Just days until an end of an era.

[BleedGreen1989]

Good post. TP

Very much saddened by all of this but my faith rests in Danny. My own personal opinion/feeling, we're reloading not rebuilding. I don't think Danny wants to plummet to the basement and pray for lottery luck.

[kgainez]

guys are always so dark and gloomy out here. sheesh

[droopdog7]

Can we stop trying to put Lee, Terry, and Bass in trade scenerios please.  We won't be able to give those guys away at this point.  At least, not without taking back long term money.

[Who]

It would be fantastic if all of this got settled over the next day or two.

No more dealing with non-stop trade rumours all summer. Have a clear and concise view of the roster and what to expect next year. No more uncertainty.

I think it would be great to get all this nonsense out of the way as quickly as possible.

[LooseCannon]

I don't think Danny wants to plummet to the basement and pray for lottery luck.

Maybe Ainge wants to be around the 12th-worst record in the NBA next season and pray for lottery luck.

[Greenback]

I hope that the Celtics pick Dieng at 16.  Instant help for KG.

Then, morph PP into Smith and the two 2nd round picks.

Finally, choose Archie Goodwin and the best PG available, maybe Kabongo, with the 2nd round picks.

The Celtics would be pretty good next year and would add youth, too.

[TheTruthFot18]

I thought it would be more of a punch in the gut than this but it hasn't been too bad.

Ray and Doc left us. Give Pierce what he deserves by sending him to a contender for something in return. Keep KG at center (unless he wants out after Pierce which is likley.)

TBH since Rondo's 09 playoffs, I've been waiting to see this actually be his team. Now we have guys like Green, AB, and Sully to run with him and always room for more young guns.

Welcome to a new era

[PhoSita]

It would be fantastic if all of this got settled over the next day or two.

No more dealing with non-stop trade rumours all summer. Have a clear and concise view of the roster and what to expect next year. No more uncertainty.

I think it would be great to get all this nonsense out of the way as quickly as possible.

I completely agree.  I'd be shocked if that's how it plays out, though.

[LooseCannon]

No more dealing with non-stop trade rumours all summer. Have a clear and concise view of the roster and what to expect next year. No more uncertainty.

Ainge in a rebuilding phase is probably going to maximize the number of trade rumors.

[LooseCannon]

Then, morph PP into Smith and the two 2nd round picks.

If Paul Pierce is traded to Cleveland for two 2nd round picks and a trade exception that is used to acquire Josh Smith, I'm guessing at least one of those picks and probably a future first, at the minimum, are going to be shipped out for Smith.

[Q_FBE]

Been a great ride!!! Only regret is losing in the 2010 Finals..if Perkins knee didnt go out, we would have won #18..

That was tough, but my biggest Cs-related regret is KG's knee in '09—if that doesn't happen, I think Boston threepeats.

Had David West joined us instead of Indiana we might have titled in 2012. In 09 we lost James Posey and Leon Powe but Glen Davis was stepping up. In 2010, we had a double digit lead late in the 3rd qtr in Game Seven and then Kobe was sent to the line time after time. That was regrettable. Even if we just got one title this should be remembered as an era of Celtic prosperity

[BudweiserCeltic]

is there ANY possible way we can acquire Smith without Pierce involved? Would the Hawks take on Bradley, Bass, a pick and our unguaranteeds? They are getting something for him rather than nothing but maybe they would rather have nothing (cap space) than our spare parts.....

I just feel like acquiring Smith would be so much more beneficial to our situation if we had both Pierce and KG here as well.

Bass + Terry + pick + unguarantees or Bass + Lee + pick + unguarantees should certainly do it.

I don't think Atlanta, who will have next to no salary commitments after Horford, Lou Williams and Jeff Teague, would want back any salary whatsoever. So my guess is the only way this goes down is the C's trade Pierce for a TPE, then Atlanta signs Smith to fit into the TPE, and then trade him for TPE of $15.3 million and maybe a 1st and 2nd round pick. Whether that first is the better or worst of the two 2015 picks the Celtics own and a 2014 or 2015 2nd rounder, I don't know. But the guess is there is probably no players headed back to Atlanta unless they are non-guaranteed contracts(China 3).

Think about it. Why in the world would Atlanta want players like Bass, Lee, or Terry clogging up their cap space doing virtually nothing to make them a contender? They wouldn't. They would want cap space for top level free agents and draft picks. They need to build from the bottom up.

Atlanta still has to solidify their roster somehow, and they have too few players under contract to make the salary cap they have worth that much.

These players are on 2 year deals, very manageable. And in all, quality players. Anyways, it's not about Atlanta wanting them, it's the price they pay for the picks we might offer on the deal. Both are still of good young age still.

Maybe you do Bass + Melo + Jordan + the China 3 + picks.

There are various combinations you can throw at them, but the prize will always be picks and how much it would "cost" Atlanta to have them, when the alternative is getting nothing in return for Smith.

That's what they have to weight, I have no idea what their price point is. But I would strongly consider it, particularly since after acquiring them you'd still be under enough of the cap to acquire some max type free-agents, difference now you have a bit of a better roster structure to attract them with.

[nickagneta]

is there ANY possible way we can acquire Smith without Pierce involved? Would the Hawks take on Bradley, Bass, a pick and our unguaranteeds? They are getting something for him rather than nothing but maybe they would rather have nothing (cap space) than our spare parts.....

I just feel like acquiring Smith would be so much more beneficial to our situation if we had both Pierce and KG here as well.

Bass + Terry + pick + unguarantees or Bass + Lee + pick + unguarantees should certainly do it.

I don't think Atlanta, who will have next to no salary commitments after Horford, Lou Williams and Jeff Teague, would want back any salary whatsoever. So my guess is the only way this goes down is the C's trade Pierce for a TPE, then Atlanta signs Smith to fit into the TPE, and then trade him for TPE of $15.3 million and maybe a 1st and 2nd round pick. Whether that first is the better or worst of the two 2015 picks the Celtics own and a 2014 or 2015 2nd rounder, I don't know. But the guess is there is probably no players headed back to Atlanta unless they are non-guaranteed contracts(China 3).

Think about it. Why in the world would Atlanta want players like Bass, Lee, or Terry clogging up their cap space doing virtually nothing to make them a contender? They wouldn't. They would want cap space for top level free agents and draft picks. They need to build from the bottom up.

Atlanta still has to solidify their roster somehow, and they have too few players under contract to make the salary cap they have worth that much.

These players are on 2 year deals, very manageable. And in all, quality players. Anyways, it's not about Atlanta wanting them, it's the price they pay for the picks we might offer on the deal. Both are still of good young age still.

Maybe you do Bass + Melo + Jordan + the China 3 + picks.

There are various combinations you can throw at them, but the prize will always be picks and how much it would "cost" Atlanta to have them, when the alternative is getting nothing in return for Smith.

That's what they have to weight, I have no idea what their price point is. But I would strongly consider it, particularly since after acquiring them you'd still be under enough of the cap to acquire some max type free-agents, difference now you have a bit of a better roster structure to attract them with.

You're just fooling yourself BC. I would love to get rid of the bad contracts we have for Smith, but that's not happening. Atlanta wants to take an actual shot at Dwight Howard and the cap space is what they will want.

[BudweiserCeltic]

is there ANY possible way we can acquire Smith without Pierce involved? Would the Hawks take on Bradley, Bass, a pick and our unguaranteeds? They are getting something for him rather than nothing but maybe they would rather have nothing (cap space) than our spare parts.....

I just feel like acquiring Smith would be so much more beneficial to our situation if we had both Pierce and KG here as well.

Bass + Terry + pick + unguarantees or Bass + Lee + pick + unguarantees should certainly do it.

I don't think Atlanta, who will have next to no salary commitments after Horford, Lou Williams and Jeff Teague, would want back any salary whatsoever. So my guess is the only way this goes down is the C's trade Pierce for a TPE, then Atlanta signs Smith to fit into the TPE, and then trade him for TPE of $15.3 million and maybe a 1st and 2nd round pick. Whether that first is the better or worst of the two 2015 picks the Celtics own and a 2014 or 2015 2nd rounder, I don't know. But the guess is there is probably no players headed back to Atlanta unless they are non-guaranteed contracts(China 3).

Think about it. Why in the world would Atlanta want players like Bass, Lee, or Terry clogging up their cap space doing virtually nothing to make them a contender? They wouldn't. They would want cap space for top level free agents and draft picks. They need to build from the bottom up.

Atlanta still has to solidify their roster somehow, and they have too few players under contract to make the salary cap they have worth that much.

These players are on 2 year deals, very manageable. And in all, quality players. Anyways, it's not about Atlanta wanting them, it's the price they pay for the picks we might offer on the deal. Both are still of good young age still.

Maybe you do Bass + Melo + Jordan + the China 3 + picks.

There are various combinations you can throw at them, but the prize will always be picks and how much it would "cost" Atlanta to have them, when the alternative is getting nothing in return for Smith.

That's what they have to weight, I have no idea what their price point is. But I would strongly consider it, particularly since after acquiring them you'd still be under enough of the cap to acquire some max type free-agents, difference now you have a bit of a better roster structure to attract them with.

You're just fooling yourself BC. I would love to get rid of the bad contracts we have for Smith, but that's not happening. Atlanta wants to take an actual shot at Dwight Howard and the cap space is what they will want.

I don't consider them bad contracts, but if you're coming from the standpoint that I want to get rid of them because they're bad contracts, then we're approaching this from an entirely different view point.

As mentioned, unless I'm not adding things correctly, the acquisition of the players I mentioned leaves room to add a max contract, so I don't see how that plays into it.

In fact, the best way Atlanta has to acquire Howard is via a sign and trade, and collecting assets for Josh Smith which they then can move for Howard is probably their best way to get him, if they can't attract him to sign straight up.

[celts10]

I have a feeling that something huge is gonna go down this off season. New coach, new team leader, new direction, and it won`t be tanking.

I won't be surprised. I can still see Ainge acquiring Josh Smith, and heck maybe even Big Al will be back (the Jazz are expected to let him walk this summer).