Anyone else worried?

[Zin5]

Did anyone hear the interview with Ainge on the 3rd I think when he was talking about Mike Sweetney? Danny was pretty much gushing all about him and his tireless work to get back to the NBA, and making excuses for him saying he had personal problems. There's your replacement for BBD when he signs somewhere else and we don't match it. I hope Danny knows what he's doing. I guess if he low-balled Sheed too much and he signs with SAS or Orl we'll just snatch up big Robert Swift to fill Sheed's shoe's.

This is getting SCARY!!!

If we had a roster spot open, say by moving Scal/TA, I'd take a flyer on him, but not as a replacement to BBD. After an offseason where our biggest move was signing POB and a season where we moved for Mikki Moore and somewhat Marbury (I really think it would have been worth it if we could have brought him back), I'm starting to lose faith in the "In Ainge I trust" statement. Other than Posey falling into his lap in 2007, he hasn't made a major free agent signing with this team.

[greenmachine_2849]

How are we lowballing players? We have offered Sheed the full MLE and DA plus half the team is pushing him to sign. What more can the Celtics do? Yoy can't force a person to sign a contract. Hopefully we will get it done over the weekend, if we don't I agree we may be in trouble.

They can offer 3 years, which is what he asked for.

You want to give a 35 year old guy 3 years? I don't blame the C's for not giving it to him. I'd only give him two as well.

Fine. And if he ends up signing a three year contract with Orlando and/or San Antonio and subsequently helps one of those teams win a title, you and Ainge can pat yourselves on the back for drawing a line in the sand and sticking to it. If I had any say in the matter, I would have no problem giving Wallace three years, even if there is a decent risk of a pretty significant drop in production in year three, if it means having a borderline all-star backing up Garnett and Perkins for years one and two (versus having the likes of Mikki Moore or Patrick O'Bryant backing them up for the next two years).

They should have just given their best offer (3 years at full MLE, imo) to Wallace up front. I know the laws of negotiations say you don't do that. However, if we had done so, Wallace probably would have taken the offer. I honestly believe that. But now we have given him a reason to shop around and be sweet talked by other teams, and you never know what they can promise him that we can't. Worse still, what if another team makes Davis a decent-sized contract offer in the near future? Whether or not Wallace is in Boston next year will likely play a major role in deciding whether or not the Celtics match the other team's offer on Davis. If we don't know at that point whether Wallace will be a Celtic or not, we might not match Davis' offer, wind up ultimately missing out on Wallace anyway, and go into next season with the likes of Mikki Moore (or maybe Robert Swift) and Scalabrine as our primary big men back-ups. Which would be acceptable if Garnett and Perkins were capable of playing 40+ mpg. However, at this point I am not even sure they are capable of playing 30 mpg and staying healthy the entire season, never mind 40 mpg. It just seems like a recipe for disaster.

[Celtics>Breathing]

Did anyone hear the interview with Ainge on the 3rd I think when he was talking about Mike Sweetney? Danny was pretty much gushing all about him and his tireless work to get back to the NBA, and making excuses for him saying he had personal problems. There's your replacement for BBD when he signs somewhere else and we don't match it. I hope Danny knows what he's doing. I guess if he low-balled Sheed too much and he signs with SAS or Orl we'll just snatch up big Robert Swift to fill Sheed's shoe's.

This is getting SCARY!!!

If we had a roster spot open, say by moving Scal/TA, I'd take a flyer on him, but not as a replacement to BBD. After an offseason where our biggest move was signing POB and a season where we moved for Mikki Moore and somewhat Marbury (I really think it would have been worth it if we could have brought him back), I'm starting to lose faith in the "In Ainge I trust" statement. Other than Posey falling into his lap in 2007, he hasn't made a major free agent signing with this team.

Ainge's success has been with drafting. If you take away the Ray deal , and KG deal (both huge by the way). His trade's would be given maybe a C, and his FA acquisitions a D. It's been pretty rough. You still have to give him the benefit of the doubt for at least another two years IMO.

I think you missed my point about Sweetney. I'm not saying I want him (I am a fan though, G-Town alum). I'm just trying to say this is what Danny is thinking IMO.

[Celtics>Breathing]

Fine. And if he ends up signing a three year contract with Orlando and/or San Antonio and subsequently helps one of those teams win a title, you and Ainge can pat yourselves on the back for drawing a line in the sand and sticking to it. If I had any say in the matter, I would have no problem giving Wallace three years, even if there is a decent risk of a pretty significant drop in production in year three, if it means having a borderline all-star backing up Garnett and Perkins for years one and two (versus having the likes of Mikki Moore or Patrick O'Bryant backing them up for the next two years).

They should have just given their best offer (3 years at full MLE, imo) to Wallace up front. I know the laws of negotiations say you don't do that. However, if we had done so, Wallace probably would have taken the offer. I honestly believe that. But now we have given him a reason to shop around and be sweet talked by other teams, and you never know what they can promise him that we can't. Worse still, what if another team makes Davis a decent-sized contract offer in the near future? Whether or not Wallace is in Boston next year will likely play a major role in deciding whether or not the Celtics match the other team's offer on Davis. If we don't know at that point whether Wallace will be a Celtic or not, we might not match Davis' offer, wind up ultimately missing out on Wallace anyway, and go into next season with the likes of Mikki Moore (or maybe Robert Swift) and Scalabrine as our primary big men back-ups. Which would be acceptable if Garnett and Perkins were capable of playing 40+ mpg. However, at this point I am not even sure they are capable of playing 30 mpg and staying healthy the entire season, never mind 40 mpg. It just seems like a recipe for disaster.

You could argue that if he ends up signing with SAS or ORL for 3 years that this team (Our beloved Celtics) might be in this for the money and not the championship. Of course I guess that's a little easier to stomach now that we've won one. Maybe they know that will stomach this tightness in regards to money because of the championship we did win.

This is getting SCARY!!!

[humblebum]

I've been thinking for a while that the Celtics were not going to spend a lot in this off-season. The Celtics' owners are already somewhere around their financial threshold. They don't want to spend a whole lot more than they're on the books for now. The Celtics are likely going to enter the season with some possibly debilitating depth issues again. They won't overpay for aging vets like Sheed, which might mean they go elsewhere. And I don't think they'll use their expirings to bring in an overpriced player on a long term deal like Maggette or Nocioni. So basically what's going to happen is that they get a Posey-like gift in a free agent, you know, a player looking to make good for one year at a discount price or they get a guy who just really wants to play with KG and the gang who's willing to leave some dollars on the table to make it happen. Those guys aren't readily available in the NBA and there are other teams out there in hot pursuit of the same guys which we're looking at.

Still, the Celtics will be very good with minimum additions and good health. Ultimately the Celtics are going to win or lose on the strength of their starting five but it would be nice to have some guys off the bench who could actually ADD something, rather than just trying to keep the raft afloat. Don't be surprised if at the end of the offseason the Celtics are in the latter boat with a essentially makeshift bench. And the thing is that even under that scenario they could still be good enough to go all the way.

[eris]

Worried? Yes. Not into the blame game, though.

[Bad-Thoma]

I'm not that worried, we are only a few days into free agency. We already have the biggest boost to our roster that won 62 games last year.... a healthy KG. If we haven't made some sort of splash in a couple weeks I will start to feel some concern, but I can't see freaking and giving a 35 year old center who's on the decline more than 3 years when there are still other options out there. I really want to see Rasheed in green, but not for a dumbass long term contract like N.O. gave Posey. It took one year for them to regret that move.. now they 3 more to live with it. Birdman, McDyess, Zaza would all bring a significant upgrade to our frontcourt depth, there really aren't many who could be a downgrade from Mikki Moore.

I'm glad Danny is keeping the long term view open, KG's expiring contract will be gigantic right about the time this team needs to revamp and by then Pierce and Allen will either be off the books or on much smaller contracts. This team was only a healthy KG away from possibly repeating as it is, upgrade the bench a little and we have as good a shot as anyone. Rasheed would be awesome, but our success doesn't depend on his signinga contract here.

[Jammer]

I've been thinking for a while that the Celtics were not going to spend a lot in this off-season. The Celtics' owners are already somewhere around their financial threshold. They don't want to spend a whole lot more than they're on the books for now. The Celtics are likely going to enter the season with some possibly debilitating depth issues again. They won't overpay for aging vets like Sheed, which might mean they go elsewhere. ... So basically what's going to happen is that they get a Posey-like gift in a free agent, you know, a player looking to make good for one year at a discount price or they get a guy who just really wants to play with KG and the gang who's willing to leave some dollars on the table to make it happen. Those guys aren't readily available in the NBA and there are other teams out there in hot pursuit of the same guys which we're looking at.

Still, the Celtics will be very good with minimum additions and good health. Ultimately the Celtics are going to win or lose on the strength of their starting five but it would be nice to have some guys off the bench who could actually ADD something, rather than just trying to keep the raft afloat. Don't be surprised if at the end of the offseason the Celtics are in the latter boat with a essentially makeshift bench. And the thing is that even under that scenario they could still be good enough to go all the way.

The irony of this stupidity is that these tightwad owners are carrying dead weight on the roster.

They have Tony Allen, Giddens and Walker. Easily, one could be shipped out in an S&T, or a trade for a pick. Are these guys that inept at pulling off a deal that most of the league routinely does.

Remove Tony Allen $2.5 million salary, plus $2.5 million in luxury tax, and quit b*tching about
another year for Rasheed. Just Do It.

Ditto with Scal. He's $3.4 million in salary, plus $3.4 million in luxury tax.
Go get a mobile PF with some talent (Jamario Moon), and ditch Scal.

[cloverleaf]

I'm worried and agree re the low balling etc. It's last year all over. wyc talks about going for it but when it comes time to open the wallet he cheaps out. let's be real here: sheed is on the downside- even if we get him it may not be enough. the lakers IMO with artest are a solid favorite to win it again. artest would have been perfect for us but I supose we had no shot. He has more in the tank that wallace. Now marbury leaves. we need too many things to fall into place and I'm just not feeling it.

I agree. I don't see them going after any of the top, not-past-their-prime FAs this year, and the older and creakier the Big 3 get, the more important the quality of their bench. Simply put, if the bench isn't good enough Doc won't play them and the starters will be worn out come April--let alone June.

[Marley2Hendrix]

I've been thinking for a while that the Celtics were not going to spend a lot in this off-season. The Celtics' owners are already somewhere around their financial threshold. They don't want to spend a whole lot more than they're on the books for now. The Celtics are likely going to enter the season with some possibly debilitating depth issues again. They won't overpay for aging vets like Sheed, which might mean they go elsewhere. ... So basically what's going to happen is that they get a Posey-like gift in a free agent, you know, a player looking to make good for one year at a discount price or they get a guy who just really wants to play with KG and the gang who's willing to leave some dollars on the table to make it happen. Those guys aren't readily available in the NBA and there are other teams out there in hot pursuit of the same guys which we're looking at.

Still, the Celtics will be very good with minimum additions and good health. Ultimately the Celtics are going to win or lose on the strength of their starting five but it would be nice to have some guys off the bench who could actually ADD something, rather than just trying to keep the raft afloat. Don't be surprised if at the end of the offseason the Celtics are in the latter boat with a essentially makeshift bench. And the thing is that even under that scenario they could still be good enough to go all the way.

The irony of this stupidity is that these tightwad owners are carrying dead weight on the roster.

They have Tony Allen, Giddens and Walker. Easily, one could be shipped out in an S&T, or a trade for a pick. Are these guys that inept at pulling off a deal that most of the league routinely does.

Remove Tony Allen $2.5 million salary, plus $2.5 million in luxury tax, and quit b*tching about
another year for Rasheed. Just Do It.

Ditto with Scal. He's $3.4 million in salary, plus $3.4 million in luxury tax.
Go get a mobile PF with some talent (Jamario Moon), and ditch Scal.

I forget, who's lining up to sign and trade a rotation player for allen, giddens, and scal?

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

I'll start worrying when Sheed actually shows up in another uniform. I won't worry in the meantime. The summer weather is much too nice for me to worry about stuff I have no control over.

[chakdaddy]

They have Tony Allen, Giddens and Walker. Easily, one could be shipped out in an S&T, or a trade for a pick. Are these guys that inept at pulling off a deal that most of the league routinely does..

When do deals like that routinely get done?
Expirings are not useful in a sign-and-trade or in trades for picks. They're only useful when trading a young guy for a veteran (like the KG trade) or in a salary dump trade (like Gasol or Richard Jefferson.)

Acquiring guys like these is basically the same thing as signing a minimum salary free agent. No team would trade a decent pick when they could just sign an equivalent guy as a FA without giving up anything.

I guess a sign and trade could happen if a perfect storm happened, where a FA wanted to go to Boston, AND there was no way we could do it with cap space or exception, AND his old team doesn't want him anymore, AND his old team would rather have TA/Giddens/Walker/Scal than whatever cheap FA's are available.

Practically the only time that has happened is when we traded Antoine to Atlanta.

The TA/Scal package is going to be saved until the deadline when someone wants to dump a salary. And the truth is, Posey is probably the perfect match as far as salary, utility, and potentially being unwanted by his current team. Nocioni would be another candidate. Hopefully a better situation like Richard Jefferson comes up, but I'd do it for Posey.

The irony is, we have always had these horrible contracts - until we used them all as trade ballast; then, all of a sudden, they started being useful, and now that teams dump decent veterans for expirings, we don't have much to trade. That's why collecting these long MLE contracts is pretty good - use them for 2-3 years, and use the 3rd or 4th year as an expiring.

[chakdaddy]

I'll start worrying when Sheed actually shows up in another uniform. I won't worry in the meantime. The summer weather is much too nice for me to worry about stuff I have no control over.

I wish I could do that. Artest has already ruined my weekend, and the Lakers title basically ruined my summer already.

[JHTruth]

Well, Sheed is still mulling it over. It would be nice if he would just make a call, but I have a feeling that alot of it is emotional with this guy. He wants that he is indeed the first option for any team he signs with. And really, would he play any less minutes here than in SA? Posey played as many minutes as PErk really when he was here. I'm not terribly concerned at this point.

[greenmachine_2849]

I'm not that worried, we are only a few days into free agency. We already have the biggest boost to our roster that won 62 games last year.... a healthy KG.

That is no guarantee though. I think the days of a healthy Garnett that can play 37-40 mpg are in the past, unfortunately. I think he will still be able to be very, very productive when he is out there on the floor, don't get me wrong. However, I think he will probably only be capable of playing 25-30 mpg and being able to stay healthy the entire season. Perkins I think is in a similar boat, at least in terms of minutes per game. So there will be about 36 to 46 minutes available every game at the back-up 4/5 positions, and it would be huge to have a super-sub big man like a Rasheed Wallace coming in and be capable of playing the majority of those back-up minutes (25 to 30 mpg) at roughly the same level as the starters. I don't think we will be able to win a championship without one, actually. And outside of Wallace, the only other big man free agent I can see filling that role is Antonio McDyess. And I like McDyess a lot; however, he's spurned us twice in the past and this summer we have already made public that our top priority is Rasheed Wallace. So unless we are able to make the best offer financially for McDyess, which we evidently aren't willing to do for Wallace, I don't see why McDyess would want to come here either. Rasheed has made it pretty clear imo that, everything else held constant, he would probably choose the Celtics. I wish Ainge and Wyc would quit playing games and just get it done (although I concede it is a lot easier to say that when you aren't the one signing the checks).

I really want to see Rasheed in green, but not for a dumbass long term contract like N.O. gave Posey. It took one year for them to regret that move.

From a basketball perspective, it only took us one year to regret not having him on our team as well, though. Posey may not have been the missing piece in New Orleans, but I think he probably was the missing piece for us (at least in terms of getting by the Magic). We took the Magic to 7 games with a huge mismatch of Rashard Lewis versus Glen Davis/Brian Scalabrine. You can't tell me that, if we had James Posey to throw at Rashard Lewis at least part of the time, that probably wouldn't have been the difference maker.

[TonyMontana]

I'll start worrying when Sheed actually shows up in another uniform. I won't worry in the meantime. The summer weather is much too nice for me to worry about stuff I have no control over.

haaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaa there you go brah.... Thats what Im talking about, there are other things in life we should be concerned or worried about or foucsed on and be happy about than what our F.O is doing.
Its too early to hit the panic button. Enjoy life and what it has to offer since many people in this world arent blessed to enjoy and have what we have........... ONE LOVE and ONE HEART.
Props cf.............. Have fun brada and lets worry about this later.

[celticsfanforlife]

Sure, let`s bring back Mikki Moore! We don`t need anyone else!

Slovenia is a great place...just spent 16 days there with a friend from college...

I FULLY ENDORSE giving Sheed a third year, and Starbury a respectable offer. We can easily have both, and now we will easily have neither..

[JR Hawks]

How are we lowballing players? We have offered Sheed the full MLE and DA plus half the team is pushing him to sign. What more can the Celtics do? Yoy can't force a person to sign a contract. Hopefully we will get it done over the weekend, if we don't I agree we may be in trouble.

They can offer 3 years, which is what he asked for.

You want to give a 35 year old guy 3 years? I don't blame the C's for not giving it to him. I'd only give him two as well.

Your argument falls flat on its face when one considers what we do if Sheed signs elsewhere. Who, if anybody, are you proposing we sign instead?

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

I'll start worrying when Sheed actually shows up in another uniform. I won't worry in the meantime. The summer weather is much too nice for me to worry about stuff I have no control over.

haaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaa there you go brah.... Thats what Im talking about, there are other things in life we should be concerned or worried about or foucsed on and be happy about than what our F.O is doing.
Its too early to hit the panic button. Enjoy life and what it has to offer since many people in this world arent blessed to enjoy and have what we have........... ONE LOVE and ONE HEART.
Props cf.............. Have fun brada and lets worry about this later.

Word up dude. I just got an eighth of that good old Peg City bud, so I'll probably be climbing some trees this weekend, having a beer or six outside on some patio, starin at the women. We only get warm weather up here for about 4-5 months outta the year, so I gotta take advantage. Once it starts to get cold and the ladies start covering up, that's when I'll go into full panic mode.

Enjoy the championship summer and the new acquistion..............you bastard. Kiddin bruh. Peace.