Why can't we join the LeBron sweepstakes?

[badshar]

Yes, I know we don't have cap room etc. etc. But anything can be done and that is evidenced by Danny Ainge being able to bring KG to town (McHale helped, but most people didn't think it was possible).

LeBron James will have a completely different process and a different priority when he opens his free agency at midnight tonight that he did in 2010, sources told ESPN.com. Teams who contact James will be informed that he wants no less than the maximum salary number for next season, sources said. The max number is projected to be $22.2 million. In 2010, James accepted a pay cut when he signed with the Miami Heat, taking less than the maximum salary to help make space for other free agents.

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/11156634/lebron-james-miami-heat-wants-maximum-salary

The key sentence is: "Teams who contact James will be informed that he wants no less than the maximum salary number for next season"

Here is the thing, if Rondo wants max (or close to max, according to reports and rumors), why can't we give him close to max and do some sort of sign and trade for LeBron with the Heat?

The "LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics" is pretty stupid at this point, because if the guy couldn't be loyal to his hometown and his current team, then I doubt he cares at all for joining a rival.

What does he want? Max contract and Rings. We can give that to him. Rondo is in his prime now and so is LeBron. Having a fantastic management, great organization history, one of the best medical teams and an excellent coach helps us convince LeBron to seriously think about coming to the Celtics.

At that point, the amount of picks and players we have (including Smart and Young), I think we can create quite a decent package to send to the Heat and have LeBron come here.

Depending on the trade, we might either have enough room for a third legit max-money superstar or enough cap space to sign good role players.

It's an idea. Don't get all mad about. Think with an open mind and then give your thoughts. I think it's possible.

[Who]

LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics because the team doesn't have enough talent on it to convince him it is ready to win Championships. Not because of loyalties or rivalries. It's because of the lack of talent.

[gpap]

It's certainly an idea, as far-feteched as it is.

How much cap space do the Celtics have this summer anyway?

[Roy H.]

LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics because the team doesn't have enough talent on it to convince him it is ready to win Championships. Not because of loyalties or rivalries. It's because of the lack of talent.

Yep, exactly.  Of all the teams seriously looking at Lebron, we have perhaps the least talent, especially if we include Rondo in a sign-and-trade.

[badshar]

LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics because the team doesn't have enough talent on it to convince him it is ready to win Championships. Not because of loyalties or rivalries. It's because of the lack of talent.

When you have Rondo on the team and Carmelo (who wants to play with Rondo) on the market, you can't be serious telling me he wouldn't join the C's if Carmelo didn't join too.

Rondo
whoever
Carmelo
LeBron
whoever

That's good enough to reach the ECF, especially with Rondo and LeBron both shining in the playoffs and Carmelo taking a lot the focus on the defense since he can make shots from anywhere.

[badshar]

LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics because the team doesn't have enough talent on it to convince him it is ready to win Championships. Not because of loyalties or rivalries. It's because of the lack of talent.

Yep, exactly.  Of all the teams seriously looking at Lebron, we have perhaps the least talent, especially if we include Rondo in a sign-and-trade.

Well, in the OP, I said we sign Rondo to near-max or some reasonable amount. It'd be quite stupid to trade your star, who people want to play with, and expect another superstar to join you, wouldn't it?

[Roy H.]

LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics because the team doesn't have enough talent on it to convince him it is ready to win Championships. Not because of loyalties or rivalries. It's because of the lack of talent.

Yep, exactly.  Of all the teams seriously looking at Lebron, we have perhaps the least talent, especially if we include Rondo in a sign-and-trade.

Well, in the OP, I said we sign Rondo to near-max or some reasonable amount. It'd be quite stupid to trade your star, who people want to play with, and expect another superstar to join you, wouldn't it?

I guess I misunderstood you.

Where's the cap space coming from to sign Rondo, sign Carmelo, and S&T for Lebron?  We'd basically have to clear every contract on our books.

[Who]

LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics because the team doesn't have enough talent on it to convince him it is ready to win Championships. Not because of loyalties or rivalries. It's because of the lack of talent.

When you have Rondo on the team and Carmelo (who wants to play with Rondo) on the market, you can't be serious telling me he wouldn't join the C's if Carmelo didn't join too.

Rondo
whoever
Carmelo
LeBron
whoever

That's good enough to reach the ECF, especially with Rondo and LeBron both shining in the playoffs and Carmelo taking a lot the focus on the defense since he can make shots from anywhere.

If you can get Carmelo, Boston would be in with a chance but you have to get Carmelo 1st. LeBron is not coming here without Carmelo in place.

Same thing with K-Love and Asik, if Ainge had of gotten them then Boston would have had a chance to convince LeBron to join. Two star players in Rondo and K-Love and a top interior defender in Asik. That would have been enough star talent to convince LeBron he can win titles here.

[badshar]

LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics because the team doesn't have enough talent on it to convince him it is ready to win Championships. Not because of loyalties or rivalries. It's because of the lack of talent.

Yep, exactly.  Of all the teams seriously looking at Lebron, we have perhaps the least talent, especially if we include Rondo in a sign-and-trade.

Well, in the OP, I said we sign Rondo to near-max or some reasonable amount. It'd be quite stupid to trade your star, who people want to play with, and expect another superstar to join you, wouldn't it?

I guess I misunderstood you.

Where's the cap space coming from to sign Rondo, sign Carmelo, and S&T for Lebron?  We'd basically have to clear every contract on our books.

I'd think we would extend Rondo first. Next, we would prepare a package with enough picks and players to convince the Knicks to sign and trade for Carmelo. Carmelo comes here on a reasonable contract (obviously Rondo's presence and him recruiting Melo like DWade helps). At that point, if we have enough space for max contract (the space depends on what was traded for Melo), we sign LeBron outright and if we don't, then we trade our remaining assets for him.

[badshar]

LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics because the team doesn't have enough talent on it to convince him it is ready to win Championships. Not because of loyalties or rivalries. It's because of the lack of talent.

When you have Rondo on the team and Carmelo (who wants to play with Rondo) on the market, you can't be serious telling me he wouldn't join the C's if Carmelo didn't join too.

Rondo
whoever
Carmelo
LeBron
whoever

That's good enough to reach the ECF, especially with Rondo and LeBron both shining in the playoffs and Carmelo taking a lot the focus on the defense since he can make shots from anywhere.

If you can get Carmelo, Boston would be in with a chance but you have to get Carmelo 1st. LeBron is not coming here without Carmelo in place.

Same thing with K-Love and Asik, if Ainge had of gotten them then Boston would have had a chance to convince LeBron to join. Two star players in Rondo and K-Love and a top interior defender in Asik. That would have been enough star talent to convince LeBron he can win titles here.

I refuse to believe Carmelo would rather go to the Bulls and play with an injured Derrick Rose (who may come back at full health and get injured again or may come back at only 50% of his former self and be ineffective). That wouldn't get him anywhere. He is also visiting the Rockets, but the Rockets are reportedly going all out for LeBron (hence the Asik trade for cap space). Dallas is in a worse position with a 36-year old Dirk as its only star. Lakers are in a worse position than us (and Dwight running away from that organization as soon as possible probably would make Melo think twice about going there).

Our biggest selling point is not only just a star being there on the roster, but also Rondo being a very good friend of Melo. Didn't Melo make several attempts at trying to get the Knicks to trade for Rondo in the past 2 years? Like everyone else, he wants a championship too and if Rondo is able to sell him the idea of a potential Rondo-Melo-LeBron team, I think he is much more likely to agree. It would be very similar, at that point, to how Wade, LeBron and Bosh decided and made up their minds that they were going to play together.

[Who]

LeBron wouldn't join the Celtics because the team doesn't have enough talent on it to convince him it is ready to win Championships. Not because of loyalties or rivalries. It's because of the lack of talent.

When you have Rondo on the team and Carmelo (who wants to play with Rondo) on the market, you can't be serious telling me he wouldn't join the C's if Carmelo didn't join too.

Rondo
whoever
Carmelo
LeBron
whoever

That's good enough to reach the ECF, especially with Rondo and LeBron both shining in the playoffs and Carmelo taking a lot the focus on the defense since he can make shots from anywhere.

If you can get Carmelo, Boston would be in with a chance but you have to get Carmelo 1st. LeBron is not coming here without Carmelo in place.

Same thing with K-Love and Asik, if Ainge had of gotten them then Boston would have had a chance to convince LeBron to join. Two star players in Rondo and K-Love and a top interior defender in Asik. That would have been enough star talent to convince LeBron he can win titles here.

I refuse to believe Carmelo would rather go to the Bulls and play with an injured Derrick Rose (who may come back at full health and get injured again or may come back at only 50% of his former self and be ineffective). That wouldn't get him anywhere. He is also visiting the Rockets, but the Rockets are reportedly going all out for LeBron (hence the Asik trade for cap space). Dallas is in a worse position with a 36-year old Dirk as its only star. Lakers are in a worse position than us (and Dwight running away from that organization as soon as possible probably would make Melo think twice about going there).

Our biggest selling point is not only just a star being there on the roster, but also Rondo being a very good friend of Melo. Didn't Melo make several attempts at trying to get the Knicks to trade for Rondo in the past 2 years? Like everyone else, he wants a championship too and if Rondo is able to sell him the idea of a potential Rondo-Melo-LeBron team, I think he is much more likely to agree. It would be very similar, at that point, to how Wade, LeBron and Bosh decided and made up their minds that they were going to play together.

If Melo joins, it's a game changer. Then Boston is in the mix.

Until Melo joins, it's just empty promises. Words without actions. LeBron is not leaving a Miami, turning down other ready made Championship situations and joining a mediocre team in Boston just because they promise him they can deliver another star.

[celticsclay]

I don't know how other posters feel at all, but personally I would really be unhappy if the celtics somehow got Lebron. I know others will say I am being ridiculous, but I really don't like the guy and it certainly would not be as satisfying as winning the championship with him.

To me he seems like a generally unpleasant person and is a lot less easy to root for than someone like Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Shaq or most of the other recent superstars that didn't give off a bigger than the game mentality. Fortunately, I don't think this will ever happen.

[manl_lui]

I don't know how other posters feel at all, but personally I would really be unhappy if the celtics somehow got Lebron. I know others will say I am being ridiculous, but I really don't like the guy and it certainly would not be as satisfying as winning the championship with him.

To me he seems like a generally unpleasant person and is a lot less easy to root for than someone like Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Shaq or most of the other recent superstars that didn't give off a bigger than the game mentality. Fortunately, I don't think this will ever happen.

to each their own,

personally I don't really like the guy, but I respect his game. He is easily the best player in the world right now. Having him on your team instantly boost your chance at winning a chip or make playoffs (in our case, playoffs).


At the end is if he can deliver...to me, results is more important. A championship is a championship, regardless how much I hated the guy.

However, I doubt we will even lure Lebron to Boston

[TwinTower14]

I don't know how other posters feel at all, but personally I would really be unhappy if the celtics somehow got Lebron. I know others will say I am being ridiculous, but I really don't like the guy and it certainly would not be as satisfying as winning the championship with him.

To me he seems like a generally unpleasant person and is a lot less easy to root for than someone like Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Shaq or most of the other recent superstars that didn't give off a bigger than the game mentality. Fortunately, I don't think this will ever happen.

So the best player since Jordan puts on Celtic green for the next 4-5 years and you would be unhappy??? Don't believe that for a second.....need to get a grip man Lebron is not a bad guy.  He is a great player with a clean image off the court and any franchise would be lucky to have him...

[Kuberski33]

Put Lebron on this team and the Celtics are an instant contender to at least make the conference finals.  And you could say the same for any other team.  And there are probably at least 25 other teams with more talent on their roster than we have at the present time.