Re: expansion theory

[John <fozzyrocks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Celtics will protect the following 8 players (in salary range);

1 - Paul Pierce - he's a maximum salary player in the league. Star. 
Obvious protection
2 - Kedrick Brown - he will be protected because he has a reasonable 
salary (2 mil)
3 - Jumaine Jones - If he can get a whole preseason under his belt he'll 
be a helpful player
4 - Jiri Welsch - becoming the key player in the Toine trade. Best 
team-skilled player the team has had since Bird's teams.
5 - Marcus Banks - has shown potential although he has come to heads 
with Obie. Worth hanging on to.
6 - Mark Blount - Is he signed through next season? If so he'll be kept
7 - Kendrick Perkins - Another surely to be held on. Will become a solid 
backup if not good starter for us
8 - Brandon Hunter - Salary purposes only.

Left Unprotected;

1 - Vin Baker :If the Bobcats are willing to take on his contract for 2 
years and are targetting Year 3 for their first success then they may 
pick him up. Another team may like him. The Celtics should leave him 
unprotected. If someone picks him up thats $14.6 mil off our cap

2 - Raef LaFrentz - I dont think the Bobcats would pick up LaFrentz with 
5-years left on his contract with his knee problems. Again, if the 
Bobcats were to pick him up for another team it'd still clear $10 mil 
off of our cap situation.

3 - Walter McCarty - With Kedrick, Jiri, Jumaine and Paul under contract 
it doesn't make sense for us to protect Walter.

4 - Tony Battie - He's the type of contract that the Bobcats may pick up 
if a team is interested.

Remember most players the Bobcats pick up could very well be on-traded 
immediately to another team for a draft pick or an expiring contract.

As far as trades this year go;

If Philly are interested in Tony Battie

To Boston: John Salmons + Jamaal Tinsley + Jeff Foster (or Scot Pollard)
To Indiana: Marc Jackson + Walter McCarty
To Philadelphia: Tony Battie

From Boston: Tony Battie + Walter McCarty
From Indiana: Jamaal Tinsley + Jeff Foster (or Scot Pollard)
From Philadelphia: John Salmons + Marc Jackson

Celtics cut Chris Mills.

John