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Re: Ainge Watch Ainge Watch Ainge Watch

On Mar 23, 2004, at 9:51 AM, Berry, Mark S wrote:

Ray wrote:

- Is there any doubt Ainge should have dealt Blount before the
deadline?  Can he whine anymore about being elsewhere
after the season? And to even do a Sign and Trade with him, you
would have to use the Mid Level Exception.  So Very Gone, Daddy Gone.
Let him go and move on. Bring Barry in via a sign and trade and
get someone who can make a difference with the MLE like Nocioni.

BERRY: It's easy to say now that Ainge should have traded Blount, but
Blount wasn't playing like Bill Russell back then. Sure, they could have
gotten something for him, but it wouldn't have been much. I think he's
gone. The Celtics can't keep him unless they use their mid-level
exception, and even then some other team might offer more.

Mark & Ray --

as i understand it, we have Blount's "Early Bird Rights" which means we can sign him to the average salary (the same definition as the MLE moneywise) but that resigning then trading him does NOT use our MLE -- and preserves it for the team he's traded to.

I could be wrong, but that's my reading of Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ:
http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#17

So the conditions under which Blount could sign here or elsewhere:

1.  Boston offers him average salary to stay
1a. Boston offers him average salary in a sign-and-trade

2. Some other team (Orlando?) offers him the MLE and he leaves free and clear
2a. Some other team (wherever Obie lands) offers him *part* of the MLE and he leaves free and clear (doubt he'd take an "Obie Discount" but he talks about him like Obie's god

3. Some other team (Denver, Pheonix, Utah) with capspace offers him, say, $1 million more than the MLE to outbid a team like Orlando or a team we could sign-and-trade too.


I strongly agree that we should sign Blount to nothing more than MLE money -- but actually its all we COULD sign him too. Which begs the question: If we can still use the MLE after (or before I don't think it matters) signing Blount and he decides he wants to stay -- would you sign him for $5 mil over 4-5 years?

I'm on the fence -- i guess it'd depend on what happens with the draft. I'm not completely opposed to signing him to around $5mil if its for 4 years (to match up with PP, Davis, Banks and Perkins, expiry). I imagine he could get a longer deal elsewhere but you never know.

My money is on Blount ending up wherever Obie lands -- and my fingers are crossed that we can wrangle a decent player out of that team in a sign-and-trade.

- Danny Ainge has been heavily scouting Sebastian Telfair. What does
that mean in the grand scheme of things? Well, I'd trade up in the draft for
him. He's Sneaky Isiah Evil and that means a great deal of NBA success.

BERRY: I have no problem with Telfair outside the top 10, although any
Isiah comparisons are wayyyyyyy too early. But taking a point guard to
develop behind Chucky is OK in my book. In case you're wondering if I've
given up on Banks ... almost. I think he'll be a nice backup point guard
for years, but never more than that - think Tyronn Lue.

I'm nervous to disagree with you Mark -- usually you're spot on. But I just keep thinking that (a) PGs take longer to develop than any other position and (b) Its just too early to peg him at Lue's level. The greats show it right away, but I still hold out hope that Banks can develop into an Eric Snow with speed.

That said i'm all for grabbing a PG if he's the best Player avail. when we pick.

- Right now it looks like both Ivan Chiriaev and Kosta Perovic will be
in the
draft. Perovic seems a definite Top 7 Pick, while Chiriaev's placement
depends
on the All Star games and his team workouts. But someone grabs him  in
the
Top 20, perhaps even the Celtics, as he fulfills a Kukoc-Divac great
passing
Big Person role, but he's raw, very raw.

BERRY: Chiriaev is interesting. Sounds like he has all the talent in the
world, but may be years away. Jonathan Bender? Again, I'd be worried
taking him in the lottery, but mid-first round sounds like a reasonable
gamble.

- Paul Pierce campaigns for Dennis Johnson as the next Celtics coach:
Ainge thinks, "Fat Chance in Heck (Mormons don't swear), Pierce".

Hard to believe it won't be Westphal.

BERRY: Westphal seems like the popular choice at this point. I approve.

I was intrigued by the mention of DJ -- I know nothing of his skills as a coach, why does he have no chance. Do he and Ainge get along? What's his coaching style & philosophy (esp. on offense)

(the other) Mark