Let's manufacture some good old fashion cap space

[Who]

for this section specifically,
I actually think a Brandon Bass for Demarre Carroll ... and Jeff Green for Bismack Biyombo will benefit all parties involved. We get rid of role players in their prime, gain defensive role players and the math saves us 10 million for 2014-15 just from the exchange of these contracts.

as a bench scorer... he'd be fantastic compared to demare carroll

They have Horford and Millsap, so unless they have a trade brewing, they have no need for another PF, particularly at his price tag.

Atlanta just drafted a jump-shooting PF with the #15 pick too. Adreian Payne, 23 years old (old rookie), who is expected to step in and contribute right away.

So yeah, I agree, Atlanta will have no interest in Bass.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I don't think any of the top FAs will sign with Boston until Ainge goes out and acquires another star to put alongside Rondo first.

Chicago and Houston are ready to challenge for NBA Championship right away. Boston are not and are thus not competitive from a basketball point of view with the best offers on the market. Ainge needs to get another star in here to make them competitive.

So I would say there is no point in creating cap space unless you are targeting one of the second tier stars like Greg Monroe, Eric Bledsoe, Gordon Hayward, Chandler Parsons or Pau Gasol ... because the A listers are not coming.

Well the point is not to create cap space for the sake of cap space, just to illustrate you CAN achieve it (with a bit if help of course) if there's mutual interest between player and team. In reality, it's no different than what Houston needs to do in order to open enough space for Melo.

Chicago... well, that's an intriguing beast. They DON'T have enough for MAX cap space. They amnesty Boozer, and they only have about 14 million to offer Carmelo (and that's without including their rookies). Their alternative is to trade Taj Gibson to create the space, and he's on a 3-year deal... so you'll have to see how that would play out.

So it's not all so simple as Melo deciding to go to Chicago. Can they manage it? Sure, but they have some obstacles, and would need to trade and amnesty guys who have been part of their core in the last couple of years to accomplish it.

Heck Melo is considering the Lakers (I don't know how serious he is), but they're in an even worse position than all the teams he's considering.

I don't see it all being sunshine and flowers at the other destinations.`

As for Houston they need to trade Asik (and their trade partner needs to clear space in order to do it because as it stands it's an illegal trade) and also trade Lin (who are potential takers?) and also renounce Parsons (and there won't be enough money for him, unless he agrees to a very crappy deal).

So all these teams have obstacles that might prevent them from getting Melo, even if both sides have interest.

Anyways, that's my stance on the Melo situation. Not that we would be his ideal destination, but we're not as far from the pack as people want to insinuate if we were to throw our hats into the ring.

[Randy]

@BudweiserCeltic Houston already has traded Asik to the pelicans or am I missing something?

[BudweiserCeltic]

@BudweiserCeltic Houston already has traded Asik to the pelicans

And as I mentioned, the Pelicans don't have the cap space to get that deal done. That's why Austin Rivers is in the market. Shouldn't be THAT hard to move him I would think, but until that gets done, they can't acquire Asik.

Edit: I'm doing some adding up right now, and it does seem like there's enough space. But I've seen some cap experts mention that they don't. So unless I'm missing something, the Pelicans do have the space (but they have to renounce a lot of crap in order to do it).

In any case, the deal will happen... I really have no notion that it won't, but there's still a chance that it might hit a little bump in the road, so who knows. Or if the cap doesn't increase as some expect, etc.

[Randy]

I'd like to get Steven Adams but don't see the Thunder trading him anytime soon.

[BudweiserCeltic]

OK, just got clarification. The Pelicans DON'T have the cap space to get Asik unless they manage to trade Austin Rivers in a salary dump move. The reason is because you have to include the cap hold of $507k to each empty roster spot.

So as it is, Asik can't be traded to the Pelicans until the Pelicans clear up the required space.

[LooseCannon]

My math suggests that we have to wait until the league audit is finished to see where they set the salary cap at.  We might have a clue on Saturday.  Jeff Withey's contract is guaranteed for 100K if he is not waived by July 5.  Withey and Luke Babbitt make more than the roster charge, so waiving them would create about 800K more in cap space.

[BudweiserCeltic]

My math suggests that we have to wait until the league audit is finished to see where they set the salary cap at.  We might have a clue on Saturday.  Jeff Withey's contract is guaranteed for 100K if he is not waived by July 5.  Withey and Luke Babbitt make more than the roster charge, so waiving them would create about 800K more in cap space.

I already took into consideration renouncing the rights to ALL their free-agents and what not (I don't know about partial guarantees, so that would put them in a worse position). So after all that, they're still about $1.5-2 million short of being able to get Asik unless the estimates are off by that amount. And if it's lower, say goodbye to Asik with the Pelicans.

[lantinm]

BudweiserC - While I applaud your enthusiasm, the only way we are getting a marquee player is via trade.  Take a look at the link below and you'll see that there are an exorbitant amount of transactions that need to take place in order create the space that you are talking about.  If we don't have a firm commitment from someone, then why go through all of the trouble? It would be much easier to deal all of the non-guaranteed contracts (Bogans, Babb, Johnson, Pressey), some picks, and maybe a throw-in like Faverani to obtain the kind of star we need.

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/boston-celtics-team-salary/

What are the exorbitant amount of transactions? We only need the TWO I mentioned and it gets it done.

And I also mentioned in the OP that you only make this moves if you have an agreement with a free-agent first.

Sorry, I must have missed where you said that we'd have an agreement with the prospective player first.  My bad on that one.  With regard to the exorbitant amount of transactions though, we have over 22 million in old cap holds (Shaq, Marbury, Kristic, etc).  We'd have to renounce all of those holds and then decline options or release the non-guaranteed players.  We'd also have to renounce the rights to Humphries and Bayless, and let all of the TPE's expire as well.  That's quite a few transactions.

[LooseCannon]

I've figured out part of why there is a discrepancy.  No one seems to be certain about the actual year-to-year breakdown of the contract of Tyreke Evans.  There may have been some structuring, including a signing bonus, that change how his contract might count against the cap.  Some sources have it at a maximum in the first year, then decreasing.

The Pelicans can shave a tiny bit more off their cap hit if Omri Casspi for Alex Ajinca is included in the deal and they wave Casspi.

[BudweiserCeltic]

BudweiserC - While I applaud your enthusiasm, the only way we are getting a marquee player is via trade.  Take a look at the link below and you'll see that there are an exorbitant amount of transactions that need to take place in order create the space that you are talking about.  If we don't have a firm commitment from someone, then why go through all of the trouble? It would be much easier to deal all of the non-guaranteed contracts (Bogans, Babb, Johnson, Pressey), some picks, and maybe a throw-in like Faverani to obtain the kind of star we need.

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/boston-celtics-team-salary/

What are the exorbitant amount of transactions? We only need the TWO I mentioned and it gets it done.

And I also mentioned in the OP that you only make this moves if you have an agreement with a free-agent first.

Sorry, I must have missed where you said that we'd have an agreement with the prospective player first.  My bad on that one.  With regard to the exorbitant amount of transactions though, we have over 22 million in old cap holds (Shaq, Marbury, Kristic, etc).  We'd have to renounce all of those holds and then decline options or release the non-guaranteed players.  We'd also have to renounce the rights to Humphries and Bayless, and let all of the TPE's expire as well.  That's quite a few transactions.

Ah, yeah, that's not exorbitant at all... that just routine for teams with cap space. We simply have all that crap in there because we haven't had cap space in more than a decade and half+ or so.

So in all, all of that is irrelevant. The key is the two trades... the rest is simply a matter of a decision from the top.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I've figured out part of why there is a discrepancy.  No one seems to be certain about the actual year-to-year breakdown of the contract of Tyreke Evans.  There may have been some structuring, including a signing bonus, that change how his contract might count against the cap.  Some sources have it at a maximum in the first year, then decreasing.

The Pelicans can shave a tiny bit more off their cap hit if Omri Casspi for Alex Ajinca is included in the deal and they wave Casspi.

That could be it. I usually use the Basketball Insiders numbers, at least to me it appears that Eric Pincus puts a lot effort into these, and he seems very aware of how the CBA works and takes all that stuff into consideration for his estimate assessments to complement the actual figures he gets his hands on.

But for now, seeing how actively the Pelicans seem to be shopping Austin Rivers leads me to believe that he's the key to making it work regardless.

[gpap]

I really like the idea by the OP and he brings up a very, very good point.

Opening up cap space is not exactly like a one-legged man trying to win an as* kicking contest.

There are ways you can open cap space and Budweiser brings up a few very logical and feasible scenarios.

I also look at what Mickey Arison did in Miami with how he got Bron, Bosh and DWayde.

Though that took creativity, long-term planning and some luck, Danny Ainge is certainly capable of doing the same thing.

I've noticed here in Boston (it's not just with the Celtics), it's almost like some have resigned to accepting second-best.

I think we need to hold our teams to a higher standard.

As for not being able to attract top tier talent, "if you build it, they will come."

If you can get creative, offer the money and throw enough stuff against the wall, something is bound to stick sooner or later.

Getting a marquee free agent isn't and/or shouldn't be difficult as it seems.

[LooseCannon]

But for now, seeing how actively the Pelicans seem to be shopping Austin Rivers leads me to believe that he's the key to making it work regardless.

It could also mean that they would prefer to trade Rivers instead of waiving Withey.

[BudweiserCeltic]

But for now, seeing how actively the Pelicans seem to be shopping Austin Rivers leads me to believe that he's the key to making it work regardless.

It could also mean that they would prefer to trade Rivers instead of waiving Withey.

That's true, we'll have to see how things continue to develop