According to a report by Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the Celtics and Courtney Lee have met, and the Celtics have emerged as a “serious suitor” for Lee.
The Boston Celtics have emerged as a serious suitor for Courtney Lee after coach Doc Rivers met with the free-agent guard Saturday night, according to sources familiar with Boston’s thinking.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Celtics, in the wake of losing sharpshooter Ray Allen to the Miami Heat, have racheted up their pursuit of Lee as a possible replacement. Lee averaged 11.4 points per game for the Houston Rockets last season and hit 40 percent of his 3-point attempts.
The Celtics don’t have the salary-cap space to sign Lee outright, but sources say that the Houston Rockets have let it be known that they’re willing to participate in sign-and-trade deals with both Marcus Camby and Lee amid the increasing likelihood that neither of those coveted free agents will be returning to Houston.
He goes on to say that the Wolves, Hawks, Pacers, Mavs and Suns also have interest. The key here would be what exactly the Celtics would have to give up in a sign-and-trade, and that would also depend on how much Lee is looking for. It’s an interesting scenario and it also perhaps shows their waning interest in bringing back Mickael Pietrus. Unless they feel that Pietrus would accept the bi-annual exception or minimum contract.
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