No Lotto picks + No Cap space?

[flybono]

If u have the chance to sign a better all around player or players at the expense of a crowder or bass contract you make the move.

Monroe should be attainable since pistons have Drummond. The need for a legit offensive C is a must.

Far as Millsap? If he gets to free agency he should be targeted.

[tazzmaniac]

There is a possibility for a draft-day trade. We traded our 16th and the 2nd rounder to grab KO at 13th pick. I don't see why Danny won't trade down again if he found a talent that he likes.

Showcasing our vets in the playoffs might entice Playoff contenders. They might buy our players with picks, promising young players, TPEs and expiring contracts.

Among our players, Wallace is the only bad contract we had and I rather let him expire than take another albatross contract. Many of our vets are soon to be available FA. We can sign them for cheap, hope for a trade or just simply let them walk away. DA managed to squeeze something when Hump signed with the Wizards.

We can wait for a disgruntled superstar asking for a trade if free agency fails.

I don't get your obsession with lottery picks. We haven't won any lottery since the Chauncey Billups days and we won't win it anytime soon.

The KO trade was for the #16 and two second round picks.  The obsession with lottery picks is easy.  Look at the top players in the league.  How many of them weren't draft ed in the top 10? 

And how many of those didn't pan out? Sure, drafting outside the lottery have higher chance of getting a superstar, but the team also have higher chance of not getting out of mediocrity. Look at Kyrie Irving without Lebron or the Kevin Love T-Wolves. They can't even sniff the playoffs despite having "Star Players". How many can't it takes before they can do that..... oh wait. They are teamed together with LeBron so it doesn't matter now. Not all players prefer a contending team or a location with nice weather. Mind you, Dwight Howard chose Houston because it's his hometown. And long ago, a player named Dana Barros signed with the C's despite having an All-Star appearance the previous season because he is a Boston native. Nerlens Noel could knock the door anytime soon.

The organizations that stay bad after getting a star are those with poor ownership and poor management.  Once we have the first star on the team, I'm confident that Ainge can make the additional moves necessary to build a contender.  Noel being from the Boston area is why I've taken an interest in how he is developing.  However unless we trade for him which will require giving up good picks, he won't be coming anytime soon.   

[guava_wrench]

I have been saying things similar to the OP. The streak we are on is greatly fueled by guys who likely won't be around next year and who have low upside. The playoff experience they have here will likely be taken to another team. We still are missing all star caliber players, though IT could be a fringe all star at some point during his stay in Boston.

If you think ET, Bass, Jerebko, and Datome are worth investing in long term, I suppose any success we have is a great development. If Sully and KO were leading this winning, at the very least we would be increasing their trade value. But we can't trade Bass or ET, and we probably aren't going to want to make a multi-year commitment to them.

[317]

oh i thought the body of the post was going to be "= Brooklyn".

[MBunge]

I have been saying things similar to the OP. The streak we are on is greatly fueled by guys who likely won't be around next year and who have low upside. The playoff experience they have here will likely be taken to another team. We still are missing all star caliber players, though IT could be a fringe all star at some point during his stay in Boston.

If you think ET, Bass, Jerebko, and Datome are worth investing in long term, I suppose any success we have is a great development. If Sully and KO were leading this winning, at the very least we would be increasing their trade value. But we can't trade Bass or ET, and we probably aren't going to want to make a multi-year commitment to them.

We have ET for another year and I would guess the only two Ainge might make resigning a priority is Bass and Crowder, especially with two first round picks coming in.  So, I think this concern is a little overblown.  We're more likely to have 13+ mil in cap room after the draft and resigning guys.  We also have plenty of first round picks to spare one to offload Wallace if need be.

And none of this considers the huge cap increase on the way.

Mike

[drogbagarnett]

I have been saying things similar to the OP. The streak we are on is greatly fueled by guys who likely won't be around next year and who have low upside. The playoff experience they have here will likely be taken to another team. We still are missing all star caliber players, though IT could be a fringe all star at some point during his stay in Boston.

If you think ET, Bass, Jerebko, and Datome are worth investing in long term, I suppose any success we have is a great development. If Sully and KO were leading this winning, at the very least we would be increasing their trade value. But we can't trade Bass or ET, and we probably aren't going to want to make a multi-year commitment to them.

Un freaking Believable! !
You guys are driving me crazy!!!

Say what are you are saying during last summer and I would have understood your point but replied to you that trying for fireworks with a healthy rondo and green was tempting to try!

Say it during the few first months of the season and I would have agreed!  Rondo and Green weren't getting us anywhere by themselves but I would have still replied hey let's see who is available at the deadline and maybe join that one star to them and go hard for one free agent and we could have a foursome of rondo green deadline guy and free agent... 

Say it during the mid season trade and I would say to you yes and Danny Ainge agreed with us since he saw that no stars would be available he decided to say then let's blow it up and tank and try to get a top 6 picks or something...

But for you to say it NOW that with the record we have that tanking is still a subject of discussion puzzles me!!!
There is NO way we can out tank the tankers!! None!
If their were superstars only at draft position 10 to 12 and a bunch of nobodies and busts at position 15 and 16 of the draft then I might have listen to your arguments...
As of right now in the season, plans for our future as far as draft position are already pretty much set! Its draft position around 10 to 16 or so.... no need to discuss much about what why who... Danny tried to tank but the team fought hard and refused to die! We are here! It's not now that  you can possibly wish we miss the playoff !

Underrated argument for playoff push: What better environment than the playoff to evaluate your players and analyze their worth to decide who should be brought back and who should be let go or traded...? Most of us agree crowder is a keeper but let see what others can do in the playoff... so a playoff participation helps Danny Do his job with more insights.

Draft: we Can trade down!!! Using players or picks! Going from 16 to 10 is possible with the assets we have!! Trading down to the top 5 picks is more complicated even if you start from position 10... so no real advantage here even if there is a can't miss young stud at position 10 I say go for playoff and trade down for that young stud...

Players experience and value: those who stay will benefit from the experience and those who leave can get their value increased and maybe bring us something... (we got something for Humphries so why not again..?)

Coach : He deserves to get a taste of what the playoffs are about so that when we are ready to contend he will be already seasoned and I want to be matched up against the Hawks because as a coach he will learn more from facing a well oiled system than facing a super talented guy...

Free agent : Of course playoff exposure increase the chance of interesting some free agent that can see themselves as the missing piece for contention and come here to be the man!!

Trade: the value of our players go up so we can get more via trades at the draft or during the summer....

All in all, playoff is beneficial for us right now! (and I dt even get into the team spirit finances fans energy etc....)

The argument of tanking is real but not in our current situation Right NOW...  let's postpone those discussions for when They matter... as of right now they dont!!!

Playoff here we come!!

Let's GO Celtics!!!

[Csfan1984]

How will they not have cap space? They have $41 million on the books for 2015. Cap is projected above $63 million for 2015 and league wants to soften cap raise of 2016 by pushing it to 2015 to $68 million. (Players vote down 2x but another different purposal coming). That is 20 to 25 million in cap space no matter what. No high picks means no big rookie salary so that is 5 million or less to sign rooks. That means 15-20 million in cap. Stretch Wallace and it's more cap space added. So back to 18-25 million in cap space.

Now that I got that cap disagreement out, I agree no real benefit to having guys who won't be here beyond this year being big push into the playoffs. Need to give the young guys PT and develop them. Anyone remember Lavine and Payton at the beginning of year, horrible. Now they are much better. Players get better with real game experience not just practice.

[LarBrd33]

How will they not have cap space? They have $41 million on the books for 2015. Cap is projected above $63 million for 2015 and league wants to soften cap raise of 2016 by pushing it to 2015 to $68 million. (Players vote down 2x but another different purposal coming). That is 20 to 25 million in cap space no matter what. No high picks means no big rookie salary so that is 5 million or less to sign rooks. That means 15-20 million in cap. Stretch Wallace and it's more cap space added. So back to 18-25 million in cap space.

Now that I got that cap disagreement out, I agree no real benefit to having guys who won't be here beyond this year being big push into the playoffs. Need to give the young guys PT and develop them. Anyone remember Lavine and Payton at the beginning of year, horrible. Now they are much better. Players get better with real game experience not just practice.

So in your scenario you are letting bass, crowder and jerebko walk

[hpantazo]

How will they not have cap space? They have $41 million on the books for 2015. Cap is projected above $63 million for 2015 and league wants to soften cap raise of 2016 by pushing it to 2015 to $68 million. (Players vote down 2x but another different purposal coming). That is 20 to 25 million in cap space no matter what. No high picks means no big rookie salary so that is 5 million or less to sign rooks. That means 15-20 million in cap. Stretch Wallace and it's more cap space added. So back to 18-25 million in cap space.

Now that I got that cap disagreement out, I agree no real benefit to having guys who won't be here beyond this year being big push into the playoffs. Need to give the young guys PT and develop them. Anyone remember Lavine and Payton at the beginning of year, horrible. Now they are much better. Players get better with real game experience not just practice.

So in your scenario you are letting bass, crowder and jerebko walk

I think it is fairly obvious that Ainge is planning on letting players like Bass, Crowder, and Jerebko walk to sign a big name free agent or two. The streak we are on is fueled by Stevens coaching and by Smart and IT, not by any of these scrubs you are proposing we sacrifice our future for.

Getting into the playoffs will only serve to boost the attractiveness of playing under Stevens to potential free agents this summer.

[Csfan1984]

I am only interested in keeping Bass as a vet and good backup cheap. DA has to sign a Starting stud player so Bass isnt a priority. For me Bass is consistent at least and at say vet min you keep him. The other guys all have to go despite the weird fandom each one has. Those guys are like on the court mascots.

[Granath]

How will they not have cap space? They have $41 million on the books for 2015. Cap is projected above $63 million for 2015 and league wants to soften cap raise of 2016 by pushing it to 2015 to $68 million. (Players vote down 2x but another different purposal coming). That is 20 to 25 million in cap space no matter what. No high picks means no big rookie salary so that is 5 million or less to sign rooks. That means 15-20 million in cap. Stretch Wallace and it's more cap space added. So back to 18-25 million in cap space.

Now that I got that cap disagreement out, I agree no real benefit to having guys who won't be here beyond this year being big push into the playoffs. Need to give the young guys PT and develop them. Anyone remember Lavine and Payton at the beginning of year, horrible. Now they are much better. Players get better with real game experience not just practice.

So in your scenario you are letting bass, crowder and jerebko walk

Seriously Lar, yours is a prime example of panic posting.

Anyone would let them walk rather than pay Crowder or Jerebko for $5m/season. Bass is different, but why would you pay either one of those other guys that much? In what universe is Jerebko worth $5m/yr? Do you feel like giving money away?

But the big flaw in your argument is the fact that you need roster spots. You CAN'T resign them all anyway. You need at least 3 free roster spots for the incoming rookies. Remember that the Celtics have most likely two firsts and two seconds this year (and one of those seconds is at the top of the 2nd round). Let's say the Celtics sign someone else - just one guy - in FA. That maeans you need 4 roster spots. Datome and Randolph are obvious choices. Who else goes? Pressey is probably the next guy up, but who else after that? You have to let at LEAST one of those guys walk just to deal with roster space. More likely two need to be gone.

Personally, I think Bass and Jerebko are out the door. Bass has proven himself to be very valuable this year, but I think he can offer more to another team at this point and may want to play for a better team. I bet Danny will try to resign Crowder for a reasonable $3m/yr as a #7 or #8 guy. Maybe $4/m on the outside. Add in another $4m for the 3 rookies.

So that leaves you $18m before you ever deal with Crash's $10m salary. Where's the need to panic?

[saltlover]

How will they not have cap space? They have $41 million on the books for 2015. Cap is projected above $63 million for 2015 and league wants to soften cap raise of 2016 by pushing it to 2015 to $68 million. (Players vote down 2x but another different purposal coming). That is 20 to 25 million in cap space no matter what. No high picks means no big rookie salary so that is 5 million or less to sign rooks. That means 15-20 million in cap. Stretch Wallace and it's more cap space added. So back to 18-25 million in cap space.

Now that I got that cap disagreement out, I agree no real benefit to having guys who won't be here beyond this year being big push into the playoffs. Need to give the young guys PT and develop them. Anyone remember Lavine and Payton at the beginning of year, horrible. Now they are much better. Players get better with real game experience not just practice.

So in your scenario you are letting bass, crowder and jerebko walk

Crowder only counts $1.1 mil against the cap.  One of Bass and Jerebko can walk just fine.  And as long as you aren't planning on resigning either for mroe than their cap holds (which would be a huge overpay), you can renounce them if there's a max player you want to sign, and then use remaining cap space to bring one back.

There is plenty of room.  The only real concern is getting a max player to come here, not having the ability to sign one.

[loco_91]

$5m each for Bass Jerebko and Crowder would be a massive overpay. Bass is the only one of the three who can expect anything like that. Ainge should lowball either Bass or Jerebko just to see if nobody matches (unless we trade Sully/KO), and, if we don't draft a SF, offer Crowder 4 years/$13m.

[Rosco917]

You can't sign everyone, not with the results we've seen this year when it comes to rim protection. You can't commit to any of our free agents, not until you see which free agents, that actually fill holes on our team are interested in playing in Boston.

I would definitely resign Crowder. At least I would if his price was fair. All the remaining players, Bass, JJ, and Gigi are only possibilities, and only for the right price. After filling our needs, we may not be able to sign a player like Bass or JJ. Who knows.

More than anything else we need some interior size, defense, and toughness.

Next question, Does Monroe consider himself a center? Has he indicated he's interested in playing center on any team? Does he really have the skills, attitude, and defensive desire to play the position?   

[TheTruthFot18]

No Lotto picks + No Cap space = reality, lol. Ugh.

I thought this was a thread for laughing at Brooklyn or figuring out what GS is going to do through next year.