No Worries From Ainge (Herald Article)

[BudweiserCeltic]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/2008_07_09_No_worries_from_Ainge:_Still_hopes_to_keep_Posey/srvc=celt&position=1

The Celtics [team stats], as of last night, had scheduled no free agent signings for today when, per NBA order, the ink may run free. But Danny Ainge didn’t seem worried, making more like Alfred E. Neuman from Mad magazine late yesterday.

Asked if he was concerned that other teams may begin picking off the players he covets, the Celtics director of basketball operations delivered a clear statement.

“I think that we’re going to be a great team next year,” he said. “That’s what I think.”

After operating the team that was greatest in the NBA this past season, it’s likely the cast will change somewhat this time around. One player who apparently won’t be joining the show is Corey Maggette, who’s reportedly agreed to a deal with the Warriors.

The Celts would still like to retain James Posey, and while a league source said yesterday the club was ready to give him a fourth year at the mid-level exception, Ainge gave no such indication.

Other sources say the C’s aren’t skimping on the money, but they do not want to take the 31-year-old reserve too far down the time line.

Ainge wouldn’t get into specifics, but did say, “We place value on players. We try to maximize a player’s talent and their value as we manage our business. So we have a number of what we think are good deals for the Celtics out there, and that’s what we’re trying to do.

“We can’t get caught up in chasing players and getting into a bidding war. There are some players you do have to outbid the rest of the league for, but we’re trying to stay within our plan for what we need to do.”

The Celtics salary structure would seem fairly basic. The team is built around Paul Pierce [stats], Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in both a basketball and financial sense.

“We have over $60 million tied up in the Big Three,” Ainge said. “We’re spending big for the stars and then trying to be careful the rest of the way.”

The C’s appear to be holding their line well, but that might change if clubs make a heavy run at guys like Posey.

“We’re anxious to get something done,” said Mark Bartelstein, Posey’s representative. “There are teams that are very interested in James.

“He’s got great feelings for Boston. That’s never changed. In a perfect world, he never would have gotten to free agency, but once you’re there you have to play it out.”

The Celtics are trying to find takers. They have some veteran minimum offers out there and they are still hoping Posey will come in on their terms. Other than that, it’s a waiting game.

“We’re ready to pull the trigger on some things, but I don’t anticipate anything happening,” Ainge said. “If somebody calls and says they’ll play for what we’re offering, we’ll sign them right away. But I don’t anticipate that.”

[incoherent]

He certainly isn't trying to charm Posey into signing.

[bucknersrevenge]

He certainly isn't trying to charm Posey into signing.

nope. he certainly isnt. dannys never been a gm i think that adjusts thar far off his intial bids to free agents. small concessions maybe but overall i think he prescribes to the "eiher you want to sign our contract or you dont". and if they dont he just moves on. i think danny will hold out until either posey caves in or chooses to sign with another team and then if that happens will go to his fallback options.

[lon3lytoaster]

= / Can't say that's really what I'd like to here. We just won a championship. Awesome nice, revel in that. Everyone deserves it... But the idea is to not get worse after you win that so you can legitimately compete again.

I'm not really a big fan of giving Pose a huge contract, that's what helped lead to the 20 plus year drought but on the flip side Quinton Ross and James Jones aren't going to cut it for the three spot... Btw, I believe the latter of which is already going to Miami.

[johnnyrondo]

I wonder if we had waited to sign KG to his extention, if he would of taken less so that we could keep Posey. I didn't understand the need to extend KG when we did. At that time he wasn't invested in the team yet. Now he'd be more likely to help out.

Ray Allen is also paid a little too much. It puts us in a tough bind to be so top heavy salary wise. But if we skim on the bench we're going to fall just short next year, which would be a shame.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I wonder if we had waited to sign KG to his extention, if he would of taken less so that we could keep Posey. I didn't understand the need to extend KG when we did. At that time he wasn't invested in the team yet. Now he'd be more likely to help out.

Ray Allen is also paid a little too much. It puts us in a tough bind to be so top heavy salary wise. But if we skim on the bench we're going to fall just short next year, which would be a shame.

Why do all these stars of the NBA need to make so much money?!

A little too soon to worry about the sky falling.

[bucknersrevenge]

= / Can't say that's really what I'd like to here. We just won a championship. Awesome nice, revel in that. Everyone deserves it... But the idea is to not get worse after you win that so you can legitimately compete again.

I'm not really a big fan of giving Pose a huge contract, that's what helped lead to the 20 plus year drought but on the flip side Quinton Ross and James Jones aren't going to cut it for the three spot... Btw, I believe the latter of which is already going to Miami.

just out of curiosity why could quinton ross or james jones(yeah i heard hes going to miami too) cut it? or some combination of giddens/scal/defensive winger equal poseys production on the court? i love what posey did for us but who died and made james posey king of nba roleplayers?(not that you said that but...)i just dont see why we should be in panic mode to resign posey at all.

[P2]

We lost out on Maggette and Pietrus, but Posey is not walking through that door again, unless he takes our three-year deal. Danny won't make any panic moves, because there are still some very nice role players in Matt Barnes, James Jones, Quinton Ross and Maurice Evans who could be had for much less than Posey and would come very close to his "production".

[JSD]

I wonder if we had waited to sign KG to his extention, if he would of taken less so that we could keep Posey. I didn't understand the need to extend KG when we did. At that time he wasn't invested in the team yet. Now he'd be more likely to help out.

Ray Allen is also paid a little too much. It puts us in a tough bind to be so top heavy salary wise. But if we skim on the bench we're going to fall just short next year, which would be a shame.

KG had an option year for next year. Imagine we mortgaged the future, lose in the first round and KG OPT's out! I loved the immediate extension.

[CoachBo]

Thank God Maggette and "Pillow-Soft" Pietrus are gone. Never was anyone on the market who can match Posey's ability to change a game defensively.

Now, get a deal done with Posey, Danny. No excuses for letting the bench deteriorate.

[bucknersrevenge]

Thank God Maggette and "Pillow-Soft" Pietrus are gone. Never was anyone on the market who can match Posey's ability to change a game defensively.

Now, get a deal done with Posey, Danny. No excuses for letting the bench deteriorate.

question: if we resign posey but dont bring back any of the other free agents off the bench does still deteriorate? since when does 1 7ppg spot-up shooting defender make up an ENTIRE bench? dont forget people thought our bench was mudd at the beginning of last season and that was after we signed posey.

i think powe and bbd will come back better. i think giddens is gonna surprise some. scal might crack the 12 man and hes shown in the past he can help on defense with mobile 4's. pruitt is gonna get every chance to show his game. i have a feeling were gonna get the birdman who can be a nice athletic complement at the center spot to perk with his ability to get up and down the floor and block shots. there are decent pg options out there if we dont go back to house. where is it written that if we dont resign posey our bench is gonna suck? our biggest problems on the bench last year were no "go to guy" not enough length in the frontcourt and not much athleticism. none of these issues are addresses by keeping posey. but they are addressed in bringing in other guys.

[Bankshot]

Thank God Maggette and "Pillow-Soft" Pietrus are gone. Never was anyone on the market who can match Posey's ability to change a game defensively.

Now, get a deal done with Posey, Danny. No excuses for letting the bench deteriorate.

question: if we resign posey but dont bring back any of the other free agents off the bench does still deteriorate? since when does 1 7ppg spot-up shooting defender make up an ENTIRE bench? dont forget people thought our bench was mudd at the beginning of last season and that was after we signed posey.

i think powe and bbd will come back better. i think giddens is gonna surprise some. scal might crack the 12 man and hes shown in the past he can help on defense with mobile 4's. pruitt is gonna get every chance to show his game. i have a feeling were gonna get the birdman who can be a nice athletic complement at the center spot to perk with his ability to get up and down the floor and block shots. there are decent pg options out there if we dont go back to house. where is it written that if we dont resign posey our bench is gonna suck? our biggest problems on the bench last year were no "go to guy" not enough length in the frontcourt and not much athleticism. none of these issues are addresses by keeping posey. but they are addressed in bringing in other guys.

I'm sure he means that the other bench players are easier to replace than Posey.  Posey is not a one dimensional player like House or Tony for defense.  He does a little of everything which probably won't be replaced by just one other player.

Funny how people describe Posey a just a 7 pt a game bench player, when he is much more than that.  YOu cannot determine Posey's worth by looking at the stat sheet.  Gawd, you'd swear that some people never watched a Celtic game last year.

[lon3lytoaster]

= / Can't say that's really what I'd like to here. We just won a championship. Awesome nice, revel in that. Everyone deserves it... But the idea is to not get worse after you win that so you can legitimately compete again.

I'm not really a big fan of giving Pose a huge contract, that's what helped lead to the 20 plus year drought but on the flip side Quinton Ross and James Jones aren't going to cut it for the three spot... Btw, I believe the latter of which is already going to Miami.

just out of curiosity why could quinton ross or james jones(yeah i heard hes going to miami too) cut it? or some combination of giddens/scal/defensive winger equal poseys production on the court? i love what posey did for us but who died and made james posey king of nba roleplayers?(not that you said that but...)i just dont see why we should be in panic mode to resign posey at all.

Posey kind of is the king of role players, though. He does do everything, but then again I do think he is being vastly overrated by everyone on this board. I don't think they we're not going to be able to find a player who will give us similar production... Should we be in panic mode? Absolutely not. That's never good. However, we do need a game plan drawn up pretty quickly. As long as Posey doesn't demand that fifth year we should probably bring him back and just not look back.

[boscel33]

How's this for predicted signings (not saying they are great, just a feeling):

Darius Miles, Shaun Livingston, and Randolph Morris.

[BCelts]

I wonder if we had waited to sign KG to his extention, if he would of taken less so that we could keep Posey. I didn't understand the need to extend KG when we did. At that time he wasn't invested in the team yet. Now he'd be more likely to help out.

I think the idea was to extend Garnett so that he was not on the free agent market this year able to go somewhere else.  Garnett took less than he could have and, in one man's opinion, he and Pierce provide the most value for their dollars on the roster.