Sing For Your Supper

Posted by Ryan DeGama on Jan 6, 2011 1409214 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2011%2F01%2F06%2Fsing-for-your-supper%2FSing+For+Your+Supper2011-01-06+22%3A34%3A56Ryan+DeGamahttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D14092

That Danny Ainge is a crafty one.

Not only did he hand Doc Rivers his deepest-ever Celtics roster, he did so while maintaining financial flexibility for the summer of 2012, a crucial asset if he’s to add a new star player to pair with Rajon Rondo.

Beyond even that, Ainge filled this year’s roster with a number of players in the final years of their contracts. The Celtics are being buoyed up by guys who are playing for their next paychecks, which usually amounts to better performance.

Have a look at the list of key C’s players whose contracts expire June 30, as lifted from ShamSports:

Kendrick Perkins – $4,640,208

Glen Davis – $3,000,004

Marquis Daniels – $2,388,000

Von Wafer -$854,389

Delonte West – $854,389

Beyond Perkins, whose 2010-11 debut is still to come, all these players are having strong years:

• Davis has been terrific all year and in games where Shaquille O’Neal has been out, or Jermaine O’Neal has been out, or Kevin Garnett has been out, or Semih Erden has been out, Big Baby has served as the all-purpose glue to keep the C’s big-man rotation functional. Davis is playing almost 10 minutes more per game than his previous career high, and also registering a career best in PER. With every passing game, it seems his market value is going up. If C’s fans want him to stick around, they might hope for a few more errant three-pointers to depress his open-market worth.

• Daniels has managed to stay healthy so far this season and after an unremarkable start, he has come on in the last few weeks, giving the Celtics’ brass glimpses of his versatility at the 1, 2, and 3 positions and playing solid, sometimes game-changing defense. Right now, Daniels is positioning himself as the primary backup to Paul Pierce in the playoffs and could see time backing up Rondo and Ray Allen as well. Take him out of this C’s rotation and then think about a match-up with Miami. How do you feel? Not great. Daniels, 30, has a chance for at least one more solid contract in his NBA career, assuming he can finish out the year without an injury and then deliver in the playoffs. He could be this year’s Tony Allen.

• Wafer has been downright spunky lately. His defense has been a pleasant surprise all year but as the injuries piled up over the last few weeks, Wafer stepped up on the offensive end. Earlier in the year, he spent most of his on-court time standing on the weak-side of the floor waiting for a pass that would never come, but lately he’s been taking the ball to the rim with silky smooth authority. That’s no small asset if it can be counted on: come playoff-time, you can always use another off-the-dribble scorer. Of course, Wafer is hardly an NBA mainstay, and might be in the most precarious position of any of these potential ex-Celtics this summer, so he’d be best off raising his three-point-shooting to something resembling the 39% he shot with Houston in 2008-09. Right now, he’s languishing at 18.2% on the year.

• We’re going to give West the benefit of the doubt because he was so good in the five games he did play, and because I think we have collective agreement that he’s a bargain given what he can bring to this team. But after roughing it up with Wafer early in the season, West’s remainder of time with the Celtics needs to be incident-free off the court if he’s to command the salary that his play demands on it. At his best, he’s going to swing games for the C’s in the playoffs. Which makes it a perfect marriage – Boston needs West as much as West needs Boston.

• Perk’s next contract, while all-but-guaranteed by some team or other, is unclear in terms of its prospective value. His game is hardly dependent upon great athleticism but his injury came at a bad time for him, contractually speaking. He’ll want to be the starting center by the time the playoffs end and answer any questions front-office types around the league have about the health of his knee. As if Perk needed anymore motivation than he already has.

The cheerful capper to this pay-for-play thing Ainge has going on?

Next year’s Celtics team will be in an even better position with Allen, both O’Neals, Garnett and Nate Robinson all heading for the unemployment line (or retirement; an almost equally effective motivator for players looking to secure their legacies). As well, Luke Harangody, and Semih Erden will be subject to qualifying offers, should the C’s wish to retain them.