3 Yr Deal

[LongTimeFan]

I know that DA very much likes to use the MLE for the 2nd round picks to offer them a three yeardeal.

Does anybody understand his constraints on this?

Does the entire three year contract have to be included in the current year?

The big carrot for the Celtics in all of this is that the three year deal, at the end of their developement run, gives the Celtics a huge trading or bargining asset, a la Powe and Gomes, hopfully Pruit too.

Is there any realalistic chance we can get Posey and Walker both under this years MLE? Didn't we use the LLE for House last year?

[Fencer reregistered]

To understand the CBA, think in terms of "exceptions". If you've over the cap, you can't sign or acquire anybody unless you use an exception (whether or not it's actually named an "exception" in the CBA). The Cs, like almost all teams, are over the cap. Therefore, every player's contract has to satisfy an exception of one kind or another. Bird Rights are an exception. The unlimited right to sign vet minimum guys is an exception. The unlimited right to re-sign a guy -- Bird rights or not -- at a modest raise is an exception. Draft picks are an exception. Etc.

Apparently, whatever exception normally covers second rounders doesn't apply to the kind of deal the Cs like to do. Therefore, they sometimes dip into their MLE for 2nd rounders.

The MLE is the loosest exception of all -- you can spend it on any player or combination of players, up to the allowed total amount of money.

[LongTimeFan]

I understand Bird rights give us an advantage over other teams. We can offer bigger raises or a longer time period. So I understand why we want them.

How much of the MLE would it cost us to do the Walker 3 year deal? Do we have to put all of the contract under this years MLE? Or can we just put this years and pro rate the rest over the next two years.

Hardly seems like you should have to account for the entire contract this year. I can understand why the Celtics have in the past. But gee it would be nice to sign Posey and get the 3 year deal on Walker.

[billfromBoston]

....it doesn't all come out of this year's MLE, just the salary for this year...that would be, based off history, somewhere in the 400K+ range...MLE is 5.8 this year...my guess is that Posey will have offers from LA/SA/BOS with each offering the full amount...what it will come down to is years...LA is in the best position to offer the most years because they will be over the cap much longer than either Boston or SA....if Posey is cool, he'll take 3 years with a 4th club option possibly....LA will offer 4 years i'd bet, possibly 5-though that is extreme for a 31year old role player with a history of slacking off after his initial season, (see DEN/MEM/MIA)...

Unless Posey accomidates by basically GIVING the Celtics a home-town deal for one or more years LESS than another offer AND agrees to pay Bill Walker's salary out of the goodness of his heart...i'm not seeing how the team keeps Posey and gives Walker a 3 year deal this year...

The MLE isn't used too often, so maybe Posey doesn't see the full boat...but I wouldn't count on it...

[cisco]

I think Ainge will re-sign Posey even if it takes 4 years. If the Celtics win just one more championship in that time, then Posey will have helped the Celtics win 2 championships in 5 years. Two championships in 5 years is damn good and imo if Posey helps deliver another championship in the next 4 years, it will have been well worth it (especially considering how little you got him for for the 1st year).

Danny knows that Posey must be re-signed. There is no one out there available that gives what Posey does. This is the type of guy that could really hurt you should he go to another contender, like the Lakers, Spurs, Cleveland (his home town) or Detroit, to name a few.

[LongTimeFan]

Bill:

I agree with you. I think it will take almost the entire MLE to get Posey comitted to the Celts. I also think that Walker has agreed to play over seas. I think we had that kind of juice before we won the championship. Somewhere around the Orien Greene promise, DAs word became golden.

Nonetheless, DA could pull this off if anyone can. I was surprised to see how marginal Posey's numbers were during the regular season. Numbers aren't everything and he does add to the heart and soul of this team.

[GregB]

I am willing to give Posey 3-4 years full MLE. But, I hope he takes a 20 percent raise for 3 years. I guess it all depends how much he wants to be here. We definitely cant let him go to another contender. The guy is clutch. I dont want to see Posey raining 3s and making clutch defensive plays against us.

[threrf23]

I just have to add, while it makes sense on certain levels to bring Posey back, IMO it would be stupid to offer more than two years (unless there is a team option thereafter). There are two reasons for this:

1.) Of you look at recent NBA history, there are a humber of players Posey's exact age who have gone from being valued contributors to washed up guys with health issues - virtually overnight. Donyell Marshall is a perfect example. Signed a 4 yeard deal that was at least a year or two too long after having a good season @ Posey's exact age. Glenn Robinson, Jamal Mashburn, lamond Murray, pretty much all exited the league without warning at Posey's exact age.

2.) Ray Allen is off the books in two years, as is Scal, and we are under the cap then. In lieu of something we could never pass up, we want as much flexibility as possible then.

Now, with Walker, if we have his rights at the end of his second season, a two year deal makes sense for him, especially if we don't expect him to get significantly better over the next two seasons. We can resign him if we want when we are under the cap two years down the road.

[GregB]

I just have to add, while it makes sense on certain levels to bring Posey back, IMO it would be stupid to offer more than two years (unless there is a team option thereafter). There are two reasons for this:

I dont think it would be stupid to offer more than 2 years. If we can afford to pay Scal 3 mil to waive a towel. Then I think we can afford to give Posey a 4 yr deal. Plus, He could still have decent trade value after the next 2 years. Posey is the key guy for us off the bench. Guy is a playmaker.

[m23uza1hem36]

To understand the CBA, think in terms of "exceptions". If you've over the cap, you can't sign or acquire anybody unless you use an exception (whether or not it's actually named an "exception" in the CBA). The Cs, like almost all teams, are over the cap. Therefore, every player's contract has to satisfy an exception of one kind or another. Bird Rights are an exception. The unlimited right to sign vet minimum guys is an exception. The unlimited right to re-sign a guy -- Bird rights or not -- at a modest raise is an exception. Draft picks are an exception. Etc.

Apparently, whatever exception normally covers second rounders doesn't apply to the kind of deal the Cs like to do. Therefore, they sometimes dip into their MLE for 2nd rounders.

The MLE is the loosest exception of all -- you can spend it on any player or combination of players, up to the allowed total amount of money.

[John Locke]

Can we resign Posey, without using the MLE? How much can we offer him?

[EdSkae]

Resigning Posey gives the Celtics the best chance to repeat next season. For that reason I think the Celtics have to resign him. You don't risk waisting the money you are paying PP, KG, and Ray. By letting Posey get away over a couple of million dollars or a couple of years on a deal.