Grousbeck: We can offer a 'max contract' next year

[eris]

The only scenario, I can see, where the Celtics can sign someone to a "max contract" in 2110 is where the C's have full bird rights to that player as he goes into FA that summer. IIRC, being over the salary cap doesn't preclude a team from re-signing one of their own players to the max.

So, the Celtics need someone on the roster this coming year who will expire and become a FA in 2110, and to whom they hold full Bird Rights. At the moment that would be Rondo or Ray. Ray won't be worthy of the max in 2110, and IMO, neither will Rondo, but the C's certainly could offer it to either...or both.

OTOH, suppose...*somehow* Boston was to get DWade (and filler) in a trade for RAllen? The numbers be could made to work (Wade+Wright for Allen for example).

IAC, Wade comes to Boston for a one year tryout. If he works out, and likes it here, the C's have his Bird Rights and he could be re-signed for the max in 2110....or he could pick up his player option, or he could walk away. Big risk, but if he stays, big reward.

Of course, I'm not saying the Heat would trade Wade even if they *knew* he was NOT going to re-sign with them next summer, but just supposing...

[Al-Haqq]

I trust the owner knows what he's talking about and seeing that he and DA talk constantly, I'm sure they have a plan.

Also of note is that every draft day DA makes a trade so we'll see what happens this year.

[Celtsfan1980]

Do all of these scenarios mean the bench will be awful in two seasons? It looks like it will be just minimum contracts.

[sully00]

Yeah to pull this off and use all of the cap space on say Dwayne Wade, then you will have little to offer anyone else but the minimum.

That said I would keep in mind that this ownership group understands money. This '10 off season is going to have impact that isn't being discussed as much. If there is a bunch of top end FA movement then there is going to be a bunch of renounced players with no bird rights and only cap space to be offered. That scenario may play out without the top player movement. Obviously there is going to be exceptions but the teams that drove the salary cap out of play are now looking to play by the rules they laid out for themselves and the minimum salary or something in that range may be all that is available to players like Eddie House for instance, instead of half the MLE.

There are so few players period under contract in '10-'11 that it is an opportunity to hit the reset button. The Knicks are going to be under the cap, they can only spend to the cap. No better situation for the owners entering a new labor deal than to have their salary situation all neat and tidy. As usual the agents for the top 1% of players have totally bought into the situation because their cash cows are safe and they are going to be push the rest of the union over the cliff.

[DorfonCeltics]

I've been advocating Danny trying to free up space for DWade for a while now. It is my understanding that the only thing keeping the C's away from the max free agent market in 2010 is Rondo's extension or qualifying offer. This is assuming we let Ray expire and renounce his rights. Say we trade Rondo to Memphis for the #2 and Conley, doesn't that give us enough cap space to offer a max contract in 2010? Paul's contract isn't up until 2011 so he doesn't play into this equation for next summer. This would give us a starting lineup in 2009/20010 of:

Rubio/Conley
Ray
Paul
KG
Perk

and if we can get DWade next summer a starting lineup in 2010/2011 of:

Rubio/Conley
DWade
Paul
KG
Perk

Sounds good to me.

[cfan79]

The way Rubio's slipping in the draft we could probably get him with the 4th or 5th pick. So we could do a trade with Sacramento or Washington instead if we want him.

[pac213up]

Rondo is also let it be known he is not looking for a max contract, why does anyone think Rondo should get Dwight Howard's pay check instead of Jameer Nelson's, the same Nelson who is an All Star?

Jameer Nelson signed the contract in 2007 before he was an All-Star. This arguement shows exactly why Rondo will get at least 10m a year. Rondo avg the same ppg, 4 more assists, 3 more rebounds, is 2nd team all defense and has a championship. Compare the #s when Nelson signed the contract vs where Rondo's are now. Rondo's are much better which equals more $$. Although I agree max contract is not going to happen but that is assuming he does not improve his jump shot which may very well happen given his age.

[recruiter]

Sounds like a season ticket sales pitch to me.

I read somewhere that the Celtics are No. 1 in the league as far as season ticket renewals at 90%.

All I'm saying is--I don't wanna hear promises and maybe's after the off season we had last year---they better not just sit around with their fingers crossed and do NOTHING again this year...Sure, I'm thankful for 2007-2008...But the way they SACRIFICED our Players, Doc and THIS season was a disgrace-!!

Finally, someone who gets it.

Props to you, Maxwell. Last summer was an absolute disgrace, and if it's repeated it's time for a new general manager. Maximize the window to win now.

[cfan79]

Finally, someone who gets it.

Props to you, Maxwell. Last summer was an absolute disgrace, and if it's repeated it's time for a new general manager. Maximize the window to win now.

Hey give me some of his props I'm hungry. I pointed out the same thing.

[Avalanche]

This better not be a way of coming back after not spending the MLE and saying its "keeping flexibility for next off-season"

win now... do whatever u can to win now, THIS off-season is the one he needs to stay worried about

[sully00]

Rondo is also let it be known he is not looking for a max contract, why does anyone think Rondo should get Dwight Howard's pay check instead of Jameer Nelson's, the same Nelson who is an All Star?

Jameer Nelson signed the contract in 2007 before he was an All-Star. This arguement shows exactly why Rondo will get at least 10m a year. Rondo avg the same ppg, 4 more assists, 3 more rebounds, is 2nd team all defense and has a championship. Compare the #s when Nelson signed the contract vs where Rondo's are now. Rondo's are much better which equals more $$. Although I agree max contract is not going to happen but that is assuming he does not improve his jump shot which may very well happen given his age.

This isn't an argument, you don't know what your talking about.

You want to tell me Rondo is going to get 10 instead of 8, great whatever I will tell you he can sweat it out for that it doesn't change the fact that he isn't getting 16-17 mil a year which is what a max contract avg coming off of a rookie deal.

Sure Rondo can say I want 10 instead of 7 or 8 mil but if Jameer had done that he may be playing on QO right now and headed into FA after having a dislocated shoulder and missing half the season.

Is Ben Gordon going to get anymore than what the Bulls offered? Really whether he is worth more or not is he going to get more? No.

Rondo's problem, and I imagine he knows this, is that he is more valuable to Boston on his rookie deal, he has trade value and dollar value. The only way Boston is going to be willing to change that before they have to is if he agrees to a contract that they feel is equal value. Rondo on a deal that starts at his cap hold (6.2 mil) would be that kind of value. They can give him an option after 3 years so if he is so vastly underpaid he can get a new deal. But they would be dopes otherwise.

As for this idea of having to use the "MLE to win know" at the expense of having a max salary slot next years. Ask yourself what FA could Boston have signed last offseason, forget the dollar value any player that changed teams through FA, that would have made up for the loss of KG so we could have taken out the Lakers? Baron Davis? Elton Brand? Corey Maggette? Big fat no. It isn't about the bottom of the roster or the bench it is about the top, that is what wins championships. We didn't come up short because of Mikki Moore we came up short because we didn't have KG.

The Lakers won a title because Kobe played better, Gasol played better, and Ariza became their 3rd best player. They spent a mint on Kareem Chamber-Bynum and I don't even know if the dude played. It isn't about the bench it is a star driven sport and we can't win without our star. If I can get a 3rd star for the MLE a Marion, Ariza, Odom, or Artest just to throw some names out their yeah maybe you have to do that and a no brainer if it is only for one year. But I would rather come back next season with the team that won 60 games and preserve a shot at getting Amare or Wade than blowing that shot on this year's version of Jason Kapono or James Posey.