Cap question?

[ScoobyDoo]

I haven't researched the cap and don't really understand the ins and outs of it. That being said, if we wanted to create enough money to lure a player like Josh Smith or Big Al Jefferson to the team,what are our options?

Could we:

1. Have Pierce opt out of his current contract (doesn't he have a player option?), becoming an unrestricted free agent and then have him re-sign for 2-3 years at $7-8 million, in the process clearing $7-8 million in cap? Perhaps Pierce would consider this if it meant he would get additional help and that both he and KG would stay in Boston and retire in Boston together. I would certainly do that in a heart beat.
So Pierce gets $15 million over two years rather than $15 million over next year.
   
2. Can any player be amnestied? What if we amnestied Bass? Sully would play PF and if we're bringing in either Big Al or Josh Smnith it wouldn't matter if Bass was gone. How would that move affect our available cap?

3. You trade Jason Terry for an expiring

4. Use our mid level on a big man

Someone tear this up please. But I'm thinking if there is  somehow a way for us to clear enough money to get some like Big Al or Smith in here, we could easily just retool with Pierce and KG and, let them retire next year of the year after and go from there.

I think either of the teams below "seriously" contend for a ring the next two years.

Bring in Big Al:

Big Al / Wilcox / Melo
KG / Sully / Player
Pierce / Green
Bradley / Lee / Crawford
Rondo / TWill / Player
* Use mid level on a another big
* 16th pick

Bring in Josh Smith   
KG / Mid level center / Melo
Josh Smith / Sully / Wilcox
Pierce / Green / Player
Bradley / Lee / Crawford
Rondo / Twill / player
* Use mid level
* 16th pick

Thoughts, fire away...

[Roy H.]

There's no realistic way to clear enough room to sign Josh Smith or Big Al and also keep Pierce and KG.

Heck, even dumping KG and Pierce, it would be hard to clear max room:

http://www.celticsblog.com/2013/2/14/3988242/cap-questions-could-josh-smith-replace-kg-and-pierce

[kozlodoev]

It just doesn't work on any level, starting with Pierce not having an opt-out, and us not being able to sign free agents unless both Garnett and Pierce retire immediately, and we give up all our cap holds (and even then, I don't think we can fit a full max contract). Points for trying, though

[ScoobyDoo]

Thanks for the replies. That's too bad because with one addition like Big All or Josh Smith I think this team can contend for a title for two more years and you then have a good core to add to moving forward...

1. Seeing what team might be interested in a sign and trade of their UFA (Josh Smith, Al Jefferson, etc). Perhaps there might be a way to package Bass with another player and a pick to land someone.

2. If KG and Pierce wanted to play elsewhere in the event of a rebuild, I still think there could be a fit with the Clippers. KG and Pierce love LA...
Jordan, Bledsoe, Butler and the Clipper's pick for KG and Pierce works dollar wise.

And even with their advanced ages, KG and Pierce on the Clippers "dramatically improves the Clipper's chances of a title over the next two seasons.

Clippers:
KG / Mid level center / player
Griffin / Odom
Pierce / Barnes
Green / Jamaal Crawford / Billups
Chris Paul / player
* Try playing that team in a seven game series...
* Also a lot of value for the Clipper to put KG next to Griffin - as far as griffin's growth

Celtics:
Jordan / Melo / Wilcox
Sully / Bass / Shav
Green / Butler
Bradley / Lee / Crawford
Rondo / Bledsoe
* 16th pick
* 25th pick
** maybe package these two pick to move up for an off guard? Maybe just take best available at both spots?

That team could be a move or two away from being a real contender.

   

[LooseCannon]

1.  Pierce does not have a player option.  The Celtics do not have a team option.  The team can waive Pierce by June 30 and pay only $5m.  If he passes through waivers, I believe the team can sign him using a salary cap exception such as the MLE, bi-annual exception, or the veteran's minimum.  This would basically involve Pierce agreeing to give up $5-9 million.

2.  You can only amnesty players who are on a contract signed before the CBA was agreed to.  This means Pierce and Rondo are the only players eligible.   (And Bradley, I suppose.)

3.  The Celtics are well above the salary cap.  Trading Jason Terry for an expiring would not clear space to sign another player.

4.  Depending on revenue calculations, the Celtics may need to do a salary dump (trade a player and receive less salary back...not trade him for an expiring) in order to be able to use the full MLE rather than the taxpayer mini-MLE.

[Roy H.]

We'll have a bit of flexibility due to our small contracts.

In a sign-and-trade, we could offer Utah or Atlanta one of the following packages:

T. Williams (non-guaranteed) + S. Randolph (NG) + D.J. White (NG) + J. Crawford (expiring) + Bass (2 years left)

or

T. Williams (non-guaranteed) + S. Randolph (NG) + D.J. White (NG) + J. Crawford (expiring) + C. Lee (3 years left)

Basically, Williams + Randolph + White could all be cut with no cost to the team trading for them.  I have no idea if either Utah or Atlanta would have interest in Bass or Lee, though.

[LooseCannon]

I have no idea if either Utah or Atlanta would have interest in Bass or Lee, though.

With those teams, I think the contracts are mainly filler and you should really be offering something like the 2013 and 2014 first round picks.  (You'd have to wait until after the draft to make a deal official in order to comply with the Stepien rule.)