Larry Hughes

[hurdler]

26.5 mpg 9.6-3.5-3.5 1.3 stls 31 years old. (13.0 pts/36mins)

Ray: 36.8mpg 16.6-3.4-2.8 (16.2 pts/36)
TA: 18.8mpg 6.8-2.8-1.6 (13.0/36mins)
MD: 20.3mpg 6.3-2.3-1.9 (11.1/36mins)

This would be a good chance to audition hughes. Compared to ray he's not a good of a scorer, but more reb, ast, stl. And he's probably a better option than quis or TA if he can fit in. He can play a little PG too and be able to partner with nate. A better pickup than we had last year, and we have more injury concerns this year with pierce more banged up than normal and TA or MD could have another injury at any time.

For the future the big decision is a young MLE SG or bringing back Ray for a little more than the MLE (at most). We could see how much he has left in the tank and if he can play celtics BB.

[Bogg]

Honestly, with TA playing well and Daniels back healthy again, I see no real reason to bring in Hughes. There's nothing that he can do that one of those two can't, and TA and Daniels are already familiar with the system and their teammates. Furthermore, he's out for a few weeks(minimum) with a broken/fractured finger, so we'd be working him into the rotation at the end of March/beginning of April at best. Lastly, can you even be sure he's better than Tony or Daniels at this point? They're both giving us solid defense off of the bench, Daniels has been adequate as a reserve point-forward, and both of them are averaging a little over 6 points a game on better than 50% shooting, while Hughes has put up around 9 a game on 36% shooting. This seems like a move that can only hurt the team.

[hurdler]

Can I be sure he's better? -- no. For a prorated minimum salary would I like to find out? -- yes.

TA and Quisy are healthy today, can you tell me they will BOTH be healthy next week?

What did PJ Brown, our best late-season add-on, do in the regular season?
He's a low risk, skilled veteran. And he might have a chip on his shoulder against chicago and the cavs who he played for previously.

[nighthob]

Oh god, no (http://heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com/)

[Bogg]

Can I be sure he's better? -- no. For a prorated minimum salary would I like to find out? -- yes.

TA and Quisy are healthy today, can you tell me they will BOTH be healthy next week?

What did PJ Brown, our best late-season add-on, do in the regular season?
He's a low risk, skilled veteran. And he might have a chip on his shoulder against chicago and the cavs who he played for previously.

Larry Hughes isn't low risk, he sulked and complained to the media when Mike D took him out of the starting lineup in NY and is notoriously indifferent to team success(been quoted saying something along the lines of basketball is just a job to me). PJ Brown was different, he was a steady, healthy veteran brought in to fill a vacancy on the roster and wound up playing a bigger role than expected. Hughes would be coming in as a triple redundancy(we really only need one of Tony or Daniels at any one time) and unable to play until just before the playoffs because of the broken finger. It just doesn't make sense.

[Falcon63]

No, I think we have a very bright future and the last thing we need to do is bring in more veterans. I say we further develop Tony Allen, and meanwhile hope that Ray keeps on his hotstreak. Again, we got a lot of good, decently young talent that we need to develop further. Surprisingly, even though we are still an elite team, we are in the rebuilding process. Bringing in Hughes would only elongate the rebuilding process and hamper the potential of some of our younger guys.

[hurdler]

who will be our starting SG next year... and in 3 years. We still have a shot this year. Ray is playing great in Feb, poorly in Jan, what about April/May/June? Ray is the best we have, but he's not a 38mpg player anymore more like 28. Instead of a backup 1 and a 2/3, we probably need a 3 and a 1/2 or hopefully a backup for each position. If Nate meshes, TA and MD play well AND stay healthy, and Ray continues to play like he has been playing this month, there is no need for hughes. But an injury, or slump, or meltdown would hurt us a lot. Hughes is cheap insurance, and all those guys are free agents this summer, and it is possible they are looking at their last contract. Ray IS old, and role players on the wing usually don't play long into their 30s.

Put the kool-aid down. "Everything will be okay when Everybody gets healthy" -- that's a nice mantra, but it's been a season and a half since we were healthy and rested and ready to make a championship run. We have one serious run, and then we need to think about transitions for the old 3. Hughes is only an audition for a stop-gap, but we don't have a lot of flexibility as long as we are playing KG $20mil to limp around the court.

[vct33]

The biggest problem with Hughes is that he truly believes that he is the best player on the court every time he steps on. LeBron used to call for the ball and Hughes would just wave him off time after time. The last thing we need is somebody else pounding the ball and waiving off Rondo on every offensive possession.

[nighthob]

who will be our starting SG next year... and in 3 years. We still have a shot this year.

It's going to be Ray. Boston has no choice in the matter. The only players on the roster that might not be here next year are Daniels and Robinson because Boston has no flexibility to make roster changes and may not be able to sign either and still fill out their roster (because they literally have only the MLE to sign free agents and are going to need to break it up into two or three parts).

[hurdler]

It's going to be Ray. Boston has no choice in the matter.

That's what I'm afraid of. Nothing more than a 2 year contract and then line up max cap space in '12.

[texascelticsfan]

If the owners could do a Kobe-esque under the table promise to Paul at a buy-in possibility after retirement (something Wyc might consider anyways) there might be a way to convince him to restructure the contract/extension. I doubt it happens, but that is really the only way the C's are going to be competitive in the Free Agency, unless Larry Brown still wants Sheed!

[Bogg]

Put the kool-aid down. "Everything will be okay when Everybody gets healthy" -- that's a nice mantra, but it's been a season and a half since we were healthy and rested and ready to make a championship run. We have one serious run, and then we need to think about transitions for the old 3. Hughes is only an audition for a stop-gap, but we don't have a lot of flexibility as long as we are playing KG $20mil to limp around the court.

For the record, if we get totally healthy I think we're out in the second round. My point isn't that everything's fine so long as we're healthy, but bringing in a 31-year-old shooting guard who's already out for a month with a broken finger and sulked his way off a team this year when taken out of the starting lineup when we already have two guys at the same position playing better than him doesn't help us. Tony Allen and Marquis Daniels are playing well in their time, I don't understand what you expect Hughes to give us beyond the >50% shooting, solid D, and reserve ball-handling those two are both producing in limited time. If your plan is to make Hughes a fourth-stringer just in case, what makes you think he'd be okay with that?

[nighthob]

If the owners could do a Kobe-esque under the table promise to Paul at a buy-in possibility after retirement (something Wyc might consider anyways) there might be a way to convince him to restructure the contract/extension. I doubt it happens, but that is really the only way the C's are going to be competitive in the Free Agency, unless Larry Brown still wants Sheed!

It wouldn't matter. Pierce would need to renegotiate his salary down to the MLE level next year for Boston to have any cap space, and even then it would only be a two million dollar margin or so. An with that they'd need to sign a minimum of six players (just to reach 12), which means that they'd be bringing back Ray & Tony anyways as it would still be the only way to fill out the roster.

That extension they gave Rondo was a killer, as it limited their trade options too drastically and gave the owners the vapors about maintaining the present payroll. Boston could have made a credible pitch for Chris Paul back when the Hornets were in dire straits last fall, but the extension made that deal impossible. With Rondo to add to Ray they could have made a serious and likely successful pitch for Amare & Leandro Barbosa (and the owners would probably have been willing to gamble on a marketable property like Amare). But with only Ray's expiring contract to deal they were limited to deals for guys with warts, and the owners have elected to take the safe money from the fans rather than gambling on a title.

[Bogg]

If the owners could do a Kobe-esque under the table promise to Paul at a buy-in possibility after retirement (something Wyc might consider anyways) there might be a way to convince him to restructure the contract/extension. I doubt it happens, but that is really the only way the C's are going to be competitive in the Free Agency, unless Larry Brown still wants Sheed!

Even if Pierce exercised his early termination option and came back at half of what he's owed next year that would only bring the team down to about what the cap is likely to be. Basically, we have to get creative with some sign and trades if we're going to be adding anyone beyond the MLE. Now, myself, I'm ready to trade KG and Pierce to contenders for young assets and/or picks and just rebuild this whole thing barring an amazing spring.


EDIT:nighthob beat me to it

[texascelticsfan]

Ok...I still am a little more optimistic about the offseason, but agree that its going to be difficult to do much given the current cap situation. 800lb Gorilla is KG's contract/performance not Rondos.

[nighthob]

Ok...I still am a little more optimistic about the offseason, but agree that its going to be difficult to do much given the current cap situation. 800lb Gorilla is KG's contract/performance not Rondos.

Rondo's contract eliminated trade options this year. Their failure to convert Allen's expiring deal into other players eliminates their options next year.

As for being more optimistic about the offseason, Boston has six players under contract and two draft picks. Odds are that they'll end up keeping the second rounder for a practise body, but that #1 will fall in the 24-26 and incredibly unlikely to yield a rotation player. That means they will need a minimum of four players in free agency with only the MLE and minimum exception contracts to offer. They can offer Marquis Daniels $2.4 million as a Non-Bird free agent, but if someone else offers more then they need to dip into the MLE to sign him. They have no Bird Rights to Nate Robinson, so any money they need to sign him comes out of the MLE. They're no longer contenders, so the best of the ring chasers aren't going to take minimum deals to play here. They're pretty well screwed nine ways from nowhere.

[hurdler]

We have a lot of free agents, but are almost forced to sign em up again because the alternative is chopping up the MLE and using minimum contracts. I won't be all that surprised to see both Allens back, veal, maybe the landlord, hopefully Daniels. Toss in a couple rookies and the roster is mostly set. Any news on Semih Erdin lately out of Turkey? Does the free agent market become inflated or deflated this summer?

[nighthob]

We have a lot of free agents, but are almost forced to sign em up again because the alternative is chopping up the MLE and using minimum contracts. I won't be all that surprised to see both Allens back, veal, maybe the landlord, hopefully Daniels. Toss in a couple rookies and the roster is mostly set. Any news on Semih Erdin lately out of Turkey? Does the free agent market become inflated or deflated this summer?

Both Allens are coming back. Boston doesn't have a choice in the matter. They need another 4/5 or swing forward for depth, another swingman, and a backup PG. Nate's going to require a lot of the MLE, so there aren't a lot of options for them. Due to all the expiring contract deals, there are going to be a lot of teams under the cap this summer, which means that free agent prices are going to be inflated.

[hurdler]

Due to all the expiring contract deals, there are going to be a lot of teams under the cap this summer, which means that free agent prices are going to be inflated.

Since Daniels only signed for 1 year, are we able to use the bi-annual exemption ~$2million again or is that completely off the table.

[nighthob]

They signed Daniels with the Bi-annual, so it's gone. Using the Non-Bird Exception they can offer him a 20% raise. But if someone offers him half the MLE or more, then Boston has to dip into the MLE to re-sign him. What happens then? They might end up bringing back Eddie House because it might end up being the only way to fill the backup PG spot.