SI.com "ainge wants KG/RA around for the young players"

[cman88]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/ian_thomsen/06/10/celtics.offseason/index.html

interesting article, a quote worth noting

Ainge is aware of the positive impact that Garnett and Allen -- alongside Pierce -- could have on younger players, showing them by example how to prepare and how to win while bridging them to a new era. Ainge appears to be on the same page as Rivers when it comes to re-signing Garnett and/or Allen. A league source quoted Ainge as saying, "I really value having those guys around young players.''

Team president Danny Ainge has told colleagues that he is not automatically committed to letting Garnett and Allen walk as free agents in order to spend Boston's cap space on younger players. The Celtics already have two picks in the first round (Nos. 21 and 22) of a deep draft, this season's rookies in JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, and a second-year defensive leader in 6-foot-3 guard Avery Bradley to start alongside Rondo next season.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/ian_thomsen/06/10/celtics.offseason/index.html#ixzz1xRWxKGuV


Ainge then goes on to talk abit about how he thinks allen still has it.

this has been my opinion as well...Rondo blossomed here learning from the big 3..now, in his 2nd year look at how Avery Bradley has progressed...as well as steimsma...I cant help but think having these guys around them has helped them keep a somewhat level head, as well as learn the game the RIGHT way.

if Danny can get some nice prospects in the draft he may look at this like Reggie lewis/Len Bias were supposed to be...Bridge the gap between the new and old letting the young-guns learn under them

[wdleehi]

I have no issue with this.


it also makes good cap sense since there is no free agent worth going after this offseason with big money.

[cman88]

I have no issue with this.


it also makes good cap sense since there is no free agent worth going after this offseason with big money.

ya, I would offer 1 year deals to ray allen, KG, Jeff Green(to see if he's worth it in the long-run)

and go after a PF in the draft for KG to mentor

[RajonGarnett]

Im on board with this

[ManUp]

Sounds like a good plan to me.

Let's just get them some talent worth mentoring.

[Celtics18]

Thanks for listening to us, Danny.

[vinnie]

Let's get this done.

And let me add this: The big three have made a tremendous amount of money over their careers. Staggering amounts.

Garnett had made nearly $300 million. Ray has made almost $180 million. Pierce has made a little more than $150 million. Of course, they have spent a lot of that money and had to pay a lot of taxes, but I was recently looking at a website that provided the net worth of celebrities. It had KG at $140 million, Ray at $70 million and Pierce at $55 million. Those are still staggering sums of money and it means this is how much much money they have now after you subtract all of their debts. I don't think any of them is going to be hurting in the future.

Now of course, Allen and Garnett have a right to go out and talk to other teams and make as much as they can, if they want. And, maybe they will. However, knowing that they are near the end of the careers, are certainly comfortable for life financially, and really love playing in Boston, maybe they will be willing to take a home town discount.

[LarBrd33]

Still curious what young free agents people think we can sign with our mythical cap space.  All the good ones are restricted.  The only good unrestricted free agent available is Deron Williams.  Second best unrestricted free agent is KEvin Garnett.  Makes a lot more sense to use our 25 mil in cap space to just bring back KG, Ray, Jeff Green, Bass and Pietrus.  Unfortunately until Pierce falls off the books... that's our best path.  Even if KG wants 15 mil per year for 2 years... might as well just give it to him.

[j804]

I love it this is exactly what I wanted to hear, almost makes me happy after that loss that's still lingering

[CelticsPrideKG]

Not sure Ray is going to want to resign here regardless.  I know he loves the guys in the locker room but all the reports were he was pretty unhappy with being shopped so much at the deadline.

Not sure he would put himself in a position where it's 99% likely  Ainge will look to trade him by the time of the deadline.

[BballTim]

Still curious what young free agents people think we can sign with our mythical cap space.  All the good ones are restricted.  The only good unrestricted free agent available is Deron Williams.  Second best unrestricted free agent is KEvin Garnett.  Makes a lot more sense to use our 25 mil in cap space to just bring back KG, Ray, Jeff Green, Bass and Pietrus.  Unfortunately until Pierce falls off the books... that's our best path.  Even if KG wants 15 mil per year for 2 years... might as well just give it to him.

  It doesn't have to be a free agent, it could be a player that we trade for. I wouldn't mind giving KG 2 years, but that's a lot more than he's going to be worth.

[Celtics18]

Still curious what young free agents people think we can sign with our mythical cap space.  All the good ones are restricted.  The only good unrestricted free agent available is Deron Williams.  Second best unrestricted free agent is KEvin Garnett.  Makes a lot more sense to use our 25 mil in cap space to just bring back KG, Ray, Jeff Green, Bass and Pietrus.  Unfortunately until Pierce falls off the books... that's our best path.  Even if KG wants 15 mil per year for 2 years... might as well just give it to him.

I don't think anyone is looking for a home run free agent acquisition this summer (other than Kevin Garnett, of course).  It would be nice to save a couple of bucks for a young prospect or two, though.

[Snakehead]

Still curious what young free agents people think we can sign with our mythical cap space.  All the good ones are restricted.  The only good unrestricted free agent available is Deron Williams.  Second best unrestricted free agent is KEvin Garnett.  Makes a lot more sense to use our 25 mil in cap space to just bring back KG, Ray, Jeff Green, Bass and Pietrus.  Unfortunately until Pierce falls off the books... that's our best path.  Even if KG wants 15 mil per year for 2 years... might as well just give it to him.

Agreed.  The only other free agents are Centers and I'm big on KG staying at the C position personally, and Eric Gordon at SG but I like what Bradley gives us there.  If we return Jeff Green and he comes off the bench, we will have serious scoring punch off the bench between him and Ray Allen.  See who we can get in the draft, I'm pretty confident some high talent player will fall (ala Avery Bradley.. perhaps Royce White will be there) and we can grab a promising big like Andrew Nicholson.

Then go after Josh Smith next year.  That's my hope.

Still curious what young free agents people think we can sign with our mythical cap space.  All the good ones are restricted.  The only good unrestricted free agent available is Deron Williams.  Second best unrestricted free agent is KEvin Garnett.  Makes a lot more sense to use our 25 mil in cap space to just bring back KG, Ray, Jeff Green, Bass and Pietrus.  Unfortunately until Pierce falls off the books... that's our best path.  Even if KG wants 15 mil per year for 2 years... might as well just give it to him.

  It doesn't have to be a free agent, it could be a player that we trade for. I wouldn't mind giving KG 2 years, but that's a lot more than he's going to be worth.

If he played like he did this year, it absolutely is worth it.  Assuming there's drop off though, might not be great, but there are far worse signing (also acknowledging there are things other than production like leadership and character that matter in basketball).

But I bet he signs for 10.  He is a Celtic.

[Greenas]

I really wish they stick around for at least one more year, Bradley has improved dramatically over the past year. Who's to say that he won't start blossoming in their presence after this offseason.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

The presence of KG and Ray on the locker room alone is worth another year. The winning mentality that they're gonna instill to the young guys, the mental aspects of the game and their work ethic will make these young guys prepared once their number gets called up.

On board.