SB Nation User Blog: Jeff Clark

Old School Plan

Jeff Clark — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:42:00 -0000

More photos » by Steve Babineau - NBAE/Getty Images

"Remember the good old days?"

Paul Pierce is 31 years old. Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are each 33 right now (Ray will be 34 at the end of the month). The Celtics main target this offseason, Rasheed Wallace, will be 35 when the season starts. Another free agent target is Grant Hill, who will be 37 in October.

To quote Master PO in the comments:

Hill, Sheed, Garnett, Pierce, Allen. If we get any more Veteran than this, we will need more than Billy Walker – we will actually need "walkers" and maybe some adult diapers.

The strategy makes sense really. When you have 3 superstars making the kind of scratch that our guys make, you have to fill in the gaps with low price talent and/or pay the luxury tax. Last year the team attempted to do the former with mostly younger players. But as Doc mentioned, when we lost key players, we got real young real fast. So the team appears to have adopted a different course.

Doc said he wanted veterans. The younger veterans (Hedo, Ariza, Gortat) were all out of our price range. So Danny has focused more on the older veterans looking for one last contract and a run at the championship. It is possible that Ainge might be able to land Rasheed and Grant Hill, though it will cost ownership some money. Zach Lowe breaks it down like this:

Remember, the C's already have about $73 million committed next season, with the luxury tax expected to be somewhere around $68 million. Toss in the mid-level ($5.6 million or so) for Wallace, say, $5 million for Davis, a $2 million bi-annual exception for a wing player (Doc is meeting with Grant Hill, FanHouse reports), and you're already up to nearly $86 million-which is equivalent to shelling out $104 million once the luxury tax is factored in. And it remains unclear who will back up Rajon Rondo next season.

First of all, I'm not sure Davis will actually command $5M on the open market. On the other hand, when you start to add it all up like that, I wonder if the Celtics would bring Davis back for any price (if they land Wallace). There are other things the Celtics could do to shed salary (maybe by trading Tony Allen to the Griz for a draft pick we'll never use?) but it seems that the ownership will be on the hook for some luxury cash this year. I'm also not sure what Grant Hill's price tag will be (but we do have Doc and a chance at a title on our side).

I'm sure that Danny is exploring all sorts of options, but one plan might just be to sign Wallace, Hill, and Tyronn Lue (32 years old) and call it a day (meaning let Big Baby walk for the best offer he can get). That would give us a solid 9-10 man rotation with the option of trading Scal's expiring contract for mid season help.

The added benefit of signing older vets to short term contracts is that they line up nicely with the rest of the Big 3 - both in contract expiration dates and career goals.

If everyone is healthy, that's a pretty solid, savvy, veteran group that could very well win the title. Of course with that many thirtysomethings, you almost have to bank on a few injuries. So what do you think? Is this plan reasonable? Would you sign up for it?

Poll

Would you be happy with signing Sheed, Grant Hill, and Ty Lue?

contrary to reports, the Mavs are not pursuing Glenn Davis. Great player, but we like our guys

Jeff Clark — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:17:12 -0000

contrary to reports, the Mavs are not pursuing Glenn Davis. Great player, but we like our guys

Mark Cuban twitter

Doc Meeting With Grant Hill

Jeff Clark — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:04:46 -0000

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

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FanHouse reports:

Doc Rivers may get a second chance to coach Grant Hill. The last time it didn't turn out so well.

Rivers, now coach of the Boston Celtics, and Hill, an unrestricted free agent who played last season for the Phoenix Suns, will meet Sunday in Orlando to discuss the possibility of working together again. Both make their offseason homes here.

"I don't have to go very far to meet with him this time,'' Hill said Saturday night before watching his wife Tamia perform at a Summer Soul Series concert in Orlando.

Summer League Competitions

Jeff Clark — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:49:02 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

Bill Walker vs. JR Giddens

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The Globe preps us for some summer league action by pointing out some roster competitions.

Giddens and Walker are essentially competing for one spot on the team, because of the similarity of their games, Ainge said. Both are projected as potential backups for Paul Pierce, but neither displayed a consistent shooting threat last season.

Now that Marbury seems to be fading from the Celtics’ plans, Pruitt is in position to make his mark. His greatest competition could come from rookie second-round pick Lester Hudson, who was a high-scoring, do-everything shooting guard in college but is projected as a point guard because of his size - he is just more than 6 feet tall.

Who do you think will win each battle?

Your Daily Sheed Update

Jeff Clark — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:07:21 -0000

This time Danny is promising that he'll keep adding pieces after Sheed if the big guy accepts Boston's offer. From the Herald.

Ainge is hoping for a relatively quick resolution regarding Wallace.

"Sooner rather than later makes it easier for everyone," said Ainge. "But these are life-altering decisions. Rasheed has four kids that he has to think about."

The Wallace camp was impressed by Ainge’s vow to add to the team even if the center signs with the Celtics, and Ainge yesterday stood by his vow.

The Celtics have both the $1.3 million veterans minimum and $1.9 million biannual exception to spend.

"We feel we can add another piece or two," said Ainge.

In related news, Vince Carter would love to see his old UNC teammate join him in Orlando. Via Third Quarter Collapse

"He’s a veteran guy who knows how to play the game first and foremost," Carter said. "He’s an unbelievable shooter. He’s very smart and he’s a motivator. Just from playing against him, he knows how to play basketball and he makes very [few] mistakes on the court. So, I think that’s big for our team.

"A guy like that who makes [few] mistakes at that level can get the team over the hump, because he’s been there. Not only has he been in the Finals, he’s won one. He knows what it takes to win. So, hopefully, we can bring him aboard, and I’m doing all that I can."

Dallas has become the 5th team interested in Glen "Big Baby" Davis

Jeff Clark — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:50:31 -0000

Dallas has become the 5th team interested in Glen "Big Baby" Davis

Tanguay

More Reasons Why Boston May Be Right Fit

Jeff Clark — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:33:38 -0000

The more I read about this, the more it seems like Sheed will ultimately decide between Boston and San Antonio. And I wouldn't rule out Boston anytime soon. Via the Herald: (emphasis mine)

The Celtics hit the 35-year-old free agent with a Big Three press on Thursday, showering him with everything from the camaraderie of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to the usual pitch about Celtics history.

"Oh yes, we heard about that," said Wallace’s agent, Bill Strickland. "He’s well-aware of that. He (played at) North Carolina, so that kind of thing matters to him."

Something else in the Celts’ pitch, however, caught Wallace’s ear.

"One thing I liked that Danny (Ainge, executive director of basketball operations) said (Thursday) is that if they sign Rasheed, that won’t stop him from adding further to the team, because they are committed to winning," Strickland said.

That’s important, because nothing truly matters to Wallace beyond the best chance to win one, and maybe two, more rings. That’s the reason he decided against retirement last month.

All are expected to offer that same $5.8 million slot to Wallace - the Celtics did Thursday - so money is unlikely to be the issue.

Neither will contract length. Wallace doesn’t plan to play much longer.

"He could retire right now and be happy," Strickland said. "But that’s something we’ve already dealt with. He said, ‘I want to play more and go for another ring.’ "

All are expected to offer that same $5.8 million slot to Wallace - the Celtics did Thursday - so...

Jeff Clark — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:07:56 -0000

All are expected to offer that same $5.8 million slot to Wallace - the Celtics did Thursday - so money is unlikely to be the issue.

Neither will contract length. Wallace doesn’t plan to play much longer.

"He could retire right now and be happy," Strickland said. "But that’s something we’ve already dealt with. He said, ‘I want to play more and go for another ring.’ "

Mark Murphy

Johnson, the ex-Dallas Mavericks coach, is still in consideration, but Kuester and Boston Celtics...

Jeff Clark — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:01:17 -0000

Johnson, the ex-Dallas Mavericks coach, is still in consideration, but Kuester and Boston Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau have graded out favorably in GM Joe Dumars’ research, sources say.

Yahoo

Hedo Throws a Curveball

Jeff Clark — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:05:35 -0000

More photos » by John Raoux - AP

Hedo Throws a Curveball

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It was originally reported that Hedo would sign with the Portland Trailblazers. It was also reported that Marion was close to a deal with the Raptors. All that changed just now.

Source: Turkoglu changes mind on Blazers - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

Free agent Hedo Turkoglu(notes) has backed out of his commitment to the Portland Trail Blazers and could be signing with the Toronto Raptors, a source close to the talks told Yahoo! Sports on Friday night. Turkoglu had agreed on a five-year, $50 million deal with the Blazers, but changed his mind and could be headed for a five-year, $56 million deal with the Raptors. Toronto would have to renounce three free agents – Shawn Marion, Carlos Delfino and Anthony Parker – to create the cap space for Turkoglu. Apparently, the Blazers are already busy exploring other free-agent options for the $9 million in salary-cap space. Five years ago, Turkoglu was close to signing with the Phoenix Suns that now-Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo was running, but changed his mind and went to the Orlando Magic.

So now I believe that means Marion, Delfino, and Parker are all unrestricted free agents.