C's free agent targets in the off season

[Evantime34]

You all understand that atricle is specualtion, right? Despite "sources" we all know DA doesnt let the cat out of the bag..

When has something being speculation stopped us from discussing it.

[hwangjini_1]

Not interested in Kevin Love.  We need interior defense, so I'd go for Jordan instead.

unless ainge is dead set on drafting WCS. but i still agree, given love's lack of defense, i hope the celtics get other free agents.

[jpotter33]

Thought that I'd share this with you guys

The Celtics have a ton of cash and are geared up to use it. Target number one is Kevin Love. Target number two is Greg Monroe. Sources close to the process say the Celtics’ plan to swing for the proverbial fences this summer including runs at Gasol, Leonard and Butler too. - Basketball Insiders

Don't really know how reliable of a source "Basketball Insiders" is, but I'm really excited for the free agency period to come around.
This team would be a whole lot different if we'd be able to get two of the abovementioned guys

I would consider Basketball insiders a good source I read alot of their material and they seem to have good tabs on things.

This off season should be interesting. The Cs are presumably set in the backcourt and have a lot of question marks in the front court. 

I can see DA going after Love or Monroe and remolding the front court around them. Either acquisition likely marks the end of Sully in green. This would be bitter sweat for me as I think Sully can be a better overall player because his instincts on D are superior to either of them.  Sadly his conditioning/injuries may never allow this to happen. 

The FA SFs are a very nice group but I just cant see Leonard, Butler or Green leaving their current teams.

You may like basketball insiders, but their latest mock draft is pretty laughable.  Levert before Oubre?  Kaminsky at 7?  Hezonja at 11.  Jake Layman before Montrezl Harrell?  I think I'm going to start a thread when I get home tonight to compare a few March 1st mocks and see how they did down the line.  That one was a doozy.

Well on the ESPN lottery simulator I got Johnson, Cauley-Stein, Oubre, and Hezonja at 10 or 11 on four consecutive trips, so they don't seem to be much better lol I seriously question some of their team projections on picks in differing spots throughout the lottery.

[jpotter33]

Not interested in Kevin Love.  We need interior defense, so I'd go for Jordan instead.

unless ainge is dead set on drafting WCS. but i still agree, given love's lack of defense, i hope the celtics get other free agents.

You'd probably still need a tough defensive guy on the other side of Love at the 3 even with WCS, though I'm all for pairing those two together. That'd look real good to Durant the following summer. 

[number_n9ne]

I'd really love them to swing for Jimmy Butler (try and milk that Crowder connection from Marquette ). Then trade this year's first and what ever else for Boogie. Roll out a Smart/Bradley/Butler/[skinny] Sully/Boogie starting five.

[boscel33]

Just a small caveat to my earlier post, my number one target is Noel from Philly via trade.  If they can land him, then my free agent target list changes.

[bucknersrevenge]

I think it's extremely important to sign a max player this off-season. With the new cap set to explode and drive contracts up exponentially it would allow us to sign a guy to a contract that could be considered a bargain once other players are maxed out at larger deals. Having a max guy also brings solidity to the team and combined with our current players (Smart, Bradley, Thomas, Sullinger, Olynyk, etc.), our picks (both in 2015 and 2016), our coach, our GM, our ownership that's willing to spend, and our tradition would make us a pretty attractive destination for the summer of 16 free agent frenzy.

Boom.

And for that reason I agree with others that have tabbed Deandre Jordan as #1 on our wish list. I don't think Doc can keep him. He's due for a substantial raise and the Clippers have too many other holes to address. Jordans strengths have already been detailed but even at 14-15M, after the cap goes up, this move takes up less space and it's just the kind of splashy free agent pickup that will put teams on notice that we are back on the rise again. He can protect KO and/or Sully at the 4. Add him to our uptempo attack and we have a playoff team just waiting to add the franchise cornerstone player we need to take us to the next level.

[CFAN38]

I think it's extremely important to sign a max player this off-season. With the new cap set to explode and drive contracts up exponentially it would allow us to sign a guy to a contract that could be considered a bargain once other players are maxed out at larger deals. Having a max guy also brings solidity to the team and combined with our current players (Smart, Bradley, Thomas, Sullinger, Olynyk, etc.), our picks (both in 2015 and 2016), our coach, our GM, our ownership that's willing to spend, and our tradition would make us a pretty attractive destination for the summer of 16 free agent frenzy.

TP,

100% agree that the rise in the cap will make this the last year to get a bargain. This also makes AB and IT's contract so good for their production. Obtaining a starter this off-season thru FA either at the 3,4 or 5 will be another positive step forward for this franchise.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I think it's extremely important to sign a max player this off-season. With the new cap set to explode and drive contracts up exponentially it would allow us to sign a guy to a contract that could be considered a bargain once other players are maxed out at larger deals. Having a max guy also brings solidity to the team and combined with our current players (Smart, Bradley, Thomas, Sullinger, Olynyk, etc.), our picks (both in 2015 and 2016), our coach, our GM, our ownership that's willing to spend, and our tradition would make us a pretty attractive destination for the summer of 16 free agent frenzy.

Boom.

And for that reason I agree with others that have tabbed Deandre Jordan as #1 on our wish list. I don't think Doc can keep him. He's due for a substantial raise and the Clippers have too many other holes to address. Jordans strengths have already been detailed but even at 14-15M, after the cap goes up, this move takes up less space and it's just the kind of splashy free agent pickup that will put teams on notice that we are back on the rise again. He can protect KO and/or Sully at the 4. Add him to our uptempo attack and we have a playoff team just waiting to add the franchise cornerstone player we need to take us to the next level.

DeAndre is going to get $20 mil.*  The Clippers can theoretically afford that if they renounce some players, but they'll have $60 mil on 3 guys.  They'd have to have all minimum salary vets and people on rookie contracts.  It might work if they win the championship this year and the vets think they can get some glory signing with them, but if they get knocked out in the second round....

/*I think a team can offer him that, but there is probably a rule I'm forgetting regarding max salary offers

[CFAN38]

I think it's extremely important to sign a max player this off-season. With the new cap set to explode and drive contracts up exponentially it would allow us to sign a guy to a contract that could be considered a bargain once other players are maxed out at larger deals. Having a max guy also brings solidity to the team and combined with our current players (Smart, Bradley, Thomas, Sullinger, Olynyk, etc.), our picks (both in 2015 and 2016), our coach, our GM, our ownership that's willing to spend, and our tradition would make us a pretty attractive destination for the summer of 16 free agent frenzy.

Boom.

And for that reason I agree with others that have tabbed Deandre Jordan as #1 on our wish list. I don't think Doc can keep him. He's due for a substantial raise and the Clippers have too many other holes to address. Jordans strengths have already been detailed but even at 14-15M, after the cap goes up, this move takes up less space and it's just the kind of splashy free agent pickup that will put teams on notice that we are back on the rise again. He can protect KO and/or Sully at the 4. Add him to our uptempo attack and we have a playoff team just waiting to add the franchise cornerstone player we need to take us to the next level.

DeAndre is going to get $20 mil.*  The Clippers can theoretically afford that if they renounce some players, but they'll have $60 mil on 3 guys.  They'd have to have all minimum salary vets and people on rookie contracts.  It might work if they win the championship this year and the vets think they can get some glory signing with them, but if they get knocked out in the second round....

/*I think a team can offer him that, but there is probably a rule I'm forgetting regarding max salary offers

I'm torn on Jordan. He obviously is an elite rebounder and rim protector but to pay big money to a guy who averages 11ppg in 34 min and is a huge FT liability worries me.

[LooseCannon]

I don't think Love should be target number one!  My number one target is Deandre Jordan and then number two is Greg Monroe. I get the needed SF scorer in the draft.

Love+Asik sounds way better than Jordan+Monroe.

[Forza Juventus]

What would Chicago want in a sign and trade for Jimmy Butler? Their owner is really cheap.

[LarBrd33]

If we trade a guard in a package for a center (like Smart + our 2015 1st + future pick for Nerlens Noel for example), I'd be open to signing Rondo this offseason.  He'll be looking for a new team now that he's been exposed in Dallas.  He should be a cheap option on the free agent market unless someone crazy wants to give him big bucks.

Above example is just a random one.   If we sign an impact big like Monroe and then package Bradley/Smart/picks/Wallace for a center (the Cousins pipe-dream), we might have cap space to bring in ol Rajon.

[LooseCannon]

I think it's extremely important to sign a max player this off-season. With the new cap set to explode and drive contracts up exponentially it would allow us to sign a guy to a contract that could be considered a bargain once other players are maxed out at larger deals. Having a max guy also brings solidity to the team and combined with our current players (Smart, Bradley, Thomas, Sullinger, Olynyk, etc.), our picks (both in 2015 and 2016), our coach, our GM, our ownership that's willing to spend, and our tradition would make us a pretty attractive destination for the summer of 16 free agent frenzy.

Boom.

And for that reason I agree with others that have tabbed Deandre Jordan as #1 on our wish list. I don't think Doc can keep him. He's due for a substantial raise and the Clippers have too many other holes to address. Jordans strengths have already been detailed but even at 14-15M, after the cap goes up, this move takes up less space and it's just the kind of splashy free agent pickup that will put teams on notice that we are back on the rise again. He can protect KO and/or Sully at the 4. Add him to our uptempo attack and we have a playoff team just waiting to add the franchise cornerstone player we need to take us to the next level.

DeAndre is going to get $20 mil.*  The Clippers can theoretically afford that if they renounce some players, but they'll have $60 mil on 3 guys.  They'd have to have all minimum salary vets and people on rookie contracts.  It might work if they win the championship this year and the vets think they can get some glory signing with them, but if they get knocked out in the second round....

/*I think a team can offer him that, but there is probably a rule I'm forgetting regarding max salary offers

Bird rights so they can go over the cap to sign him to the max without having to renounce anyone?  As a player with 7 years experience, his max is 30% of the cap.  The exact cap isn't calculated until the July moratorium.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I'm torn on Jordan. He obviously is an elite rebounder and rim protector but to pay big money to a guy who averages 11ppg in 34 min and is a huge FT liability worries me.

How about these numbers as a counter argument:

He has 14.4 rebounds a game (1st in the NBA), which is 1.5 rbg more than the #2 on the list (Andre Drummond).  He's averaging 20.2 rebounds over the last 9 games.

His FG% is .717 (1st in the NBA), with the #2 on the list being Tyson Chandler at .677 and the #5 on the list is Valancuiunas at .559.  That is CRAZY.  Wilt Chamberlin has the all time record and it's .72 and the second best ever is Wilt's .68.  So basically, DeAndre could have the second best fg% of all time this season and has a very realistic shot at the record.

He's averaging 2.28 blocks a game (4th in the NBA)

Since Blake has gone down, he's looked like a beast.  I would give him $20 m / year and feel good about it.