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Just two.

A pair of subjects that were discussed here this summer have risen in the press today: THE KNEE and Top Level Free Agents.


1) Garnett's Knee

Spears wrote about Garnett's knee on Yahoo. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A ... &type=lgns

Garnett's not yet ready. No one comes back from knee surgery that fast. They'll be uber-cautious with him early They'll probably severely limit his minutes to start the season, keeping him out of back to backs and whenever his knee acts up.

In the fall: Shelden will be in uniform. Big Baby will play a lot. Wallace will start for Garnett when he's out.

This is a long saga.


2) Wade (or another Godzilla free agent) to the Celtics

We had a nice talk about this, remember? To recap: The Celtics are setting themselves up to be major players in the free agent market next off-season and they'll do it via sign and trade.

Tanguay writes about Jackie MacMullen's thoughts on this subject here: http://www.csnne.com/d-wade-in-green-09-10

I cannot help but think the Celtics will make a run at Dwayne Wade next year. Wade today said that he was through talking with Miami about a new deal.

How does Wade get here? Celtic ownership has hinted that they could make a big splash after this season...

Perhaps, as suggested by Jackie, Rondo is part of a sign and trade deal. If that happens, Wade will could end up here.

Next summer will be exciting.

Yes, that would be very exciting but there is absolutely no chance that we could sign Wade outright. The C's will have to swing a deal to get DWade - something like Ray Allen and Rondo for the re-signed Wade. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it but that's a high price to pay. If anyone can think of a better way to get Wade (or Joe Johnson, etc.) I'm all ears...

Hopefully it'd be something like Ray and Rondo for Wade, and then the Heat cut Ray loose so that he can return. We'd then roll out as lineup of Wade, Ray, Pierce, KG, and Sheed/Perkins. Not a bad team.

This has been a boring second half of the offseason and the KG news isnt what I wanted to hear. I say just rest him until late April

Rocky5000 wrote:Hopefully it'd be something like Ray and Rondo for Wade, and then the Heat cut Ray loose so that he can return. We'd then roll out as lineup of Wade, Ray, Pierce, KG, and Sheed/Perkins. Not a bad team.

Why would Miami want to cut Ray Allen?

Yeah, the Celtics cannot sign Wade outright. Tanguay doesn't understand the cap limitations.

To repeat what was said a few months ago: The Celtics DO NOT necessarily have to give anything close to equal value to get someone like Wade in a sign and trade. IF Wade is absolutely committed to leave Miami than the Heat have no leverage and getting something is better than getting nothing. The same thing applies to the other big free agents.

d-wade is not coming to boston please dont get anyones hopes up here lol

As i've said before, i love Ray and Rondo but if we get Wade in return for them then i make that trade faster than you can say 30 ppg.

wade gets his full $$, and we get a franchise centerpiece for the next 5-7 years to take the mantle from paul.

Rocky5000 wrote:Hopefully it'd be something like Ray and Rondo for Wade, and then the Heat cut Ray loose so that he can return. We'd then roll out as lineup of Wade, Ray, Pierce, KG, and Sheed/Perkins. Not a bad team.

Not gonna lie, I've rolled with that team in 2k9 before

Gant wrote:Yeah, the Celtics cannot sign Wade outright. Tanguay doesn't understand the cap limitations.

To repeat what was said a few months ago: The Celtics DO NOT necessarily have to give anything close to equal value to get someone like Wade in a sign and trade. IF Wade is absolutely committed to leave Miami than the Heat have no leverage and getting something is better than getting nothing. The same thing applies to the other big free agents.

You're right about the first part but I have to disagree with the second because the C's have little leverage in acquiring Wade. The CBA is structured in a way that makes it attractive for players to sign with the team that owns his bird rights. Consequently, it's likely that Wade will sign with Miami because he'll get more money. It's also likely that teams, knowing this, will be lining up with suitable offers. GMs aren't stupid enough to insult Pat Riley if Wade is the player they're after. That being said, I'm guessing that Wade resigns in Miami and is traded somewhere else.

At the very least, the Celts will have to start the bidding with a resigned Ray Allen, Big Baby, $ and picks. But, more likely, Rondo would be the player that Riley wants. There's going to be a lot of competition for Wade on the free agent/trade market so the C's have to make a strong offer if it is serious about getting Wade. He's not going to fall into the Celtics' lap.

We COULD get Wade or any other mega free agent via sign and trade. Sure it it probably more likely that we don't and there are 28 other teams to bid against in any sign and trade scenario, but to say it can not happen or is extremely unlikely is just wrong.

Rondo would seem to be the logical player to be moved. A Rondo and Ray pair might be unlikely because we will have to sign Rondo to a much larger contract. We don't know right now what that will be but I'd say at least 8mil and maybe all the way up to the max depending on how he plays for us this year. I suppose Ray and Rondo for Wade and a bad contract could work but in such a scenario we are giving up a lot for a guy who wants out. I think then we could expect to get Ray back.

What it all boild down to is where Wade(or what ever free agent we want to talk about) wants to go. If he wants to come to Boston he can threaten to go to a team under the cap where the Heat would get nothing. In such a scenario Rondo and filler might be enough or even more than enough to get the deal done.

We are going to be one of the few teams out there that could afford to give up a goof young talent and have enoughtalent left over to still be much better than the Heat (or any other team if you want to talk about another free agent.)

My point is this: All the talk of trying to get 12 or so mil under the cap, PP taking a cut or what ever, is ridiculous. Working a sign and trade to get a star is not.

What this will come down to is the preference of the individual free agent. If Wade (for example) wants to go to Chicago, he'll be in Chicago. If he wants Miami, he'll stay. If he wants Boston, he'll be in Boston. A deal can be worked out.

The free agent has all the leverage. All his current team can offer is more money, but that's negated if you use a sign and trade. So all the teams scrambling to get under the cap only have an advantage if the original team refuses to make a deal.

The teams that will go for sign and trade can offer more money and often a better chance of winning.

Good topics Gant, even though there was only two. But it's really slow around here.

I really believe that we have a chance at getting Wade next year. I've thought this for about 6 months now. Ainge had a plan a few years ago in clearling shape for the summer of 2010. That's why last summer we didn't offer Posey more than the 2 years. Same for TA and House. We are going to make a big push to get a very good free agent and who better than Wade.

1. I'm tired of hearing news about KG's knee that isn't positive. Not aimed at you Gant, just in general. It's like a lingering nightmare from last season that just won't go away. Ugh. I'm waiting for the day that Kevin Garnett, Danny Ainge, Doc Rivers, Wyc and the entire media can collectively say, "the knee is 100%." I guess today ain't the day, huh?

2. Too far away. I've got 100+ basketball games to watch before I care about this, but it would be incredible regardless of who we'd have to give up.

There needs to be a Wait Instead for Durant thread.

Tricky Ricky wrote:

Rocky5000 wrote:Hopefully it'd be something like Ray and Rondo for Wade, and then the Heat cut Ray loose so that he can return. We'd then roll out as lineup of Wade, Ray, Pierce, KG, and Sheed/Perkins. Not a bad team.

Why would Miami want to cut Ray Allen?

No kidding. This "logic" is beyond stupid...like they're gonna trade their BEST player to us and then cut the best player we send to them so he can re-sign with us...right...

"Kevin Garnett continues to make progress in his recovery from knee surgery, and the Boston Celtics hope their All-Star forward will be cleared for full-court scrimmaging by the start of training camp."


That is news.....He will or should be ready in 2 weeks or so to go full-court.

bonsaiflipflops wrote:There needs to be a Wait Instead for Durant thread.

that's how I felt at first, given Ainge's friendship with Durant and his mom. And given how badly Durant wanted to play for us before the draft lottery.

BUT
as someone posted in cblog a while back, they asked Durant in his chat if there's any chance he'd ever play for the Celtics, and Durant replied "no chance at all" and separately, he replied to something else that he'd definitely not be coming to boston

(since then I've been thinking Wade as well)

That almost rules it out. If anything Durant has been so firm that he wants to stay in Oklahoma City at least for another 3-5 years. People don't get that. Of all the big names that become free agents in the next two years, Durant's is the least likely to change teams.

bonsaiflipflops wrote:There needs to be a Wait Instead for Durant thread.

This.

stretch wrote:

bonsaiflipflops wrote:There needs to be a Wait Instead for Durant thread.

that's how I felt at first, given Ainge's friendship with Durant and his mom. And given how badly Durant wanted to play for us before the draft lottery.

BUT
as someone posted in cblog a while back, they asked Durant in his chat if there's any chance he'd ever play for the Celtics, and Durant replied "no chance at all" and separately, he replied to something else that he'd definitely not be coming to boston

(since then I've been thinking Wade as well)

That almost rules it out. If anything Durant has been so firm that he wants to stay in Oklahoma City at least for another 3-5 years. People don't get that. Of all the big names that become free agents in the next two years, Durant's is the least likely to change teams.

But hearing this sucks.

Am I alone in thinking Wade could be acquired this season and win a ring with the Celtics in the 09/10 finals?

I see a scenario where Miami is bad this year and out of the player off picture by the deadline. (J Oneal hurts his knee and Beasly wigs out.) Wade might want out at the end of the season. That could mean Boston can at that point trade Allen, Davis and a pick to Miami.

I know it is not like, but then again Miami really isn't that good.