Buyout Thread: If Celtics get a player in buyout market, who would be cut?

[Curmudgeon]

I was on the Dragan-Wagon (love that phrase) at draft time. Watched a couple of his Euro games, and he looked damn good. (Outplayed Sabonis in one of them.) Obviously he hasn't panned out yet, but I would like to see Ainge take a flyer on him. He's stll young and he has some tools. Maybe he'll be a late-bloomer like Christian Wood. Probably not, but it doesn't seem likely that we'll be able to pick up someone who'll help in the playoffs anyway so there's not a lot to lose.

I was too, at draft time, and I still believe in his potential. He was completely misused in Phoenix. But as a practical matter would you cut Tacko or Waters if you could get Bender on a two way? Would you cut Poirier or Green to add him to the regular roster? I'm not so sure.

Golden State got rid of five players at or before the deadline and currently has only 11 guys under contract. Marquise Chriss, another Phoenix castoff, was 26-9 with two blocks last night against the Lakers. I would not be surprised to see Bender end up with the Dubs.

[zoyathedestroya]

Is Galloway gonna get bought out? Do we have interest?

[snowman]

I was on the Dragan - Wagon ( I like it too) around his draft time too, but only because I wanted some height on the team. I liked the Brown pick MUCH better at the time after realizing that the NBA is going to be a wing world. Now, I think would be a better time to pick him up. However, if NY waives Portis, I would be all for getting him. If we do sign someone, my guess is that Green would have to be the one to go. You know, last on, first off kind of thing.

Also, I think we had our bench scorer on the team all along in Langford. CBS....get the rook some minutes.

[Celts17Pride]

Celtics are a young team. I think Dragan Bender has a higher upside than Javonte Green. Plus Bender plays a position of need. I wouldn’t be opposed if Ainge cut Green and signed Bender only if he would sign a multyear deal at the vet minimum so the Celtics could work with him for a few years. Not interested if it’s for the remainder of the year.

Edit: Probability of this happening is less than 1% in my opinion

[Triple7]

Celtics are a young team. I think Dragan Bender has a higher upside than Javonte Green. Plus Bender plays a position of need. I wouldn’t be opposed if Ainge cut Green and signed Bender only if he would sign a multyear deal at the vet minimum so the Celtics could work with him for a few years. Not interested if it’s for the remainder of the year

I would take Bender over Green as well. I like his upside and potential. Plus he’s years younger than Green. We have enough on the wings right now with Langford playing anyways.

[zoyathedestroya]

I remember Dragan Bender saying his favorite TV show is F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Do we really want someone like that AGAIN on the team?

[Curmudgeon]

I think Green would be more valuable in the playoffs than Bender. There might be times when that tough Tony Allen-like defensive pressure would be needed. Poirier is they guy I might cut, even though he has looked ok recently.

I'd feel better about Bender if I knew that Semi Ojeleye was going to grab him by the scruff of the neck and drag him into the weight room. At some point Bender has to realize that his future is not as a 7 ft 1 inch small forward, because he can't cover 1-3 on defense. He has to be a passing five, like Vlade Divacs or Andrew Bogut, if he wants a long NBA career, and to do that, he needs more muscle. But if Bender still wants to be the next Tony Kukoc, it isn't going to work.

But it's moot. As I said earlier, the Dubs will likely grab him. They don't have to cut anyone and they can develop him this year without worrying about actually winning games. It's low risk, high reward for them.

[SMTBSI]

Celtics are a young team. I think Dragan Bender has a higher upside than Javonte Green. Plus Bender plays a position of need. I wouldn’t be opposed if Ainge cut Green and signed Bender only if he would sign a multyear deal at the vet minimum so the Celtics could work with him for a few years. Not interested if it’s for the remainder of the year.

Edit: Probability of this happening is less than 1% in my opinion

^ The bolded.

Anyone we sign needs to be either:

1.) A vet who will actually be in the playoff rotation (e.g. TT)
2.) A youth who has a non-zero chance of actually panning out.

For scenario #2, the contract has to be at least a 1+1 minimum deal (team option or non-guaranteed 2nd year).

As others have mentioned, Bender is 4.5 years younger than Green. And I'm not entirely certain he's meaningfully worse than Green right now anyway - they're both super-fringe guys.


Anyway, I'm holding out hope for TT for now. I think that's worth waiting a bit on. But yeah, I'd swap Green for Bender if the contract is what it needs to be, and nothing else comes up.

[cloverleaf]

I think Green would be more valuable in the playoffs than Bender. There might be times when that tough Tony Allen-like defensive pressure would be needed. Poirier is they guy I might cut, even though he has looked ok recently.

I'd feel better about Bender if I knew that Semi Ojeleye was going to grab him by the scruff of the neck and drag him into the weight room. At some point Bender has to realize that his future is not as a 7 ft 1 inch small forward, because he can't cover 1-3 on defense. He has to be a passing five, like Vlade Divacs or Andrew Bogut, if he wants a long NBA career, and to do that, he needs more muscle. But if Bender still wants to be the next Tony Kukoc, it isn't going to work.

But it's moot. As I said earlier, the Dubs will likely grab him. They don't have to cut anyone and they can develop him this year without worrying about actually winning games. It's low risk, high reward for them.

With a name like Dragan Bender he ought to have some oomph.

[SMTBSI]

I think Green would be more valuable in the playoffs than Bender. There might be times when that tough Tony Allen-like defensive pressure would be needed.

This is a good point, and almost convinced me. But honestly, one of the main things I want to see in the 2nd half of the season is Langford get slowly integrated more and more. He's no slouch on defense either. And if both Langford and Green are logging real minutes in the playoffs, we've got a serious problem. And if only one of them is, and it's Green instead of Langford, that's bad too.

[canman1971]

Personally, I don't feel any "buyout" player is gonna help any team really. So, if the Celtics are depending on Green in the playoffs in any situation means season is over anyway. That is the reality of it.

[SmartWentCrazy]

Guys, Dragan Bender **** blows. Why are we talking about him?

[BillTheGOAT]

Guys, Dragan Bender **** blows. Why are we talking about him?

this x100

[SMTBSI]

Guys, Dragan Bender **** blows. Why are we talking about him?

Because we basically have an open roster spot (via Green), and one of the few viable things we can do with it this season, if no useful buyout veteran becomes available, is take a flyer on a stalled out young guy. A 1+1 with a team option / non-guaranteed 2nd year is a zero risk move.

Obviously doing nothing with it and just hanging onto Green is fine too. But we need things to talk about...

[Celts17Pride]

As Canman1971 said, neither Javonte Green or Dragan Bender has any value in the playoffs ahead. If the Celtics need a contribution from either in the playoffs they are done. The question is who has the higher upside and that clearly is 22 years old Dragan Bender

[Green89]

Guys, Dragan Bender **** blows. Why are we talking about him?

this x100

He's played with the Bucks for half a season. Knows their plays and coach. Sign him strictly for picking his brain and for coming up with Bucks game strategies.

[SmartWentCrazy]

Guys, Dragan Bender **** blows. Why are we talking about him?

Because we basically have an open roster spot (via Green), and one of the few viable things we can do with it this season, if no useful buyout veteran becomes available, is take a flyer on a stalled out young guy. A 1+1 with a team option / non-guaranteed 2nd year is a zero risk move.

Obviously doing nothing with it and just hanging onto Green is fine too. But we need things to talk about...

Honestly, what have you seen that has led you to believe he even has more upside than Green? He isnt good at basketball. If he wasnt mistakenly picked in the top 5, you wouldnt be considering this.

[SmartWentCrazy]

As Canman1971 said, neither Javonte Green or Dragan Bender has any value in the playoffs ahead. If the Celtics need a contribution from either in the playoffs they are done. The question is who has the higher upside and that clearly is 22 years old Dragan Bender

Based on what?

[Curmudgeon]

Guys, Dragan Bender **** blows. Why are we talking about him?

Because he just got waived.

[SmartWentCrazy]

Dragan Bender is a terrible shooter with nothing in his profile indicating untapped potential. Hes unathletic and is poor defensively. He’s an incredibly weak rebounder. His passing vision is his best skill and he’s not even average for a big.

People are anchored to what they read pre-draft. He’s not that player and never was going to be that player. He’s Nikoloz Tskitishvili 2.0.