Implications of Kurt Thomas to S.A. on Celtics

[Jammer]

The implications of the trade of Kurt Thomas to San Antonio will greatly affect the Celtics in the summer free agent market.

They have the MLE (perhaps $5.5 million), LLE (perhaps $1.8 million) and veteran minimum to attract free agents.

In addition, they will need to pray that James Posey exercises his player option to return (unless Posey wants a bigger chunk of the MLE than $3.46 million, which he very well might, since his mpg are up to almost 25m, passing Perkins in the rotation (5th most).

They also need to re-sign Tony Allen (offering Tony a one year qualifying offer for $2.8 million by June 25 ensures the Celtics the right to match any offer), and re-sign Eddie House and Scot Pollard.

The strategy for free agents is altered with Kurt Thomas to San Antonio.

35 year old Kurt Thomas is the best available center available this summer for the MLE or less. Although he will be a free agent, he is from Texas, went to college in Texas, and is a strong liklihood to sign a 2 year deal with San Antonio.

The next best center available for the MLE or less is Brian Skinner, who will likely remain in Phoenix.

Then the picking drop to Jake Voskuhl and Francisco Elson. So, the health, availability and contribution of Scot Pollard suddenly takes on new importance. If size is required, Scot may very well be the best available, unless the Celtics say the hell with the luxury tax and start offering their semi-retired (although not officially retired players, who were not on one year deals in their last season) to make a trade for a Center work.

Now, that said, since Scot looks to be the man next year, unless the Club is suddenly enthralled with Jake Voskuhl, the implication is that the Celtics will not be constrained in the money they can spend on a backup guard. They might offer $3 million, even more, for the right guy.

The trick will be someone who will accept the occasional need for a defensive stopper at the point (Tony Allen), or the need to bring in a hired gun, as long as he's hitting Bullseyes (Eddie House).

Anyway, the implication is now that if the Celtics want a free agent point guard, money should not be the issue.

Here's to:

Beno Udrich
Carlos Arroyo
Chris Duhon
Tyronn Lue
Sam Cassell (will be 39 in October)
Keyon Dooling
Jason Williams
Anthony Johnson

[humblebum]

I don't see the C's signing Pollard past this season unless he does some real big things in the next few months. He might be one of the few options available but an injury prone 30 something with limited ability shouldn't necessarily be at the top of the C's wishlist. Isn't Diop an FA this offseason? He'd be a good backup center for the C's.

[Jammer]

Unfortunately, now that San Antonio will be able to re-sign Kurt Thomas as one of their own free agents, they will still have the MLE available to sign a back up point guard to Tony Parker, if they want to.

And the Celtics will be competing this summer, in the free agent point guard market, with:

San Antonio
Miami
Golden State (likely will be under the cap)
Denver
Nets
Cleveland
Chicago (if Duhon moves on, possibly)

[Jammer]

Isn't Diop an FA this offseason? He'd be a good backup center for the C's.

1. I forgot about Diop since he was moved from Dallas to the Nets in the Kidd trade. I had assumed that Dallas would re-sign him. Don't know what the Nets will do.

2. I think that Danny likes Pollard. Heck, I like Pollard. I get the feeling Doc prefers Leon, Davis and Scal. But when you need size, you need size. Watching Illgaukas kill the Celtics on the board makes me say just put Pollard out there, at least he can screen Illgaukas or Gooden off the boards.

[YUKES]

my first thought was, a backup big and a backup point were the things we needed to address the most going into this season, and this ones going ok so far with the play of baby and powe.

but then i started thinking about the playoffs and had some serious reservations about them being able to perform night in and night out in the playoffs and got scared. real scared. the books going to be written on them fast, and in a seven game series i don't think they will be enough. maybe they'll surprise me as much in the playoffs though as they have in the regular season.

[Fencer reregistered]

If Posey wants the MLE, it's his. For him to forgo it, the Cs have to be using it on somebody he'd really like to see on the team.

For a big, he might be understanding. Kwame Brown?

If it's a wing, however, he'll probably want to get his. Is Cassell and exception to that rule? Maybe. But who else that's plausible?

Also, with all the teams beefing up, we sadly can no longer assume the Cs are the premier hungry-vet FA destination. Spurs/Mavs/Suns/Lakers are all in the mix. Ditto Hornets, who have great PG, and where a good reserve could actually play some serious minutes.

[sully00]

I don't really understand your list of FA bigs, how is a player who doesn't play center and signed to a vet min deal after the season started the best available center?

Okafur isn't any good to you? Jamal Magloire isn't what he once was but he is better than Skinner so is Theo Ratliff and he is probably as healthy as Pollard. I am not even looking anything up here this off the top of my head. Almost every team in the league will have a veteran big heading to FA.

Beyond that I don't think Thomas is anymore or less likely to sign in SA now than before the trade. This was financially motivated as much as it was for basketball reasons. They needed to move out that $500,000 in salary to stay under the tax. Barry will likely be let go and re-signed in SA. While it will give SA lots of flexibility they will only have 8 players under contract, they have Splitter coming and will not be getting into any bidding wars for 35+ year old FA's.

[canman1971]

I don't think I'm going to lose any sleep over not being able to not being able to sign Kurt Thomas.

[celticfan42487]

Don't be so quick to jump. SA made a deal to counter effect some of the bigs [perhaps Shaq in PHNX, and Bynum/Gasol in LA].

But they have a much better Center coming next year in Tiago Splitter.

Yeah remember him, polished top 15 talent that had to wait a year in Europe or a team would have to pay a big fine. He should be a better version of Andries Bied.

SA said tthey'll wait for him and he almost certianly be their #1 Center next year and for a few years beyond. So with that said they could save there money on Kurt next year for another diffrenct vet perhaps a PG to replace Stoud depending on how he does.