Courtney Lee wants to taste playoffs, sees that with Celtics

[BballTim]

can anyone tell me what players could be used to make Salarys match? I'd be super excited to get him, especially since he wants to be here.

Well, the most important question is how much money does he want.    I've heard everything from being willing to except the bi-annual (which seems to be false) to more than the MLE.  Assuming we are a taxpaying team (which is a likely assumption should we get Lee,) we can take back 125% +$100,000 of what we trade away.  So something like this might work:

Dooling (signed for ~$2.7 mil, which is the most we can sign him for if we trade him)
Sean Williams (non-guaranteed contract)
$3 million cash
2nd round pick from Charlotte

That would let us pay him just over $4.6 mil.  If he wants more, and we're willing to pay him more, then E'Tuan Moore could get added to bring the offer up to over $5.5 mil.

The two sticking points are probably how much salary he's going to command (obviously he wants the most he can get, even if he likes Boston, because most people want the most they can get) and draft pick compensation to Houston.  They just got two second rounders from New York for Camby, and probably want at least that for Lee.  Danny isn't going to give them that, unless they're our back-of-the-round picks.  I think that either the Bobcats or Minny 2013 pick that we have should get it done, but I bet that's the hold-up.  Also, I suppose someone could be completely enamored and offering $7 mil, which would be far above our pricetag, but I see it more of the first two.

  I can't imagine that Danny would forego a chance to improve our team in order to preserve future second round draft picks.

[Potapenko Boxout]

If it's JJJ and a 2nd rounder plus filler for Courtney Lee I would do it.

That's probably the most I'd give up, though.

[saltlover]

If it's JJJ and a 2nd rounder plus filler for Courtney Lee I would do it.

That's probably the most I'd give up, though.

I don't think JJJ gets traded.  I doubt Houston wants him.  Moore could certainly be gone, however.

[Potapenko Boxout]

If it's JJJ and a 2nd rounder plus filler for Courtney Lee I would do it.

That's probably the most I'd give up, though.

I don't think JJJ gets traded.  I doubt Houston wants him.  Moore could certainly be gone, however.

Not totally sure in which world Moore has a higher value than JJJ. JJJ is still essentially a prospect. I think Moore is at his ceiling. Houston seems to be stockpiling young talent and picks, not 5 year college grads who might not have their $800k options picked up.

[TripleOT]

If it's JJJ and a 2nd rounder plus filler for Courtney Lee I would do it.

That's probably the most I'd give up, though.

I don't think JJJ gets traded.  I doubt Houston wants him.  Moore could certainly be gone, however.

Not totally sure in which world Moore has a higher value than JJJ. JJJ is still essentially a prospect. I think Moore is at his ceiling. Houston seems to be stockpiling young talent and picks, not 5 year college grads who might not have their $800k options picked up.

Moore has barely played in the NBA.  It's remarkable that you can already determine that he's reaches his ceiling. 

[kozlodoev]

If it's JJJ and a 2nd rounder plus filler for Courtney Lee I would do it.

That's probably the most I'd give up, though.

I don't think JJJ gets traded.  I doubt Houston wants him.  Moore could certainly be gone, however.

Not totally sure in which world Moore has a higher value than JJJ. JJJ is still essentially a prospect. I think Moore is at his ceiling. Houston seems to be stockpiling young talent and picks, not 5 year college grads who might not have their $800k options picked up.

Moore has barely played in the NBA.  It's remarkable that you can already determine that he's reaches his ceiling. 

Given his age and what he is, it's remarkable anyone would think anything else.

[saltlover]

If it's JJJ and a 2nd rounder plus filler for Courtney Lee I would do it.

That's probably the most I'd give up, though.

I don't think JJJ gets traded.  I doubt Houston wants him.  Moore could certainly be gone, however.

Not totally sure in which world Moore has a higher value than JJJ. JJJ is still essentially a prospect. I think Moore is at his ceiling. Houston seems to be stockpiling young talent and picks, not 5 year college grads who might not have their $800k options picked up.

Because Moore's non-guaranteed contract is better salary filler than JJJ's guaranteed salary.  If Houston wanted to spend the money, they'd just keep Lee.  But that's not what Morey's master plan is right now.

[bfrombleacher]

Can we move just Pietrus and Sean Williams (yes, I've given up on him) and second round picks? Would that be enough (money-wise)?

[saltlover]

Can we move just Pietrus and Sean Williams (yes, I've given up on him) and second round picks? Would that be enough (money-wise)?

Depends how much Lee wants, but Pietrus and Williams brings back less salary than Dooling by himself, so I doubt it.

[stes]

Nobody mentioned it, but Celtics should also have Sasha's early bird rights, since he played here for two seasons (http://m.weei.com/sports/boston/basketball/celtics/paul-flannery/2012/06/15/stay-or-go-look-celtics-free-agents - I'm not sure how credible this site is, but that's all I found).
That means, he could be signed to a contract that equals average nba salary (which I believe was over $5M last season) or less, that combined with a draft pick (Charlotte's 2nd?) and cash might just be enough.
Rockets also seem to collect non-guaranteed contracts, so S.Williams and E'Moore could be a part of a package. Just as JJJ could, because it looks like they stockpile PF's
I'd rather S&T Pavs then Dooling, who I'd like to have on the roster next year - he provided good vet presence and I think he had a good influence on Rondo, but I guess RayRay would disagree :/
I hope it all makes sense to you, because English is not my first language and it's not easy for me to articulate such details.

[saltlover]

Since anybody mentioned it, Celtics should also have Sasha's early bird rights, since he played here for two seasons (http://m.weei.com/sports/boston/basketball/celtics/paul-flannery/2012/06/15/stay-or-go-look-celtics-free-agents - I'm not sure how credible this site is, but that's all I found).
That means, he could be signed to a contract that equals average nba salary (which I believe was over $5M last season) or less, that combined with a draft pick (charlote's 2nd?) and cash might just be enough.
Rockets also seem to collect non-guaranteed contracts, so S.Williams and E'Moore could be a part of a package. Just as JJJ could, because it looks like they stockpile PF's
I'd rather S&T Pavs then Dooling, who I'd like to have on the roster next year - he provided good vet presence and I think he had a good influence on Rondo, but I guess RayRay would disagree :/
I hope it all makes sense to you, because English is not my first language and it's not easy for me to articulate such details.

I'm not sure that we have Sasha's early bird rights, because he was released in the middle of the 2010-2011 season.  But it's moot in terms of a sign-and-trade, due to the changing of the base-year compensation rule.  Essentially, we can only count up to a 20% raise of the traded player's contract as the value of the contract we're trading, or half the new deal, whichever is more.  Even signing Sasha to a ridiculous $5 mil deal only lets us use $2.5 mil for trading purposes.

Accordingly, unless Lee is a lot cheaper than we think, Dooling makes the most sense, because a 20% raise for him takes his contract near $2.7 million, which allows us to bring back almost $3.5 million.

[wahz]

I'll say again that if we get him, even at the risk of giving up the potential of the Purdue picks or other draft picks, he is not only perfect for the 2012-2013 team and replaces Ray beautifully, he becomes a long term answer in a young guard pool of Rajon, Lee, and Avery. Of course I think that because I love the diversity of talent those three guys bring. Thats your guard core for the next 6 years.

[kg is king]

If it's JJJ and a 2nd rounder plus filler for Courtney Lee I would do it.

That's probably the most I'd give up, though.

I don't think JJJ gets traded.  I doubt Houston wants him.  Moore could certainly be gone, however.

Not totally sure in which world Moore has a higher value than JJJ. JJJ is still essentially a prospect. I think Moore is at his ceiling. Houston seems to be stockpiling young talent and picks, not 5 year college grads who might not have their $800k options picked up.

Moore has barely played in the NBA.  It's remarkable that you can already determine that he's reaches his ceiling. 

Given his age and what he is, it's remarkable anyone would think anything else.

His age, 23? Since when did 23 is considered old?

I actually like Moore. He has one skill that is very much in demand, that is to put the ball in the basket. If his future is not here, he'll certainly find a spot on another team. In all honesty, we shouldn't be expecting much out of a late second rounder anyways, unless the name is Gilbert Arenas or Monta Ellis.

[footey]

If it's JJJ and a 2nd rounder plus filler for Courtney Lee I would do it.

That's probably the most I'd give up, though.

I don't think JJJ gets traded.  I doubt Houston wants him.  Moore could certainly be gone, however.

Not totally sure in which world Moore has a higher value than JJJ. JJJ is still essentially a prospect. I think Moore is at his ceiling. Houston seems to be stockpiling young talent and picks, not 5 year college grads who might not have their $800k options picked up.

Moore has barely played in the NBA.  It's remarkable that you can already determine that he's reaches his ceiling. 

Given his age and what he is, it's remarkable anyone would think anything else.

His age, 23? Since when did 23 is considered old?

I actually like Moore. He has one skill that is very much in demand, that is to put the ball in the basket. If his future is not here, he'll certainly find a spot on another team. In all honesty, we shouldn't be expecting much out of a late second rounder anyways, unless the name is Gilbert Arenas or Monta Ellis.

Watching the game yesterday, Moore strikes me as an unconscious chucker. 

[saltlover]

If it's JJJ and a 2nd rounder plus filler for Courtney Lee I would do it.

That's probably the most I'd give up, though.

I don't think JJJ gets traded.  I doubt Houston wants him.  Moore could certainly be gone, however.

Not totally sure in which world Moore has a higher value than JJJ. JJJ is still essentially a prospect. I think Moore is at his ceiling. Houston seems to be stockpiling young talent and picks, not 5 year college grads who might not have their $800k options picked up.

Moore has barely played in the NBA.  It's remarkable that you can already determine that he's reaches his ceiling. 

Given his age and what he is, it's remarkable anyone would think anything else.

His age, 23? Since when did 23 is considered old?

I actually like Moore. He has one skill that is very much in demand, that is to put the ball in the basket. If his future is not here, he'll certainly find a spot on another team. In all honesty, we shouldn't be expecting much out of a late second rounder anyways, unless the name is Gilbert Arenas or Monta Ellis.

Watching the game yesterday, Moore strikes me as an unconscious chucker. 

I don't see him in general as a chucker, but he's playing for his job in these summer league games, so why pass it for someone else to score and take your job, instead of scoring yourself?