ESPN Insider is breaking down what every team in the league could -- and should -- do during the most anticipated offseason in NBA history. Ric Bucher and Chris Broussard have separated the league into six groups based on everything from cap room to organizational philosophy. We conclude with vested teams -- the Celtics, Nuggets, Magic and Blazers. Follow the whole series here.
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Boston Celtics[/h3]
Objective: Reload, not rebuild, for another run at a ring.
Assets: None; unless they renounce players (an unlikely scenario), which would create some cap room.
The plan: Boston wants to re-sign free agents
Paul Pierce and
Ray Allen, as well as adding a couple of big men and a scorer off the bench. With only four roster spots filled, the Celtics have plenty of pieces to add. If they renounce most of their free agents, they could be roughly $13 million beneath the cap. But the Celtics want to keep their core intact, especially if Doc Rivers returns for one more run.
Alternative advice: Kevin Garnett played his best ball during the playoffs, so let's assume he'll be better during next year's regular season than he was during this year's. That being the case, go for it again. Re-sign Pierce,
Tony Allen and
Nate Robinson. As much as it might hurt, you probably have to use Ray Allen as trade bait, so let's try to send Allen and
Marquis Daniels to Portland in a sign-and-trade deal for
Joel Przybilla and
Rudy Fernandez.
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Denver Nuggets[/h3]
Objective: Sign
Carmelo Anthony to a multiyear contract extension and add another big man.
Assets: Three trade exceptions: two worth less than a million dollars each that expire Aug. 2, and one worth $3.7 million that expires Aug. 9. Biannual exception (worth $1.9 million).
The plan: The Nuggets hope to avoid the potentially nightmarish free-agent scenario Cleveland has found itself in this summer by locking up Anthony with a three-year, $65 million extension. There's a good chance he'll sign it, because it's common knowledge that the league's next collective bargaining agreement (to begin after next season) will be far less favorable for the players than the current one, so it would behoove Anthony to get his money now.
Beyond that, Denver wants to add a big man to contend with the
Los Angeles Lakers' front line of
Andrew Bynum,
Pau Gasol and
Lamar Odom. The injury-riddled
Kenyon Martin, in the final year of a deal that pays him $16.5 million next season, could be used as trade bait. With nothing but exceptions available, chances of getting a guy like
Brendan Haywood in free agency are slim.
Alternative advice: You're not going to get much for Martin right now because of his history of injuries, so unless a deal blows you away, just keep him. Try to woo
Jermaine O'Neal with the mid-level exception to bolster your front line. If the team's not clicking by the February trade deadline, look to move Martin, who will have value because of his expiring contract.
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Orlando Magic[/h3]
Objective: None
Assets: A $6.8 million trade exception that expires July 9.
The plan: The Magic will not stand pat. They've already been mentioned in trade rumors regarding
Gilbert Arenas and
Chris Paul, so no one is safe other than
Dwight Howard. There's no particular position of need, just the fact that better players are needed at various spots.
Alternative advice: Vince Carter showed during the playoffs that he's not going to be able to carry you in the postseason, so shop him hard, as well as
Jameer Nelson.
Rashard Lewis will be hard to move because of his severely overpriced contract, but you can give it the old college try. Let's offer Carter to New Orleans for Paul, hoping that Carter being in the last year of his deal ($17.3 million next year, team option for 2011-12) will persuade the Hornets to act. Then let's try to move Nelson to Memphis, which is looking to upgrade at point guard, for
O.J. Mayo.
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Portland Trail Blazers[/h3]
Objective: See if
Greg Oden can stay healthy and use the mid-level exception to bolster the backcourt.
Assets: None.
The plan: While the window isn't closing, the Blazers realize that teams younger than they (i.e., Oklahoma City) are coming on strong, so they want to be aggressive in bettering their roster. They are high on rookie small forward
Luke Babbitt, whose outside shooting ability should help the Blazers space the floor. As for the backcourt, they could wind up with a backup or use the expiring contracts of
Andre Miller and Joel Przybilla to trade for a starting point guard.
Alternative advice: With
Marcus Camby aboard, Przybilla has become expendable, especially if Oden can ever get back on the floor. So let's package the contracts of Przybilla and Miller and make a run at Chris Paul. Miller would help second-year PG
Darren Collison develop in New Orleans and Przybilla would be nice playing behind
Emeka Okafor. Better yet, they'll give the Hornets financial relief after next season.
If that doesn't work, how about sending the duo to Boston for Paul Pierce? If Doc Rivers doesn't return as head coach and Ray Allen goes elsewhere, the Celtics might have to begin rebuilding. The future cap relief of the Portland duo might be attractive to Boston, which is also looking for a big man like Przybilla with
Kendrick Perkins on the mend.
Chris Broussard is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.