Could the Celtics make a run at LeBron?

[Patsfanin Philly]

With the conventional wisdom that LBJ s going to either stay in Cleveland or go to Miami or Chicago, I have to believe that some other suitor will come forward, why not Boston? If they can make themselves a desirable option, maybe they could use Rasheed's retiring contract, combined with a player or two and a few draft choices to put together a sign and trade that keeps everybody happy and make the numbers work.
If he wants to win, and win now, why not go to the team that knocked you out and went to a 7th game of the NBA finals. They have a good young point guard who can get LeBron the ball as well as the the other pieces already in place to win and win now.
A guy can dream can't he???

 

[BradyManny]

Unfortunately, its just not possible at all given the way the NBA salary cap is setup, and the fact that the Celts are over the cap, despite only have a handful of players on the team.

Pierce would have to opt out completely, Ray would have to just leave, and then we still might not even have the room to sign Lebron, and even if we did, we certainly wouldn't have the room to fill out a roster properly.

It's just not feasible. At all. The C's are not going to get a big name free agent this offseason. The C's right now are in the worst position of any team in the league - save for LA, whose payroll is even higher - in trying to get a big player that is not currently on their roster.

Which to me, is all besides the point. I wouldn't want Lebron on my team. The set of circumstances under which this guy wins an NBA title will be very specific. His NBA skills are surprisingly limited. He's not a great oustide shooter, he's not a good post-up player, and his penetration is purely a matter of size, not skill. Furthermore, if it weren't for the refs, this guy would not even have a driving game - every drive he makes, literally, incorporates something illegal, either a hook, push-off, charge or a travel. 100%. As for mental make-up, we've seen Lebron is not mentally tough, is selfish, self-absorbed, and more concerned with money and showtime than with his legacy.

If this season settled anything, its that Lebron is not the premier player in this league yet. Kobe Bryant is. As much as I hate the Lakers and despise Kobe as a player and person, the truth is, the guy is a winner. Lebron is a loser. There's no other way to put it at this point. His surrounding cast has gotten bigger and better every year he has been in the league, and so have the excuses for his choke-jobs.

 

[Kontradiction]

LeBron is going to the Heat. D-Wade is recruiting him and Chris Bosch.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Unfortunately, its just not possible at all given the way the NBA salary cap is setup, and the fact that the Celts are over the cap, despite only have a handful of players on the team.

Pierce would have to opt out completely, Ray would have to just leave, and then we still might not even have the room to sign Lebron, and even if we did, we certainly wouldn't have the room to fill out a roster properly.

It's just not feasible. At all. The C's are not going to get a big name free agent this offseason. The C's right now are in the worst position of any team in the league - save for LA, whose payroll is even higher - in trying to get a big player that is not currently on their roster.

Which to me, is all besides the point. I wouldn't want Lebron on my team. The set of circumstances under which this guy wins an NBA title will be very specific. His NBA skills are surprisingly limited. He's not a great oustide shooter, he's not a good post-up player, and his penetration is purely a matter of size, not skill. Furthermore, if it weren't for the refs, this guy would not even have a driving game - every drive he makes, literally, incorporates something illegal, either a hook, push-off, charge or a travel. 100%. As for mental make-up, we've seen Lebron is not mentally tough, is selfish, self-absorbed, and more concerned with money and showtime than with his legacy.

If this season settled anything, its that Lebron is not the premier player in this league yet. Kobe Bryant is. As much as I hate the Lakers and despise Kobe as a player and person, the truth is, the guy is a winner. Lebron is a loser. There's no other way to put it at this point. His surrounding cast has gotten bigger and better every year he has been in the league, and so have the excuses for his choke-jobs.

A situation where a team can afford LeBron and little else is a prescription for some exciting regular season games and a bow out in the playoffs.

LeBron himself has to understand that and I'd think understands that Defense wins championships.

But I'm not sure the Celtics cap situation is quite as dire as you think. Ray Allen's contract is up - they're saving another $13 million on Rasheed retiring - and the big question about Paul Pierce has yet to be answered.

Pierce has the $21 million option for next season. Or he can opt out and see what type of a long-term deal he can get (from the Celts or any other team.)

It wouldn't be $21 million per season but the collective money for a long-term contract would be much more than $21 million guaranteed. Pierce may also be asking himself whether he can get signficantly more in a long-term contract this year, or next.

The answer to that is pretty clear - this year. I think the current CBA situation leaves open the possibility of a lockout. Next year Pierce would be a year older, and you wouldn't have as many teams with as much cap space as you would this year - nor would you have as many teams left at the altar by LeBron who would pony up and overpay someone like Pierce.

I'd think that between Wallace's cap hit and Pierce's cap hit that signing LeBron would be doable... not that I'm advocating that because I'd want to know that we've got the defensive role players to win in the playoffs too.

Regardless there's a lot of questions that will be answered soon - including who next year's coach is - I keep hearing McHale, who I don't think is the worst candidate but I don't think is the best. If KG (and Pierce if he's here) buy into Van Gundy he'd be the way to go - a proven Defensive coach with a good track record of getting teams to the playoffs.

I guess we'll know more soon.

 

[BradyManny]

HoopsHype - NBA Salaries - Boston Celtics

True, if Pierce opts out and Allen is signed for cheap, and Sheed retires, then they have some - but not a lot - wiggle room...until then, though, they are over the $56 milli cap.

KG is not playing to the value of his contract, and thats the main problem here. If he were playing like an $18 million a year player for the full season, we'd be in OK shape going forward. But he's being overpaid at this point in his career, unfortunately.

 

[JoeSixPat]

HoopsHype - NBA Salaries - Boston Celtics

True, if Pierce opts out and Allen is signed for cheap, and Sheed retires, then they have some - but not a lot - wiggle room...until then, though, they are over the $56 milli cap.

KG is not playing to the value of his contract, and thats the main problem here. If he were playing like an $18 million a year player for the full season, we'd be in OK shape going forward. But he's being overpaid at this point in his career, unfortunately.

Pierce reportedly HAS opted out of his contract - smart move on his part and doesn't mean that he truly wants to play for his hometown Clippers... just that he'll likely play the Clippers or any other team off off the Celts.

But still, it does raise the question of whether the Celts want to lock in with Pierce for another 4 years... who is on the horizon? Who is available now? Who might they want to offer the max contract to over that time?

Seeing as even with the news about Pierce I STILL haven't even heard SPECULATION by anyone that the Celts would be in the Lebron sweepstakes, but of course official word about Pierce just broke.

Now with the news that Perkins is out until December (and one always wonders what a player will be like after ACL surgery) it seems to me a top tier scorer/rebounder would be helpful.

Dirk Nowitzki anyone? Same age as Pierce but a statistical improvement at 25 ppg and 8 rebounds (yes I realize he's a 7 foot PF and KG plays PF, but who cares...)

I know they have Pierce's Bird Rights so can sign him for more without the adverse cap hit but I'd think they could afford Nowitzki in his place. That would give them more scoring, more rebounds (needed without Perkins) retain the possibility of bringing back Allen, giving them a starting lineup of KG, Perkins, Nowitzki, Rondo and Allen.

I can see that lineup doing some serious damage in the playoffs, adding points and needed rebounds.