Stacked Celtics need a Center - Asik's Value

[azzenfrost]

Last I checked, plantar fasciatis(sp?) is not permanent.

[Celtics18]

I don't really think we can afford him if we bring back most of our own free agents.  I don't really think we need him, anyway.

I like this team a lot:

Rondo/Dooling/Moore
Bradley/Allen/Pietrus
Pierce/Green/Joseph
Garnett/Sullinger/Johnson
Wilcox/Stiemsma/Melo

For me, a lot depends on the health of the two guys who had the heart ailments, and whether or not we can bring them back. 

[esel1000]

Signing Asik would make up for the disappointing draft, for sure!

I dont even want to know you definition of disappointing...

[Yugocelt]

Asik-and-Destroy is more than welcome here, as far as I'm concerned.  But only if the money is right.

[Dchuck]

I can not understand why everyone is dismissing Sullinger's  back problem as if it were a badly sprained ankle.  Back issues completely rob you of any athleticism you have.  I truly, truly hope it turns out to be nothing.

Also, think I would rather have taken Moultrie over Melo.

[billysan]

If not Asik then try for Camby, Przbilla or K-Mart as FA bigs.  We only need 15-18 mpg max from them as back up centers, Kmart can handle most of the 2nd team people for short minutes.

If we can get Wilcox back healthy with KG as our starters, use one of the FA as back up at the 5. Sullinger/JJJ battle for KG's back up minutes. Melo to the D league for the first half of the season, Steamer as the bench warmer if cheap.

This is where we need to spend some FA money, long as it is a healthy productive rotation big. It only works if the FA big is able to stabilize the floor somewhat defensively when JJJ/Sullinger are out there.

[CoachBo]

I can not understand why everyone is dismissing Sullinger's  back problem as if it were a badly sprained ankle.  Back issues completely rob you of any athleticism you have.  I truly, truly hope it turns out to be nothing.

Also, think I would rather have taken Moultrie over Melo.

Doc Rivers and his 13-year career with a bulging disk say hello.

[action781]

Asik would be terrific but there is no way that Chicago doesn't match.

Big men have too much value as trade assets. Chicago will do the same as Orlando did with Gortat. Match the offer. Keep him for the short term and then move him on in a trade to fill an alternative need.

I agree in principal.  But depending on how much he gets offered by a team willing to may him starter money, it's going to be hard for Chicago to match that money for him to be a bench player.  Especially when they already have 4 players on the team making 8 figures and Taj Gibson is soon going to command similar or more money than Asik easily.

[action781]

Hmmm... I'd probably bump Asik to the bench in that squad.  As good of an offensive rebounder as he is, I worry that the lack of speed, spacing and finishing ability that comes with him is a net negative offensively with that starting unit, while KG has shown he can protect the rim well enough on his own not to require another defensive specialist alongside him (other than for brief "prevent" line-ups).

Start Sullinger instead - his superior hands, finishing ability and range will be much more useful playing with the starters.  Use Asik to keep the defense elite when KG rests. Try JJJ in the Taj Gibson role - if that doesn't work, let Green see minutes at the back-up 4 with Asik to help cover for him.  I'd also like to bring back Wilcox as a veteran alternative to the two young PFs as well as a completely different look.

Not crazy about the reliance on Mayo for bench offense.  I'd much rather bring back Ray's elite shooting and pair him with a defensive guard who can slash and help out more in the non-scoring categories - either Dominique Jones or Roddy Beaubois from the Mavs would be appealing (offer them Moore, Williams and the Charlotte pick for Jones, say).

So this would be my line-up:

Rondo/Jones/Dooling
Bradley/Ray
Pierce/Green/Pietrus
Sullinger/JJJ/Wilcox
KG/Asik/Stiemsma/Melo

I like this a lot.  And we can give KG some days off to rest with that much depth at C.  We'd absolutely need a scorer off the bench.  If we can't get it at the PG position like you suggested, I'd think about signing Mayo instead of Ray.

[chambers]

Asik-and-Destroy is more than welcome here, as far as I'm concerned.  But only if the money is right.

Ditto.

[Dchuck]

I can not understand why everyone is dismissing Sullinger's  back problem as if it were a badly sprained ankle.  Back issues completely rob you of any athleticism you have.  I truly, truly hope it turns out to be nothing.

Also, think I would rather have taken Moultrie over Melo.

Doc Rivers and his 13-year career with a bulging disk say hello.

For every Doc, there is a Mike Miller, a declining Amare, a playoff-lost Dwight Howard, a career ending Bird and so on.

[SHAQATTACK]

Camby on  1 year deal . We keep flexibility for next year and get a great rebounder and shot blocker.

This ...

[Who]

Asik would be terrific but there is no way that Chicago doesn't match.

Big men have too much value as trade assets. Chicago will do the same as Orlando did with Gortat. Match the offer. Keep him for the short term and then move him on in a trade to fill an alternative need.

I agree in principal.  But depending on how much he gets offered by a team willing to may him starter money, it's going to be hard for Chicago to match that money for him to be a bench player.  Especially when they already have 4 players on the team making 8 figures and Taj Gibson is soon going to command similar or more money than Asik easily.

Because Asik was a second round pick, the Gilbert Arenas provision applies.

So a team can only pay Asik $5 million per annum for the first two years. That gives Chicago a lot of wiggle room (time and financial flexibility) in terms of trading Asik over the next 24 months.

To get around that, a team would have to give Asik a poisonous type contract that pays him $10-12 million per annum in years 3 and 4 (total of $30-34 million over four years, for an average $7.5-8.5 million per annum) ... but who wants to pay Asik that much money three-four years from now? I don't think anyone does. $7-8 million, maybe (which would give a four year $24-26 million deal -- very affordable, easy to match and is trade-able down the road). $10+ million per annum, I struggle to see that type of offer from anyone (so I don't think anyone is going to make a big enough contract offer to make it not worthwhile for Chicago to match).

That Gilbert Arenas provision gives Chicago a lot of help here. Because of it, I can't see them letting Asik go just yet. Best to keep him, pay the $5 million salary and trade Asik later.

[Celtics18]

Asik would be terrific but there is no way that Chicago doesn't match.

Big men have too much value as trade assets. Chicago will do the same as Orlando did with Gortat. Match the offer. Keep him for the short term and then move him on in a trade to fill an alternative need.

I agree in principal.  But depending on how much he gets offered by a team willing to may him starter money, it's going to be hard for Chicago to match that money for him to be a bench player.  Especially when they already have 4 players on the team making 8 figures and Taj Gibson is soon going to command similar or more money than Asik easily.

Because Asik was a second round pick, the Gilbert Arenas provision applies.

So a team can only pay Asik $5 million per annum for the first two years. That gives Chicago a lot of wiggle room (time and financial flexibility) in terms of trading Asik over the next 24 months.

To get around that, a team would have to give Asik a poisonous type contract that pays him $10-12 million per annum in years 3 and 4 (total of $30-34 million over four years, for an average $7.5-8.5 million per annum) ... but who wants to pay Asik that much money three-four years from now? I don't think anyone does. $7-8 million, maybe (which would give a four year $24-26 million deal -- very affordable, easy to match and is trade-able down the road). $10+ million per annum, I struggle to see that type of offer from anyone (so I don't think anyone is going to make a big enough contract offer to make it not worthwhile for Chicago to match).

That Gilbert Arenas provision gives Chicago a lot of help here. Because of it, I can't see them letting Asik go just yet. Best to keep him, pay the $5 million salary and trade Asik later.

That's all pretty confusing.  Regardless of that, though, I don't think it's just a matter of wanting to pay him that much money (someone please correct me if I'm wrong), but I don't think we'd actually be able to pay anyone else's free agent that much money and also sign our own free agents while staying within the parameters of the salary cap.

That said, there always seem to be more loopholes than I can figure out, and Danny frequently makes moves that I didn't think were actually possible.  

[Michael Anthony]

Asik would be terrific but there is no way that Chicago doesn't match.

Big men have too much value as trade assets. Chicago will do the same as Orlando did with Gortat. Match the offer. Keep him for the short term and then move him on in a trade to fill an alternative need.

I agree in principal.  But depending on how much he gets offered by a team willing to may him starter money, it's going to be hard for Chicago to match that money for him to be a bench player.  Especially when they already have 4 players on the team making 8 figures and Taj Gibson is soon going to command similar or more money than Asik easily.

Because Asik was a second round pick, the Gilbert Arenas provision applies.

So a team can only pay Asik $5 million per annum for the first two years. That gives Chicago a lot of wiggle room (time and financial flexibility) in terms of trading Asik over the next 24 months.

To get around that, a team would have to give Asik a poisonous type contract that pays him $10-12 million per annum in years 3 and 4 (total of $30-34 million over four years, for an average $7.5-8.5 million per annum) ... but who wants to pay Asik that much money three-four years from now? I don't think anyone does. $7-8 million, maybe (which would give a four year $24-26 million deal -- very affordable, easy to match and is trade-able down the road). $10+ million per annum, I struggle to see that type of offer from anyone (so I don't think anyone is going to make a big enough contract offer to make it not worthwhile for Chicago to match).

That Gilbert Arenas provision gives Chicago a lot of help here. Because of it, I can't see them letting Asik go just yet. Best to keep him, pay the $5 million salary and trade Asik later.

Chicago has a $70+ million payroll next season before extending Asik, which means $5 millions costs them $10.

Do you pay $10 million for a backup center?