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The fact is Danny must improve the bench if we want to repeat.

If we look at our roster we have great top 5, but the bench...


Lets look at the salaries of our bench

Brian Scalabrine $3,206,897 + 1 year

Eddie House$2,650,000 + 1 year

Tony Allen $2,500,000 + 1 year

Patrick O'Bryant $1,500,000 + 1 year

Sam Cassell $1,262,275 exp.

JR Giddens $957,120 rookie contract

Leon Powe $797,581 exp.

Gabe Pruitt $711,517 + 1 year(team option)

Glen Davis $711,517 exp.

Bill Walker $542,114 rookie contract


Now lets think logical. Out of 10 bench players we actually need 4 good role players to repeat, because a 9 man rotation is max a teams will play in playoffs.

1) House: For me he is a perfect SG to have on a bench, great 3pt shooter who can decide games going hot in some decisive moments.
2) Powe: Great energy spark, fighter, good on defense but very, very limited on offense.
3) Big Baby: I like his energy, and improvement from mid range. I think if he is able to improve and him midrange jumper at 45% we dont need a big man.
4) Scal: Good defender, spreads the flor, can hit a 3pt.

Now lets look who to keep and who to trade?

House for me is the only keeper. If the right deal comes I would not hesitate to include other players. In a way I would like to keep Big baby over Powe because of his outside shot. Scal and T.Allen have the highest salary so they must be included to get back a solid player.

Now it all depends on Marbury situation. if we can get him, we only need one more good sf.

MARBURY
HOUSE
?
POWE
BIG BABY

Ok, now lets look the posibilities:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

NJN
Eduardo Najera $3,400,000 + 3 years
Trenton Hassell $4,350,000 + 1 year

CHA
Nazr Mohammed $6,049,400 + 2 years
Sean May $2,661,026 exp.

WAS
Darius Songaila $4,234,000 + 2 years
DeShawn Stevenson $3,616,071 + 2 years


WESTERN CONFERENCE

DAL
Jerry Stackhouse $7,000,000 + 1 year
Devean George $1,600,000 exp.

HOU
Brent Barry $1,910,000 +1 year

NOH
Morris Peterson $5,784,480 + 2 years
Melvin Ely $998,398 exp.

DEN
Steven Hunter $3,472,000 + 1 year

OKL
Chris Wilcox $6,750,000 exp.
Earl Watson $6,200,000 + 1 year
Joe Smith $4,795,000 exp.
Robert Swift $3,579,131 exp.
Chucky Atkins $3,240,000 +1 year
Damien Wilkins $3,100,000 + 1 year

UTA
Jarron Collins $2,074,302 exp.

LAC
Brian Skinner $1,262,275 exp.

SAC
Mikki Moore $5,784,480 + 1 year
John Salmons $5,104,000 + 2 years

Not a lot options out there, but there are 2 teams which could really help us:

1) Washington:

If healthy Was has a great lineup ARENAS/STEVENSON/BUTLER/JAMISON/HAYWOOD. They also have good youngsters CRITTENTON/YOUNG/MCGUIRE/BLACHE/MCGEE. This year Stevenson moved to 2 unit and with Young playing great and also James on pg/sg I think they dont need him anymore and he has 3. year contract, so shorter contract maybe could do the job. Also under the basket with Blatche and McGee they dont have room for Songaila and his 3 year contract. Add to this that they will add a high lottery pick this year. I really think we could get one of this 2 veterans.

2) Oklahoma:

They have so much to offer with Smith the best option. If we cant get Marbury Im ok with Atkins, also we could go with Wilkins at sf.

SOMETHING MUST BE DONE...I hope it will work out.

The big problem is both Oklahoma and Washington have 15 players on their roster so only 1 for 1 or 2 for 2 can be made. Also Oklahoma hasnt got a player with small salary to waive before the trade, Washington has Dixon.

The folowing trades are possible:

1)Scalabrine, Casell FOR Songaila (Dixon cut before the trade)
Washington saves 1.6 mio in 09/10 and 4.8 mio in 10/11.

2) Scalabrine FOR Stevenson
Washington add 0,5 mio in 09/10 and saves 4,1 mio in 10/11.

3)T.Allen,Giddens FOR Stevenson (Dixon cut before the trade)

3)Scalabrine+(T.Allen/Pruitt/Giddens/Obriant/Powe/Casel/Davis) FOR Smith
Oklahoma should cut one player for the trade to be made.
Any combination of Scal + one of the 7 players is ok in trade checker.

I think the trades with Washington are possible, because I doubt Oklahoma trades expiring Smith for one more year of Scal and a prospect. We could only get Wilkins for T.Allen.

I think Jeff Foster's a possibility, especially with Bird in Indiana. I'm guessing Bird wouldn't mind helping his old team get pass LA as along as he gets a decent return.. Foster's contract is until 2011 and Boston can send Indy TA, POB & Powe. That would clear Foster's contract in 2011 and maybe TA could turn things around in Indy... Foster would give Boston a long, physical banger underneath...

klemen4 wrote:The fact is Danny must improve the bench if we want to repeat.

Maybe I'm just splitting hairs, but I strongly disagree with this statement. I hear it over and over again but it is simply not true. Against top tier teams we are generally playing very close games, games that could go either way. I would agree to a statement like: IMPROVING OUR BENCH WOULD MARKEDLY IMPROVE OUR CHANCES OF REPEATING, but the notion that we can not win with our team as is just seems foolish. As it stands now we have about a good a shot as the Lakers and Cavs and a better shot than all other teams. Keep in mind that we have yet to even see what Sam can give us this year.

We need to look to improve out bench and I am confident that we will, but the situation is not as dire as this board seems to believe it is imo.

With the ongoing financial crisis some teams will have to shed salary and that could be our opportunity. NO is supposedly trying to move a big contract, PHO is also 4 million over luxury tax threshold...If they don`t make a big deal they might be interested in smaller ones...

thebirdman wrote:With the ongoing financial crisis some teams will have to shed salary and that could be our opportunity. NO is supposedly trying to move a big contract, PHO is also 4 million over luxury tax threshold...If they don`t make a big deal they might be interested in smaller ones...

Maybe swap TA, Powe & Cassell for MoPete.

Najera or Grant Hill by trade; Marbury after his buy-out = realistic possibilities.

Ainge's riskiest challenge will be deciding whether to blink first in pursuing a back-up big- Smith and Nazr Mohammed have large salaries that would require depleting our roster; Smith could easily be available for less money if he gets bought-out.

Imagine if we somehow end up with Marbury, Grant Hill and Joe Smith - we'll repeat.

No way Boston gets Hill...he is playing great for suns...option is if Stuodamire is traded and they also get back sf, that Mat Barnes maybe could be had.

As for Marbury...I think we will have to wait until trade deadline, if by some wonder Walsh is able to trade him...after that I think he will be bought out.