Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
“We’ve looked, and I wish we had the money to add him,” Rivers told the Argentinian website Olé. “We could really use him.”
The Celtics were reportedly among the teams expressing interest in the veteran swingman a few weeks ago, but the C’s have since added Courtney Lee. Therefore, they could only offer Delfino the $1.15 million veteran minimum or the $1.96 million bi-annual exception, which probably wouldn’t be enough. Instead, Rivers’ praise is likely just the coach complimenting a future opponent.
“They’ve turned him into a shooter,” Rivers also reportedly said of Delfino, “but he can give you more.”
NESN: Doc Rivers says Celtics “could really use” free agent Carlos Delfino
Carlos Delfino is a nice player…. nicer than $1.96 million… so the purpose of this dump is to sadly inform you that despite Doc’s glowing words, it’s extremely unlikely that the Celtics will get him. The only caveat Delfino lovers can hang their hats on right now is that this is the first summer under the new CBA and lot of money has been thrown around already.
So it’s possible guys at Delfino’s level who might normally get more than a barely-more-than-minimum-wage exception is left out of the free agent bank heist. The money, it’s been said, is drying up for guys who might have expected more.
Here’s my best reasoning for not expecting Carlos Delfino: He’s Milwaukee’s free agent… Milwaukee is looking at Mickael Pietrus as Delfino’s potential replacement… and the Celtics can’t afford Mickael Pietrus. So if the Bucks are cheaping out and going with Peaches as a cheaper option than Delfino, then how on earth will the C’s manage to get Delfino?
Sign-and-trade, you say? Well, the other reason they probably can’t get Delfino is they aren’t far from the $74 million hard cap that was imposed on the team because they used the full, $5 million mid-level exception on Jason Terry. That $5 million is for non-tax paying teams… so once it was inked, the C’s were not allowed to cross the $74 million mark. So unless Jeff Green magically grants the Celtics an extra million from his starting salary, then the chances of getting anyone for more than $2 million really go out the window.
Doc’s out in London and he’s talking to various media outlets and being nice. This could be no more than a guy who’s married looking at a girl saying “if I wasn’t married, I’d totally ask her out”. The C’s are capped out… so Doc can wish he had money for a lot of guys. I’m sure he wishes he had the money for Dwight Howard, too.
Who knows, maybe this plants a bug in Delfino’s ear and in a couple of years when he’s 31 and still got some decent basketball left, he’ll consider coming to Boston in a nice little bench role. It probably isn’t happening now though… not unless Danny Ainge pulls off some sort of 3-card Monte trick to get him.
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Check out ESPN Boston’s Summer Forecast for Chuck’s take on who gets the final roster spot this year.
Also: MWDN – Dave Cowens talks during Celtics basketball camp
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