Reason there has been so little talk of Bass is because C's trying to S&T him?

[bfrombleacher]

Once the Cs decided to retain KG, their payroll strategy is to spend up to  the luxtax threshold. They're at around $52m right now with KG, JT, the rookies and cap holds, so they need to work every one of their salary slots to get the players they need to compete.  

That means not letting Allen or Bass walk without getting something back.  They're going to use around $8m of that room on Jeff Green, and have offered $6m of it to RA.  That leaves around $5m for Bass, probably not enough to get it done.  

If I'm not mistaken, they can spend up to about $4 mil above the tax and still use the MLE they've promised to Terry.  This leaves about $8mil for Bass, which should get it done.

Does this include Jeff Green?

[Greenbean]

I think Sullinger has made Bass expendable. Ainge kept bringing up Sullinger's mid range game and how it's underrated. So a sign and trade could be in the works.

I really hope Sullinger conitnues to cultivate his post game in the NBA.

Sure he is undersized but his moves are incredible and he has a really soft touch.

I would hate to see him turn into Glen Davis and focus only on his midrange game. Big Baby had a really nice post game early in his college career similar to Sullinger's. He pretty much ignored it in the NBA. Then again, BBD was not a great finisher around the rim in the NBA....let's hope Sully is.

[Fafnir]

Once the Cs decided to retain KG, their payroll strategy is to spend up to  the luxtax threshold. They're at around $52m right now with KG, JT, the rookies and cap holds, so they need to work every one of their salary slots to get the players they need to compete.  

That means not letting Allen or Bass walk without getting something back.  They're going to use around $8m of that room on Jeff Green, and have offered $6m of it to RA.  That leaves around $5m for Bass, probably not enough to get it done.  

If I'm not mistaken, they can spend up to about $4 mil above the tax and still use the MLE they've promised to Terry.  This leaves about $8mil for Bass, which should get it done.

Does this include Jeff Green?

Yes.

The C's are around 50ish million with everyone they've signed now. That leaves around 20 million for everyone else, 6 for Ray then 14 for Bass/Green

[Jon]

Assuming he won't sign a 1-2 year deal, I'd like to see a sign and trade. 

As others have pointed out, Sullinger and Johnson both have good mid range games and could probably fill that role pretty well.  Furthermore, both have assets that Bass doesn't have (Johnson, legit height; Sullinger, a legit post game). 

If he signs a 3-4 year deal, how long will it be before one of them knocks him out of the rotation, destroying any value he has to the team? 

And this isn't even counting the very real possibility that Green gets 10-20 mpg at the 4 spot, to further complicate the big man rotation. 

If the C's could deal him for a big with a shorter deal who could be useful, I'd be all for it. 

[the_Bird]

And this isn't even counting the very real possibility that Green gets 10-20 mpg at the 4 spot, to further complicate the big man rotation. 

Maybe a little off-topic, but if the offseason plays out the way it looks like it will (Jeff Green returning with a large contract, no other high-level bigs coming in), we're going to be seeing Green at the 4 a lot more than that.  I'd bet that we see a starting rotation next year of Rondo/AB/Pierce/Green/KG, and that Green gets the bulk of his minutes at the 4.  Sully will get eased in gradually (if at all), and JJJ needs to prove he belongs in the rotation.  To me, it looks likely that Green gets a big chunk of the PF minutes next season.

[clover]

And this isn't even counting the very real possibility that Green gets 10-20 mpg at the 4 spot, to further complicate the big man rotation. 

Maybe a little off-topic, but if the offseason plays out the way it looks like it will (Jeff Green returning with a large contract, no other high-level bigs coming in), we're going to be seeing Green at the 4 a lot more than that.  I'd bet that we see a starting rotation next year of Rondo/AB/Pierce/Green/KG, and that Green gets the bulk of his minutes at the 4.  Sully will get eased in gradually (if at all), and JJJ needs to prove he belongs in the rotation.  To me, it looks likely that Green gets a big chunk of the PF minutes next season.

If that's the case, Danny wasn't kidding about putting Sullinger on an accelerated program!

[Jon]

And this isn't even counting the very real possibility that Green gets 10-20 mpg at the 4 spot, to further complicate the big man rotation. 

Maybe a little off-topic, but if the offseason plays out the way it looks like it will (Jeff Green returning with a large contract, no other high-level bigs coming in), we're going to be seeing Green at the 4 a lot more than that.  I'd bet that we see a starting rotation next year of Rondo/AB/Pierce/Green/KG, and that Green gets the bulk of his minutes at the 4.  Sully will get eased in gradually (if at all), and JJJ needs to prove he belongs in the rotation.  To me, it looks likely that Green gets a big chunk of the PF minutes next season.

I agree.  I actually meant to put "at least" 10-20 mpg at the 4.  If Ray comes back, they're going to have a logjam in the backcourt that will probably necessitate Ray even getting some minutes at the 3.  Even if he doesn't, Terry should consume almost all the 1-2 backup minutes, making it very difficult for PP to slide down to the 2 at all.

Even if they limit Pierce's minutes to 30-32 mpg, the remaining 16-18 mpg aren't enough for Green.  He's going to have to at least get that many at the 4.  And as you said, I wouldn't be shocked to see him start there.  And to be honest, it's not like he's really much less of a PF than Bass (he's at least taller).  He also does a lot more than Bass.  

[Who]

I don't want to rely on Jeff Green for big minutes until he proves he can handle them post-surgery.

Hope for the best but plan for the worst ... have a PF rotation in place that can function without J.Green and quality depth on the wing to replace or minimize his minutes on the wing if necessary.

[LooseCannon]

A more likely interpretation of the relative silence is that Bass really wants to come back and would give a bit of a discount from his market value if the Celtics give him a four-year deal.

[Fafnir]

A more likely interpretation of the relative silence is that Bass really wants to come back and would give a bit of a discount from his market value if the Celtics give him a four-year deal.

I think Bass is just a third or fourth option guy for most teams.

He won't get his deal done until after the big RFAs and such are all settled.

[wdleehi]

I don't want to rely on Jeff Green for big minutes until he proves he can handle them post-surgery.

Hope for the best but plan for the worst ... have a PF rotation in place that can function without J.Green and quality depth on the wing to replace or minimize his minutes on the wing if necessary.

Agreed.


I want to see Bass back or another vet PF/C in the starting lineup.


(not to mention Green isn't that good of a starting PF)

[chambers]

Bass+Dooling+pick for Illyasova or Scola.

Lemme sign up now.

[BballTim]

And this isn't even counting the very real possibility that Green gets 10-20 mpg at the 4 spot, to further complicate the big man rotation. 

Maybe a little off-topic, but if the offseason plays out the way it looks like it will (Jeff Green returning with a large contract, no other high-level bigs coming in), we're going to be seeing Green at the 4 a lot more than that.  I'd bet that we see a starting rotation next year of Rondo/AB/Pierce/Green/KG, and that Green gets the bulk of his minutes at the 4.  Sully will get eased in gradually (if at all), and JJJ needs to prove he belongs in the rotation.  To me, it looks likely that Green gets a big chunk of the PF minutes next season.

I agree.  I actually meant to put "at least" 10-20 mpg at the 4.  If Ray comes back, they're going to have a logjam in the backcourt that will probably necessitate Ray even getting some minutes at the 3.  Even if he doesn't, Terry should consume almost all the 1-2 backup minutes, making it very difficult for PP to slide down to the 2 at all.

Even if they limit Pierce's minutes to 30-32 mpg, the remaining 16-18 mpg aren't enough for Green.  He's going to have to at least get that many at the 4.  And as you said, I wouldn't be shocked to see him start there.  And to be honest, it's not like he's really much less of a PF than Bass (he's at least taller).  He also does a lot more than Bass.  

 If Green comes back I think the only player I'd pencil in for more than 30-32 minutes a game is Rondo.

[Gainesville Celtic]

I think Danny is waiting to see what the market is for Bass.

Also, the Ray situation will determine how much we have left to pay for Bass and others.

I think Bass would like to return all else equal, so I think even if he gets another offer he will give the C's time to respond. At which point, the sign and trade scenarios come into focus.

Agree.

And i think if Ray leaves, and Bass wants more money than Ainge will give, Ainge would S&T for a Ray replacement (don't know why a team with a suitable PF/C would want to trade them for Bass... though ORL did i guess)

And then use the money they had budgetted for Bass on Steimsma/Wilcox or another FA big.

BTW, I'd like Bass back but only for the right $ (ie. about $12M/3 yrs)

[the_Bird]

And this isn't even counting the very real possibility that Green gets 10-20 mpg at the 4 spot, to further complicate the big man rotation. 

Maybe a little off-topic, but if the offseason plays out the way it looks like it will (Jeff Green returning with a large contract, no other high-level bigs coming in), we're going to be seeing Green at the 4 a lot more than that.  I'd bet that we see a starting rotation next year of Rondo/AB/Pierce/Green/KG, and that Green gets the bulk of his minutes at the 4.  Sully will get eased in gradually (if at all), and JJJ needs to prove he belongs in the rotation.  To me, it looks likely that Green gets a big chunk of the PF minutes next season.

I agree.  I actually meant to put "at least" 10-20 mpg at the 4.  If Ray comes back, they're going to have a logjam in the backcourt that will probably necessitate Ray even getting some minutes at the 3.  Even if he doesn't, Terry should consume almost all the 1-2 backup minutes, making it very difficult for PP to slide down to the 2 at all.

Even if they limit Pierce's minutes to 30-32 mpg, the remaining 16-18 mpg aren't enough for Green.  He's going to have to at least get that many at the 4.  And as you said, I wouldn't be shocked to see him start there.  And to be honest, it's not like he's really much less of a PF than Bass (he's at least taller).  He also does a lot more than Bass.  

 If Green comes back I think the only player I'd pencil in for more than 30-32 minutes a game is Rondo.

AB, Green, and Rondo; I'd expect all of them to be somewhere north of there.  They'll limit the minutes of the old guys as best they can, but if Bass doesn't return, Green's going to be one of our best PF options.  He'll play a fair amount at the 4, plus some backing Pierce up at the 3.  And AB's proven to be an important enough piece on the defensive side, once he's healthy  he'll get as many minutes as he can handle.

The minutes for Pierce, KG, and Terry will all be limited, but that means (almost by definition) that we'll see plenty of PT for the other rotation guys.  The "depth" guys (like Pietrus, if he re-signs, and the young PFs) will play, but you're still going to try and have as many minutes played by your eight best players as you can.