The Celtics currently only have 4 players under contract for next season - Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley and JaJuan Johnson. Those contracts total only about $30.5 million, which would be well below the expected salary cap of approximately $58 million. However, that doesn't mean that the Celtics will necessarily be able to dive into free agency on a spending spree. The system includes cap holds for impending free agents, which count against the salary cap until the players are either re-signed or their rights are renounced. Decisions will need to be made regarding the large contracts of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen that will be coming off the books this summer. Renouncing their rights would free up cap room, but would also cost them their Bird Rights. They could still be re-signed after that, but the team would be unable to go over the salary cap to do so.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Celtics off-season decisions
This summer could be a pivotal turning point for the Boston Celtics. What was originally intended to be a three year plan to lift this team to title contention stretched out to a five year plan. As of July 1st, when free agency officially begins, that window may very well shut, ending this run with the current version of the Big Three.
![]()
The Celtics currently only have 4 players under contract for next season - Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley and JaJuan Johnson. Those contracts total only about $30.5 million, which would be well below the expected salary cap of approximately $58 million. However, that doesn't mean that the Celtics will necessarily be able to dive into free agency on a spending spree. The system includes cap holds for impending free agents, which count against the salary cap until the players are either re-signed or their rights are renounced. Decisions will need to be made regarding the large contracts of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen that will be coming off the books this summer. Renouncing their rights would free up cap room, but would also cost them their Bird Rights. They could still be re-signed after that, but the team would be unable to go over the salary cap to do so.
The Celtics currently only have 4 players under contract for next season - Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley and JaJuan Johnson. Those contracts total only about $30.5 million, which would be well below the expected salary cap of approximately $58 million. However, that doesn't mean that the Celtics will necessarily be able to dive into free agency on a spending spree. The system includes cap holds for impending free agents, which count against the salary cap until the players are either re-signed or their rights are renounced. Decisions will need to be made regarding the large contracts of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen that will be coming off the books this summer. Renouncing their rights would free up cap room, but would also cost them their Bird Rights. They could still be re-signed after that, but the team would be unable to go over the salary cap to do so.
Friday, June 22, 2012
LeBron's New Legacy
We will never view LeBron James the same way again. For years he has been scrutinized under a microscope far brighter than one any other player has ever faced. Rather than appreciate his accomplishments and watch in awe at his athletic brilliance, we picked apart his flaws. We were never satisfied with his eye popping statistics or MVP trophies. We refused to place him among the all-time greats, alongside Jordan, Bird, Magic and Kobe. He could never be on their level because he wasn't a winner. He was a King without a ring.
Until now.
LeBron James finally silenced his critics by reaching the top of the mountain. It took him nine years to do it, but all that matters is that he won. He's a champion. Not only that, but he carried the team on his shoulders to do it, leaving no doubt that he is the league's most dominant active player. He averaged 30.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists in the postseason. He established a new league record for the number of playoff games in a season with at least 25, 5 and 5 in those categories. He marked his spot in history with transcendent games that he took over and won nearly on his own - such as his 45 point series saving performance in Game 6 in Boston. Then he capped it all off with an exclamation mark in the close out game of the Finals with a 26-11-13 triple-double. LeBron didn't just win, he dominated, providing one of the best post-season performances of all time.
Until now.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
NBA Finals Preview
Oklahoma City. Miami
The two cities couldn't be more different, with one being a laid back mid-western town and the other a warm weather hot spot thriving with exotic night life. Let's just say that only one of those cities is considered to be a popular vacation destination. The culture and lifestyle of the two cities are vastly different.
Their basketball teams? In some ways they are similar, but in other ways they couldn't be any more different. Kind of like the cities they reside in.
Let's get the obvious similarity out of the way first. Both teams are built around the star power of their top three players. Miami boasts a trio headlined by arguably two of the top five players in the league, including the reigning MVP, to go along with a third perennial All-Star. OKC has a star that has led the league in scoring in each of the past three seasons, despite the emergence of his star sidekick and the league's best sixth man. LeBron, Wade and Bosh vs. Durant, Westbrook and Harden. That's how the NBA Finals is being marketed, and with good reason. This is a league that loves star power.
The two cities couldn't be more different, with one being a laid back mid-western town and the other a warm weather hot spot thriving with exotic night life. Let's just say that only one of those cities is considered to be a popular vacation destination. The culture and lifestyle of the two cities are vastly different.
Their basketball teams? In some ways they are similar, but in other ways they couldn't be any more different. Kind of like the cities they reside in.
Let's get the obvious similarity out of the way first. Both teams are built around the star power of their top three players. Miami boasts a trio headlined by arguably two of the top five players in the league, including the reigning MVP, to go along with a third perennial All-Star. OKC has a star that has led the league in scoring in each of the past three seasons, despite the emergence of his star sidekick and the league's best sixth man. LeBron, Wade and Bosh vs. Durant, Westbrook and Harden. That's how the NBA Finals is being marketed, and with good reason. This is a league that loves star power.Monday, June 4, 2012
Timmy Trouble
Tim Thomas has made many saves for the Boston Bruins over the past few years, helping them win a lot of games in the process. Now it appears he is intent on doing the opposite.
The two-time Vezina Trophy winner announced that he is considering taking a year off. As he put it, at this point in his life he feels it's more important to focus on the three F's in his life - family, friends and faith. That would be fine if there were some pressing personal issue that required his attention. After all, some things are more important than sports. Yet the fact that Thomas has not actually said this is the case leaves the situation open to question his motives for not honoring his contract.
Thomas still has one year left on his deal, which would pay him $3 million. He won't make a dime of that of course if he does actually sit out the entire season, yet his $5 million cap hit would still remain. That's the bigger issue here. It's not the money that would come out of the owner's pockets that concerns Bruins fans, it's the empty clog on the team's available cap space. Not only would they be without the services of one of the best goal tenders on the planet, but they would have limited funds available to improve the team in his absence. The team will get some relief by again putting Marc Savard on long term injury reserve, which would make up for $4 million of that lost cap room, but the team would have had that either way.
The two-time Vezina Trophy winner announced that he is considering taking a year off. As he put it, at this point in his life he feels it's more important to focus on the three F's in his life - family, friends and faith. That would be fine if there were some pressing personal issue that required his attention. After all, some things are more important than sports. Yet the fact that Thomas has not actually said this is the case leaves the situation open to question his motives for not honoring his contract.Thomas still has one year left on his deal, which would pay him $3 million. He won't make a dime of that of course if he does actually sit out the entire season, yet his $5 million cap hit would still remain. That's the bigger issue here. It's not the money that would come out of the owner's pockets that concerns Bruins fans, it's the empty clog on the team's available cap space. Not only would they be without the services of one of the best goal tenders on the planet, but they would have limited funds available to improve the team in his absence. The team will get some relief by again putting Marc Savard on long term injury reserve, which would make up for $4 million of that lost cap room, but the team would have had that either way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)