KG planning to wait?

[action781]

Simple Solutions here.

1. KG, Pierce and Ray have "at least" one more good year in them
2. Make KG's and Ray's contracts mirror Pierce's
3. KG - $13 Mil this year with $7 Mil max payout in year two
4. Ray: $8 Mil this year with a $5 Mil max payout in year two

* Both will probably retire with Pierce after next season anyway
** If not, we'd have a combined $16 Mil tied up in them in their final season, which they would still be worth.

You can't structure KG and Ray's contracts like that by the CBA.  I think the max annual decrease allowed is somewhere around 10%.

[Fafnir]

You could make those the amount of guarenteed money, but their overall salary if they aren't waived or something similar would have to be within 10% of their first year salary.

[clover]

Simple Solutions here.

1. KG, Pierce and Ray have "at least" one more good year in them
2. Make KG's and Ray's contracts mirror Pierce's
3. KG - $13 Mil this year with $7 Mil max payout in year two
4. Ray: $8 Mil this year with a $5 Mil max payout in year two

* Both will probably retire with Pierce after next season anyway
** If not, we'd have a combined $16 Mil tied up in them in their final season, which they would still be worth.

You can't structure KG and Ray's contracts like that by the CBA.  I think the max annual decrease allowed is somewhere around 10%.

Beyond that, the C's were creaking with old age against every team in the playoffs this year--let alone two years out.

[mctyson]

This is not good news. We need KG to make a decision quickly. Since he has the largest cap hold, signing him first at a number less than his hold would tell us how much we have to spend on free agents. If KG waits then we can't really go after a rotation FA because if we spend too much we can't re-sign KG.

The not wanting a total rebuild comment means he wants to see others brought in that could help the team, but if we sign those guys before KG then we might not be able to pay KG the full amount he wants.

As far as not wanting the Celtics to sign a player that makes more but does less? I don't see this being a problem. If Bass comes back we'll have about $20 MM to work with. I expect KG to  make $8-10 MM then the Celtics will use the rest 10-12 to sign Jeff Green and another free agent. In other words we don't have enough money to sign Green and a FA that will make more than KG.

Nothing is preventing us from attempting to bring back almost the entire 2011/2012 Celtics roster for next year.  We have Bird Rights on all our best players and can go over the cap to resign all of them.

The three things preventing us are:  Bass opting out, Ray leaving, Steimsma leaving.  I personally want to bring back the whole gang.  I'd love to see a roster of:

Rondo, Bradley, Pierce, Bass, KG, Dooling, Ray, Pietrus, Jeff Green, Steimsma, JJJ, Wilcox, 2 first round picks, 1 more player.

For the one more player, I could see that being any free agent, but also wouldn't mind it being Hollins, Daniels, or Moore to bring back the chemistry from last season.

I could also see Ray leaving which would leave us room for 1 more FA.

Bass opting out does not mean we lose him.  I believe we have his Bird Rights.  We could sign him to whatever deal would bring him back, even if it pushes us through the cap.

Same thing with Ray.

Stiemer can leave, but I'd be shocked if another team offers him more than 2M.  However, Billy King does still run a professional basketball franchise, so all bets are off.

My point is that Ray will most likely not sign a 1-year deal if he has a multi-year offer, even if the 1-year deal is for more money.  He does not want to be held hostage by the trade deadline and all expiring contracts are trade bait in the NBA.

[LooseCannon]

You can't structure KG and Ray's contracts like that by the CBA.  I think the max annual decrease allowed is somewhere around 10%.

Under the new CBA, a free agent signed using Bird rights can have a maximum increase/decrease of 7.5%.

[LooseCannon]

I could definitely see a team offering Stiemsma the bi-annual exception of a shade under $2m per for two seasons.

[clover]

I could definitely see a team offering Stiemsma the bi-annual exception of a shade under $2m per for two seasons.

And I think the C's would match that and he'd choose to stay here.  Good deal all around.

[LooseCannon]

I could definitely see a team offering Stiemsma the bi-annual exception of a shade under $2m per for two seasons.

And I think the C's would match that and he'd choose to stay here.  Good deal all around.

Now imagine the Bucks using their cap space to give the local boy a three-year, $10m contract that would require the Celtics to use part of the MLE to match.

I can see KG giving the Celtics a bit of a discount if it would enable the Celtics to give Stiemsma more money.  I can't see him giving up money to enable the Celtics to acquire a big man with a reputation for matador defense.

[ScoobyDoo]

Doesn't Pierce have a $15 mil per year contract, except the last year we only have to pay him around $4-5 Mil or it's a team option or something. Maybe the rules have changed.
 
Either way, it doesn't matter. The only way KG plays another season, or two, is in Boston and only if, at least, Pierce is still with us.

These guys (KG, Pierce and Ray) don't want to go start playing for another coach or with other vets.

Do this then:

KG: One year at $13 Mil - Do a heat check on him in the off season, if he wants to play another year and he's still got junk in the tank - work out another one year deal. Not a big issue.

Ray: he'll probably want a two year deal at a minimum. Also, a very minor issue. Sign him to a two year, $7.5 mil deal, after he's fully recovered from ankle surgery and passes the physical. Next year he will be a very valuable, clutch weapon off the bench, the following year you can trade him at the deadline to a playoff contender if it's not going right for us. If Ray has an issue starting -bench Bradley, tell him he has to wait one more year - then play Ray KG minutes, six minute spurts.

Also, kind of tired of hearing about these guys being too old. They are too old to play major minutes all season, yes. But far young enough to contribute, in a big way, to another title run.

Banged up we almost went to the finals this year.

But if you bring them back, go all in and give them "quality" backups and the ride those backups to the maximum amount you can all season.

Strengthen the team in the short term and the long term.

KG - go get Kaman or Hawes or Aaron Gray, Asik - something other than JO / Shaq types.

Go get Illyasova, Landry, Humphries or Bass again behind KG

Re-sign Jeff Green behind Pierce

Bradley is behind Ray

Hawes / Aaron Gray / Steamer
KG / Bass / JJJ
Pierce / Jeff Green
Ray / Bradley
Rondo / Goran Dragic

I'll put that team up against anyone - no problem for one more year.

The key if you bring them back is - seriously reload.