Leon Powes future with the Celtics...

[Cowology]

I'm wondering what type of contract offer you think Powe will receive this off-season.

I like his game a lot. He played very well the last 2 months of the season with KG out putting up about 14 & 8 in limited minutes. He plays close the basket and has some grit.

But he also just had some sort of microfracture surgery done on his ACL and Boston has a pretty high payroll.

How much do you think Powe is worth and what do you think it would take to sign him away from Boston? And feel free to fill me in on any thing (good or bad) that I might not know about the guy from my limited exposure to his game.

[BillessuR6]

He probably won`t be ready for the start of the season, so I doubt any other team will offer him much more than the minimum. A lot depends on when he will be ready to play again but I expect him to return to the celtics on a minimum contract. I am sure our coaching staff and management will want him back.

I want Leon to stay a Celtic for life, you can not wish for a better role player and person on you team...

[Fencer reregistered]

If Leon doesn't like his contract offers before recuperation, I have little doubt the Cs will rehab him for free. That would give them an inside track on resigning him when he's back in form.

Roster spots are a bit tight for the Cs -- 4 PFs counting Leon, 2 Cs needed, 3 PGs needed, Pierce, Ray Allen, Tony Allen, House, Walker, Giddens fills things to the brim. But there are many ways they could decide to make room for a gamble on his recovery.

[Mahoney_jr]

Just to clarify: I think he didn't have microfracture on cartilage in his knee. "Just" ACL/MCL. But on both ones.

Powe is obviously a gamble but with high reward. I think a contract above 15 million/4 years will lead to Boston jumping out of negotiations. And getting a low post scorer from the bench for that amount is very tempting

[humblebum]

Leon Powe will be back with the Celtics next season on a short term make good deal. I can't see any other GM swooping in and giving a contract to a guy who's recovering from a second major knee surgery. The Celtics will get him back at some point into the season and he'll have to work himself back into game condition. It's really difficult to imagine him being all that effective next season. But if he works hard and gets some luck he could quickly become the effective player he's been of the past few seasons. But it's simply too risky for a GM to try to steal Powe away on a long-term deal, if a GM was crazy enough to give Powe three years at $4m I don't think the Celtics would dare match that.

[Zin5]

I'm guessing he'll be back on a short one or two year deal similar to what Tony Allen got last offseason. I'd like to see him back, but if another team offers him similar or even slightly more money at another year or two, then I'm guessing he's gone. I can't see him giving us a benefit for working through him, just because he's so uncertain on his knees and what he could possibly get after his next contract.

I'd like to see him back, since at times he's our only legit low post threat even when everyone's healthy, solely due to his relentlessness and desire to get inside, but it's not going to take much to get him away from the C's. Given Danny's track record for drafting undersized bigs and since we may still have Baby and Scal on the bench at the position next year, bringing him back isn't crucial.

[chakdaddy]

But he also just had some sort of microfracture surgery done on his ACL

LOL how are you supposed to do 'microfracture' on an ACL?

[ryaningf]

I think Leon will be back. I'd assume the Cs offer him the qualifying offer, or maybe to save money, renounce him and sign him to the league minimum. I think both parties would want to continue their relationship, as Leon is beloved by all in the Cs front office. I highly doubt any team is going to be willing to offer more than the minimum for Leon at this point.

As for his ability to come back, I'd guess that he's not going to be ready next year. He had a meniscus tear, and an ACL tear. This was the THIRD reconstruction he's had on his left knee (he originally tore his ACL in high school, and then had to have the procedure re-done the following year), and it APPEARS from the reports that he also had micro-fracture surgery, which basically drills a hole in your leg bone to spur scar tissue to grow. And the reason you need scar tissue? Because you have no knee cartilege left. Not good.

So, normal ACL tear is 6-8 months recovery time. Add in recovery from microfracture, and it's upwards of a year until he's back--physically 100% back. Then you have to factor in the mental hurdles. Leon does have his previous history to lean on. He's already come back strong from previous ACL injuries, so he should have that to lean and it should make the mental recovery come along at a reasonable speed. But the fact that he's had an ACL reconstruction and microfracture surgery makes me feel that he's not going to play much if at all next season. It'll all be about his pain threshold and healing ability, but I don't see how he can be counted on to provide anything next year. For that reason, I'd offer him a two-year deal, with a team option for the 2nd year. If his rehab come along as hoped, and he's making strides, then you pick up that 2nd year.

[Prophet_C]

I think and hopes he stays. He's a Celtic!

[slump]

And if for some reason Leon can't come back from this, the C's should give him a job with the organization. Having a guy like him around is good for everybody.

[BlameTheRefs]

Leon is a warrior. He NEEDS to be on this team next season. I love his heart.

[perfectblack999]

he's my second favorite celtic only to PP....it'd be sad to see him elsewhere

[Avalanche]

You could do a lot worse with your 15th man then a rehabbing leon powe...

give him the minimum for a year, or even something involving a second year team option, keep him around though

[Hemingway]

before the injury, I doubt there was that much interest in him. We value him higher that other team would (and I think rightly so as he brings a lot of the small things that go unnoticed to the table.) Now that he is out for at least half the season no one is going to sign him for more than slightly above the min. The ball is in our court. If it looks like no one will offer him anything, we could not sign him but rehab him and then sign him when ever he is ready to go. This would open up a roster spot that could help us in a number of ways.

[celticfan42487]

both Leon and Baby have done a wonderfully job filling in with what they can.

I'm not sure if Leon can make it back or not, there is only so much a 6'6" PF can do without the ability to jump and without any jumpshot.

But it's as likely as it is not that we'd give him a mercy vet min contract. Let him rehab with an NBA team and maybe even get some minutes depending on how it goes.

[Avalanche]

If we could keep him and rehab him without a contract that would be good too... even just to pick up young guy to practice with the team and see if we could find a sleeper

[Gant]

Leon probably won't play until at least midseason.

[SonicYouth34]

I want Leon back. He's a great finisher and a good low post player, something this team doesn't have. He's also tough as nails, something every team needs. I'd like him to get a 3-4 year deal, for like 12-15 mil.

[canman1971]

I want Leon back. He's a great finisher and a good low post player, something this team doesn't have. He's also tough as nails, something every team needs. I'd like him to get a 3-4 year deal, for like 12-15 mil.

No way in hell he gets that now. Unfortunately for him as he is a solid player who would have gotten at least that before his injury. They may love Leon, but they are businessmen first. One year deal at the vet minimum to rehab his injury is what he is looking at with a team option for a second year.

[Gant]

I would be shocked to see Leon get much money or a long contract. He's a great great guy to have on any team, but he's coming off this major knee surgery on top of his history of knee problems- and most teams will be pinching pennies because of the economy or keeping space clear for big free agents.

He'll probably get a small short deal (hopefully with Boston) until he can show he'll be able to play.