Mark Blount is the center we need to look at

[Admin]

for our future. He is really on the verge of breaking out big time and has been playing huge lately so I doubt that the Celtics would let him get away, but I would sure love to see him be our starting center for the next 5-6 years.

What it would take to try and sign him this offseason do you guys think?

[capstone21]

I have him in my fantasy pool so I have been following him pretty closely.

He has been on a tear the last couple of months. I can plainly say he is one of the top 2 centers in the East right now.

He is consistent and doing it on both sides of the court and he is grabbing rebounds left right and center.

Last week he had a game where he had 28 points and 21 rebounds...that is Duncan numbers.

Tonight 17 rebounds. He would be a great pickup. However, I think he will be expecting a lot of money.

[Boondocks]

well luckily for us the celts will not have his full bird rights, and since they're over the cap can only go as far as the MLE.

I'd say 6-ish mil starting salary could do it.

[Admin]

Thats definitely good to hear. I really think that I would offer him 6 mil a year for 4-6 years and let him anchor our frontcourt. Put Howard at PF and we wont be worrying about our 4-5 positions for many many years.

[Boondocks]

good to hear isn't it?

Quote:

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FREE AGENCY: This is where things get tricky for the Celtics. Center Mark Blount is an unrestricted free agent. The Celtics do not have his Bird Rights, meaning that if they want to re-sign him (they say they do) they'll have to dig into their mid-level salary exception to get it done. Blount is going to command some money on the open market, meaning that to re-sign him, the Celtics would likely have to spend most, if not all, of their exception to keep him around.

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with props to weez for posting tuesdays insider

[phoostal]

Are you guys kidding me? Paying a guy 6 million a year for 5 to 6 years for what he has done the last 10 games. Isn't this how we got into trouble with Crawford and Henderson?

There is a reason this guy has bounced around the league. Let's hope B. Knight isn't thinking like you guys or we will be in the same boat that we are in now. Trying to dump this guy because he takes up a 6 million in cap space and is signed for another 4 to 5 years.

Please come up with someone better than Blount for 6 million a year. I know there aren't many free agents this year, but that doesn't mean we over pay for the guys that are out there.

I would MAYBE give him 3 million a year, I would lean at starting at 2 million a year.

Geez, Jackson was starting last year for the World Champions and the best he could get was 1.5 from us. After turning down the 3 to 4 million the Spurs wanted to sign him for. But, now you guys are ready to give Blount 6 million.

Give me a break.

P

[chillzatl]

But there is absolutely no reason to think that he's about to break-out. I mean we've seen JT and crew put together some solid second halves, should we sign all those guys to big contracts?? HECK NO! If he's good, try him out and offer him a decent contract (2-3mil MAX).

[Admin]

If I had said I would sign him for a million dollars a year you would have come back and said that you would give him 5 million and to give you a break because I want to sign him for so cheap......but I digress.

First off, how many true athletic 7 footers are there in this league that can give you double digit points and rebounds on a nightly basis? Hell how many athletic 7 footers are there in this league even capable of giving you either of those much less both?

Secondly, why is it that Boston has been on a tear lately? Is it because for the first time in Blounts career he is really being given a chance to play big minutes and prove himself or is that just a coincidence? Through his career so far he has never averaged 20mpg and has finally gotten that chance this year and is truly proving himself.

Sure he could be a Hendu, but in Hendersons defense I think that we all know if he were not injury prone he would definitely be worth the money that he makes because he has always produced when healthy.

Blount is a much better rebounder than Theo, he is a very good defender although not quite the shotblocker that Theo is, however he is still quite good at blocking shots, but he is a FAR FAR better scorer than Theo and he is the type of player that doesnt require plays run for him to get his points because he hustles on the offensive glass and gets 2nd chance points.

Now, MAYBE 6 mil a year is too much for him, but I dont think it is. If we could offer him something like 3 years with a team option for a 4th at like 15-18 million it would be well worth it. Thats a good contract for a guy that shoots 56% from the field, 75% from the free throw line, gets 2 blocks per game (on average since seeing minutes increase), plus averages double figures in points and rebounds.

Thank God that B. Knight and the rest of the GMs in the league dont see Blount as the scrub that you do and thats why this offseason I GUARANTEE that he will get a contract from someone exceeding the MCE.

[Lascar78]

Quote:

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First off, how many true athletic 7 footers are there in this league that can give you double digit points and rebounds on a nightly basis?

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I don't know but blount's not one of them as of now. here are blount's stats:

Career: 5.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG

This Season: 9.3PPG, 6.4 RPG

So let's not go ahead and assume he's a nightly double double just yet because he's had a couple of good weeks. He may turn out to be worth it, but it's no certainty

[phoostal]

Yeah, you are right. I'm the only one that thinks Blount is not worth 6 million. I said it just to disagree with you.

Let's quit being childish. You don't like me or my opinions and let's leave it at that. At least I don't feel the same towards you. Maybe you should stop drinking the Hatorade and check your self into debate classes, anger management or something. Most people can have an educated conversation, except you. You respond once or twice and then stop responding (sad thing is I have tried throwing out an olive branch to you, but you just want to ignore it and be miserable towards people you don't agree with, nice attitude). I guess mainly because you can't make your point or disprove someone elses. But, who knows because you don't respond.

Anyways back to the inflated Blount.

Because the Celtics have a 6 game winning streak. Let's back up the Brinx truck to pay Blount. If you would have said 1 million I would have absolutely agreed with you.

DID YOU HEAR ME, I WOULD 100% AGREE WITH YOU. That should give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.

But, come on now. You guarantee that Blount will get over the 4.5 million salary for a multiyear contract. Great. He may, but if he does the team that signs him will be grossly over paying him for his services.

You throw up all these nice stats, but until he proves it over the course of an entire year I wouldn't pay more than 2 to 3 million for him. F@#% we have a track record of giving out stupid contracts, why keep it up. Let's be smart with our money and not give it out to players that haven't proven themselves. Ever heard of this one, Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

I would much rather have a Ray Allen, TMac, or one of the other bigger names next summer than giving up some cap space now to get Mark Blount. Did everyone hear me Mark Blount. Sends shivers down our spines. I'm sure that signing is going to shake the NBA world. I can see it now, did you see who Atlanta got for 6 million a year for 6 years. Who? Mark Blount. Oh boy, we can not take them lightly.

First words would be I think they just over paid for this guy. Bottom line, I would sign him but not for any more than 3 million. 6 games or a second half of an NBA season does nothing to merit a 6 million a year contract. Sorry but we disagree and it's not because you have beef with me. It's because this is not what's best for the Atlanta Hawks. That money could be best used somewhere else.

If he goes on to be a superstar you can call me out. I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong. Like I always say this is just my opinion and I will be glad to be proven wrong if the Hawks pick him up and he is this great player.

P

[phoostal]

I just want to give a shout out to Lascar and Chillz for agreeing that he is not worth 6 million. From the last post I read I thought I was the only one that thought he wasn't. I guess there are others that actually think like me. Go figure Dolfan. I never knew other people were as dumb as me.

P

[Blunt91]

I wouldn't get too cozy with Blount just yet let's see can he keep this up on a consistent basis. I remember the year after we traded away Lorenzen Wright he Had a monster game on his birthady with like 28pts and 26rebounds. We all thought we might have made a mistake in trading him, but he hasn't did "jack" since that game. Maybe Blount is in the same mold as lazy Lo.