devin Ebanks
Trey Johnson
Eric Gordon
George Hill
Roy Hibbert
A J Price
Brandon Rush
Courtney Lee
Jeremy Lin
Terrico White
Danilo Gallinari
Kostas Koufos
Rudy Fernandez
Luke Harangogy
Manny Harris
Semih Erden
Alonzo Gee
Omer Asik
Derrick Rose
D J Augustin
D J White
Magnum Rolle

Almost all the good players left, at least any worth investing big money on, are restricted free agents and I don't see their teams matching offers for those players.

So perhaps Danny should spend some money on Green, Baby and a mini MLE on players for two year deals because there's no sense saving cap space for next year on players that are going to be investing money in long term.

[Marcus13]

Horrible.  Just horrible.

The first day of free agency couldn't have gone any worse for the Celtics

[droopdog7]

Looks like the Celts are being pushed to a point where they will have to tank for a couple of years to come back up because it looks like any star from here out will force his way to his team of choice before hitting free agency.  We can thank lebron for changing all that.

[Lucky17]

So what does Boston do with all their cap space?

Ainge can spend cap space to acquire talent via trades.

[dtrader]

Is it possible to just not spend the $? lol.  I'd rather not spend a dime, tank next year for a good draft pick, and hope for better free agent class next year.  I see nothing on that list that would be the start of an "era".  Basically I see a bunch of Ben Gordans and Charlie Villanuevas.

[celticinorlando]

the next few seasons are going to suck...starting now

[YouGotRondo d]

Bring back the big 3 and Posey.. 2007 redux!

LOL

Maybe we can lure PJ Brown from retirement.

[nickagneta]

Our only hope are that some of these really talented RFAs decide they want to take a QO and become UFAs in 2013. Then if Danny has kept the salary cap flexible still, sign one or two of them.

Players like

Javale McGee
Jodie Meeks
Landry Fields
Brook Lopez
Kevin Love
Eric Gordon
Roy Hibbert
Danilo Gallinari
Derrick Rose

Otherwise, yikes. The pickings look bad.

[JBcat]

ugh not a pretty site.   If Gred Oden shows he plays well this year and stays healthy.   Why not take a chance on him.   Maybe for restricted free agents like Kevin Love and Eric Gordon we can throw them a boat load of money.  

[YouGotRondo d]

Our only hope are that some of these really talented RFAs decide they want to take a QO and become UFAs in 2013. Then if Danny has kept the salary cap flexible still, sign one or two of them.

Players like

Javale McGee
Jodie Meeks
Landry Fields
Brook Lopez
Kevin Love
Eric Gordon
Roy Hibbert
Danilo Gallinari
Derrick Rose

Otherwise, yikes. The pickings look bad.

Love and McGee would be nice pieces for an up tempo offense.

And Love would be the perfect token white guy.

[nickagneta]

Our only hope are that some of these really talented RFAs decide they want to take a QO and become UFAs in 2013. Then if Danny has kept the salary cap flexible still, sign one or two of them.

Players like

Javale McGee
Jodie Meeks
Landry Fields
Brook Lopez
Kevin Love
Eric Gordon
Roy Hibbert
Danilo Gallinari
Derrick Rose

Otherwise, yikes. The pickings look bad.

Love and McGee would be nice pieces for an up tempo offense.

And Love would be the perfect token white guy.

2013 has almost zero great unrestricted big men too.

Just

Al Jefferson
Paul Millsap
Josh Smith
 
And that's about it.

Next few off seasons are really going to suck.

[PosImpos]

doesn't make sense to use our cap space just for the sake of it.  sign any young role players with upside for reasonable deals, and suck.  suck hard.  be bad for a few years and collect lottery picks.  hope to God that you get a superstar.

it's the only way left to us.

[nickagneta]

So what does Boston do with all their cap space?

Ainge can spend cap space to acquire talent via trades.

Help me out here Lucky....who was the last young, really good to great player you could build a team around who was traded for cap space that wasn't a free agent in a sign and trade or a player involved with the Minnesota Timberwolves(Beasley and Jefferson deals)?

[JBcat]

doesn't make sense to use our cap space just for the sake of it.  sign any young role players with upside for reasonable deals, and suck.  suck hard.  be bad for a few years and collect lottery picks.  hope to God that you get a superstar.

it's the only way left to us.

Problem is I think with the new CBA for this year teams must spend at least 85% of the cap, and maybe as soon as next year teams must spend at least 90% of the cap.  So we'll have to sign some guys.   

[greg683x]

facepalm