House and TA likely going...

[humblebum]

I just finished watching the Gary Tanguay interview of Danny Ainge on ComcastSportsNet.com... it was very insightful.

The big impression that I got was that House and Tony Allen are likely to leave the team. Tanguay asked Ainge about House and Tony and he seemed a bit taken aback. He went on to explain how Tony was looking for a breakout season, how he had had good moments as a started, but has struggled in the 4 minute spurt off the bench role. Somehow I don't think Tony is going to get a starting gig with the Celtics next year. So that means he's likely gone.

Ainge also talked in the interview that they are going to be very strict in how they dole out money... he even said that last year they stretched to give Posey the money they gave him! This doesn't seem to bode well for House as he's looking for more money and years. DA also said that both House and TA were garnering interest from other teams.

So if both players leave what route should we take?

My opinion is that the Celtics should look to pick up Fred Jones as a combo 1-2. Fred Jones is a great athlete and energy player. He's also jumped out at me as a solid, solid role player. He also shoots decent percentages from the field, from the line, and from three as well. He's played a little bit of PG in his career and it would seem he would fit the mold for the type of physical defense the Celtics like to play. In a sense he could replace some of what House and Tony bring at their respective positions but without having to bring in two separate players. This also allows some room for Pruitt and Giddens to slide into the rotation as well. Thoughts.

PS: sorry I don't have the link to the interview but its pretty easy to find on the ComcastSports website.

[Barry Lird]

http://newengland.comcastsportsnet.com/ ... ics-video/

[Rocky5000]

Don't like to hear that. In the article in the paper today, he had said that he was looking into bringing both of them back. Although, I will say that with Ainge it's very difficult to get a read on what he is TRULY thinking.

[MVP16]

I didn't really get that impression from watching the interview. The impression that I got is that Ainge would like both back and offered contracts for both, but those players will probably stand pat for now to see if they can land a bigger deal in the free agent market. It might last until August for House/TA to sign with a team.

What Ainge said about TA I've been saying since the season ended BTW. I also believe that he will have a breakout season next year and hopefully no other team thinks that besides us. The point about him not being as effective in short stretches is pretty good and might be the reason why we might look elsewhere.

Fred Jones is an intriguing option though. He is a solid defender who can shoot the 3 and is athletic...3 things that we can use from a role player.

[Rocky5000]

After watching the interview, it's not as bad as you make it seem. He was complementing Tony a lot when he talked about him as a starter. I think that he may see the ability to expand Tony's minutes with Posey leaving and get more of the "starter Tony" type of play from him. He also pointed out what I've been saying for a while, Posey wasn't any good at the 4, Powe is getting better, and there'd be fewer minutes for James this year.

[Celtics_85]

I don't see why Tony couldn't start for this team with Ray coming off the bench, this is something that was discussed earlier in the year, but yet Tony could have 30 minutes off the bench also if he returned to that form. Guess what? In two years we will need to replace Ray in the starting lineup and who better than TA? Put your ego aside because the betterment of this team could be TA staying and if he needs to start to maximize his potential then be our scorer off the bench. We could then ease Walker and Giddens in the lineup here and there much like we did Davis and Powe. I have been one of the biggest supporters of TA and I really want him back, even if he drives me crazy sometimes.

[Celts17Pride]

I don't see why Tony couldn't start for this team with Ray coming off the bench

Simple, he doesn't deserve to start.

[humblebum]

Let me be clear with one thing first: I would love to have Tony Allen back on the Celtics in a big role. During the season I also thought that it would be better for the team if Tony Allen started. But this never materialized and I really doubt that Doc will insert Tony into the starting lineup in place of Ray. IMO that would be ideal because I really do feel that Tony could make a huge difference with these team.

What I got from the interview wasn't so much that Danny wasn't interested in TA and House but more that TA and House were both looking for certain things that the Celtics as an organization are unwilling to give. With House it is money and years on a contract. The Celtics brought in Sam Cassell and stuck with him rather than House for a long period of time. When House came off the bench he did reasonably well but that initial benching said something to me... and it was not that the Celtics were interesting in giving him a raise with extra years attached to his next contract.

With Tony it just seems that HE is deciding to move on to a team where he can have a larger role. Tony Allen is a starter/fringe All-Star when healthy and in a situation where he can get consistent 30+ starter minutes. He's one of the few players who can play both sides of the ball and he does it with great energy, tenacity, and athleticism. Despite what people say about his decision making he actually has a relatively well rounded offensive game with great slashing ability in the half court, great transition ability, decent outside shooting (when he gets consistent minutes), and a decent short range in the paint floater. It's been tough enough for Ray to reduce his role to 3rd man so I just don't see him taking the backseat to Tony Allen, nor should he have to IMO.

I see Tony as a greater possibility of returning but in the end I believe that at least one team will recognize his breakout potential for the upcoming season and that team will give him a decent enough contract with the allure of a greater role and possible bigger money and status down the road...

[sully00]

Tony and Eddie are minimum salary players to the Celtics. They are family so Ainge may be willing to do more for them then the minimum but not anywhere near what they want. That is because they are not going to command the role that they want that is going to get them more money next season.

This has been a very interesting drama to play out and it is interesting to see the reactions on this board. How many people feel that the response to Posey leaving, who is tuly a loss, is to sign Tony Allen or Eddie House at whatever price. No team in history has done more to prove that it is the players 1-3 that win a championship than this current Celtic team. Add to that Boston's next two best players are their other two starters. I think this team could be even better with an influx of offensive talent on the bench that can hold its own defensively. A legit double digit scorer as a sixth man instead of 4 guys scoring 7 a game. The funny thing is I kind of think that Livingston is the perfect 6th man for this team because instead of a guy who scores 10-15 a game you get a guy who can turn the other 4 guys on the court into 10-15 point scorers.

[alwayslovetheceltics]

sully,

I am on board with you about signing livingston.... I really thought that before the injury, he would be a real force in the league, in the meaning of top tier pg. I am skeptical that he will return to form, but if he returns most of the way there, its a gamble I am willling to take.

First- I agree on your take that he could be a great floor general
Second- I want to add a note about his defense. Two years ago in that Suns series, he did a better job defending the Sun's pick and roll than anyone player I have seen in the last 3 years, including Bowen.

He was able to fight through the pick and stay on Nash without help, which caused the Suns a helluva a lot of problems. If the refs hadn't screwed the Clipppers in game 5, they would have had a chance to close out that series on their home floor (game 6, they blew out the Suns)....

All that being said, I am not sure I am willing to give the full MLE....I still want to pick up another wing defender as well.

[JJHondo17]

I checked out the show last night and saw nothing to indicate that either of those guys are not coming back. IMO, TA will be back, I don't see House coming back though. The one thing I did take out of last night's show is that Andy Gresh is a bigger A'hole than I thought and doesn't know the difference between a basketball and a hockey puck.

[GuyClinch]

Tony and Eddie are minimum salary players to the Celtics. They are family so Ainge may be willing to do more for them then the minimum but not anywhere near what they want. That is because they are not going to command the role that they want that is going to get them more money next season.

Agreed. The team showed very limited faith in these guys in the playoffs. They wouldn't play TA over RA when RA was stinking up the joint. And they favored Unbuntu killing Cassell over House - as House's lack of ball handling seemed to tick off Doc Rivers..

People around here seem to chalk up our championship to the bench. I don't think ainge feels that way at all.

[vct33]

I don't see why Tony couldn't start for this team with Ray coming off the bench, this is something that was discussed earlier in the year, but yet Tony could have 30 minutes off the bench also if he returned to that form.

I just don't think Tony is good enough to get 30 minutes per game on a contending team. It doesn't matter if it's off the bench or as a starter.

[Celtics_85]

If you listened to what Ainge said in his interview yesterday, Tony is poised to have a breakout year next year, but Tony needs to play these type minutes to flourish as he struggles to play in the shorter stints off the bench. I think Danny's quandry here is do we have those type minutes for Tony and if we do does it keep us from playing certain other guys off the bench.
I think Tony and the Celtics could be a marriage here. Give him a two year contract and when Ray's contract is up get his payday that he would deserve. At this point Tony's career is in his hands and he would have two years to prove himself as to what he is worth, but the question is, can we give him the minutes with Ray and Paul on this team?
The one thing I don't want to see is Tony leaving here without any kind of compansation. Maybe we do a sign and trade if we can't keep him. Is Tony the future of this team? Do we start to shop Ray or shot him next year to make tony our future and get pieces beck for Ray to keep us on top? I guess we will know soon enough as Ainge leaves after next week for his vacation with his family. My choice right now would be to sign Tony and then Miles if his knee is good to go, then go get a PG.

[kmgarnett21]

so, what are we doing? we had the perfect team, perfect complimentary players to the big three, great chemistry, now we're gonna have to find a WHOLE NEW BENCH?!?!?!

is powe leaving too? TA is a big loss, not as big as posey, but house is a big los as well. we need eddie. he was great for this team & played that role perfectly.

why are we going in a direction to where we're basically gonna have a new team for another year, after winnin a title?

[tombattor]

I think we should bring TA back. I think he has a value on this team. He knows the system, he plays tough D, and can even take it to the hole strong. I think it would be a mistake to let him go because his value is low and does have some potential in getting better. I think it would be wise to sign him to a 2~3 year contract worth about $2 million. If he does break out, then we got a bargain, and if he doesn't, it's still not a big deal.

[Celtics_85]

Well Lue said that he worked on a contract for a long time with Boston and he went to the Bucks because of 600,000 dollars. Now, either we are after someone specific at PG or we are really going on the cheap. I hope we aren't going on the cheap that bad or this team is done with a one year championship team.

[tombattor]

Well Lue said that he worked on a contract for a long time with Boston and he went to the Bucks because of 600,000 dollars. Now, either we are after someone specific at PG or we are really going on the cheap. I hope we aren't going on the cheap that bad or this team is done with a one year championship team.

Maybe that or maybe we have more faith in Pruitt than most of us here think. I know he's only in his 2nd year, but he's a pretty good shooter and might not be bad as Rondo's backup for 15 minutes a game.

[Celtsfan1980]

Well Lue said that he worked on a contract for a long time with Boston and he went to the Bucks because of 600,000 dollars. Now, either we are after someone specific at PG or we are really going on the cheap. I hope we aren't going on the cheap that bad or this team is done with a one year championship team.

I had read Boston didn't want to give him a 2-year contract and that was the reason he didn't sign.

[ryaningf]

Well, I think the Cs game plan as it stands now is to offer minimum contracts to a bunch of players and see who bites. POB already did. Eddie probably won't. Maybe Tony will. Darius Miles said he would in the recent Sports Illustrated article. The Cs think that player value among the remaining free agents is pretty much a wash and they'd rather take a player willing to sacrifice for a winning situation, since such economic sacrifice is often an indication of a greater desire to sacrifice for the team good. Also, they only end up paying about $400,000 of a veteran's minimum contract, with the league picking up the rest.

Lue taking the Buck's 4th string PG position over the C's 3rd string PG position because of a measly $600,000? That's stupidity. Lue could have parlayed a decent season into a semi-lucrative deal next season, while enjoying a winning atmosphere with his bud KG. Instead, he 's going to languish on the Milwaukee's bench and never play. After a year in Milwaukee, people won't even realize he's in the league anymore.

As for Danny's comments regarding Tony and Eddie. Well, he didn't say much about Eddie, other than he'd like him back. But he has to know he's not going to get him back for the minimum. So I'd guess he signs elsewhere. Danny, on the other hand, had a lot to say about Tony. I could understand why they weren't going to resign him if Posey had stayed; they didn't think he was any good in 4 minute stints. Now, sans Posey, there is a chance for more minutes so maybe he stays. But Danny was positively glowing about how well Tony plays when he starts, which leads me to believe that a sign-and-trade may be in the works. Tony might not want the minimum, and he might want a situation where he can start (which is probably why Danny went on and on about how well he plays when he starts), and maybe we can get something decent for him. On the other hand, maybe we bring Ray off the bench next season? That's a longshot, obviously, but worth some consideration. Anyway, I wasn't too optimistic on either of them being back after seeing that interview. It'll come down to the minimum and whether they'll accept that. There will be no sweetheart, loyalty deals in the works for these guys.

Personally, I'd take a chance on Tony Allen. You gotta believe the injury bug is going come calling this next season and it'd be nice to have a starting caliber player in the wings just in case. I think in 20-25 minutes a night, starting or coming off the bench, Tony could be a very effective player for us. Even better than Posey was last season.