Big Baby Back?

Posted by Zach Lowe on Jul 16, 2009 283339 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2009%2F07%2F16%2Fbig-baby-back%2FBig+Baby+Back%3F+2009-07-16+14%3A07%3A03Zach+Lowehttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D2833

This is basically old news, but it’s a useful reminder: The Herald today reports that Big Baby‘s options are limited, as Detroit, his primary suitor, has just over $3 million to offer him before going over the cap–a number the C’s would likely match after letting the Pistons hang in the wind for a week. 

Dallas, which has its mid-level intact, is uninterested, Oklahoma City isn’t blowing any of  its remaining cap room on Baby, and Portland is shooting much higher (Paul Millsap). 

So it looks like Glen will likely be coming back here. Something to consider: If the C’s do re-sign Davis, that gives them 12 players with guaranteed money for next season. Which means there are three spots open (NBA teams can carry a max of 15 players during the season) for the following candidates:

-Gabe Pruitt (non-guaranteed deal)

-Lester Hudson (unsigned draft pick with a broken finger)

-Open slot for a free agent

So, assuming the C’s don’t make a deal here–and that’s an iffy assumption, considering Ainge remains open to a sign-and-trade–the C’s cannot sign both a back-up point guard AND a wing player. 

Which direction they decide to go in will tell you a lot about which set of young players the team has more faith in. They’ve got three guys who, in theory, could fill the back-up wing spot (Tony Allen, J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker) and two internal candidates for Rondo back-up duties (Pruitt and Hudson). 

Personally, I think you have to sign the wing, even if the back-up wing gang is more crowded than the back-up PG crowd. The team cannot afford to play Paul Pierce 36 minutes per game again this season. That is not an option. 

Again, this roster dilemma becomes moot if Ainge moves two guaranteed deals (likely some combo of TA, Scal and Giddens’ expiring deals) for one. 

What do you guys think?