OT: Big Trade Coming?

[hasoos]

It just goes to show, that if you sign somebody to a huge contract, sooner or later, for better or for worse, that contract is worth a hell of a lot on the trading market no matter how well the player played during that time period. Unless you are KP, of course, and just let it expire and get nothing for it....

 

[OddEnormous]

That's pretty scary...

Rondo
Butler
Pierce
Jamison
KG

I won't be worried until BOS makes a few trades for players who might be Scottie Pippen someday.

 

[Nikolokolus]

It just goes to show, that if you sign somebody to a huge contract, sooner or later, for better or for worse, that contract is worth a hell of a lot on the trading market no matter how well the player played during that time period. Unless you are KP, of course, and just let it expire and get nothing for it....

 

[BGrantFan]

Butler takes Ray Allen's spot in the offense, and Jamison probably moves Sheed down a peg in the pecking order. Frankly, I think this helps them rotate their bigs and limit their minutes in preparation of a playoff run.

Besides, chemistry and PT isn't as much of an issue for guys in their thirties who aren't playing for their next contract, but are presumably only focused on going out on top before their careers end.

Butler is going to take Ray Allen's spot? Allen is basically a 3-point specialist these days. Granted, he's making Steve Blake look like Stever Kerr this year by comparison, but he at least stretches a defense on reputation alone.

Caron Butler does a lot of things well, but he's no 3-point shooter. Boston would have to completely alter their offense to accomodate what Butler does best. If I was Ainge, I'd also be concerned about Butler's long-term value. He hasn't played more than 67 games in a season since 2005-06, and his PER and other statistics are considerably lower this season than in other years. Is that a function of Butler being used incorrectly? Is it the result of Butler's body starting to break down as an accumulation of his recent injury problems? Who knows, but for a guy turning 30 next month who has a PER in the 13s, would Boston be willing to pay him $10.5 million next year when they can let Allen expire this year?

It certainly would be a blockbuster trade, but I'm not positive that it helps the Celtics very much, unless getting Jamison to come off of the bench is the real reason for the trade.

 

[hasoos]

Butler is going to take Ray Allen's spot? Allen is basically a 3-point specialist these days. Granted, he's making Steve Blake look like Stever Kerr this year by comparison, but he at least stretches a defense on reputation alone.

Caron Butler does a lot of things well, but he's no 3-point shooter. Boston would have to completely alter their offense to accomodate what Butler does best. If I was Ainge, I'd also be concerned about Butler's long-term value. He hasn't played more than 67 games in a season since 2005-06, and his PER and other statistics are considerably lower this season than in other years. Is that a function of Butler being used incorrectly? Is it the result of Butler's body starting to break down as an accumulation of his recent injury problems? Who knows, but for a guy turning 30 next month who has a PER in the 13s, would Boston be willing to pay him $10.5 million next year when they can let Allen expire this year?

It certainly would be a blockbuster trade, but I'm not positive that it helps the Celtics very much, unless getting Jamison to come off of the bench is the real reason for the trade.

I agree with you on Butler and the 3 point shooting. But I think the injuries came from having to carry a team when everybody else was out. Remember Arenas and Jamison both got injured, and Butler ended up trying to carry the team for most of a season, and his body broke down. In a talented team in Boston, I don't see him having to do that.

 

[BGrantFan]

I agree with you on Butler and the 3 point shooting. But I think the injuries came from having to carry a team when everybody else was out. Remember Arenas and Jamison both got injured, and Butler ended up trying to carry the team for most of a season, and his body broke down. In a talented team in Boston, I don't see him having to do that.

I like Butler's game. I just worry that having to carry that terrible team has taken the spring from his step. I believe he doesn't have a good enough outside game to mask any loss in athleticism. The questions Ainge is probably asking himself are about Butler. Jamison would be awesome for them coming off of the bench, though, and his contract would fill Allen's next year.

 

[THE HCP]

Damn! I might be mistaken, chemistry aside, I think they would win it all. That is a 5 All-Star starting line-up! They would light this league up.

 

[maxiep]

Damn! I might be mistaken, chemistry aside, I think they would win it all. That is a 5 All-Star starting line-up! They would light this league up.

There's still only one ball. All five would demand it. That kind of lineup has a Whitsitt feel to it, or the L*kers the year they acquired Malone and Payton.

 

[Minstrel]

It just goes to show, that if you sign somebody to a huge contract, sooner or later, for better or for worse, that contract is worth a hell of a lot on the trading market no matter how well the player played during that time period. Unless you are KP, of course, and just let it expire and get nothing for it....

Assuming there was anything great to be had last season for just an expiring contract. Cleveland had an even better expiring contract and got nothing for it.

And Pritchard didn't "let it expire and get nothing for it." He let it expire and got Andre Miller for it. Miller's not a star, but he's been extremely valuable for Portland and probably at least as valuable, if not moreso, than whomever Pritchard could have gotten for RLEC. (For example, I'd much rather have Miller than Jefferson. I'd probably rather have Miller than Carter, for this team.)

 

[MIXUM]

great we play boston friday...next week

also thats what good gms do.... rip off other teams. its all part of the sale. selling the gm on the trade. thats why posters make me sick when they defend kpee. good gms get things done. kpee is that rare middle man. wont make a bad trade but wont make a good one.

 

[hasoos]

There's still only one ball. All five would demand it. That kind of lineup has a Whitsitt feel to it, or the L*kers the year they acquired Malone and Payton.

There is a difference. When Malone and Payton went to LA, they were really on the low end of their career. Both of the players mentioned here, are still producing very well. Yes they will have to reduce their shots. But they can on Boston, that team shares the ball pretty well. It would take a total knucklehead to not buy in when you have a shot at a ring, and the team leadership in place would probably knock them in line.

 

[Ed O]

There's still only one ball. All five would demand it. That kind of lineup has a Whitsitt feel to it, or the L*kers the year they acquired Malone and Payton.

That actually worked pretty well for the Lakers, though. A six game improvement from the previous season and an appearance in the Finals.

I bet Boston would love either of those results...

Ed O.

 

[axs88]

There's still only one ball. All five would demand it. That kind of lineup has a Whitsitt feel to it, or the L*kers the year they acquired Malone and Payton.

I don't know. KG is not the player he was even 2 years ago, he doesn't care about shots. Butler and Jamison would be giddy getting out of Washington and having a chance to play for a ring. Jamison would be their super-sub, playing starter's minutes backing up the 3 and 4 (where he would get a lot of minutes with them saving KG's knees, playing him 25-30 minutes at most). Sheed plays backup center for 16 minutes, which suits his lazy, out-of-shape, 3-launching ass these days.

As much as I would love this to blow up in their faces, I'm just not sure.

 

[hasoos]

Assuming there was anything great to be had last season for just an expiring contract. Cleveland had an even better expiring contract and got nothing for it.

And Pritchard didn't "let it expire and get nothing for it." He let it expire and got Andre Miller for it. Miller's not a star, but he's been extremely valuable for Portland and probably at least as valuable, if not moreso, than whomever Pritchard could have gotten for RLEC. (For example, I'd much rather have Miller than Jefferson. I'd probably rather have Miller than Carter, for this team.)

Aaah I see your logic. Because another team fucked up as well, it makes KP correct to do what he did. I also disagree on Miller. I would have never signed him. I think it was much more important to take the talent we had, and find out if it could play or not, so we could make the right decisions about whether to deal or not. You do that by letting the talent you have, play, finding out how good they are, and making your decision process easier.

 

[Minstrel]

That actually worked pretty well for the Lakers, though. A six game improvement from the previous season and an appearance in the Finals.

And a big part of the Lakers' downfall in the Finals was Malone being hurt and varyingly unable to play or unable to play effectively.

Malone was one of the biggest reasons that the Lakers got past the Wolves in the WCF.

 

[axs88]

Assuming there was anything great to be had last season for just an expiring contract. Cleveland had an even better expiring contract and got nothing for it.

And Pritchard didn't "let it expire and get nothing for it." He let it expire and got Andre Miller for it. Miller's not a star, but he's been extremely valuable for Portland and probably at least as valuable, if not moreso, than whomever Pritchard could have gotten for RLEC. (For example, I'd much rather have Miller than Jefferson. I'd probably rather have Miller than Carter, for this team.)

Agreed on all counts. I'm not saying KP is perfect and shouldn't be criticized, but the bashing since last year's trade deadline has gotten ridiculous.

 

[Minstrel]

Aaah I see your logic. Because another team fucked up as well, it makes KP correct to do what he did.

I'm afraid not. It's evidence that expiring contracts aren't the gold mines you fondly imagine they are. Rarely, they are. Usually, they do not bring back impact players.

It's the same mistake most fans make about cap space. They think "Clear lots of cap space and sign a bunch of superstars!" Except that impact players rarely switch teams in free agency. Once in a while it happens, but it's hardly incompetence when a team can't get one. The same goes for acquiring impact players via expiring contracts.

I also disagree on Miller. I would have never signed him. I think it was much more important to take the talent we had, and find out if it could play or not, so we could make the right decisions about whether to deal or not. You do that by letting the talent you have, play, finding out how good they are, and making your decision process easier.

Hilarious.

"Pritchard should have acquired a veteran for RLEC. He's stupid for not doing so!"

"You let the players you have play and see how good they are, you do not sign a veteran. Pritchard is stupid for having done so!"

So:

*Acquiring a veteran by trading an expiring contract = good. Shows you want to win.
*Acquiring a veteran using the cap space from letting a contract expire = bad. Shows you're not committed to finding out how good your current players are.

Makes a lot of sense.

 

[Boob-No-More]

There's still only one ball. All five would demand it. That kind of lineup has a Whitsitt feel to it, or the L*kers the year they acquired Malone and Payton.

Yeah, I do. In spite of the huge distraction of Kobe's rape trial, Malone missing half the season and playing hurt in the finals (before finally sitting out game 5), Shaq and Kobe missing 17 and 15 regular season games, they still made it to the NBA finals by upsetting the defending champion Spurs and the higher seeded Timberwolves in spite of not have HCA in either series.

If Malone would have been healthy during the finals, that sereis would have been a lot closer.

Sharing the ball wasn't the problem with that team. Injuries and the huge distraction of Kobe's trial were.

BNM