Perhaps, Mutombo????

[phoolishly_insane]

Wiretap says that Mutombo won't play for Veteran Minimum.

I say Danny Ainge should sign Mutombo for the rest of the MLE.
I'm not sure how much is left from the MLE but he will be a good addition to the team like when Ainge signed PJ Brown.

What do you think?

[Jammer]

Mutombo has always followed the money, which is one of the reasons that the man is without a championship at age 42, possibly several years older than that.

Danny & Doc offered the vet minimum ($1.3 Mil, of which Celts only pay about $770k (and only that much counts towards luxury tax) the first day of free agency.

That happens to match Houston's offer, which is what Mutombo played for last season.

There's close to $3 million left in the MLE.

Mutombo, in 15.9 mpg regular season last year, did 3 ppg @ 53.8%, 5.1 rpg, 71% Free Throws,
with of PER of 16 and a NET PER of -2.2

During the playoffs, he did 20.5 mpg, 3.8 ppg @ 61%, 6.5 rpg, 63.3% Free Throws;
with a PER of 17.3 and a NET PER of -0.4.

At this stage of his career he's best limited to 15 mpg, and definately capable of two good, 5 minute stretches.

I really don't think that the Celtics have any choice on this one. Sign him.

Unless the Celtics know that Alonzo Mourning (in 15 mpg had a PER of 18 and a NET PER of 3.9) will join them in December to February, there is no reason not to throw money at Mutombo.

Unfortunately with Mourning, his performance would be contingent on his recovery from a torn patellar tendon, torn medial collateral ligament, and some other procedure performed about 1 month ago.

There is really no one else out there to use the remaining MLE on that would help as much.

PG Jason Williams last season had a PER of 14 and a NET PER of -4.1

Stephon Marbury last season had a PER of 15.5 and a NET PER of -5.0 (yes, negative 5).

So, it's pretty clear the order of priority would be:

1. Alonzo Mourning (said he would not announce his plans for 2009 season before December)
2. Dikembe Mutombo (agent David Falk (same as Cassell), wants more than minimum
3. Jason Williams or Marbury ??

to offer up to $3 million of the MLE to.

[Jammer]

If the Celtics can somehow entice Mourning or Mutombo to play their likely final season in Boston,

then

Eddie House + Mourning > James Posey and

Eddie House + Mutombo > James Posey

and the Celtics will have made better use of the MLE for this coming season

than if they simply re-signed James Posey.

[phoolishly_insane]

If say.. we sign Mutombo for the rest of the MLE, can it be only for 1 year or it has to be 2 years with team/player option on the 2nd year?

[Jammer]

If say.. we sign Mutombo for the rest of the MLE, can it be only for 1 year or it has to be 2 years with team/player option on the 2nd year?

MLE contracts are for one to 5 years, with team and player options allowed.

LLE contracts are for 1 or 2 years.

Sign & Trades must be a minimum 3 year contract, and ONLY the first year MUST be guaranteed.

[Rocky5000]

I'd take Mutombo, but doubt he's willing to move to Boston. If he did, do you have any idea how awesome a "Planet Mutombo" TV show would be!?

[BillessuR6]

Mourning would be a dream come true. Mutombo? I wouldn`t give him more than the minimum. Come on, Deke, you are 42 years old!!!

[Prophet_C]

[Dogen]

:wavefinger:

[underneathtoDJ]

With the Rockets signing Artest (making them a better team) and with Mutumbo's business ventures in Houston, I would be pretty surprised if he left Houston. Wouldn't mind having him or Mourning, but I don't think either one will come to Boston.

[campybatman]

I know, Mutombo would prefer to remain in Houston rather than Boston. I only ask this after reading that brief quote by Ainge.

Contract negotiations with Dikembe Mutombo will likely be on hold until Mutombo and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey return from the Olympics, but Mutombo’s agent, David Falk, said Thursday that he doubted that Mutombo would play another season if the Rockets offer only the veteran’s minimum.

“It would surprise me if they thought he would come back for the veteran’s minimum,” Falk said. “I’ve know (Rockets owner) Leslie Alexander for a long time. Dikembe has a very good relationship with Les. We’ll get together when we get back and see if there can be a situation for Dikembe to consider playing another season.”

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey did not say what sort of offer he planned to make. The minimum for a veteran with Mutombo’s experience is roughly $1.3 million. If he was paid the minimum, however, the Rockets would only pay $ $797,581 of that amount (with the NBA subsidizing the difference) and only the amount the Rockets pay would count when calculating whether their payroll exceeds the luxury tax threshold.

Mutombo, 42, played for the minimum last season, but Falk pointed out that after he agreed to that contract the Rockets signed Steve Francis.

“I am as aware as anyone of the tax situation,” Falk said. “I don’t know it would be up to one guy to prevent them from facing a tax situation.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/spo ... 18575.html

Ainge said he might sign another free agent "late in the summer, if someone doesn't get what they want. We are not chasing people right now." Boston Globe

[MyInsatiableOne]

Even though I'm not crazy about either of them, I'd take Dikembe over Zo any day, providing we put in his contract large fines if he does the finger wag...

[Prophet_C]

Even though I'm not crazy about either of them, I'd take Dikembe over Zo any day, providing we put in his contract large fines if he does the finger wag...

The finger waving is classic.

I would like to see him on the team. He'd give us size, experience and great interviews. Best voice in the NBA.

[floyd]

I'll take anyone that keeps us from going the Zo route. I can't stand watching him whine after every freakin' call and I'm still bitter about that shot he hit on Charlotte to knock us out of the playoffs in the series Reg went down.

[Dave_From_NB]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if you sign someone for more than veterans minimum, then the league doesn't kick anything in. And it becomes fully taxed under luxury.

So if Ainge bids veterans minimum, the NBA pays $800k of it, the Celtics pay $500k, and pay another $500k under the tax, so Mutombo costs the C's $1 mil out of pocket.

If Ainge overbids, lets say $1.5 mil, then the league doesn't kick anything in. Also, the entire salary is taxed. So the $1.5 mil salary becomes $3.0 mil out of pocket.

That extra $200k in Mutombo's pocket would cost the C's $2 mil.

Someone referred in another post about injury issues with Mutombo, not sure at 42 years old that people are going to be lining up at the door when the sort of math I just outlined comes into play.

The reason I don't like Mutombo as an option, is he isn't capable of being a starter if Perk went down. No way does he run part of a season at 25-30 minutes. If Mutombo goes into the last roster spot and Perk goes down, there is no way to sign a replacement without releasing someone.

I don't know who all is out there still, Radcliff and Magloire (I believe) come to mind, and perhaps there aren't very good options left, but I don't see a Mutombo in the Celtics future.

[phoolishly_insane]

Motumbo hardly gets injured.... he's still strong as steel!

[GregB]

Motumbo hardly gets injured.... he's still strong as steel!

Mutumbo hasnt been hurt as much lately. But He has done a lot better living in warm weather. He hates the cold. Which makes me wonder if he has an arthritic condition. I doubt he leaves Houston.

[Jammer]

The Houston situation with Mutombo is complex.

Depends on how much you want to read into the posturing.

Mutombo's agent (David Falk) says Mutombo signed for the vet minimum LAST YEAR because Houston pleaded poverty over the effects of the luxury tax.

Mutombo gave Houston a discount, last year.

Houston then signed Stevie Franchise for just over $2 million, adding just over $2 million in lux tax.

While Stevie franchise sat on the bench, Dikembe lead Houston to the 2nd best ever 22 game win streak with Yao Ming out.

This summer, the Celtics offered Mutombo the vet minimum the first day offers could be made.

Houston made the same offer that they did last year, when Mutombo said he was giving them a discount.

Falk's posturing is that Mutombo is hurt, by the signing of Francis last year after Mutombo came on for minimum, and wants to be appreciated this year.

I read the implication from Falk as if Houston doesn't pony up what they think he's worth, he'll sign someplace else for minimum (Boston) before returning to Houston for minimum.

I think Falk is gonna give the Houston owner a number, say $3 million, to even things up for last season. It will be a yes no decision for Mutombo, either they give him what he wants (paying double with the lux tax), or he may just sign someplace else for less, because Houston played their poverty chip before bringing Francis on board.

With Artest coming to town and asking for Houston to show him the LUV (extension, commitment beyond this season ??) Mutombo's logic is you screwed me once, but you won't get to do it a second time.

I think Boston is a definate possibility.

Of course, if Mutombo leaves, you can kiss Houston's title chances good by.

Mutombo alongside Garnett in the final 5 minutes of a game basically means no layups.

[Golabki]

I think Mutombo would be a great signing for the rest of the MLE. He still brings super-star caliber defense to the table. The same can be said of Mourning, but to a lesser extent.

However, there is another vet who I would rather give the rest of the MLE. Robert Horry. He is a free agent and the Spurs haven't been able to resign him. Defensively I think he can bring something similar to PJ Brown (no longer athletically gifted but still great positional defender). Offensively he would be a better version of Posey. Your 4-5 rotation that becomes Garnett with Perk, Horry and Powe sharing time around him (and O'Bryant, Davis and Scal providing depth).

After that you have a pretty long list of bigs who probably aren't worth more than the minimum, Ratliff, Howard, Elson, Majolore, Voshkul, Dolec, Harrison.