Morey using the Celtics here

[cman88]

I'm just cautious of overpaying for a guy who is going to the bench when Bradley comes back.


Pietrus might be able to fill in just fine

[kozlodoev]

I'm just cautious of overpaying for a guy who is going to the bench when Bradley comes back.


Pietrus might be able to fill in just fine

Courtney Lee is a significantly better player than Pietrus. Maybe not significantly more skilled, but considerably more reliable.

I reckon we'll need both Lee (or another guard) and Pietrus on the roster. Also, with our assets, it's kind of hard to overpay -- $4 million per season for ~3 years is not much for someone capable to spot start/play extended minutes off the bench (and is just entering their prime).

[StartOrien]

I'm just cautious of overpaying for a guy who is going to the bench when Bradley comes back.


Pietrus might be able to fill in just fine

Courtney Lee is a significantly better player than Pietrus. Maybe not significantly more skilled, but considerably more reliable.

I reckon we'll need both Lee (or another guard) and Pietrus on the roster. Also, with our assets, it's kind of hard to overpay -- $4 million per season for ~3 years is not much for someone capable to spot start/play extended minutes off the bench (and is just entering their prime).

I think you might've missed his point. He's not stating that Pietrus is more valuable, but thinking it might not be worth spending that much on him when his minutes will be greatly diminished by Bradley's return.

I'm not sure that's true, because it seems like the Celtics are prepared to have Terry take all of the backup minutes at the point.

[MBunge]

Shannon Brown?  Yes, he's basically just a scorer who isn't a great shooter but he's certainly got the size and athleticism we need at the 2 guard.

Mike

[saltlover]

I was going to end my last post with, I wouldn't mind going to the bargain bin and looking at a guy like Deshawn Stevenson, but GOOD GOD, what happened to Deshawn Stevenson last season?! Shot .285 FROM THE FIELD

Dahntay Jones?

Ya, I wouldn't mind Jones one bit to fill the void while we wait for Bradley's return.

To be clear, I'd prefer Courtney Lee and would have no problem giving up a first round pick for him. I just would have some hesitancy including Triple J in the deal.

JJJ has no value to me, completely unproven. Would Houston want him as anything more than sallary filler? Don't think so, and there are better guys to fill salary than him. (Unless Dooling won't do sign and trade.)

If you're Houston, would you prefer taking on a gamble a tall, athletic, young player who probably won't pan out or Keyon Dooling?

Assuming that the Celtics can agree on a contract with Lee, it will probably be $4-5.5 mil.  Houston will have to take back some salary, and Moore, Williams, and JJJ combined won't be enough.  So someone like Dooling has to come into play, just to make salaries work.

I bet Houston either gets JJJ or a pick, but not both.  I also have little problem with trading next year's first for someone, be it Lee or another player.  The C's already have a lot of roster spots taken up for next year -- the guaranteed contract to a first-rounder might actually get in the way:

Assuming we get Lee, the 2013 lineup looks something like this:

Rondo/JET
Lee/AB (assuming we pick up his option, which would be a shock if we didn't)
PP/Green/Joseph
Bass/Sully
KG/Melo

Plus and option on JJJ and Joseph, maybe someone we sign with the BAE this year, and next year's MLE.  And this is assuming that Stiemsma is gone.  So that guaranteed contract to next year's first-rounder gets in the way more than anything else, especially considering we currently have three 2nd round picks to boot.

[StartOrien]

I think I've seen enough out of Jajuan Johnson that I'd prefer him over next year's first round pick.

[Brendan]

Assuming that the Celtics can agree on a contract with Lee, it will probably be $4-5.5 mil.  Houston will have to take back some salary, and Moore, Williams, and JJJ combined won't be enough.  So someone like Dooling has to come into play, just to make salaries work.

I bet Houston either gets JJJ or a pick, but not both.  I also have little problem with trading next year's first for someone, be it Lee or another player.  The C's already have a lot of roster spots taken up for next year -- the guaranteed contract to a first-rounder might actually get in the way:

Assuming we get Lee, the 2013 lineup looks something like this:

Rondo/JET
Lee/AB (assuming we pick up his option, which would be a shock if we didn't)
PP/Green/Joseph
Bass/Sully
KG/Melo

Plus and option on JJJ and Joseph, maybe someone we sign with the BAE this year, and next year's MLE.  And this is assuming that Stiemsma is gone.  So that guaranteed contract to next year's first-rounder gets in the way more than anything else, especially considering we currently have three 2nd round picks to boot.

I assume you mean the 2013/2014 roster.

I'd guess we use the BAE on Steisma or Wilcox, which might have a player option for year 2, or even be guaranteed partially or in whole.

That puts the C's at 13 + 3 second round picks.

Which is sort of the reason I'm losing interest in Lee... rotation usually shakes out to have 8 guys playing almost all of the minutes, with three other guys taking the scraps:

160 minutes = 5 starters at 32 MPG
72 minutes = 3 key bench guys at 24 MPG

that's 232 minutes out of 248 minutes, with 16 getting split between the reserves.

This team already has 5 of those guys at guard/wing spots. Lee makes sense if:
- he's on a Posey one year deal and he's a bridge to a healthy AB in 2013/4
- he can play SF (I don't think he can) AND you expect to see lots of Green at PF (ugh)
- you expect JET to be one of those reserves (you just used the full MLE on 10-15 MPG game guy !?!?!?!)

The positive spin would be:
- He's needed in 2012/3 because you cannot count on AB, and AB is penciled in as the guard reserve guy (like TA in 2007/8)
- You expect by 2014/5 that JET will be in decline and have reduced minutes as a third guy
- You'll just deal with the extra guard in 2013/4

I can see that, just not sure that's enough to use your last bullet for getting talent on.

In that case, I'd see the long term situation/plan being Rondo and Lee starting, with AB as the combo guard / high energy guy off the bench.

[kozlodoev]

I'm just cautious of overpaying for a guy who is going to the bench when Bradley comes back.


Pietrus might be able to fill in just fine

Courtney Lee is a significantly better player than Pietrus. Maybe not significantly more skilled, but considerably more reliable.

I reckon we'll need both Lee (or another guard) and Pietrus on the roster. Also, with our assets, it's kind of hard to overpay -- $4 million per season for ~3 years is not much for someone capable to spot start/play extended minutes off the bench (and is just entering their prime).

I think you might've missed his point. He's not stating that Pietrus is more valuable, but thinking it might not be worth spending that much on him when his minutes will be greatly diminished by Bradley's return.

I'm not sure that's true, because it seems like the Celtics are prepared to have Terry take all of the backup minutes at the point.

I'm not terribly worried about this. I'm not sure I understand why everyone is assuming that a guy with two shoulder surgeries who has really had a total of half a season as a reliable rotation player will come back as if he never skipped a beat.

I expect whoever we sign to be taking the brunt of the SG duties for at least half the season. Now, the playoffs and the next couple of years are a different story -- but have in mind Bradley hasn't yet proven that he can be a consistent contributor in the long run. I'd give him one full season so that he can make it on the scouting reports to see how that's going to work out.

[heitingas]

Lee is ok player and all but not for a pick (don't care if it's a weak draft) it's not that but that pick would actually be used as a package to land Howard to LA, Bynum to Houston.

No Morey, we won't help you, I hope Ainge just sign Pietrus and Wilcox and call it an offseason.

Good roster

Rondo/Jet/Christmas
Pietrus/Bradley
Pierce/Green/Joseph
Bass/Sully/JJJ
KG/Wilcox/Melo/Stiemsma

[Lucky17]

Why would it be a bad thing to help Orlando ship Dwight Howard to a Western Conference team?

[Fafnir]

Why would it be a bad thing to help Orlando ship Dwight Howard to a Western Conference team?

As long as they aren't the Lakers, nothing.

[heitingas]

Why would it be a bad thing to help Orlando ship Dwight Howard to a Western Conference team?

You are OK with Howard going to the Lakers and Boston assisting indirectly ?

I am not OK with that. Not keen on helping Morey, don't like to deal with that guy.

[esel1000]

Why would it be a bad thing to help Orlando ship Dwight Howard to a Western Conference team?

You are OK with Howard going to the Lakers and Boston assisting indirectly ?

I am not OK with that. Not keen on helping Morey, don't like to deal with that guy.

I care more about the betterment of this team than I do about the Lakers...

[celticinorlando]

Do what it takes to get lee

[cman88]

I'm just cautious of overpaying for a guy who is going to the bench when Bradley comes back.


Pietrus might be able to fill in just fine

Courtney Lee is a significantly better player than Pietrus. Maybe not significantly more skilled, but considerably more reliable.

I reckon we'll need both Lee (or another guard) and Pietrus on the roster. Also, with our assets, it's kind of hard to overpay -- $4 million per season for ~3 years is not much for someone capable to spot start/play extended minutes off the bench (and is just entering their prime).

I think you might've missed his point. He's not stating that Pietrus is more valuable, but thinking it might not be worth spending that much on him when his minutes will be greatly diminished by Bradley's return.

I'm not sure that's true, because it seems like the Celtics are prepared to have Terry take all of the backup minutes at the point.

I'm not terribly worried about this. I'm not sure I understand why everyone is assuming that a guy with two shoulder surgeries who has really had a total of half a season as a reliable rotation player will come back as if he never skipped a beat.

I expect whoever we sign to be taking the brunt of the SG duties for at least half the season. Now, the playoffs and the next couple of years are a different story -- but have in mind Bradley hasn't yet proven that he can be a consistent contributor in the long run. I'd give him one full season so that he can make it on the scouting reports to see how that's going to work out.

by the same token though, what bradley is good at

1. Defense
2. moving without the ball

are not something he is just going to lose all of a sudden...im not sure why everyone on this site expects a 21yo to all of a sudden regress

that being said, I would love Lee for the depth and it does give Doc options..

hopefully we get it done