CTC: Will Danny Make A Trade?
by Jeff Clark on Sep 22, 2008 5:00 AM EDT
in Boston Celtics Articles
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PrintCountdown To Camp: 7 Days To Media Day
All this week I'll be counting down the days till camp with questions that need to be answered sometime during camp. (Also See: 9 Days | 8 Days)
Do the math. We have 15 players under contract. Sam Cassell's signing is coming any day now to put us up over the limit. Someone's got to go and if Darius Miles shows us he's got more than a pulse, we could be looking at some tough decisions come cut time.
Luckily training camp always shakes up a few rosters around the league. Players get hurt, players underperform or win jobs they were not expected to. Changes need to be made to make rosters work. Ainge will have the opportunity to make a minor move or two to round out the roster or at least trim it back a bit.
Looking at the early roster depth charts, it seems like we have plenty of guards and power forwards but may be thin at small forward and definitely at center (we'll go into this in more depth later). In particular we have two backup power forwards that seem to fill the same role and might have trade value on the market. At the very least you would have to think that Ainge is shopping around.
There was an unsubstantiated rumor posted on the message board last week that pretty much everyone hated because it involved losing Powe and Pruitt and gaining only a backup center (Stephen Hunter). I don't really think the rumor has any legs and I can't vouch for the source whatsoever, but you have to at least admit that on one level it makes sense.
We have very little in terms of trade assets (assuming we keep the core in tact). What we do have is Scalabrine's contract (that ends in the summer of love LeBron's free agency), either Powe or Big Baby, and maybe Gabe Pruitt to toss in.
On the other hand, we are a Kendrick Perkins separated shoulder away from starting Patrick O'Bryant and backing him up with a circus act of small ball lineups. Sure, everyone assumes that PJ Brown is going to take 3 months hanging out with his family and sign on for the stretch run. But what if he decides that he has his ring and has made enough money and retirement is just too relaxing to give up? So trading for a backup center seems to be a very reasonable move.
However, it has to be the right guy for the right price. Keeping Powe and Baby on the same team isn't the worst thing that could happen. If nobody wins the backup job outright, then they can be platooned based on matchups, much like they were last year. Besides, if Perkins stays healthy and we traded for a backup Center then you simply create a situation where you have to platoon the new guy with O'Bryant and we might end up being thin at power forward. So you can see that the solution is never easy.
Most of the ideas I've been considering have been of the 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 variety. However, one last trade solution is to make a 1 for none trade where you essentially take the player you were going to cut and try to get some kind of value for him. Perhaps Pruitt for a 2nd rounder or Scalabrine for a guy with a shorter contract that you can cut right away.
What trade ideas would you propose for training camp? Do you think Ainge will make a move or stand pat and simply make a cut?
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The Hunter rumor was indeed hideous.
I stay away from trade proposals because none of us know who’s available out there. However, Jeff, I obviously agree that we are in dangerous straits at center. Any kind of Perkins injury and Garnett essentially has to go in there and start. Paddy can’t be counted on.
So the idea of Ainge making a move for a quality – or even average – backup at the 5 is more than a good one. It’s a necessity.
I like the Pryzbilla idea, but i wonder how the relationships between Portland and Boston are after the Miles signing… I would try to send Pruitt, Davis and Scalabrine for Pryzbilla and Rodriguez (there’s a logjam at that position there and I think i remember Danny being interested in Sergio)…it doesn’t work in Trade Checker but i’d try something like this
Someone like Adonal Foyle would have been a nice insurance pickup in free agency.
On other teams … Zaza Pachulia … Darko …. Etan Thomas
Indiana have Foster, Rasho, Hibbert. It would take a lot to get one of those guys though.
Yeah not a lot out there. Slim pickings.
Are there any old veteran centers that come to mind, that might be bought out mid-season?
The Oklahoma Blunder have three young centers: Swift, Sene and Petro. Haven’t seen much of any of them, but Danny was once infatuated with Swift, and Sene (assuming he can even play, I dunno) might be the kind of defense-only C who might work.
Foster becomes a UFA next year; he’d be a great pickup, but much pricier than the Blunder trio.
Alonzo Mourning would be an excellent, not just good but excellent, acquisition. I think it’d be great for Perk too, to have a player similar to him help him continue to improve defensively. I think the odds are pretty low for him leaving Miami but it’s definitely a possibility.
Joe Smith is an excellent name. I can see the Thunder choosing to waive him, to give him a shot at joining a contender. Joe is good friends with KG too. On a non-Celtics note, Joe would be superb for New Orleans. I think he’d have a lot of suitors but the C’s offer would be hard to turn down.
Our biggest need is a quality, experienced vet to back up Perk. If healthy, Mourning is the best choice if he would come here. Anyone else is not worth giving up Powe or BBD. Both can compete at that position off the bench, and both now have playoff experience, especially Powe. I would not like KG at center except against a similar type player such as Pau Gasol. His energy shouldn’t be wasted banging against bigger guys.
Dan Gadzuric? He signed a big contract, but then the Bucks drafted Bogut. He has been on the bench since. He also went to high school in Massachusetts. He used to play with crazy energy.
by gsquared on Sep 22, 2008 10:24 AM EDT reply actions
I can see a trade for another big but I would not trade anyone we have currently to make room for Cassell. Signing him as a coach and having him as injury insurance would be great for the Celtics (maybe not so much for Sam). If Pruitt isn’t going to cut it then let him get cut to make room for Sam but I would actually like to see what Pruitt can do.
I’d go for Vermont Green’s suggestion of adding Cassell to the coaching staff, as an insurance policy on Pruitt. But maybe Ainge already knows what he needs to about Pruitt, and it might be thumbs down.
Meanwhile I’m for seeing how O’Bryant works out. The Celtics’ coaching staff wanted him, and I’d like to see how he works out over several months. Let’s not be so quick to jump over the regular season to the playoffs. Perhaps there’s a whole lot of developin’ that needs to take place.
We will do nothing for now.
Last year we only had Davis and Powe as backups. So how can our biggest need be a backup center. Especially if POB works out. I think the most likely outcome is that Cassell isn’t signed. Unless there is a significant player available and Ainge decides to spend his expiring contracts capital early.
I certainly don’t seem them doing anything until they evaluate Pruitt, TA, Giddens and Walker and the pre-season is kind of a short time for that.
The biggest question mark still is who will replace Posey’s minutes at the 3. They are not going to trade TA, Giddens, or Walker until they have that answer. And I don’t think they will trade Pruitt because he is a potential backup to both Ray Allen and Rondo until they decide he can’t really do it.
the only thing I’ll say about Gabe Pruitt is that he plays a very replaceable position — in other words, combo guards are a dime a dozen and we only used a 2nd rounder on him – if he doesn’t work out, no big loss
with that said, I hope he turns out to be great and makes the decision a hard one for the C’s
Pruitt will get the AX, I just don’t see it in his game. First and foremost why would Danny draft J.R. Giddens.
Pruitt is a nice kid and I’m sure he’ll grab on somewhere around the league, but he’s too soft and doesn’t fit well with the intensity of the rest of the team.
Not sure how much he is going to develop as a player. Was he really lighting up the D league ???
I say cut your losses with him, keep Scal because of his salary for trade bait come February
Also why would Danny sign Cassell; wouldn’t his signing be a kick to the face to the kid knowing the Celtics also re-upped Eddie House.
Sorry folks, but the writting is on the wall for the kid.
We need a big. Last year, Pollard was on the roster, and was expected to play. Then, when it became clear that he was just another walking Medical Bill, we made arrangements to get PJ, although he took his time actually showing up. Therefore, although we happened to do OK until PJ showed up, it was luck as much as anything.
We saw in the Cleveland series that Powe and Baby can get just out-bigged when the playoffs come around and the real games begin. KG hates playing center; we’ve got to keep him happy.
I remain totally unconvinced that we’re OK at C with Perk and O’Blount. We on this board can disagree all we want, but I betcha Danny does a 2-for-1 or a 3-for-1 for some big. Gadzuric is OK, the right idea, but he’s waaaaay overpaid.
I don’t have a good target, but that’s what Danny gets paid big bucks for. I’m sticking to my position. >:(
If Caseell is signed and no trade is made, Pruitt will be the one cut. Maybe they can keep him if Miles doesn’t make it, but it’s a clear sign he won’t have a future dressed in green.
I also think we need a backup C. On the names already mentioned:
Przybilla – Awesome, but a pipedream. No feasible trade.
Zo – Great before the injury. I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to play pro-basketball again. If he does, I bet he’ll do it in Miami.
Gadz – Easy to get, the Bucks would trade him straight up for Scal. But salary wise the trade wouldn’t work and he’s plain terrible. Not sure if he’s better than POB at this stage of their careers.
Joe Smith – I can see OKC buying him out. Not exactly the skill set I’d be looking for, but he’s good enough to be a nice addition to this team, even not fitting a need.
PJ – Probably still our best chance of getting a reliable defensive minded backup C coming the playoffs.
My concern would be to sign Cassell without incurring a net loss. I don’t think there is much to trade that will get you more coming back in a 2 for 1 or 3 for one. The only youngs that have established themselves even a little, are Powe and Davis. These could be the two guys off the bench that really could step up. Being short PF’s I don’t think they have overcome yet the stigma such that you would get back something better. And yet they have both shown potential. If, if, if you just have to sign Cassell, and cannot sign him on as a Coach,
a: let go of Pruit,:-(, b: buy out Scal or trade him for a second rnd pick.:-/ c: (Sign Scal on as a Coach).
I really hope the C’s can swing something to get another center. I want KG to play his minutes at his best position – power forward.
Unless POB is good enough to backup Perkins, we need someone else. My gut instinct is telling me PJ is done, and Zo has a half a miami season in him, and then he’s done too.
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