The objective is to drastically drop their cap number in 2015-16 (right now it is about 25 mill). So by getting rid of Wallace and Green for players with shorter contracts this will allow them great cap flexibility in 2 years instead of 3 (right now they’d have to wait until 16/17 to have major cap flexibility) . By then they can be major players in FA and hopefully pull off something similar to the year they got KG and Allen.

So bottom-line, the Celts plan ‘A’ is to become major players in the FA market in 2015-16. And shedding Wallace and Greens contracts while taking minimal long term salary back would be a huge step in that direction.

With all that said, (Im throwing this out there just by looking at the numbers) A Knicks package of Amare, Felton ,TH Jr, and a 1st round pick for Rondo,Wallace and Green could accomplish their goal for their supposed 15/16 plan. Amare’s huge contract expires after the 2014/15 season and Felton’s a year later but is only at roughly 4 million vs. the 20.3 million they’d shed in 15/16 in getting rid of both Wallace in Green (net savings of 16 mill off the cap in 15/16). Sure the Celts probably don’t want to trade with the Knicks but is there another team that would take on (or even have the ability to take on that salary) for Rondo? Also the Celts know they aren't going to be able to compete (with or without Rondo) until they restock.

Latest move by the Celts was a small but interesting one which falls in line with their clear room in 2015-16 mantra. They just traded Fab Melo for Donte Green. Fab melo's contract goes into 2015-16 with a 2.5 million dollar number. Donte's ends after next season.

Couldn't the Knicks just sign Rondo outright in 2015 as an unrestricted free agent, if he doesn't like the direction the Celtics are going in, barring any trades?

KnixinSix wrote:Hey thanks! As for your question, yes but that's 2 years from now and Melo and Tyson aren't super old but arguably have alot of mileage and aren't getting younger. Melo has even spoke about about the window of his prime not being open forever (or something to that effect).

We'll see how this season shakes out, regarding Melo. If the Knicks have a low seed and get bounced early, I can easily see Melo superfriend elsewhere. If it's a productive season with at least a ECF appearance, there might be some hope for him staying and retooling around him.

As for Rondo, same thing. Got to wait and see how the Brad Stevens/Rondo marriage works out in Boston. If it's shakey from the get go, Rondo probably make some stirs, and Ainge will have to put out feelers. If they have a great relationship, he puts up numbers, but the talent and picks don't pan out, maybe he'll want to team up with Melo in NY.

We'll see!

KnixinSix wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:

KnixinSix wrote:Hey thanks! As for your question, yes but that's 2 years from now and Melo and Tyson aren't super old but arguably have alot of mileage and aren't getting younger. Melo has even spoke about about the window of his prime not being open forever (or something to that effect).

We'll see how this season shakes out, regarding Melo. If the Knicks have a low seed and get bounced early, I can easily see Melo superfriend elsewhere. If it's a productive season with at least a ECF appearance, there might be some hope for him staying and retooling around him.

As for Rondo, same thing. Got to wait and see how the Brad Stevens/Rondo marriage works out in Boston. If it's shakey from the get go, Rondo probably make some stirs, and Ainge will have to put out feelers. If they have a great relationship, he puts up numbers, but the talent and picks don't pan out, maybe he'll want to team up with Melo in NY.

We'll see!

Buck if my 'intel' is correct, Rondo wants out and Ainge is more than willing to oblige his request provided that he gets the 2015-16 cap relief. We are one of the few teams that could do it.Rondo is likely going to get traded before the season starts and coming off an ACL it's not going to take a ridiculous amount of pieces to get him.

We'll see soon enough, September is right around the corner!

dk7th wrote:it would be a huge deal to acquire rondo even if his knee limits his defense some. we need a genuine orchestrator and distributor on this team.

HE WOULD easily be the best all around player on the knicks and he has a strong enough personality to demand his teamates to play the right way...

I don't doubt his talent, I doubt his head.

Google "Rondo Personality disorder"

Nobody has a diagnosis of it, but there is always a question about him that he "ain't right". Ray Allen I read was very professional about it, but he did not want to play with him anymore.

My take, nothing more.

tj23 wrote:Nice idea, but why would Boston deal with NY? What do we have that's more appealing than other teams?

nothing except the willingness to take on bad contracts and give future picks. Some teams won't be willing to pay the extra tax.