It's midnight

[LooseCannon]

A little glimmer of optimism before I bail for the night and go watch Jerry Maguire....

When can free agents officially beginning signing with teams?
While team?s can negotiate with free agents starting July 1, they can not officially sign a contract until July 8. This is known as the ?July Moratorium? and is when the league reviews the revenue from the previous season and officially sets the salary cap.

For those that are staying up late waiting to see some big signing, just understand that today is only the beginning of the free agent negotiation period.  Nobody can physically sign a contract until July 8th.   So if what we're hearing is true about Boston targeting guys like Tobias Harris and Khris Middleton (both restricted free agents), they can't even physically sign a contract until July 8th... and then I think there's a 3 day period where their original team has the ability to match the offer (since those particular players are restricted).   

To even put ourselves in that position, I think we need to renounce the rights to players like Brandon Bass so that we even have enough cap space to offer a contract to a guy like Harris. 

So say Boston wants Harris... There's no real reason for Boston to announce that intention now.  They'll just have to wait until the 8th, sign the contract and wait... and that will tie up our money in the process while we wait to see if Orlando matches.  And then if they do, we try for Plan B...

But say we succeed in signing someone like Harris/Middleton and the original team inexplicably refuses to match... well now maybe we move onto another step which could potentially involve dumping Wallace's contract and finding another free agent.  I mean... all sorts of stuff could take place.

In other words, this process will take some time.   Go take a vacation for a couple weeks and come back to see where things stand.   It's very unlikely you'll see anything major announced tonight.   But there's no reason to freak out... yet.

Exactly.
One question : Is it possible that several teams make an offer sheet on the same day for Harris?

Harris can only sign one offer sheet.

[P2]

Woj says we've been on the phone with Corey Brewer.

CORRREEEEEY BREEEEWWEEEERR!!!!!!! 

#17 Here we come, baby!

18!!! Never mind.

[P2]

Exactly.
One question : Is it possible that several teams make an offer sheet on the same day for Harris?

No. An offer sheet is a preliminary contract which goes into full effect once the 3-day period is over.

So say Boston wants Harris... There's no real reason for Boston to announce that intention now.  They'll just have to wait until the 8th, sign the contract and wait... and that will tie up our money in the process while we wait to see if Orlando matches.  And then if they do, we try for Plan B...

The question is: Will those Plan B's be still available?

[boscel33]

This is when I wish I was a west coaster. 

[Celtics4ever]

Guys will use us for leverage, as they always do.

[clover]

Corey Brewer, Amir Johnson, Gerald Green.  #Fireworks.

What? You think they'll sign all of them?

Mostly just mystified these are the names we are hearing.  If those are the options, forget free agency.  Let the rookies play.

Exactly. Maybe the likes of KO would be more developed now (and in demand) if he'd played Bass's minutes the last two years--and Bass was at least better than these guys. Don't even count ET and GW or resigning JC--and the C's have more than enough young guys who need the minutes at the wing.

[Chief]

Woj says we've been on the phone with Corey Brewer.

Lol. He is the only free agent that would take a collect call from Syberia.

[MrMorrill]

Fireworks?

[TheFlex]

I still think Boston is one of the top teams to watch in the Tobias Harris race though. It's a good fit and they're interested in him.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/616120800194752512

[Chief]

I still think Boston is one of the top teams to watch in the Tobias Harris race though. It's a good fit and they're interested in him.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/616120800194752512

It would be nice if Ainge could work a sign and trade for that $12.9 trade exception. It would be comparable to Kris Middleton's deal.

[Snakehead]

I still think Boston is one of the top teams to watch in the Tobias Harris race though. It's a good fit and they're interested in him.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/616120800194752512

I am really getting my hopes up for Harris.  Don't mind paying him and want him bad.  We could use his aggressive scoring badly and he's 22.  And he can chip in rebounding.  It makes so much sense.

[knuckleballer]

I still think Boston is one of the top teams to watch in the Tobias Harris race though. It's a good fit and they're interested in him.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/616120800194752512

I am really getting my hopes up for Harris.  Don't mind paying him and want him bad.  We could use his aggressive scoring badly and he's 22.  And he can chip in rebounding.  It makes so much sense.

So am I.  I was kind of luke warm on him at first, but the more I learn about him, the more I hope we sign him.

Here's a video of Isiah Thomas talking about how he believes that Harris could become a star.  It starts at the 2 minute mark.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2015/06/30/20150630-gt-restricted-free-agents.nba/?cid=nbacomsocial_tw_sf10492747

For all his faults, Thomas has a good eye for talent. 

[manl_lui]

I still think Boston is one of the top teams to watch in the Tobias Harris race though. It's a good fit and they're interested in him.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/616120800194752512

I am really getting my hopes up for Harris.  Don't mind paying him and want him bad.  We could use his aggressive scoring badly and he's 22.  And he can chip in rebounding.  It makes so much sense.

So am I.  I was kind of luke warm on him at first, but the more I learn about him, the more I hope we sign him.

Here's a video of Isiah Thomas talking about how he believes that Harris could become a star.  It starts at the 2 minute mark.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2015/06/30/20150630-gt-restricted-free-agents.nba/?cid=nbacomsocial_tw_sf10492747

For all his faults, Thomas has a good eye for talent.

future GM?

[knuckleballer]

I still think Boston is one of the top teams to watch in the Tobias Harris race though. It's a good fit and they're interested in him.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/616120800194752512

I am really getting my hopes up for Harris.  Don't mind paying him and want him bad.  We could use his aggressive scoring badly and he's 22.  And he can chip in rebounding.  It makes so much sense.

So am I.  I was kind of luke warm on him at first, but the more I learn about him, the more I hope we sign him.

Here's a video of Isiah Thomas talking about how he believes that Harris could become a star.  It starts at the 2 minute mark.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2015/06/30/20150630-gt-restricted-free-agents.nba/?cid=nbacomsocial_tw_sf10492747

For all his faults, Thomas has a good eye for talent.

future GM?

Nooooooo!  I wasn't suggesting that.  Just the thought could give me nightmares.

[Celtics4ever]

All this money and no top agents even consider us, so much for "we have never had the money to get a top free agent" theory.   I would love to be wrong on it, and it is early, but signs point to us not being a top destination for players.   I think this makes the likelihood of a future trade more likely for us involving our guard surplus.