Building around Rondo

[MosheP]

One of the unrestricted free agents seldom mentioned is 24 yo Ilyasova, who is one of the best pfs in the east this season. In the 16 games he has played 30+ minutes this season he averages close to 19-11. As a starter this season he averages 14-9 (compared to Andersons 16-8). 

I feel the same way about Ilysova that I do about Anderson. They would be great but im afraid the Cs would have to over pay. He has the added threat of competing with European teams for him in free agency.

European teams can't offer much more than the mini MLE to Ilyasova.

It's the competition from the Bucks that makes him an unlikely acquisition. They've cleared some of their next season salary with the probable intention of signing him to an extension and his wife is from Wisconsin - I suspect he'll give the Bucks every opportunity to make him a good enough offer. 

[mcshane41]

I think we should let Ray walk on preferably via S&T even if its just for the trade exception. His D isn't great and he's basically a one trick pony now (3's). Its a very good trick but SG has some nice options in FA I wouldn't mind...Both Gordon or Mayo could be had at the right price and Memphis might be an interested partner for a Bass/Mayo S&T swap. Both should command above Mid-level but not double figures. Also, if we could net ~6-7M in a Ray Allen trade exception we could acquire   up $10M in salary in a trade since we'd be below the tax line. We could leverage a 1st rounder for Jason Thompson who scorched us last night. Kings get a young player and avoid paying Thompson ~8M a year while they are still rebuilding. Not too far fetched.

PG Rajon Rondo (11M)
SG OJ Mayo (7.5M 3yrs)
SF Paul Pierce (16M) or Jeff Green (7M 1 yr)
PF Kevin Garnett (12M)
C  Jason Thompson (8M)
6th Man: Paul Pierce (16M) or Jeff Green (7M 1 yr)
Backup Big: JuJuan Johnson (1.4M)
Backup PG: Avery Bradley (1.6)
Backup C = Steimsma (0.
Moore (0.5)

Draft pick #1 1.5
Draft Pick #2 1.5 (Assumed traded)
Salary = 67.3
Cap = 60
Cap Room = None
Exception = 5M Mid-level (Which we would retain by not renouncing our players)

All that and Danny would have the mid-level to burn on attractive buyouts mid season. With Pierce for big shots, KG for D and Rondo for running with the young legs these C's would be pesky. No super-star BUT when DH12 is a free Agent in 2013 the C's would control Rondo/Mayo/Thompson + young guys and have ~ 27M in cap space if Pierce retires or 24 otherwise...

[2short]

Ben Gordon I would not want as sg, he's overpaid, good shooter doesn't seem to bring anything else to game though

if we have (my lineup)
pg-rondo
sg-pierce he turns into 6th man of year
sf-green
pf-josh smith
c-kg

If Paul moves to 6th man (god would he be perfect for it) then we really just need a solid sg who can play good defense, run the floor and hit some jumpers.  We don't necessarily need a deep threat from sg position.  This would be a running team with kg as trailer like McHale used to do.  Maybe even Pietrus completely back from his knee surgery could do it (less 3 ptrs from him and more running) his defense is great and he rebounds nice for a sg as well

[RJ87]

PG: Rondo
SG: OJ Mayo
SF: Anthony Morrow (good shooter)
PF: Josh Smith via trade
C: Jason Thompson

[mcshane41]

Ben Gordon I would not want as sg, he's overpaid, good shooter doesn't seem to bring anything else to game though

if we have (my lineup)
pg-rondo
sg-pierce he turns into 6th man of year
sf-green
pf-josh smith
c-kg

If Paul moves to 6th man (god would he be perfect for it) then we really just need a solid sg who can play good defense, run the floor and hit some jumpers.  We don't necessarily need a deep threat from sg position.  This would be a running team with kg as trailer like McHale used to do.  Maybe even Pietrus completely back from his knee surgery could do it (less 3 ptrs from him and more running) his defense is great and he rebounds nice for a sg as well

I agree, a transition to 6th man could be a great way for Pierce to remain very effective and extend his playing days. I was interested in Eric Gordon not Ben, I think Eric Gordon will be too pricy to pry from NOLA so I would take Mayo as a consolation.

Josh Smith would be a great poor-mans KG to anchor the D and run the floor, I don't know how we'd get him though, we just don't have the assets for a near all-star PF who's only 26..

KG at C is also a good idea, it could extend his effectiveness too, but we'd need to add an athletic 4 who can rebound, Bass is nice but he just can't crash the boards well enough.

[KCattheStripe]

DRAFT JAE CROWDER!

[2short]

Ben Gordon I would not want as sg, he's overpaid, good shooter doesn't seem to bring anything else to game though

if we have (my lineup)
pg-rondo
sg-pierce he turns into 6th man of year
sf-green
pf-josh smith
c-kg

If Paul moves to 6th man (god would he be perfect for it) then we really just need a solid sg who can play good defense, run the floor and hit some jumpers.  We don't necessarily need a deep threat from sg position.  This would be a running team with kg as trailer like McHale used to do.  Maybe even Pietrus completely back from his knee surgery could do it (less 3 ptrs from him and more running) his defense is great and he rebounds nice for a sg as well

I agree, a transition to 6th man could be a great way for Pierce to remain very effective and extend his playing days. I was interested in Eric Gordon not Ben, I think Eric Gordon will be too pricy to pry from NOLA so I would take Mayo as a consolation.

Josh Smith would be a great poor-mans KG to anchor the D and run the floor, I don't know how we'd get him though, we just don't have the assets for a near all-star PF who's only 26..

KG at C is also a good idea, it could extend his effectiveness too, but we'd need to add an athletic 4 who can rebound, Bass is nice but he just can't crash the boards well enough.

aha eric gordon, thought you meant ben
josh smith is free agent, after next year? we could just sign him so many expiring deals, if atlanta knows he wants out I'm sure we could work something out, sign and trade bass etc
I think PP might be in danger of being moved by danny in terms of pure accounting but I'd love him to be a hondo swing man for us

[green7]

i wish this team could build around rondo, but i doubt they can  rondo needs to really put this team on his back @ all cost. 4 points last night really? and 8 points two nights before? how can someone be a star playing like that the thunder was down badly against the spurs even tho okc lost westbrook still fought to get his team the win. the trade talk is over now does that give rondo an excuse to start having awful games?

[coco]

Rondo has a lot of heart.  He has more heart than most of the pgs ahead of him (i.e. CP3, RWestbrook, DWilliams).

To build around Rondo all you have to do is to bring  wings who will fill the lanes and can shoot a descent pct.  Also, a pair of good rebounding bigs.

I am telling you, Rondo is a player and has tons of heart, just don't ask him to be a scorer every night.

[green7]

Rondo has a lot of heart.  He has more heart than most of the pgs ahead of him (i.e. CP3, RWestbrook, DWilliams).

To build around Rondo all you have to do is to bring  wings who will fill the lanes and can shoot a descent pct.  Also, a pair of good rebounding bigs.

I am telling you, Rondo is a player and has tons of heart, just don't ask him to be a scorer every night.

i'm not asking him to be a scorer, but he needs to play with  effort every night not just abc broadcast games  this is his team now.

[tyrone biggums]

This Draft is going to be HUGE for this rebuild. Right now according to draf.net we hold the 18th and 20th picks. Danny needs to target a player and if needed use both those picks to get him. Then if we he does trade 2 for 1 he should buy another pick in the 2nd round. Hitting on a rotational player in the 2nd round goes a long way in accumulating assets because they are cheap and very trade-able.

I agree with this, they probably will package both 1st to move up into the lottery. The question is who will they target? I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be able to move up for Sullenger.

[coco]

Rondo has a lot of heart.  He has more heart than most of the pgs ahead of him (i.e. CP3, RWestbrook, DWilliams).

To build around Rondo all you have to do is to bring  wings who will fill the lanes and can shoot a descent pct.  Also, a pair of good rebounding bigs.

I am telling you, Rondo is a player and has tons of heart, just don't ask him to be a scorer every night.

i'm not asking him to be a scorer, but he needs to play with  effort every night not just abc broadcast games  this is his team now.

I hear you.  But if I am 6'1", and I avg more rebounds than both my wings, then push for a one man fastbreak - cause my wings both want to be trailers...If I am Rondo, I would be frustraded when someone questions my effort.

[OmarSekou]

If it's building around Rondo I think an important thing is personalities. Perk on paper is a terrible fit with Rondo, but they played well together because they were on the same page. Bring in guys with thick skin. Brandon Bass for example. Guys who know how to deal with Rondo. JSmoove?

If Rondo's running the show I really think he'll be a mini-Kobe. A bullying perfectionist who will try to motivate guys by telling them everything they're doing wrong.

[CFAN38]

Looking at the current situation the best way to expedite the rebuild around Rondo would be to trade Pierce for Milsap on draft day. This trade would likely involve a 3rd team that would want to take on Pierce for 2 years we could then get milsap and then Utah would likely want a combination of young players and a draft pick.

something like this

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7m3fqfq

with LA sending a protected future 1st to Utah or Boston sending the clippers pick this year to utah and then Cs would receive additional future compensation from LA (a future 1st?).

PG Rondo
SG ??
SF ?? or J Green
PF Milsap
C  ??
6th J Green, ??
7th Avery
8th JJJ

who would you realistically plug into the ?? spots and how do you see them being attained?

PF: I could see us signing Milsap in 2013 as a FA

This would give fill our PF spot for the foreseeable future with a player the same age as Rondo who has been a boarder line allstar the last couple of seasons.

I would then be comfortable with the Cs going into 2013 with J Green starting at he 3 and Avery starting at the 2. The only guy I would try to throw a big contract at would be Batum,but i see portland matching everything on him. The celtics would just need to fill the starting Center spot with a 1 year rental journey man center and fill the bench with JJJ, rookies and a couple min contract vets. This should then be a last team in the playoffs/last team in lottery for next season. Then 2013 the Cs need to resign milsap and fill the holes in the starting lineup.

[wdleehi]

Outside of Williams, I don't see the FA Boston should spend big money on for more then 1 season. 


I see a collection of guys that could end up being Boston's Ben Gordon and Charlie V. 



I think the plan needs to be go for the big fish, and if that fails, punt the flexibility for another year.  For example, would you trade a 2nd to Orlando for Nelson, Reddick and a 1st (both players in their last year) if Orlando was looking for a way to create cap space to sign Deron Williams?  Then, Boston can look to sell Nelson to a team in need of a PG. 

It will not make the Celtics a title contender next year, but it will give the Celtics more assets with out giving up cap space the next season.