The Plan

[Evantime34]

I could see Garnett taking a big discount if it meant a major star arriving in Boston, such as a Dwight Howard or even a lesser All-Star caliber talent, but without Danny Ainge being able to point to that player and show to KG (and Ray) that this team can be a title contender and that they can finish their career on a high note playing for a title (if they are willing to take a huge pay cut) ... I cannot see Garnett taking a major pay cut.

Without that player, that All-Star talent, I expect Garnett to want $10-12 million and I think he'll take the low end of that to give Danny a little more wiggle room.

If we give him $10 MM then between him Bass, Green and Ray we have used up all our cap space to bring back a team that really isn't that good. I just hope Ray and KG take paycuts so that we can improve our team from this year.

I guess if we brought them all back we could end up being better with the progress of Rondo, Bradley, Moore, Johnson, and the rookies but I'd rather not risk it.

[Who]

I could see Garnett taking a big discount if it meant a major star arriving in Boston, such as a Dwight Howard or even a lesser All-Star caliber talent, but without Danny Ainge being able to point to that player and show to KG (and Ray) that this team can be a title contender and that they can finish their career on a high note playing for a title (if they are willing to take a huge pay cut) ... I cannot see Garnett taking a major pay cut.

Without that player, that All-Star talent, I expect Garnett to want $10-12 million and I think he'll take the low end of that to give Danny a little more wiggle room.

If we give him $10 MM then between him Bass, Green and Ray we have used up all our cap space to bring back a team that really isn't that good. I just hope Ray and KG take paycuts so that we can improve our team from this year.

I guess if we brought them all back we could end up being better with the progress of Rondo, Bradley, Moore, Johnson, and the rookies but I'd rather not risk it.

If Danny gives KG $10 million but lets Bass and Ray leave, how much cap space do the Celtics have leftover?

Edit: That would make $44.4 million for Garnett, Pierce, Rondo, Bradley, JJJ, Stiemsma and the two first round picks. Plus, four empty cap spots, $2 million more, $46.4 million. A cap of $60 million would leave $13.5 million left to play around with.

Say $3 million for Jeff Green and $10 million to play around with.

[Evantime34]

I could see Garnett taking a big discount if it meant a major star arriving in Boston, such as a Dwight Howard or even a lesser All-Star caliber talent, but without Danny Ainge being able to point to that player and show to KG (and Ray) that this team can be a title contender and that they can finish their career on a high note playing for a title (if they are willing to take a huge pay cut) ... I cannot see Garnett taking a major pay cut.

Without that player, that All-Star talent, I expect Garnett to want $10-12 million and I think he'll take the low end of that to give Danny a little more wiggle room.

If we give him $10 MM then between him Bass, Green and Ray we have used up all our cap space to bring back a team that really isn't that good. I just hope Ray and KG take paycuts so that we can improve our team from this year.

I guess if we brought them all back we could end up being better with the progress of Rondo, Bradley, Moore, Johnson, and the rookies but I'd rather not risk it.

If Danny gives KG $10 million but lets Bass and Ray leave, how much cap space do the Celtics have leftover?

$14- $15 MM. To be honest I"m just praying the Bass picks up his option because he likes it here. I guess I could live with letting Ray and Bass go if we could replace them with good veteran talent upgrades.

[Lucky17]

What about Rasheed Wallace-type deals for Ray and KG? Two year deals, the second year partially guaranteed, totalling $10-12 million in guaranteed money?

Would preserve a little bit of the cap space for this year, although how much, I don't know. Have all three of the Big Three retire the following season.

[Who]

What about Rasheed Wallace-type deals for Ray and KG? Two year deals, the second year partially guaranteed, totalling $10-12 million in guaranteed money?

Would preserve a little bit of the cap space for this year, although how much, I don't know. Have all three of the Big Three retire the following season.

I would be more inclined to protect 2013's cap flexibility than free up extra cash for next season.

Mainly because I cannot see anyone that is good enough to use that extra money on that can put Boston back in the title mix. If someone like that was available, I would happy enough to go down that road instead.

[Lucky17]

What about Rasheed Wallace-type deals for Ray and KG? Two year deals, the second year partially guaranteed, totalling $10-12 million in guaranteed money?

Would preserve a little bit of the cap space for this year, although how much, I don't know. Have all three of the Big Three retire the following season.

I would be more inclined to protect 2013's cap flexibility than free up extra cash for next season.

Mainly because I cannot see anyone that is good enough to use that extra money on that can put Boston back in the title mix. If someone like that was available, I would happy enough to go down that road instead.

I'm wondering if 2013 might not be the rebuilding year. Cap space won't be the issue then: Pierce, Ray, and KG will all have retired, with a combined $10-12 million cap hit. Rondo can lead the 2011 and 2012 rookies to a lottery finish.

During the offseason, they can reload with a high draft pick, young players, and cap space as trade assets.

Or, if the Big Three play out their contracts, 2014 can be the rebuilding year. Same plan.

[Greenbean]

I only want to bring back kevin Ray and Bass if we have a young star coming on board.

If that cant happen, I would let all 3 walk and go after younger guys...completely rebuild.

[OmarSekou]

I only want to bring back kevin Ray and Bass if we have a young star coming on board.

If that cant happen, I would let all 3 walk and go after younger guys...completely rebuild.

Why Bass? I get Kevin and Ray because they're old, but Bass isn't and he's shown he can play. I get the fascination with younger guys and the potential they have but younger generally means worse.

Could we contend with Option 1 from the OP assuming we could get that done?

[redbov]

I believe Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett have no intention whatsoever of staying in Boston to play for a fringe playoff team. I think Ainge's decision made up their minds.

So, I'm expecting Garnett and Allen to walk away (ditto for Bass, Pietrus, etc) and Ainge to trade Pierce at some point before the start of the season.

The additions will be the rookies, Green, maybe some player that comes back in the Pierce trade, maybe a young free-agent like Beasley and a couple of mediocre veterans in short-term deals to round the roster.

[OnyxCashew]

only chance this team has to contend again next season with the big 3 is to use cap space to basically get a big time player that some other team doesnt want like memphis did with Z-Bo a couple years back.

y'all talkin bout keepin the big 3 till 2014 and not rebuilding for another 2 or 3 years are crazy.  gotta have a better plan then to call the next couple of seasons bridge years. come on.

[chambers]

The plan:

1)Re-sign KG and Ray to cheap deals. Go after Dwight Howard and try to pair him with someone like Igualdala or Harden.
If we get him, keep Pierce and Rondo and go for a championship.

2)Try above, if we can't get Howard- blow it the hell up.
Take on as many crappy contracts as possible but make sure they have a maximum of 2 years left in exchange for top 10-15 draft picks.
An example I've used five times before:
Ship KG +Pierce+Ray to Chicago for Boozer, Hamilton and their Charlotte lottery pick. Tank for two seasons. Use the Charlotte pick in 2014 or 2015 when it's unprotected in the top seven picks.
We will have our own lottery picks by then (at least two).

Rebuild with these picks. One small forward, one center, one shooting guard or power forward.


Easy as that. (if only)
Our best chance of rebuilding within 5 years to me.

[wdleehi]

Use the cap space for short term contracts that can bring back value for later.



Trading for a guy in his last year of a contract along with a 1st.  


The Celtics need to build up attractive assets to give Ainge the ability to go out and make the big move.

[jdz101]

Ray's play has seriously deteriorated this year... I'm not really high on bringing him back for any sort of money... Surprisingly KG is looking like a better resign option if he's not retired...

[Lucky17]

Ray's play has seriously deteriorated this year...

Can you elaborate on this a bit?

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/9/ray-allen

He's averaging two fewer points this year (on one less shot taken and one fewer make this season) compared to the last two full seasons.

Otherwise, his stats--minutes, shooting percentages, etc.--are all quite consistent. Even if you expand to look at his totality of his years in Boston.

[clover]

I only want to bring back kevin Ray and Bass if we have a young star coming on board.

If that cant happen, I would let all 3 walk and go after younger guys...completely rebuild.

Why Bass? I get Kevin and Ray because they're old, but Bass isn't and he's shown he can play. I get the fascination with younger guys and the potential they have but younger generally means worse.

Could we contend with Option 1 from the OP assuming we could get that done?

Bass is fine off the bench.  But after this year will he want a multi-year deal that cramps the C's rebuilding cap space?  Would he be satisfied going back to the bench again?  I submit that a team with Bass as a starter is not a dominant team.