Will Ainge use the Pierce trade exception, or let it expire?

[D.o.s.]

Well? It expires before the beginning of the 2014 season.

[wdleehi]

If they can clear some more cap space to where they can use it and stay under the tax number, yes.

[LooseCannon]

Maybe, but not until around the time of the draft, with no deal made official until after the July moratorium.

[Lucky17]

Assuming the new CBA allows it, I'd expect Ainge to slot in a FA acquisition via a sign and trade in early July, right after the moratorium lifts.

Edit: actually, maybe not necessarily a FA. Maybe he agrees to take on some short-term salary from a team looking to shed cap space to land a FA.

I think the timing will be post-draft, though.

[kozlodoev]

Depends on who is available, and how well the team is developing. If this team shows some promise after Rondo's return, I can easily see Ainge firing his bullets to attract a high-profile player.

[ssspence]

Depends on who is available, and how well the team is developing. If this team shows some promise after Rondo's return, I can easily see Ainge firing his bullets to attract a high-profile player.

I'm assuming you mean this summer? He's certainly not using it this season, short of a deal that somehow clears significant cap space beforehand.

[Lucky17]

Depends on who is available, and how well the team is developing. If this team shows some promise after Rondo's return, I can easily see Ainge firing his bullets to attract a high-profile player.

I'm assuming you mean this summer? He's certainly not using it this season, short of a deal that somehow clears significant cap space beforehand.

Yeah, the luxury tax threshold precludes using it this current season, unless something dramatic happens.

[saltlover]

He will try to use it to bring in a free agent this summer through a sign-and-trade, which means them team losing the free agent won't have to take on salary if it doesn't want to.  Whether or not he is successful depends upon whether or not he can get a free agent to agree to come here, and if the other team doesn't ask for too much (a protected first is as high as I see Danny going).

[D.o.s.]

Per Hoopsworld, Pierce's trade exception expires on July 12th of 2014.

The 2014 NBA Draft will take place on June 26th.

We also, apparently, have a small ($283,816) TE from Fab Melo, which expires on August 15th.

Trade Exception (Paul Pierce, expiring 7/12/14) — $10,275,136
Trade Exception (Fab Melo, expiring 8/15/14) — $283,816

http://www.hoopsworld.com/boston-celtics-team-salary#Lx95buIhOO1obkHV.99

I am now lobbying to have The C's use Melo's TE on me. I will make Chris Smith look like Chris Paul. I will make JuJuan Johnson look like Magic Johnson. It will be good for the morale of the NBA.

[Lucky17]

We also, apparently, have a small ($283,816) TE from Fab Melo, which expires on August 15th.

I read this, and thought "WTH? Where's he going with this?" Then I laughed. Thanks, TP.

[Eddie20]

Depends on who is available, and how well the team is developing. If this team shows some promise after Rondo's return, I can easily see Ainge firing his bullets to attract a high-profile player.

I'm assuming you mean this summer? He's certainly not using it this season, short of a deal that somehow clears significant cap space beforehand.

Yeah, the luxury tax threshold precludes using it this current season, unless something dramatic happens.

I could see Ainge taking on a contract, one that expires after the 14-15 season, if he gets a pick or two. We'll still be under the luxury tax threshold as the acquired player would essentially be replacing Humphries (we also have Brooks, Crawford, & Bogans expiring) in terms of contract. This would give Ainge more pick(s) and the player in question would be expiring along with Bass in the summer of 15.

[Boris Badenov]

Depends on who is available, and how well the team is developing. If this team shows some promise after Rondo's return, I can easily see Ainge firing his bullets to attract a high-profile player.

I'm assuming you mean this summer? He's certainly not using it this season, short of a deal that somehow clears significant cap space beforehand.

Yeah, the luxury tax threshold precludes using it this current season, unless something dramatic happens.

I could see Ainge taking on a contract, one that expires after the 14-15 season, if he gets a pick or two. We'll still be under the luxury tax threshold as the acquired player would essentially be replacing Humphries (we also have Brooks, Crawford, & Bogans expiring) in terms of contract. This would give Ainge more pick(s) and the player in question would be expiring along with Bass in the summer of 15.

That's normally a defensible use of an exception, but Danny's already done this, essentially, by taking on Wallace et al. for picks.

At this point I think the lost salary flexibility outweighs having another first round pick.

Just my opinion though.

[Celtics4ever]

I see him trying to use it whether he can get someone to play ball with him is another question entirely.

[saltlover]

Depends on who is available, and how well the team is developing. If this team shows some promise after Rondo's return, I can easily see Ainge firing his bullets to attract a high-profile player.

I'm assuming you mean this summer? He's certainly not using it this season, short of a deal that somehow clears significant cap space beforehand.

Yeah, the luxury tax threshold precludes using it this current season, unless something dramatic happens.

I could see Ainge taking on a contract, one that expires after the 14-15 season, if he gets a pick or two. We'll still be under the luxury tax threshold as the acquired player would essentially be replacing Humphries (we also have Brooks, Crawford, & Bogans expiring) in terms of contract. This would give Ainge more pick(s) and the player in question would be expiring along with Bass in the summer of 15.

That's normally a defensible use of an exception, but Danny's already done this, essentially, by taking on Wallace et al. for picks.

At this point I think the lost salary flexibility outweighs having another first round pick.

Just my opinion though.

If next summer he gets a draft pick for an expiring, that's fine, since we don't stand to have much room below the salary cap until Rondo and Bass's deals are over, especially if green declines his option.  In that case, perhaps he could use the pick gotten for the trade exception to convince someone else to take the final year of Crash's contract, which would give us a real opportunity to get a big time free agent to pair with Rondo.

[kozlodoev]

Depends on who is available, and how well the team is developing. If this team shows some promise after Rondo's return, I can easily see Ainge firing his bullets to attract a high-profile player.

I'm assuming you mean this summer? He's certainly not using it this season, short of a deal that somehow clears significant cap space beforehand.

Yes, of course. It will be considerably harder to clear space just to sign someone.