Courtney Lee signs 4 yr - 21.5 Million Dollar Deal (confirmed)

[erisred]

Need's a starter's role and 32-35mpg to earn his $5 million per annum payday.

If he starts while Bradley is out, then Bradley will have to take the starters job away from Lee. He might, but then again he might not. If Lee starts its a good deal, if he doesn't then it's an expensive deal for a backup, but not a terrible one. It's certainly not a stinker, like Gordon or Villanueva. I think Danny did good.

[saltlover]

Lee won't be making over 5 million in the first year. Hollinger said it was around 4.6 which fits with the standard 7.5% raises for the total value of the contract.

Green and Bass might start a bit lower, too, given 7.5% raises for their subsequent years.

I'm thinking the C's are sitting just below $70 million now, giving them $4 M, more or less, to fill out the last 3 slots. BAE is 1.9, so last two slots for $2.1 is a little tight, but as the league pays half a vet min contract the C's could squeeze a couple of guys in..I think.

Green, while not official, was reported (I think by Falk, his agent) as being $9 mil in year 1.  The numbers aren't in on Bass, but I'd be surprised if it's much less than $6.25 mil, and personally project it at $6.33 mil, with $333k raises each year.  Furthermore, Joseph (or any other rookie we pick up) counts at $854k against the apron, because we used the non-taxpayer mid-level, even though they get paid less.  Accordingly, it's highly unlikely we're at all below $70 mil, and much more likely near $70.5 mil.

Furthermore, it's unclear as to whether the reimbursement from the league for vets with more than 2 years experience gets taken into account when comparing against the apron.  They intended the apron to be very tight, to make it an effective hard cap.

[ballin]

I like this signing, and the Bass signing was pretty good. But paying Terry the amount we're about it pay him... for the length of time we're going to have to pay him... that was a bad contract. Not to mention Jeff Green's contract, which was also total garbage.

As usual, Ainge continues to be consistently inconsistent. Sometimes brilliant (Rondo's deal, ditching Glen Davis for Bass) sometimes abysmal (Jeff Green round 1, and now, Jeff Green round 2).

[RajonRondOWNED]

I like this signing, and the Bass signing was pretty good. But paying Terry the amount we're about it pay him... for the length of time we're going to have to pay him... that was a bad contract. Not to mention Jeff Green's contract, which was also total garbage.

As usual, Ainge continues to be consistently inconsistent. Sometimes brilliant (Rondo's deal, ditching Glen Davis for Bass) sometimes abysmal (Jeff Green round 1, and now, Jeff Green round 2).

JET is still an absolute baller. He scored 15ppg last year on just 34 mpg. If he started in Dallas and got 40-42 minutes a game he would easily be a 20 point scorer.

He currently has no real health issues to worry about. So I'd say it was a decent deal for one of the if not thee best 6th man in the game.

[Lucky17]

Not sure if someone has already posted this. Looks like the are Celtics giving up more than previously reported:

Chris Forsberg ‏@ESPNForsberg

C’s formally announce Courtney Lee deal. Only wrinkle we didn’t know: Portland gets 2 second-rounders and cash will pay for Pavlovic.

#Celticstalk
Celtics make Lee deal official. They send Johnson, Moore, Williams & 2nd rounder 2 Hou. Also send Pavlovic, 2 2nd rounders & cash 2 Blazers

Portland does very well here. I wonder what the 2nds are, if they are heavily protected (like those 2nds that changed hands in those deals with Sacramento the last few years).

[Who]

Not sure if someone has already posted this. Looks like the are Celtics giving up more than previously reported:

Chris Forsberg ‏@ESPNForsberg

C’s formally announce Courtney Lee deal. Only wrinkle we didn’t know: Portland gets 2 second-rounders and cash will pay for Pavlovic.

#Celticstalk
Celtics make Lee deal official. They send Johnson, Moore, Williams & 2nd rounder 2 Hou. Also send Pavlovic, 2 2nd rounders & cash 2 Blazers

Portland does very well here. I wonder what the 2nds are, if they are heavily protected (like those 2nds that changed hands in those deals with Sacramento the last few years).

For a team like the Celtics would should at least have somewhere near a top ten record in the league, second round picks have minimal value. Once you start going past the mid-40s, the chances of picking up a quality player with your draft pick are very small.

So I couldn't care less if Danny gave away two of Boston's second rounders to Portland. So long as they are not early (high value) to mid second rounders (so-so value), they (late second rounders = miniscule value) really don't matter much.

Plus, the picks are usually pretty cheap to buy. In the $250k to $450k range. If there is someone you love, you should be able to find a way to acquire a pick and get him even if you have already traded away your pick.

---------------------------------------

I doubt they are heavily protected picks that will never end up there. It would be a bit strange to ask for 2 of them instead of 1 if they were never going to happen.

I'd expect them to be Boston's picks.

[Lucky17]

List of available second rounders to include, not including the Celtics' own:

2013 second round draft pick from Charlotte
Charlotte's own 2013 2nd round pick to Boston via Oklahoma City.
[Charlotte - Oklahoma City, 12/19/2011 and then Boston-Oklahoma City, 6/26/2012]

2013 second round draft pick from Minnesota
Minnesota's own 2013 2nd round pick to Boston via Cleveland.
[Cleveland - Minnesota, 7/26/2010, and then Boston - Cleveland 2/24/2011]

2014 second round draft pick from Brooklyn
Brooklyn's own 2014 2nd round pick to Boston.
[Boston - Brooklyn, 6/23/2011]

2015 second round draft pick from Sacramento
Sacramento's own 2015 2nd round pick to Boston (top 55 protected in the 2015 Draft). If Sacramento's own 2015 2nd round pick is in the top 55 picks, then Sacramento's obligations to Boston shall be extinguished.
[Boston - Sacramento, 2/17/2009]

2017 second round draft pick from Sacramento
Sacramento's own 2017 2nd round pick to Boston (top 55 protected in the 2017 Draft). If Sacramento's own 2017 2nd round pick is in the top 55 picks, then Sacramento's obligations to Boston shall be extinguished.
[Boston - Sacramento, 2/24/2011]

The first pick listed is going to Houston.
The fourth and fifth picks likely will never be paid to Boston.

[alley oop]

.....

[33_Larry Legend_33]

I don't mind the 2nd round picks...  You can always buy a late 1st rounder or trade for a specific 2nd round pick down the road.  We unloaded a pile of mediocrity to get this done, and nobody thought we'd be able to pull Lee's deal off via trade a few days ago.  Kudos to Danny!

[j804]

I don't mind the 2nd round picks...  You can always buy a late 1st rounder or trade for a specific 2nd round pick down the road.  We unloaded a pile of mediocrity to get this done, and nobody thought we'd be able to pull Lee's deal off via trade a few days ago.  Kudos to Danny!

with KG in his last years we are win now mode can care less about the second rounders, well done on Danny's part

[mloyko]

According to the Trailblazers beat writer the Celtics gave up their own 2013 2nd Round pick and the Minnesota 2nd Round pick in 2013.

So, essentially the Celtics gave up all three of their 2013 2nd round picks to make the deal happen.

Not a big deal at all IMO.

[Roy H.]

According to the Trailblazers beat writer the Celtics gave up their own 2013 2nd Round pick and the Minnesota 2nd Round pick in 2013.

So, essentially the Celtics gave up all three of their 2013 2nd round picks to make the deal happen.

Not a big deal at all IMO.

A bit disappointing, but that's the cost of doing business, I guess.  It should be a good deal for all three teams.

[kp4000]

Courtney Lee heads to Boston, in a move that deserves polite applause
By Kelly Dwyer | Ball Don't Lie
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/courtney-lee-heads-boston-move-deserves-polite-applause-201115475--nba.html

What deserves a strong applause? Acquiring Kobe, Wade, Ginobli or re-signing Ray Allen I guess will get strong applause from Kelly. lol

That's basically the average salary for a starting quality player, one who will be locked up through his prime (Lee turns 27 in October), and one that fills a need for Boston in the wake of Ray Allen's defection to Miami. Poifect, Boston. Poifect.

The deal certainly won't put Boston over the top, or even guarantee this aging crew a spot in the second round. At times, though he may start, Lee might only be the team's third-best shooting guard, behind veteran Jason Terry and comer Avery Bradley.

So he's basically saying there's a possibility this team goes no where next season, folks. He's also saying that they're aging, but no realizing there's only 2 or 3 players on this roster in their 30's. Remind you, this is the same aging crew that were 15-17 before the all-star break, then after the break posted the 2nd or 3rd best record of the second half season. The Celtics went from the 7th or 8th seed and to the 4th seed by April.

They did all of that without Wilcox, Green, J.O'Neal and Bradley. In the post-season, they lost Bradley. Paul Pierce had a sprained ACL and Ray Allen had bone spurs. The Celtics bench was sub-par all season and into the post-season, but yet they took the Heat to 7 games and almost got to the finals, but the Celtics should of won that's another story. So far the Celts look good on paper, but doesn't mean much until the season stars. The bench isn't completed, but so far it looks better than last season's, because, Ainge added youth.

certainly won't put Boston over the top, or even guarantee this aging crew a spot in the second round.

Tell that to the Lakers ,Knicks and Heat. Exclude the Heat, because they're much better than the Lakers or Knicks. The Lakers added Nash and Jamison. Both guys are in their mid-to-upper 30's, folks, but u don't hear some in the media calling them old. The Heat acquired Allen and Lewis. Both guys are in their mid-to-late 30s, but u won't hear a peep about them aging. Don't forget too that Miami's bench age avg 30 or more. The Knicks added Kidd, Thomas, Camby and Felton. They're old too, folks. lol


Yet, Kelly is predicting they might not get out the first round or second. He's assuming this without a game being played yet. Teams like the Celtics and even Spurs are always considered old or aging, but when winning they're considered savy, gritty veteran teams that know how to win. Just another case of double-standard regarding certain teams and players.  

Double standard response by some in media:
Derrick Rose was out and Bosh was injured for the first 4 games 

Derrick Rose being out the playoffs I believe that. If he wasn't injured the Celtics would of faced the Bulls instead of Sixers. But we can't assume the Celtics would of lost that series, because life works in mysterious ways.

As far as Bosh, Please. The Miami Heat had a 2-0 lead heading into games 3 and 4. They didn't need Bosh, then right? Lebron was playing on another level during ECF. It's not like Bosh can guard KG. That's a match KG has dominated his entire career. When Bosh was activated for game 5, the Celtics still won that game. So pls with that Bosh, game changer excuse. You can say the same about Avery Bradley. The Celtics led the series 3-2 heading into game 6, Boston, without Bradley.

I think the radiation from Kelly's PC or Mac is frying his brain.

 

[Eja117]

The Cs replaced Ray Allen's 2012 $10 salary with Lee and JET making around $10m combined.  They replaced KG's $20m salary with KG's new deal and Jeff Green's.  There's no dead weight on the payroll (JO, Sheed and Shaq's money).  They've gotten a ton more depth for their buck. 

TP for making me feel good

[BCFootball45]

Jesus, the picks & all the money /= good deal.