Big Men Options

[Dave_From_NB]

I've got to think that Charlie V would be a bit tough to get, I'd expect that they'd be looking for a pretty good prospect back and I'm not sure we've got that. However TA as part of a package might get it done, if Milwakee is still looking to take a run at the playoffs.

Milwakee does have some affordable veterans with size in Elson and Malik Allen that might be acquired with reasonable ease, i.e. Powe and a prospect perhaps. Neither is top end talent granted, but Elson at backup Center along with Davis at PF might result in a second unit tough to play against. They'd have trouble scoring, although Davis seems to have been coming on lately.

[sully00]

Charlie V's numbers are off the bench so he is just killing guys with the fact that he is really talented and 6'11". He is not a great defender or even a good defender but he is 6'11" with a SF game. The Bucks are pretty awful defensive team so it is impossible to get a handle on exactly how weak he is defensively.

The deal with a guy like Villanueva is the money. He has a QO of 4.6 million bucks. While he may or may not be worth that is he worth that to MIL or would they rather play other guys and spend the money in other places. Would Scott Skiles rather have Tony Allen and Leon Powe with the roster full of shooters they already have?

[Red2]

jeff foster would be awesome on the celts but larry will never give him to us. If Pollard could have ever been healthy he would have been ideal since he's huge. I don't see danny trading scal no that he's contributing. In case you haven't noticed we are blowing teams out with the 3 ball not with post play. if we do wind up against the lakers they can throw gasol, bynum and odom at us as well as mihm. we have perk, garnett and scal. I don't know that it is as much of a disadvantage as everyone thinks. Joe smith would be great but only if we can get him without giving away a valuable bench player. You probably have to give up leon to get him which frankly may not be that big a loss right now

[humblebum]

I think that Charlie V. would have an EXTREMELY hard time fitting into our defensive system with just a few short months to pick up all the schemes and rotations. So a lot of his potential value would be wasted by his incapacity to perform well on the defensive end. In my opinion that sort of ends the possiblity of the Celtics looking to acquire Charlie, though from a fans perspective he'd be a real interesting addition talent-wise.

I agree that Bird doesn't let the Celtics get their hands on Foster, though he's really the perfect piece for the Celtics.

And although it's tempting to look to deal a package starting with TA-Sam for Joe Smith that just leaves the team AWFUL thin in terms of wing defenders.

DA is going to have to be pretty creative in order to fill some of the holes in the roster. If Marbury is brought on, I could see the Celtics being able to pass with Davis-Scals as your primary bench bigs because a bench backcourt of Marbury and House would be a potent offensive combo.

[sully00]

The defensive rotations issue is significant and I don't really know how Boston is going to get around that at this point. It makes the whole passing on Mutombo even more surprising, because he has played for Thibodeau in the past and again maybe that is why.

It seems that Ainge has his eye on someone, while Joe Smith has played with KG, Ray, and Sam, he is not a defender and doesn't have any experience with Thibodeau or Riley, where the system came from.

I think Zo hanging them up was a set back I think that was Ainge's guy. Maybe they will hope that POB is up to speed defensively by the postseason but that seems suspect. I think the principles are simliar in a lot of ways to Harter's defense that is why it would be great to get a hold of Foster. I wonder what Dale Davis is doing?

There is a 6'9" PF who can defend all 3 front court positions and has been a very good team defender in Riley's scheme as well as Harters, is a very good passer and can certainly stretch a defense, and likes to wiggle.

[sunshinekids99]

That guy that likes to wiggle, is fat and slow. He doesn't provide defense anymore and he can't do anything on offense besides missing threes. He is not an upgrade over Scal at this point in his career.

I'm all for Charlie V. When motivated he can be a hell of a basketball player. While he is no stopper on defense, I think he's better than people give him credit for being. He is very long and is a good athlete.

The only way I could see this happening is if the Bucks would want Tony Allen and JR Giddens. The Celtics would trade TA, Giddens, and Sammy C to the Bucks for Charlie Villanueva. The Bucks would have to cut a player, then sign him back after cutting Sam. The Bucks don't take on a bunch of money for next year. The issue I see with this is I'm assuming the Bucks would rather put Charlie V in a deal that would allow them to move Jefferson, Ridnour, or Gadzuric.

Now lets say for whatever reason the C's could get that deal done. That would open up two roster spots for the team. The team could bring in a player like James White from the NBDL. And then look for another vet sg/sf.

[Gant]

The downside of Charlie V would be that it would set off a whole new wave of blithering UCONN references from Donny Marshall.

What's Tom Hamilton doing? I bet he's 9 feet tall and 880 pounds by now.

[sunshinekids99]

That is true about Donny Marshall and I'm a fan of UCONN.

[billfromBoston]

I wouldnt' trade 2 or 3 young prospects for Joe Smith - he's a rental player only...the team will pursue a real multi-year option this off-season....it is far more likely that Boston waits for a buyout and trades a single player for a 2nd round pick or something like that...

[sully00]

I know sunshine and most likely drunk but I still have that #8 jersey waiting for his return, let me dream.

I am all for the Charlie V deal and he is the kind of guy I would take some chances on as far as pissing away a future first. While he may struggle with the rotations, I think for this season, you would put him man to man on a guy like Odom, I want him for his proven ability to produce off the bench not someone to play with the first unit.

As far as the deal I would think it would be Tony/Powe/Cassell. They can waive Cassell and appear to have an open roster spot. Maybe we send them Scal and then send back Charlie Bell who Ainge liked as a FA and now has a ridiculously long contract but would be a better option as a pg if not as good a defender as Tony and can make a 3.

Tony and Leon just seem like Scott Skiles kind of guys and with Redd going down they could probably both start for MIL, I think Leon would certainly replace the production of Charlie V and fit well next to Bogut.

[Jammer]

I wouldnt' trade 2 or 3 young prospects for Joe Smith - he's a rental player only...the team will pursue a real multi-year option this off-season....it is far more likely that Boston waits for a buyout and trades a single player for a 2nd round pick or something like that...

bfb:

The reason that I believe the Celtics won't wait for a buyout of Joe Smith is that

Cleveland has the full MLE available,

and two posters from the Cleveland board have said they believe that

Cleveland would use that leverage just to keep Joe Smith from going
to the Celtics.

Since it's an additional $4 million + where talking,
I don't think the Celtics will want to take the chance of
Smith signing with them for minimum.

And they'd have to give Smith minimum if they expect Marbury to take minimum,

or else Marbury will go NUCLEAR,

and we all know what happens when Steph has a melt down.

So, my suspicion is that the Celtics,
if they can sign Marbury before the trade deadline,

will swing a deal for Joe Smith with either

Tony Allen + Sam Cassell + (rook or soph) or

Pruitt + Cassell + Giddens + one more body (Davis?).

Cassell would be waived, and either return as assistant coach or re-sign in 30 days,
and any extra players OKC would easily re-route to other teams
for 2nd round picks or cash.