Tending the House: The Center spot
It's another long offseason for the Celtics so it's time to take a look at what we've got, what we need, and where to look to find it. I started at the guard spot before my site got deleted so I'll start with the middle this time around.
The Current Tenants: Kendrick Perkins, Raef Lafrentz, Dwayne Jones
You can look in a mirror and say Candyman as many times as you please but Michael Olowokandi will not be coming back. I was pleasantly surprised with Kendrick's development this season. He appears to be a year behind the usual prep-to-pro three year plan but I'm really expecting a break out year from him in 2006-7. Dwayne Jones was undrafted and filler in the Wally deal so I'm really not expecting much out of him next season. He seemed solid on the boards and could be a solid third center if he has a good work ethic. The Free Agents
The Big Ticket Items: Ben Wallace, Alonzo Mourning, Joel Pryzbilla, Nazr Mohammed
The Mid-Level Luxuries: Kelvin Cato, Scot Pollard, Lorenzen Wright, Aaron Williams, Jarron Collins
The Bargain Bin: Jason Collier, Jake Voskuhl, Luke Schescher, Zendon Hamilton, DJ Mbenga, Francisco Elson, Ervin Johnson, Jackie Butler, Bo Outlaw, Loren Woods Needless to say, not a lot on the market when guys like Pryzbilla and Nazr are top options. I'd love to see 'Zo here but I don't see him signing up with a rebuilding team while I think someone out there is going to seriously overpay Pryzbilla (Atlanta being a definite suspect). While I do like a number of names in the bargain bin, there's nobody there that I look at and think could step in and help us that much next season. The best option on there is either Jarron Collins or Lo Wright but it could be difficult to pry them from their currently employers and neither of them are worth investing too much time or money in. The Trade Bait
Robert Swift: Danny loved him in the draft and still seem to hold a candle for him but I'm not sure what we have to offer Seattle, who also likes their young big man. They seem to have their frontcourt solidified with Chris Wilcox and Johan Petro along with Swift so it would take something special to get him from the Sonics.
Brad Miller: Let's be honest, he is exactly the kind of player Ainge loves: smart, offensive minded, can't play defense. It would probably take a lot to get him but Miller, Corliss Williamson, and the Kings pick for Raef, Tony Allen, Veal (he fits their style), and the Celtics lotto pick might work. It probably wouldn't but we can always make the call.
Steven Hunter: Fairly inexpensive contract that the Sixers have already tried to deal. If his injury checks out, he would be a bad addition and probably could be had for cheap.
Jamaal Magloire or Dan Gadzuric: Magloire would be a solid option especially since he is the last year of his contract. Reports have been mixed about his attitude so we'd have to check and make sure we weren't getting a rich man's Blount in the deal. Gadzuric would come cheaper but then again isn't all that great. The issue of course is our trade assets. We don't have the midsized contracts to combine with young talent so our best offer might be: Raef, Tony Allen and the pick for Jamaal, Mo Williams, and a future first (The Bucks do not have a first round pick this year).
Adonal Foyle: Foyle actually fits the Warriors needs more than any veteran (besides Pierce) that would could offer. I'm really not sure we have anything to offer unless they are interested in Wally for some reason.
Erick Dampier: His contract is frightening but that hasn't stopped Danny before. Again though, the only thing we have to offer is someone with a contract ending earlier. It would be tough to pull off a deal for Erick and again, what we would get in return is a vastly overpaid role player. Swift, Miller, or Magloire are definite possibilities that would upgrade the team in the middle. Whether we can make the deals work is the main question. The Draft
Ainge wants someone who can help immediately which usually means "trade" in GM speak. As the draft board stands right now, there aren't many true centers who would come in and help out and almost none that are worthy of a #7 pick. Of course, there will be a prospect that comes out of nowhere to fly up draft boards but the only one that really intrigues me is Saer Sene and he's a 19 year old project so I doubt Ainge would be interested in him at all. Patrick O'Bryant and Hilton Armstrong have motor issues as both seem to sleepwalk through games. The two prospects that could catch Danny's eye are ACC rivals Cedric Simmons and Shelden "The Landlord" Williams. Neither is a definite center, especially the 6'9 Williams, and Simmons has a unpolished offensive game that makes him somewhat of a project. Unless Sene catches Danny's eye, the draft pick isn't likely to be a big man (if we keep the pick at all).
You can look in a mirror and say Candyman as many times as you please but Michael Olowokandi will not be coming back. I was pleasantly surprised with Kendrick's development this season. He appears to be a year behind the usual prep-to-pro three year plan but I'm really expecting a break out year from him in 2006-7. Dwayne Jones was undrafted and filler in the Wally deal so I'm really not expecting much out of him next season. He seemed solid on the boards and could be a solid third center if he has a good work ethic. The Free Agents
The Big Ticket Items: Ben Wallace, Alonzo Mourning, Joel Pryzbilla, Nazr Mohammed
The Mid-Level Luxuries: Kelvin Cato, Scot Pollard, Lorenzen Wright, Aaron Williams, Jarron Collins
The Bargain Bin: Jason Collier, Jake Voskuhl, Luke Schescher, Zendon Hamilton, DJ Mbenga, Francisco Elson, Ervin Johnson, Jackie Butler, Bo Outlaw, Loren Woods Needless to say, not a lot on the market when guys like Pryzbilla and Nazr are top options. I'd love to see 'Zo here but I don't see him signing up with a rebuilding team while I think someone out there is going to seriously overpay Pryzbilla (Atlanta being a definite suspect). While I do like a number of names in the bargain bin, there's nobody there that I look at and think could step in and help us that much next season. The best option on there is either Jarron Collins or Lo Wright but it could be difficult to pry them from their currently employers and neither of them are worth investing too much time or money in. The Trade Bait
Robert Swift: Danny loved him in the draft and still seem to hold a candle for him but I'm not sure what we have to offer Seattle, who also likes their young big man. They seem to have their frontcourt solidified with Chris Wilcox and Johan Petro along with Swift so it would take something special to get him from the Sonics.
Brad Miller: Let's be honest, he is exactly the kind of player Ainge loves: smart, offensive minded, can't play defense. It would probably take a lot to get him but Miller, Corliss Williamson, and the Kings pick for Raef, Tony Allen, Veal (he fits their style), and the Celtics lotto pick might work. It probably wouldn't but we can always make the call.
Steven Hunter: Fairly inexpensive contract that the Sixers have already tried to deal. If his injury checks out, he would be a bad addition and probably could be had for cheap.
Jamaal Magloire or Dan Gadzuric: Magloire would be a solid option especially since he is the last year of his contract. Reports have been mixed about his attitude so we'd have to check and make sure we weren't getting a rich man's Blount in the deal. Gadzuric would come cheaper but then again isn't all that great. The issue of course is our trade assets. We don't have the midsized contracts to combine with young talent so our best offer might be: Raef, Tony Allen and the pick for Jamaal, Mo Williams, and a future first (The Bucks do not have a first round pick this year).
Adonal Foyle: Foyle actually fits the Warriors needs more than any veteran (besides Pierce) that would could offer. I'm really not sure we have anything to offer unless they are interested in Wally for some reason.
Erick Dampier: His contract is frightening but that hasn't stopped Danny before. Again though, the only thing we have to offer is someone with a contract ending earlier. It would be tough to pull off a deal for Erick and again, what we would get in return is a vastly overpaid role player. Swift, Miller, or Magloire are definite possibilities that would upgrade the team in the middle. Whether we can make the deals work is the main question. The Draft
Ainge wants someone who can help immediately which usually means "trade" in GM speak. As the draft board stands right now, there aren't many true centers who would come in and help out and almost none that are worthy of a #7 pick. Of course, there will be a prospect that comes out of nowhere to fly up draft boards but the only one that really intrigues me is Saer Sene and he's a 19 year old project so I doubt Ainge would be interested in him at all. Patrick O'Bryant and Hilton Armstrong have motor issues as both seem to sleepwalk through games. The two prospects that could catch Danny's eye are ACC rivals Cedric Simmons and Shelden "The Landlord" Williams. Neither is a definite center, especially the 6'9 Williams, and Simmons has a unpolished offensive game that makes him somewhat of a project. Unless Sene catches Danny's eye, the draft pick isn't likely to be a big man (if we keep the pick at all).
