Globe: Cassell willing to pay the price to join C's

P2 · Post #1 » by P2 » Tue Feb 5, 2008 4:51 pm

They say Kevin Garnett is working to bring his former Minnesota teammate in, and that possibility is bound to be discussed over dinner tonight when Cassell enjoys a night off in Boston with his old friend before they play tomorrow.

"I could still play a little bit," he said. "I can get it done."

So would Cassell like to get a buyout from the Clippers, then move on to Boston as a free agent? Put it this way: With the Lakers getting Pau Gasol, he'd be crazy to want to stay in L.A.

"That's the only way anything can transpire," said Cassell, before icing the win with a 16-foot jumper in the final 30 seconds. "I don't want to get into all the details. I just play the game of basketball. But that's what (agent) David Falk is for. And he's working. He's working."

He pretty much summed it up, so I guess it is just a matter of time until he joins us. Probably 3 weeks from now.

You know how hard Garnett lobbied for Reggie Miller, but this is a totally different story. We are actually in real need of Cassell. Sam is a lock to end up in Boston if he isn't traded within the next 16 days.

hiphop1 · Post #2 » by **hiphop1** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 5:25 pm

AWSOME!

daveisceltics · Post #3 » by **daveisceltics** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 5:48 pm

I really really hope so.
He could help our team so much.
Not to mention how clutch Cassell is.

celticfan42487 · Post #4 » by **celticfan42487** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 6:15 pm

Honestly he's near perfect for this team as we could ever expect at half-way through the season.

I even think he's big enough to bother Billups.

Other then that he just brings the last final touch of veterant leadership that we need while playing Baby,Tony Allen,Powe out there.

In an effort to not get overexcited I'm going to reside this as a remote possibility.

I still don't understand how LA would not be able to trade him or not want to keep his bird rights for next season and get something in return for him.

Post #5 » by **wetsthebed** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 7:02 pm

It's too soon to make predictions. Everything there is obvious. KG's trying to convince Cassell to come to Boston if he gets bought out and Cassell's agent is working, as he should be this close to the deadline.

Tricky Ricky · Post #6 » by **Tricky Ricky** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 7:12 pm

Id love to have Sam, hes one of my favorite point guards of all time, wherever he goes he wins

wickerhd · Post #7 » by **wickerhd** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 8:12 pm

doesn't he have to clear waivers before he can go anywhere he wants? If I were Detroit, I would claim him on general principles, just to keep us from getting him.

ddb · Post #8 » by **ddb** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 8:14 pm

myself and many others on this board have been saying this all along.

Sam Cassell is the perfect fit for this team. He's at the point in his career where he doesn't need to start, but he's still good enough to push a contending team to the top.
He'll be a nice mentor for Rondo and a guy who can close games for us.

I look for Cassell to play more on some nights then in others. If Rondo is playing really well then let him play the minutes. If Rondo is struggling then Sam-I-Am can play the bulk of minutes.
We can also go small with Cassell, Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG.

I like the depth that Sam would bring to this team. He really makes our 2nd unit one of the best in the league. Cassell, House, Allen, Posey, Powe/Davis. It's a small but very talented 2nd unit.

DorfonCeltics · Post #9 » by **DorfonCeltics** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 8:25 pm

wickerhd wrote:doesn't he have to clear waivers before he can go anywhere he wants? If I were Detroit, I would claim him on general principles, just to keep us from getting him.

I believe the waiver process goes in inverse order of record from the previous season if I recall correctly. That would mean Boston would have a chance to claim him (2nd worst record) before Detroit did. Now if Boston didn't pick him up on waivers thinking he would clear and they would sign him to the vets min then Detroit could nab him. That would be a pretty heft price for Detroit and I'm not sure if Dumars could convince ownership to swallow that pill just to present Boston from getting Sam. It also seems they're all set at PG with Billups, Stuckey, and Hunter so they don't really have a spot for Sam. Plus they have 15 players on their roster so they would have to cut someone to claim Sam off waivers. I would say it's highly unlikely the Pistons do this.

I guess that's why you're not a GM.

P2 · Post #10 » by P2 » Tue Feb 5, 2008 9:07 pm

DorfonCeltics wrote:I believe the waiver process goes in inverse order of record from the previous season if I recall correctly. That would mean Boston would have a chance to claim him (2nd worst record) before Detroit did. Now if Boston didn't pick him up on waivers thinking he would clear and they would sign him to the vets min then Detroit could nab him. That would be a pretty heft price for Detroit and I'm not sure if Dumars could convince ownership to swallow that pill just to present Boston from getting Sam. It also seems they're all set at PG with Billups, Stuckey, and Hunter so they don't really have a spot for Sam. Plus they have 15 players on their roster so they would have to cut someone to claim Sam off waivers. I would say it's highly unlikely the Pistons do this.

I guess that's why you're not a GM.

Also, the Pistons are $10M over the cap. They can't pick up Sam's $6.2M.

TommyPoints · Post #11 » by **TommyPoints** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 9:10 pm

I hope it happens and it sure sounds like there is a good chance. We didn't seem to go after Stoudemire and Sammy is probably why.

Celts17Pride · Post #12 » by **Celts17Pride** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 9:24 pm

ddb wrote:myself and many others on this board have been saying this all along.

Sam Cassell is the perfect fit for this team. He's at the point in his career where he doesn't need to start, but he's still good enough to push a contending team to the top.
He'll be a nice mentor for Rondo and a guy who can close games for us.

I look for Cassell to play more on some nights then in others. If Rondo is playing really well then let him play the minutes. If Rondo is struggling then Sam-I-Am can play the bulk of minutes.
We can also go small with Cassell, Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG.

I like the depth that Sam would bring to this team. He really makes our 2nd unit one of the best in the league. Cassell, House, Allen, Posey, Powe/Davis. It's a small but very talented 2nd unit.

I would love to have Cassell just like everyone else but I'm guessing he gets traded to Denver before any buyout can happen.

Post #13 » by **sunshinekids99** » Tue Feb 5, 2008 9:38 pm

I'd love to see Sam coming off the bench for this team. Would really give us a real good second unit.

chakdaddy · Post #14 » by **chakdaddy** » Wed Feb 6, 2008 12:10 am

Are waiver claims subject to salary cap restrictions? I don't know the answer to that one. I guess there's no reason they shouldn't be.

chakdaddy · Post #15 » by **chakdaddy** » Wed Feb 6, 2008 12:12 am

A quick look at the salary cap faq shows that, yes, you need cap room to claim a guy off waivers, unless he is minimum salary or you have a traded or disabled player exemption.

Maple Green · Post #16 » by **Maple Green** » Wed Feb 6, 2008 12:46 am

May the wish come true

Red2 · Post #17 » by **Red2** » Wed Feb 6, 2008 2:59 am

I love eddie but he's not a playmaker and is an average defender at best

kmgarnett21 · Post #18 » by **kmgarnett21** » Wed Feb 6, 2008 11:35 pm

lets get that alien lookin son of a gun.

he was HUGE in minny durin the wolves run, then he got hurt & they lost. they woulda won the chip w/him healty

Dogen · Post #19 » by **Dogen** » Thu Feb 7, 2008 1:54 am

Celts17Pride wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

I would love to have Cassell just like everyone else but I'm guessing he gets traded to Denver before any buyout can happen.

Do Not Say Such Things!

The Rondo Show · Post #20 » by **The Rondo Show** » Thu Feb 7, 2008 2:05 am

I realize there's already the NYDN article saying Cassell is working out, but Marc Spears' article says quite a bit more and basically confirms Cassell wants to play for the Celtics and is having his agent try and get him here.

He also thinks a buyout is "realistic and just a matter of time" before it's done. Great work by Spears to get this much info out of Sam.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... n_celtics/

Mods, merge this with the other Cassell thread if you feel it's appropriate.