16 players, 15 spots

Gant · Post #1 » by **Gant** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 1:26 pm

The surprising signing of Sam Cassell means something's gotta a give. Barring an unlikely trade, one player gets cut as happened last year with Dahntay jones and Esteban Batista.

Lets look at the roster:

I think we can safely put Pierce, Garnett, and Ray Allen into the "made the squad" column.
Likewise: Rondo, Perkins, House, Tony Allen, Powe, Big Baby, O'Bryant, and Giddens. Also there is no way they cut Scalabrine.

That's 12...

...leaving four guys for three spots: Gabe Pruitt, Sam Cassell, Darius Miles, and Bill Walker.

Walker's coming off knee surgery so it's hard to see how he can play himself off the team when he might need more time to prove what he can do. I'm putting him in the "safe" column.

Three guys left.

Here's how it appears: Darius Miles has to earn his spot. If he can't make it the roster's set.

If Miles does make the team, it comes down to the two point guards: Pruitt and Cassell. By signing Cassell, management has challenged Gabe Pruitt. Gabe either proves his worth or he could lose his spot.

If Miles and Pruitt both do well, maybe Sam Cassell gets his coaching job a year early.

So it goes like this:
* Miles determines whether there's a battle between Pruitt and Cassell.
* If there is a fight between the points for the last chair, Pruitt determines his own fate. In that circumstance, only if Gabe looks like he won't contribute right now does Cassell make the team.

**The other possibility is even simpler: They like Pruitt and he's safe. In that case Cassell is purely insurance for Miles. If Miles makes the roster, Sam doesn't.

Post #2 » by **canman1971** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 1:38 pm

Unless they just cut Scal, which would be the best move or a 2 for 1 trade, or trade Pruitt or Baby for a 2nd rounder to a team with some cap space. Many possibilities, but the one you spelled out is certainly the most likely to happen.

Havlicek17 · Post #3 » by **Havlicek17** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:00 pm

Gant, I agree 100% with your post. I don't believe Sam will get a guaranteed contract, and it will all shake out in camp.

buckner1976 · Post #4 » by **buckner1976** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:45 pm

Havlicek17 wrote:Gant, I agree 100% with your post. I don't believe Sam will get a guaranteed contract, and it will all shake out in camp.

I love to believe this is true but what Danny said makes me believe he really does mean to sign Cassell for real. Not like a tryout but seriously bring him back.

Gant · Post #5 » by **Gant** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:36 pm

buckner1976 wrote:
Havlicek17 wrote:Gant, I agree 100% with your post. I don't believe Sam will get a guaranteed contract, and it will all shake out in camp.

I love to believe this is true but what Danny said makes me believe he really does mean to sign Cassell for real. Not like a tryout but seriously bring him back.

Looking at the numbers I don't see how that's possible unless in his mind Ainge has already cut someone else- and that doesn't make sense. Sam's an insurance policy for either Miles or Pruitt or both.

billfromBoston · Post #6 » by **billfromBoston** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:20 pm

There also could be a trade in the works, but you have to think that all the players on the current roster have more value than Cassell, who is a one year PG insurance policy at this point-not expected to contribute heavily at all..

I don't think they are going to give prospects away so Sam can play a bit role against teams who pressure in the back court...I see it as Miles/Cassell at the bottom as well, but perhaps there is a trade in the works that would consolidate 2 assets for 1 more stable one...we'll have to wait and see...

Post #7 » by **Spin Move** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:10 pm

1 of Cassel, pruit (my guess) Walker, D=miles Big Baby, POB, or Veal wont be with the team. I am guessing pruit, dont see his game, even the dleague version translating to the NBA, I hope i am proven wrong and its cassel though, it wont be veal, Managment is not going to eat 6 million dollars for this season and next, unless its a buyout.

chakdaddy · Post #8 » by **chakdaddy** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:40 pm

You know, I'm not sure that management would mind cutting Scal. After all, they don't really eat the salary, or more accurately, they are already eating the salary. (Haha, I typed "scalary"'). Anyway, there's not much difference between paying him 3 million a year to be the 15th man vs paying him 3 mil a year to be the 16th man aka off the roster. The only cost would be the salary for the new minimum salary guy who replaces him.

A bigger deal is losing his expiring contract next year, but it's not so big that it's a big deal really...I bet he does get cut now that I think about it.

Jammer · Post #9 » by **Jammer** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:51 am

Last year, Mark Bartlestein delivered clients Eddie House, James Posey and P. J. Brown.

This year, David Falk is Sam Cassell's agent, as well as Dikembe Mutombo's agent.
Could there be a package deal??

I wouldn't expect Mutombo to sign until AFTER TRAINING CAMP. (if he were to sign)
I think that he would appreciate not having to go 22-24 minutes like he did at times last year, when Yao was out. Say, 6 minutes at a time max, with a 12-15 minute cap per game.

In addition, Darius Miles has the same agent as Alonzo Mourning. Mourning is now pushing his time table to next year, which is making Pat Riley antsey, and gives Mourning plenty of time to see the playoff status of teams (pity if he signs with the Lakers).

There could be more going on than meets the eye, when all is said and done.

Post #10 » by **sully00** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:59 am

While the loss of Scal's contract will ruin using the trade checker for many of the posters on this board, the money is spent there is no reason to pass on a more useful player at minimum money to keep him around and Sam and Miles are certainly more useful.

Sam's deal will likely be guaranteed as he has the similar offer from DEN.

Hemingway · Post #11 » by **Hemingway** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:24 pm

a few things...

- D Miles. If he is already showing signs of not being able to help at all then Cassell is his replacement plain and simple. I think however due to the fact that if he plays 10 games with us, money goes back on Portland's books; he makes the team to start the season.
I'm going with him making the team.

- I really can't see a scenario where Cassell doesn't make the team barring an injury.

- We won't cut Scal. His contract is one of our only mid range contracts. This will be important when we shop Ray.

- I think there will be a trade. Maybe not before the season though. My reasoning is that I believe there is a good chance that a "ring chaser" might join the team mid season. Maybe a prospect like BBD or Powe for a future pick?

Post #12 » by **sully00** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:22 pm

Scal's contract is meaningless because nobody is taking on 2 years and 6 mil of Veal. Adding him to Ray makes less sense who could we possibly trade for that makes more money than Ray? Shaq? Either way come December we can use Tony Allen and Eddie House in all of the trade checker deals.

We aren't going to trade Ray Allen because anyone that would want him certainly isn't going to give us a younger, better player for him and Ray isn't going to some rebuilding situation even for a weekend. Ray has the "Gary Sheffield" no trade clause.

I don't think that a trade is likely because Boston isn't looking to take on cash in any deals, doesn't have a draft pick to trade, and nobody is going to be looking to help Danny out with his little roster problem as a favor. Outside of a team needing an undersized PF, Houston comes to mind, I don't really see a need Boston can fill and I don't think Boston is really looking to deal either of those guys and certainly do not want to give them away.