celts would offer JET full MLE

[AB_Celtic]

If we sign-and-trade Ray, are we still eligible to use the MLE on JET?

I'm not suggesting we do, but if Ray doesn't want us to return it allows us to get a replacement for him, a role player via the trade, and maybe even a pick. Pretty sweet if he's leaving anyways.

Yes, we may use the full MLE as long as we aren't paying the luxury tax which is what 70 million?

I've heard 74 tossed around

See my edited post above, 74 million is the hard cap for teams using the full MLE.

So if Ray is unhappy playing with Rondo, why not...

1. Sign Ray to a 2yr, $12mil deal
2. Use the MLE on JET
3. Sign BB with remaining cap space (yes, I know, this is the "iffy" step)
4. Trade Ray, BB, and either a pick or JJJ for J-Smoove or the like

That's been proposed many times but I don't think Smith or another high level player is available for that sort of package.

I think he might be. He's got an expiring contract.

[Fafnir]

If we sign-and-trade Ray, are we still eligible to use the MLE on JET?

I'm not suggesting we do, but if Ray doesn't want us to return it allows us to get a replacement for him, a role player via the trade, and maybe even a pick. Pretty sweet if he's leaving anyways.

Yes, we may use the full MLE as long as we aren't paying the luxury tax which is what 70 million?

I've heard 74 tossed around

See my edited post above, 74 million is the hard cap for teams using the full MLE.

So if Ray is unhappy playing with Rondo, why not...

1. Sign Ray to a 2yr, $12mil deal
2. Use the MLE on JET
3. Sign BB with remaining cap space (yes, I know, this is the "iffy" step)
4. Trade Ray, BB, and either a pick or JJJ for J-Smoove or the like

That's been proposed many times but I don't think Smith or another high level player is available for that sort of package.

I think he might be. He's got an expiring contract.

Atlanta already cleared a ton of cap space by moving Williams/Johnson.

They don't need to take on longer term salary of Ray Allen/Bass while giving up the best player in the deal.

[the_Bird]

Sorry to say this, but Ray is screwing us right now.  If Ray would just agree to the $12/2 year deal that he's been offered, then we would have the MLE to spend on front line help.  Plus, there isn't even a guarantee that JET will accept the MLE. 

Ray's got us in scramble mode. 

Everything I've heard/seen is that our MLE offer to terry isn't contingent on Ray not coming back.

My guess is that the C's don't like any of the front court options out their for the MLE.

I know he's old and had injury issues for much of his career...  but wouldn't Camby be a perfect fit for 20-25 minutes a night?  And, I don't see him as a vet-minimum guy.  I mean, his rebounding rate is almost off the charts; DRR of 31.5, versus KG's 25.8 (itself not too shabby!)  Nine boards/game in less than 23 minutes.  And, he played basically a full season last year.

Wouldn't he be worth using at least a good chunk of the MLE on?   Even if we lose Ray Allen, I'd rather go into next season with AB and Pietrus as my shooting guards, if I had Camby up front.  

I'm sure DA's kicked the tires on Camby, but most everything I've seen says he wants to come back to Houston, aside from one article somewhere that he immediately decried as false.  He seems less into ring-chasing, and more playing basketball in Houston because he likes playing basketball and he likes living in Houston.  And once Houston realizes they're not getting Howard, they'll probably bring him back.

Well, he's got a lot of local connections; it would be a bit of a homecoming for him to return to MA.  He's still the player most associated with U-Mass basketball, and he's a CT native. 

I certainly think that he's fill a bigger need for us than JET Terry would.  Love JET, think he would help - but we *should* have some scoring help in the second unit with the (hopefully imminent) return of Jeff Green, and Avery Bradley has proved worthy of getting the bulk of the 2-guard minutes.  I'm not sure how much better JET is than Ray Allen (if he can be convinced to return); maybe a little, but not THAT much. 

[radiohead]

Hopefully we get a yes from JET soon. If the Ray Allen situation drags on or doesn't work out to our liking, then at least we'd already have JET to take on Allen's role on the bench.

[cman88]

Terry solves a big problem for the c's a team with one of the worst scoring benches..

We can't wait for allen to make his decision

[mctyson]

If we sign-and-trade Ray, are we still eligible to use the MLE on JET?

I'm not suggesting we do, but if Ray doesn't want us to return it allows us to get a replacement for him, a role player via the trade, and maybe even a pick. Pretty sweet if he's leaving anyways.

Yes, we may use the full MLE as long as we aren't paying the luxury tax which is what 70 million?

I've heard 74 tossed around

See my edited post above, 74 million is the hard cap for teams using the full MLE.

So if Ray is unhappy playing with Rondo, why not...

1. Sign Ray to a 2yr, $12mil deal
2. Use the MLE on JET
3. Sign BB with remaining cap space (yes, I know, this is the "iffy" step)
4. Trade Ray, BB, and either a pick or JJJ for J-Smoove or the like

That's been proposed many times but I don't think Smith or another high level player is available for that sort of package.

I think he might be. He's got an expiring contract.

Atlanta is doing the exact opposite of what you propose right there.  They are shedding salary and taking on expiring deals.  Josh Smith is a worthwhile player for them right now.  They will only trade him for youth/picks.  They do not want Ray Allen and Brandon Bass.

However...we could find a way to work a 3-team or 4-team with Ray and Bass that would either get us expirings back or value that Atlanta might rather have, and then flip that for Josh Smith. 

[CFAN38]

Adding Terry to a guard rotation of Rondo, Ray, and Ab seems a bit odd. But I guess it would work and the Cs would be a much better offencive team.

(assuming this is the group brought back)

PG Rondo 38 min, Terry 10min
SG AB 25 min, Ray 13 min, Terry 10min
SF PP 28 min, Green 10 min, Ray 10min
PF Bass? 30min, Green 18min
C  KG 28 min, Steimsma 12 min , Sullinger 8 min

With Ray, PP, and KG taking more time off this season the rotation may actually work pretty well with AB,Green, and Steimsma picking up more minutes on their off nights.

possible lineup (out side of starters)

PG Terry
SG AB
SF Green
PF Bass
C  Steimsma

Pg Rondo
SG Terry
SF Ray
PF Green
C  KG

PG Terry
SG Ray
SF Pierce
PF Green
C  KG

[celticinorlando]

heck..i want ray and terry...BUT if ray goes elsewhere...JET is a great pick up...then spend ray's money on someone else...

[snively]

heck..i want ray and terry...BUT if ray goes elsewhere...JET is a great pick up...then spend ray's money on someone else...

The problem is you can't just spend Ray's bird rights on someone else.  The only positive is it would free up more money to sign our other bird's rights guys (Bass, Green, Krstic) without exceeding the "apron."

[the_Bird]

heck..i want ray and terry...BUT if ray goes elsewhere...JET is a great pick up...then spend ray's money on someone else...

You can't, though - that's the problem.  We don't have any cap space, so the only way we can "spend" Ray's money is either on Ray Allen or to do a sign & trade to Ray's new team.

Short of a S&T, all we have to work with are the MLE and vet-min contracts.  Do you want to use that MLE on a wing, or a big?

Don't fool yourself into thinking that if we sign JET, we'll still sign Ray Allen.  It's an either/or situation, if for no other reason than Ray's not going to re-sign if he knows he's going to be scrapping for minutes against both Bradley and JET.  There just aren't that many minutes to go around, and Ray wants to play (and I don't blame him).

If we sign JET, Ray Allen's not coming back.

I keep coming back to; I'm much rather have a 2-guard rotation of Ray/AB/Pietrus, AND have Marcus Camby at the 5, than Ray/AB/JET, and not be able to sign any other bigs with the MLE.  

[More Banners]

heck..i want ray and terry...BUT if ray goes elsewhere...JET is a great pick up...then spend ray's money on someone else...

You can't, though - that's the problem.  We don't have any cap space, so the only way we can "spend" Ray's money is either on Ray Allen or to do a sign & trade to Ray's new team.

Short of a S&T, all we have to work with are the MLE and vet-min contracts.  Do you want to use that MLE on a wing, or a big?

Don't fool yourself into thinking that if we sign JET, we'll still sign Ray Allen.  It's an either/or situation, if for no other reason than Ray's not going to re-sign if he knows he's going to be scrapping for minutes against both Bradley and JET.  There just aren't that many minutes to go around, and Ray wants to play (and I don't blame him).

If we sign JET, Ray Allen's not coming back.

I keep coming back to; I'm much rather have a 2-guard rotation of Ray/AB/Pietrus, AND have Marcus Camby at the 5, than Ray/AB/JET, and not be able to sign any other bigs with the MLE.  

I'd rather have JET than Ray.  Terry is simply the better player, by far, at this point.

There is only so much money available under the tax to pay our own FA's.  If Ray doesn't come back, then we have the money to possibly bring in Wilcox, Krystic, Steimsma, AND Bass for a very nice big rotation with KG, wing rotation with Pierce, Green, Terry, and Bradley, and Rondo running the show.

I'd almost prefer to not sign Ray and to have an extra big instead.

Wilcox gets the $3M he got last year, plus raises.

Steimsma gets the BAE.

Bass and Kystic, too.

Unless Danny wants Doc to play a young guy, then we take either Bass or Krystic, but not both.

[AB_Celtic]

heck..i want ray and terry...BUT if ray goes elsewhere...JET is a great pick up...then spend ray's money on someone else...

You can't, though - that's the problem.  We don't have any cap space, so the only way we can "spend" Ray's money is either on Ray Allen or to do a sign & trade to Ray's new team.

Short of a S&T, all we have to work with are the MLE and vet-min contracts.  Do you want to use that MLE on a wing, or a big?

Don't fool yourself into thinking that if we sign JET, we'll still sign Ray Allen.  It's an either/or situation, if for no other reason than Ray's not going to re-sign if he knows he's going to be scrapping for minutes against both Bradley and JET.  There just aren't that many minutes to go around, and Ray wants to play (and I don't blame him).

If we sign JET, Ray Allen's not coming back.

I keep coming back to; I'm much rather have a 2-guard rotation of Ray/AB/Pietrus, AND have Marcus Camby at the 5, than Ray/AB/JET, and not be able to sign any other bigs with the MLE.  

I'd rather have JET than Ray.  Terry is simply the better player, by far, at this point.

There is only so much money available under the tax to pay our own FA's.  If Ray doesn't come back, then we have the money to possibly bring in Wilcox, Krystic, Steimsma, AND Bass for a very nice big rotation with KG, wing rotation with Pierce, Green, Terry, and Bradley, and Rondo running the show.

I'd almost prefer to not sign Ray and to have an extra big instead.

Wilcox gets the $3M he got last year, plus raises.

Steimsma gets the BAE.

Bass and Kystic, too.

Unless Danny wants Doc to play a young guy, then we take either Bass or Krystic, but not both.

Somehow I don't see a post-injury, older Wilcox getting a raise.

[snively]

Sorry to say this, but Ray is screwing us right now.  If Ray would just agree to the $12/2 year deal that he's been offered, then we would have the MLE to spend on front line help.  Plus, there isn't even a guarantee that JET will accept the MLE. 

Ray's got us in scramble mode. 

Everything I've heard/seen is that our MLE offer to terry isn't contingent on Ray not coming back.

My guess is that the C's don't like any of the front court options out their for the MLE.

Rondo/Bradley/Terry/Ray is an awfully crowded backcourt.  Hard to see Ray or Terry breaking much higher than 20 mpg in that scenario - a pretty steep drop in role for guys with their egos. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have that problem (and I'm sure Doc would too), but I think that makes it pretty unlikely that both would sign here.   

I wouldn't be unhappy with a JET/Pietrus backcourt if Ray does leave, though.  Might even like that better than JET/Ray. 

[scaryjerry]

I love this idea, and frankly would rather have him then Ray back IF the rumblings about ray not getting along with rondo for certain reasons are true, and hes unhappy coming off the bench, then good riddance...

[gpap]

Would much rather have Terry than Allen. Terry is used to coming off the bench and has been a tremendous 6th man with Dallas throughout his career.

Ray Allen's game has declined and doesn't like coming off the bench.

Personally, I don't understand the infatuation with retaining Ray. Time to move on.