2015-2016 Free Agent Class

[bleedGREENdon]

  First things first, as long as we don't sign someone to a long term deal this offseason well basically have everyone off the books in 16 except, Bradley,young, Smart And KO, with this years draft picks and next years so essentially we have openings for 2-3 max players.

Here's a list of players available the next two years that catch my eye

Horford 16
KD 16
Lilliard 16
Ellis 15
Beal 16
Al Jefferson 15
Valancuinas 16
Monroe 15
Drummond 16
Gasol 15
Joakim Noah 16
Dwight Howard 16
Harrison Barnes 16
Hibbert 15
DeAndre Jordan 15
Michael Conely 16
Anthony Davis 16
Lebron James 15 and 16
Kevin love 15

I mean go down that list about 10 franchise changing players the next two years, 6 draft picks, everybody is expiring, this will be a fast rebuild. Who do you guys believe we should build around and or have a chance to build around.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I would add Draymond Green here, who's FA in 2015. He has quietly been one of the best players in the league.

I'd go as far to say that we should go after him and offer him a big (not max, but close) contract.

[vinnie]

It's a great list. The issue is getting any of them to come here.

[Roy H.]

Durant + Lebron + Davis.  Make it happen.

 

[Birdman]

Greg Monroe maybe only one on that list that may look at us

[thirstyboots18]

Durant + Lebron + Davis.  Make it happen.

 

  There will be plenty of room for them, Roy, since according to a lot of posters all of our free agents are sulking and can't wait to leave.  After all, who wouldn't relish the chance to join a rebuilding team? 

[obnoxiousmime]

The list is misleadingly deep. Most of those guys have absolutely no reason to change teams and their teams have even less reason not to re-sign them. People want to talk about cap space but that's not really as useful as it used to be because a lot of teams have space now. The rules favor the original team to be able to offer the most money and that's what's going to be happening with a lot of these names except for the top top superstars for whom titles are more important than a little more money at this point of their careers. Obviously those guys are not going to consider Boston anyway.

Also, you can forget about any of the restricted free agents coming off their rookie deal. Drummond, Lillard, Beal, Valanciunas, and Davis are all no-brainer matches for their teams and they won't be unrestricted for quite awhile.

The Celtics are really screwed the next couple years. Their young talent is not good enough to elevate the team to a competitive "up-and-coming" level, even in a historically bad Eastern Conference. Nor is the team so horrible that the chance of getting an amazing pick is very likely. Ainge really needs to 1) find a star in the draft and/or 2) find some totally unexpected hidden gem in free agency.

The delay to the rebuild would be lengthened if another offseason passes and they don't get a star. The team is already full of guys who are OK but nothing special. With no foundational piece on the roster it's really hard for them to have any kind of identity or continuity.

Oh, and they desperately need a big man who can play defense.

[Celtics4ever]

I would add Draymond Green here, who's FA in 2015. He has quietly been one of the best players in the league.

He is averaging 12ppg and shooting 44%

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/6589/draymond-green

Saying he is one of the best players in the league, is ridiculous.  Saying he is one of the most improved players is not.

[rondohondo]

The list is misleadingly deep. Most of those guys have absolutely no reason to change teams and their teams have even less reason not to re-sign them. People want to talk about cap space but that's not really as useful as it used to be because a lot of teams have space now. The rules favor the original team to be able to offer the most money and that's what's going to be happening with a lot of these names except for the top top superstars for whom titles are more important than a little more money at this point of their careers. Obviously those guys are not going to consider Boston anyway.

Also, you can forget about any of the restricted free agents coming off their rookie deal. Drummond, Lillard, Beal, Valanciunas, and Davis are all no-brainer matches for their teams and they won't be unrestricted for quite awhile.

The Celtics are really screwed the next couple years. Their young talent is not good enough to elevate the team to a competitive "up-and-coming" level, even in a historically bad Eastern Conference. Nor is the team so horrible that the chance of getting an amazing pick is very likely. Ainge really needs to 1) find a star in the draft and/or 2) find some totally unexpected hidden gem in free agency.

The delay to the rebuild would be lengthened if another offseason passes and they don't get a star. The team is already full of guys who are OK but nothing special. With no foundational piece on the roster it's really hard for them to have any kind of identity or continuity.

Oh, and they desperately need a big man who can play defense.

cap space isn't just for signing players . We could take on a max player in a trade without the other team having to take back salary, that is very attractive to teams that are selling . We also have a ton of picks and prospects to trade , unlike a lot of teams with cap space .

Danny is in a great position to land a big player at the deadline, draft night and this off-season .

Plus that 12 mil TPE


 

[slamtheking]

Greg Monroe maybe only one on that list that may look at us

sadly that's probably closer to the truth than the hopes of us signing anyone else on that list. 

can't see any reason a top FA would choose to come to this team with this roster.  unless a couple of our young players really break out by next year, I don't see anyone really good wanting to come here and wallow through more rebuilding

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I would add Draymond Green here, who's FA in 2015. He has quietly been one of the best players in the league.

He is averaging 12ppg and shooting 44%

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/6589/draymond-green

Saying he is one of the best players in the league, is ridiculous.  Saying he is one of the most improved players is not.

I expected this response. But i disagree.

Hes one of the most important cogs in that Warriors team. Dude's basically the new Andre Iguodala, only Green can dedend FOUR positions.

Draymond has intangibles that even some established stars dont have. And he's improving in a rapid rate. He's young too.

And BTW, with that comment, it makes him even more underrated, which makes me love him more as a player. Hes not a scorer, but Draymond Green if one of the best players in the game right now just because he does everything else outstanding.

[RJ87]

Greg Monroe maybe only one on that list that may look at us

sadly that's probably closer to the truth than the hopes of us signing anyone else on that list. 

can't see any reason a top FA would choose to come to this team with this roster.  unless a couple of our young players really break out by next year, I don't see anyone really good wanting to come here and wallow through more rebuilding

And if we trade his buddy Jeff Green - which I expect us to - he won't even seriously look our way. Of that original list, a few of them are restricted fa's and the others are on playoffs teams. Why would any of them realistically leave to come to this mess of a team? If Danny believed he had any chance of adding any of those guys in the next year or 2, I don't think Rondo gets traded and Green would be dangled like a carrot in a stable. It's much more logical to keep those 2 guys and try to add a big piece to that base.

Settle in guys, this is going to be a long rebuild. Hopefully, we can hit on a few of those draft picks.

[hwangjini_1]

I would add Draymond Green here, who's FA in 2015. He has quietly been one of the best players in the league.

He is averaging 12ppg and shooting 44%

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/6589/draymond-green

Saying he is one of the best players in the league, is ridiculous.  Saying he is one of the most improved players is not.

maybe not one of "the best," but not chopped liver either.

green is averaging 12/8/3.4/1.5/1.4 for the year.  he has a significant lead over Kawhi Leonard for first among SFs in defensive RPM.  and he's third overall behind duncan and bogut.

[Rosco917]

I think the problem, as some of you have suggested, is big time FA's gaining interest on a rebuilding team is seldom going to happen. For that reason looking at younger FA with more upside left, maybe a more realistic approach. Some of the players on the list are too old, and are looking for the possibility of a ring.
We may have shot at these players in 2015.

Monroe, I think when he's the man, he may protect the rim a bit more, still young.
Hibbert, Sometimes a no show, not great for a running team. (Aircraft Carrier)
DeAndre Jordan, still young, and a prolific rim defender.

[Depalma2002]

I think the problem, as some of you have suggested, is big time FA's gaining interest on a rebuilding team is seldom going to happen. For that reason looking at younger FA with more upside left, maybe a more realistic approach. Some of the players on the list are too old, and are looking for the possibility of a ring.
We may have shot at these players in 2015.

Monroe, I think when he's the man, he may protect the rim a bit more, still young.
Hibbert, Sometimes a no show, not great for a running team. (Aircraft Carrier)
DeAndre Jordan, still young, and a prolific rim defender.

I don't see Jordan leaving the Clippers. He has especially thrived under Doc, he's in a good situation in a good market and they can offer him the most money and years. I don't think luxury tax considerations are going to be a concern (but this is just my opinion). After what Ballmer paid for the team and after watching him in the stands at games, I think he will spend whatever he needs to in order to win.

I like Hibbert. Not sure what type of interest he'd have coming to a rebuilding situation though. I'd like our chances better if we were to keep Green his former college roommate, but I don't want to keep Green, especially for this reason.

Monroe is a possibilty. He is still young and hasn't had his second contract yet, so money is going to be a major issue for him, especially after leaving money on the table. I think he also views himself as a Center and a team looking to use him there would have a slightly better chance (all other things equal) of landing him.

I think our best chance is Reggie Jackson. I don't see OKC matching. With the depth of the PG position in the league, his number of overall suitors is down, and his number of suitors among contenders is even thinner, especially since Houston is said to be hot for Dragic. He has ties to the area, wants to start, doesn't have total say on where he will be playing next year (OKC has matching rights) and hasn't had that big money second contract yet.

I think the Celtics can pay him, give him a starting role, and bring him back to where he played College ball. No guarantees of course, but give our circumstances, he is our best chance at this stage of the rebuild to land a free agent that is more than a mid-level exception type.