when was the last time we had cap space to sign a significant free agent?
Better yet, when was the last time we had cap space and a good team to sign significant free agents?
The plan is to try and have that by the end of this season in one way, shape or form.
Mike Dyer did a really nice job of laying this out on celticslife.com the other day....these are his words:
So the Cs have $40 million in commitments for nine guys, and the cap is set at around $66.5 million. Obviously, this does not include Rajon Rondo, who is a free agent next summer, nor does it include their two 2015 first rounders. Pushing this exercise a little further, let's give Rondo a $16 million salary, and allot $5 million to two first round picks (around what the Celts will pay Smart/Young this year). We now have:
Rondo (estimate) - $16,000,000
Wallace - $10,105,855
Green - $9,200,000
Bradley - $8,000,000
Two 2015 1sts (estimate) - $5,000,000
Smart (approx) - $3,100,000
Zeller (option) - $2,616,975
Sullinger (option) - $2,269,260
Olynyk (option) - $2,165,160
Young (approx) - $1,600,000
Pressey (option): $947,276
Total (12 players): $61,004,526
The Celtics would suddenly have a roster with seven guys on their rookie deals, an average age of 24, a superstar in Rondo, and about $5 million in cap space. But that cap space could grow if Green declines his player option (somewhat likely to get a longer tern deal), or they move him. Suddenly the Celtics would have about $15 million in cap space for what is a loaded 2015 free agent class. And if they stretch Gerald Wallace -- lowering his cap hit from $10.1 to $3.3 million -- the Celtics would have about $21 million in space.
So, realistically, the Celtics could have:
Rondo
Bradley
Smart
Zeller
Sully
Olynyk
Young
Pressey
Two 2015 first round picks
$21 million in cap space
Three #1s in 2016
Right to flip with the Nets in 2017
Two 2018 #1s
And notice, I did absolutely nothing ridiculous. Simply re-signed Rondo to a very fair deal (something like 5/85), stretched Wallace next summer, and dumped Green between now and then. That's it.
So yes, the Celtics suddenly would have a very intriguing young roster, a star to attract free agents, and oodles of cap space.