POLL: What to do with Brandon Bass?

[More Banners]

"too fluid"

Everything hinges on KG. If he re-ups you need to try to keep the key rotation guys, and add/improve wherever else you can.

Right now I'd be willing to over pay per year (about $7.5 per year) for 2 years, to have him preferably as a 6th/7th man. Then he'd expire when Pierce does in 2014, when the free agency class projects to be very deep towards the top.

I think it is also important to identify Bass's Market value. He appears to be very much in the mold of a MLE talent, starting at $5 in the first year.

This is pretty much the story.  KG has the keys.  If he is willing to play the 5 with Paul for two more years, we have a solid core together, and perhaps some money to spend.

So if KG comes back, the band basically stays together and there's a 9-player rotation.  But there is competition for spots, and no reason to overspend on anyone, even rotation players.

The emergence of Bradley makes that possible at the guard spots, so Ray and Pietrus are essentially competing for the same rotation spot.

KG at center and the emergence of Steimsma mean that Bass and Wilcox are competing with JJJ for the same two spots.  I think if KG comes back, then JJJ can be 3rd string, and both Bass and Wilcox return.  If KG doesn't come back, JJJ backs up at PF...but perhaps we still have Wilcox and Bass return?  Could JJJ or a draft pick compete for minutes and keep the need for Bass/Wilcox, and therefore their contract offers, low?

But I think it comes down to KG.  If KG returns, I'd overpay to keep Bass around to play with him, but would like him to play on our 2nd round-exit team while the rookies develop for two years if he's cheap ($5M and under).  

Rebuilding Roster:

Rondo/Bradley/----Moore
Bradley/2012 1st/----Quisy
Pierce/Green/----Sasha
Bass/JJJ/----1st Pick
Wilcox/Steimsma/----2nd Rd Pick

Perhaps still a playoff team, which is a good enough reason to keep Quisy and Sasha on the roster for the minimum.  Better for the young picks to play on a playoff team while they develop.

So if KG comes back, then Quisy and Sasha perhaps become Ray and Pietrus, and the 2nd rounders don't get signed this year unless there's a trade.  Green becomes the major upgrade to the bench of Bradley, Ray, Green, Wilcox, and Steimsma, and we don't count on rookies, Moore, or JJJ.

[GreenFaith1819]

Bring the man back, especially IF KG comes back (very likely, no matter what happens).

It would be scary for the league for the Boston Celtics to develop some chemistry among their bigs for a change - we've been a revolving door up front the last few years, unfortunately.

Sign Bass to 6-8 mil for 2-3 yrs (he's earned it), bring back Stiem, Wilcox, and continue to grow JJ and that right there is a potent mix up front, especially as Stiem matures.

Continuity, Please. I think that is most important right now.

Let's just roll with what we KNOW has worked THIS season.

I have no problem bringing back Bass. The man has bought into what Doc and the team is doing. Why let him go?

[lightspeed5]

one thing is certain, we will have too many rookies next year. if bucks make the playoffs, we'll have 4 rookies and 2 sophomores on the team. I say trade up 2 or 3 picks to get austin. i dont see the value in having an entire unit of rookies warming the bench.

[colincb]

Honestly, depending on how things work in the playoffs, is it outlandish to think that every resigned player except Green, gets a two year deal?

How much cap space would the Celtics have in 2013 if Garnett requires a two year $10 million per annum contract to stay?

If there isn't enough cap space there to sign a max contract player, then yes, I think handing out two year deals could be a quality option for the Celtics.

Basically, if you want KG for 2 years at $10 million, you can't get a max free agent.  Best to try to re-sign everyone and add Green and the two first rounders.  That along with some improvement from this years rookies and sophs could well be enough to put you over the top for the next two seasons.  Otherwise, you might as well blow it up.

[mctyson]

I was one of the few that voted to let him go.  I think that was the plan all along - bring him in for a one-year rental alongside the Big 4 for one last run.

This team has to begin the rebuilding process this offseason.  If KG and Ray want to come back on the cheap (particularly KG) then I say bring them back.  But KG will get a $15M one year offer from someone next year, and we should not match that unless there are no other options.

Bass will command at least the $8-9M he's making, and he's worth it.

If Danny and Doc legitimately feel that this unit has enough in them to make another run next year, with a healthy Jeff Green in the mix, then I guess you bring Bass back on a 1-year. 

[rickyfan3.0...]

Don't know how you do it, but you keep him at all costs.

People are all caught up in Jeff Green, but people forget he is not a great player, and has no definable role.

[slamtheking]

I voted 'fluid' because that's simply what it is.

The preference would be for a 1-year deal at an appropriate value 7-8 mill but if he'd take 2 years and become a tradeable asset on an expiring deal the following year, that works too.

Ideally, JJJ and hopefully a big man rookie taken in this draft will be able to fill Bass' shoes after next year (and hopefully do better than just fill his shoes).

I think Danny will keep KG at almost any cost if KG will agree to continue playing the 5 next year.  If KG insists on returning to the 4 spot, then I think it becomes a matter of signing him at a reasonable cost.  KG is really showing his value at the 5 and his remaining in that role simplifies the C's needs in the offseason to getting a quality backup center as opposed to trying to sign a quality starting center.  Instead of having to get Kaman who will cost a pretty penny, we could get Camby at a vet min (or slightly higher) amount.  Or resign Wilcox for that matter. 

[goCeltics]

if brandon wanted 4 years for around 25 mill over 4 years, i would try and get IIIyasova for 35 mill or Landry 25 mill over the same 4 years. I would try and trade and sign bass in exhange for eitheir player, you could make the dollars work in a deal with the bucks by adding pavs to the deal aka how they made the davis deal work by adding wafer. Ainge should put himself in the strongest position by adding green for the min vet this year thereby reducing his cap hold next year. If they reduce jeff's cap hold next they could afford they could resign him without a lot of cap room like the heat signed anthony 2 years ago, This would leave them able with possiblity of resigning kg, allen and stiesmsm and still have about 6-7 million in cap room to offer a free agent power forward.

[Bankshot]

There is no way Bass would settle for a one year deal, imo.  If you are going to keep the team in tact, I would definitely give Bass a 3 year deal.

[wdleehi]

There is no way Bass would settle for a one year deal, imo.  If you are going to keep the team in tact, I would definitely give Bass a 3 year deal.

And there is no reason the Celtics should give him that type of deal.  Either use the Cap space this year to add the path to a star player to put with Rondo or save the flexibility for the following year (one year deals or trading with other teams taking back one year deals with draft picks)

[Roy H.]

The answer has to be "too fluid to know".

This team is one serious injury to one of the Big Three(Rondo, KG, Pierce) from having to completely rethink what they do next year. If any of these guys get hurt and can't be around next year, all bets are off regarding who is staying and who isn't.

Without injuries to major players I think

Rondo, Pierce, Bradley, Johnson and two draft 1st round picks are for sure.

I think Steimsma will be brought back on the cheap.

Then I think everyone else is renounced and the Celtics do everything they can to fit Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Jeff Green, Brandon Bass and Mickael Pietrus back on this team with what remains of the salary cap space. 

If Moore looks good in Summer Camp, he might get another vet min salary for a year.

I also think they spend there MMLE on a vet.

Honestly, depending on how things work in the playoffs, is it outlandish to think that every resigned player except Green, gets a two year deal?

I'm a little under the weather, nick, so I may have missed something.  However, if we're not signing an impact free agent, why not just use Bird rights?  If we're signing our own players, there's no need to renounce anybody.  Also, by doing so, we get to use the slightly more lucrative mini-MLE (or, potentially, the full MLE, depending upon what our luxury tax situation), rather than the shorter "room exception".

Because I was under the impression by withdrawing the QO on Green and making him an UFA, we no longer have the Bird rights of Jeff Green. If we don't renounce everyone, there will be no room to sign him because all the other cap holds will cause the C's not have enough room to sign him.

Now if that isn't the case, then do we also still own Nenad Krstic's Bird right's? If so it makes sense to attempt a one year deal for whoever will take it though my guess is Green, Krstic, Bass, and possibly, KG and Ray may not be too fond of that idea.

Yes, we still have Bird rights on both Green and Krstic. As far as I understand, declining to extend a QO doesn't cut off Bird rights like, say, declining a rookie option would.

[Mazingerz]

I voted to keep him. Or to paraphrase one of poster here "trade him for Deron Williams" 

[alajet]

one thing is certain, we will have too many rookies next year. if bucks make the playoffs, we'll have 4 rookies and 2 sophomores on the team. I say trade up 2 or 3 picks to get austin. i dont see the value in having an entire unit of rookies warming the bench.

Is Austin really worth it? He is lottery-bound I guess, so, only way to get him will probably be trading up, as you state. But I don't know if he's the type of player to come in and contribute right away. And considering AB's role in the team, where does Austin fit in the current concept?

Don't know how you do it, but you keep him at all costs.

People are all caught up in Jeff Green, but people forget he is not a great player, and has no definable role.

He can play 3/4, has an outside shooting threat and athleticism. If he's healthy, I would definitely want to see him in the roster next season.

[wdleehi]

Don't know how you do it, but you keep him at all costs.

People are all caught up in Jeff Green, but people forget he is not a great player, and has no definable role.

Green is a good player that I think was a bad fit for what the Celtics needed. 

[the_Bird]

Don't know how you do it, but you keep him at all costs.

People are all caught up in Jeff Green, but people forget he is not a great player, and has no definable role.

Absolutely not.  He's been good, but he's still the weak link int he starting rotation - and you don't kill the team's cap flexibility for a guy that's ideally your third big, coming off the bench.

Again, besides shooting that jumper (which he is pretty [dang] good at), what else does Bass do at an above-average level?  He's certainly a rotation-caliber player, but he's an average defender (he still seems to miss more rotations than anyone else) and a mediocre rebounder. 

He's a good player - and better than the guy he replaced in many respects - but he's just not worth wasting cap space on.  Don't spent all your flexibility on middling players, unless you want to become the Detroit Pistons.