That’s not good news. I was hoping Posey and his agent would give the Danny the chance to match any offer he got before he signed.

Seems like it’s dragged on too long for that level of goodwill.

In repeated news, Posey definitely doesn’t have the offer anywhere else at this point. Still very much searching and shopping around.

What’s worse, an extra year on the books for around 6 million? Or not having Big Game James around for a run at 18, 19 and 20?

Just give him the 4th freakin year already, Danny!!!

I have the feeling that we lose out on all free agents if we wait for Posey, and then ultimately lose out on Posey and really have to play a full year with a crappy replacement not named Barnes, Ross or Evans.

Just a quick look at potential bidders

Cleveland[/u] – I think they’re one of the most dangerous teams. Posey could add a lot to them. The question is whether they’re willing to harm their potential cap space in two years time. LeBron is only 23, they’ll be contending for the next dozen years if they play their cards right and could be very hesitant to reduce their options heading into that ever so important summer.

I wouldn’t rule Cleveland out but that’s a difficult signing for them.

] – Posey would be magnificent for Detroit (he’s exactly what their bench needs) but he isn’t going there. Joe D won’t spend his MLE this summer. He wouldn’t spend it last year. He got in the habit of spending it too often and it left his squad with too many good but not quite good enough players. He learned his lesson. He’s also thinking about his worst case scenario that his team’s core is finished. They’ve 23mil coming off their books next season which will leave them with about 20mil of cap space. Joe isn’t going to play with that unless he’s getting a Chauncey Billups like player with that MLE. No role players need apply.

] – They just added Brent Barry on LLE to play that first wing off the bench role. They don’t have a need anymore, plus luxury tax concerns.

Antonio[/u] – Used too much of their MLE on Roger Mason. Not enough money left over.

] – Signed James Jones with their most of their MLE so no return on the cards there.

] – MLE on Diop

The bad news ……

That still leaves New Orleans, LA Lakers, Phoenix. Plus Cleveland who I wouldn’t rule out.

] have a cap situation themselves with Bynum’s extension on the cards … Kupchack seems convinced Odom can play SF which might dispel any Posey offer until a trade occurs since Radmanovic, Walton, Ariza are already on the books to back him up. I don’t think we’ll see a Posey offer before Odom gets traded and I’m thinking Kupchack doesn’t intend to trade Odom which boggles my mind but that seems to be his direction.

Orleans[/u] are a team I don’t think should sign Posey because I believe Julian Wright is a better defender than Posey and he has a great chance to be the better all-round player within the next year or two. That said, they don’t use Wright as their stopper. They use Peja Stojakovic as their stopper. Any team using Peja as their late game best perimeter defender has issues worth resolving. Mo Peterson has been disappointing defensively, not to mention he’s Kobe’s favourite punching bag (81 points anyone?) in the league and can’t defend Manu or Brandon Roy either. So their interest isn’t totally without cause. They could get more interested. Posey adds another top perimeter threat to space the floor for Paul.

Frankly I think the Hornets are looking in the wrong place for their fixes. That isn’t the reason why they lost in the playoffs, it’s also not the second reason on the list. At best it’s the third and it’s million miles behind the top two reasons. They’ll likely lose again next season and they’ll continue to lose until they fix their more important problems.

– They have luxury tax issues but they’re also deeply invested in Nash and Shaq. Plus Shaq will likely earn them money overall anyway so the luxury tax is workable despite their smaller income levels (24th in the NBA?). With Brent Barry off the table their options are getting reduced by the day. Still I expect them to be looking more at Mo Evans type price range than the MLE.

Then you have two outside shots in Washington and Portland but I don’t think either get involved at the end of the day but let’s have a quick look anyway. Washington are desperate and desperate teams are capable of anything, they’ve just about every position on their roster already filled and they’re not good enough to contend. They’re an awful defensive squad and LeBron James has beaten them three years in a row. If they see James Posey as an answer to some of that? Maybe they get involved. Portland just lost their best perimeter shooter and only veteran on the wings in James Jones. Jones had a huge influence on their team last season especially to their ball movement and perimeter shooting, maybe Portland wants to replace/upgrade that. I think Portland keep their cap space for next summer but I’m only 95% convinced of that so maybe.

Anyone else? I can’t think of anyone. Looks like the Hornets and Cavs to me. Market place might not be as big as it looks.

He can’t go back to the Celtics to discuss offers? Ummmm. Talk about agent double speak. It is extremely common for agents to go back to a team.

Posey will sign, I know it…he’ll bite the bullet at 3 yrs and not four, that is the only reason this thing has been dragging awhile but Danny is not gonna change his offer, he’s already got a backup plan and those are his rookies…better believe that this Giddens guy is gonna be real good and add Walker to the mix and Danny thinks Posey may not be needed after all….Im not saying these rookies would be great, not by a long shot, but Pierce came in as a rookie and he was alright, who’s to say that both Gidden’s and BW won’t be any good…they may be drafted that low but that don’t mean they won’t play any better than the other first rounders, Id bet they are even better than some in the top 15.

This is what I don’t understand. A player does outstanding and the team gives him the boot. I understand the politics behind but this reminds of the Patriots. I just hope we never have to kick a game wining kicks in the snow cuz we lost the only player that new how to do it for around an extra million.

I hope this to happen:

Posey resigns for the non-bird rights 5 years 22M (it’s more than 3 years of MLE -18M-)

House resigns 3 years non-bird rights 6M aprox

Then we can spend the full MLE and LLE, and take some risks like Kwame Brown or Shaun Livingstone.

Rondo Livingstone Pruitt
Allen House Gibbons
Pierce Posey Walker
Garnett Powe/Davis Scals
Perkins K.Brown Powe/Davis

As I said yesterday, Ainge needs to set a deadline for Posey. You don’t want to miss out on other attractive opportunities while waiting for Posey to test the market. Fish or cut bait.

If Posey takes a 5 year deal in Cleveland and LeBron leaves, Posey is screwed. He’s not going there. If he wants another shot at a championship, the only real options are the Lakers (assuming they are willing to take the luxury tax hit) and the perhaps the Hornets. You can eliminate every other team for one reason or another— either they’ve spend their money, they aren’t a legitimate contender, or they have good players performing roles similar to Posey’s.

Bartlstein is blowing smoke. He doesn’t have another firm offer for a full MLE deal, and he’s fishing for one.

Of course the agent is going to say the Cs won’t get a chance to match a four or five year MLE offer, but in reality, why wouldn’t Posey want to stay on his championship team, with the great cast of all stars, and great team chemistry?

If another team goes to four years, the Cs will match if given the opportunity. If another team goes to five years, Posey is gone. If the market firmly establishes that Posey is only getting a three year full MLE, and he would take a five year contract from the Cs for more total money, Ainge would then have an awesome opportunity to build a great bench.

Of course he is going to say he won’t let the Celtics match an offer. If he does allow it (or even say he would allow it) he basically he takes one of the biggest contenders – the Celtics – basically out of the bidding process by allowing them to sit back until the end and either match or not match the winning offer. It might also curb interest from other clubs who know whatever they put out there is going to be taken back to Boston.

It isn’t good business. Now, he might let the Celtics match in the end, but he can’t come out and say that.