Wojnarowski on weei

[Gant]

I really appreciate you doing this Gant.

Surprised to hear that someone like Ray wouldn't even fetch a 1st rounder. I guess other teams much not think highly of him or they must really think this is a deep draft this year.

Happy to do it.

This was a welcome interview completely debunking many myths and biases about Rondo.

[Marley2Hendrix]

Regarding Paul and Chicago, man was Salmons a nice fit for that team... and my goodness would paul represent one heck of an upgrade to that. I'm going to have to browse this Bulls roster at greater depth.

On the plus side, Ainge/Doc should have a clear idea during the days leading up to the trade deadline whether this team will even be contending for a 7th/8th. Now that we know Rondo has ainge's endorsement, it is feeling more and more likely that a blow-up isn't that unlikely.

[Celtics_Champs]

Eh, wonder what we'd get for Paul... Because if Ray and KG can't even fetch a first rounder, I wonder how low PP's value will be. Sure he is better, but he's also just as old and on a worse contract than Ray Ray or Kevin.

[Gant]

Eh, wonder what we'd get for Paul... Because if Ray and KG can't even fetch a first rounder, I wonder how low PP's value will be. Sure he is better, but he's also just as old and on a worse contract than Ray Ray or Kevin.

I think Ray or KG might draw a late first rounder, but matching the salaries without screwing with the cap would be hard.

Pierce is on the books for a few years so you could take salary back. Still, it's unlikely he's traded either. You never know though.

If you put yourself into Chicago's (for example) position: They're looking at one team- Miami. Off guard is their weak spot. Pierce or Ray would certainly upgrade that spot.

Their own first rounder is going to be late 20s. Charlotte's will be deferred since it's top 14 protected. I think they'd consider moving either of those picks (and players, if appropriate) for the right guy on the Celtics or elsewhere.

(Charlotte pick details: top 14 protected in 2012, top 12 protected in 2013, top 10 protected in 2014, top 8 protected in 2015, unprotected in 2016)

[FlatearthZorro]

Not sure if Chicago would do Deng/filler for PP, but it would make some sense Noah/Korver for Pierce/JON or Wilcox. They still got Asik, who rebounds well and plays decent D, and Asik is much cheaper than Noah + they don't need a big impact center to beat the Heat.. Noah makes the most sense.

[PistolP]

Not sure if Chicago would do Deng/filler for PP, but it would make some sense Noah/Korver for Pierce/JON or Wilcox. They still got Asik, who rebounds well and plays decent D, and Asik is much cheaper than Noah + they don't need a big impact center to beat the Heat.. Noah makes the most sense.

Chicago is not a good trading partner for Boston re: Pierce. I highly doubt they would trade Deng, given how important he is to the team under Thibs. Also, Asik is a good prospect, but Noah is going to be key to any success they have against the Heat. He is one of the only centers in the league that can cover Bosh, and also switch out on Lebron/Wade and do a decent job. Basically no chance Noah is traded for anyone besides Dwight. Overvaluing a tad? Probably, but that's why Pierce to CHI is highly unlikely.

Ray on the other hand...there might be a way to make that work for expirings and a draft pick, if Ainge wants to go that route.

[KGboss]

Trading Ray for a pick might be worth it at this point. I don't think it is worth it to trade KG at the deadline for some picks however. Might be better just to let his contract expire and bring him back on a low 5 million/year deal for 2 more years or something. Use him as a 6th man. We see how well his defense still anchors a team at his age.

Ray however is done. He has lost his quickness and his step. Like watching a wide receiver in football not be able to catch that deep ball anymore. He also has been ice cold since about the third week of the season as well.

[GuyClinch]

Not a Deng fan. I wouldn't want him for Paul. He isn't very explosive and plays slower the Paul despite the age difference. Not a great shooter from range either. He is tough and plays smart.. But that's not enough. His youth is wasted because he is well past the age where he might get signifcantly better.

[Triple M]

keep the big 4 together
try to upgrade the center position and go from there
see if they can get hot at the right moment in the playoffs
because I don't see how late 1st round picks or Deng is going to help much in the rebuilding process.

[ryaningf]

KG won't be traded because he's the only big on the team who plays defense and sets picks, plus his expiring 20 million dollar contract is very VALUABLE to Boston come summertime. We saw last night what happens when we can't set picks or play defense and there's no short-term or long term value to trading KG.

Ray is EXPENDABLE, mainly because he can't defend and doesn't rebound. Matching salaries (we'd have to take back 10 million) while maintaining salary cap space in the summer of 2012 will be almost impossible. As such, Ray stays unless we get a deal we can't refuse.

Pierce is the most expendable by DEFAULT. That doesn't mean he's going anywhere, it just means that in comparison with everyone else on this team he's the most likely to get traded. That said, I still expect him to retire a Celtic.

[StojkoVrankovic]

For the people out of the area, you can download these in i-tunes if you have the capabilities .

[FlatearthZorro]

KG won't be traded because he's the only big on the team who plays defense and sets picks, plus his expiring 20 million dollar contract is very VALUABLE to Boston come summertime. We saw last night what happens when we can't set picks or play defense and there's no short-term or long term value to trading KG.

Ray is EXPENDABLE, mainly because he can't defend and doesn't rebound. Matching salaries (we'd have to take back 10 million) while maintaining salary cap space in the summer of 2012 will be almost impossible. As such, Ray stays unless we get a deal we can't refuse.

Pierce is the most expendable by DEFAULT. That doesn't mean he's going anywhere, it just means that in comparison with everyone else on this team he's the most likely to get traded. That said, I still expect him to retire a Celtic.

There is a way to trade Ray without getting salary back, and it's a deal with Chicago. Korver/Brewer/Taj for Ray/filler, then we trade Brewer elsewhere, we buy out Korver for a mil or so(in the begining of next season, Korver has a buyout option in his contract) and we get only Taj, who's still on a rookie deal.

[Captain_Caveman]

The problem with getting Deron (Rondo would be the only way to get him), is NJ will only trade Deron after Howard commits to a team other than New Jersey. If Howard does not commit to someone like Dallas, NJ will keep Deron in hopes of signing Howard in the summer.

So unless they change their minds, it can't be done.

That's actually not true. Celts can get to two max contract slots while still retaining Rondo and Pierce, provided the latter will renegotiate his contract as part of an extension. It would be a break even move for Pierce to take 10-11-12-5 guaranteed. Bradley, Johnson and the picks might have to be liquidated, but we could get to 34m in cap room if we needed to.

What that does is force Brooklyn's hand should Howard and Deron choose to sign with us. They can either take back Rondo or let Deron walk to us for nothing. I'm assuming that they would take him, giving us the ability to keep 3-4 out of KG, Ray, Bass and Green at reduced salaries. Even if they don't, you could then trade Rondo for a similar supporting cast. All agreements made in principle and then transactions carried out in the necessary order.

Of note is that while still legal, there really is no incentive for players to do sign-and-trades. Once they make the decision to leave their Bird Rights team and eschew that guaranteed 5th year, the difference in money between a FA max and a S&T max is pretty minimal. In Howard's case, it is almost meaningless, as he can opt out of any new deal and resign after 3 years, at which point, he will almost certainly still be a dominant 7-footer. Much less risk of debilitating injury for him than for a guard, IMO.

[Darain]

That's actually not true. Celts can get to two max contract slots while still retaining Rondo and Pierce, provided the latter will renegotiate his contract as part of an extension. It would be a break even move for Pierce to take 10-11-12-5 guaranteed. Bradley, Johnson and the picks might have to be liquidated, but we could get to 34m in cap room if we needed to.
=

Players can't renegotiate contracts, thats only in the last CBA

[Geoffrey P]

Boston being a FA destination? Yea, I'll have to see it before I believe it
And I hope Pierce isn't traded. Talk all you want about having to move forward but if there's one guy you can't pull the trade trigger on it has to be Pierce.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Trading Ray for a pick might be worth it at this point. I don't think it is worth it to trade KG at the deadline for some picks however. Might be better just to let his contract expire and bring him back on a low 5 million/year deal for 2 more years or something. Use him as a 6th man. We see how well his defense still anchors a team at his age.

Ray however is done. He has lost his quickness and his step. Like watching a wide receiver in football not be able to catch that deep ball anymore. He also has been ice cold since about the third week of the season as well.

Our team cannot afford to lose his defensive mind. Even if KG is on a Gimp knee, Gimp hip, whatever ill keep him for a few mill to help pay his bills(everybody's got them ) We need him until doc and Danny feel that our defense is SMART enough to not have Kevin or doc calling each defensive set. In my opinion Will take at least another 18 months of KG to get this defense sound enough without being coddled. That's not even considering the roster changes that will happen. If he does come back, i really like our continuity defensively going forward into next season.

[micromonkey]

Ben Rohrbach:

5 Celtics notes from @WojYahooNBA on @WEEI:

1) May not even be able to get 1st rounder for KG/Ray,
2) Rondo only being dealt for superstar …
3) Bulls "type of team" looking at Pierce
4) Boston "attractive" destination for FAs, just not Howard (NJ/DAL)
5) Linsanity here to stay

The interview is summarized more fully below.

Maybe because we play each other tonight?
Pierce is great--I mean no disrespect but I don't see any trade that makes sense for either club.

Pierce is integral to your scoring--last shot taker type of guy--Deng can't do the same things--brings other things but not things you need.

[Captain_Caveman]

Players can't renegotiate contracts, thats only in the last CBA

Not true. They can now renegotiate as part of an extension, provided that their salary is not reduced by more than 40%.

Larry Coon's site does not yet cover the new CBA, but sourcing can be found here:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/73294 ... -agreement

I could spell out the scenarios with Pierce, relative to keeping him and resigning in two years, renegotiating downwards in an extension this summer or waiving him next summer and him chasing an MLE, but the bottom line is that the money would be about the same for him (i.e. he will make about $35m during the rest of his career no matter what he does). The renegotiating allows him to do it in Boston with a team that has $30-34m in cap room this summer, however.

[Edug27]

keep the big 4 together
try to upgrade the center position and go from there
see if they can get hot at the right moment in the playoffs
because I don't see how late 1st round picks or Deng is going to help much in the rebuilding process.

Exactly. 100% agree.

Danny should worry about getting Kaman, or another serviceable center for one last playoff run with this group. Then the rebuilding process gets officially underway once we are eliminated by the Heat or Bulls in a competitive series.

Can't see us giving another Eastern conference team our veterans. Can't picture Pierce being traded. KG's not going anywhere. Ray possibly, but not in the East, and not for a late round pick.

Lets not overthink this fellas. Danny needs to be patient.

[MassAttack]

ray allen been playing like ****. good timeout doc