Bill Burt
A few weeks ago, we were nominating James Posey for president.
The Boston Celtics sixth man, Kevin Garnett's top pregame hugging buddy, proved to be his team's version of Patriots poster boy Troy Brown — willing and able to do whatever it takes to win.
A few weeks from now, barring concessions from Posey's camp, he may be gone.
The Celtics forward, who officially became a free agent yesterday, has basically been told, via his agent Mark Bartelstein, that the Celtics will not enter a bidding war. And I mean not even close to a bidding war.
In fact, if Bartelstein, who is apparently steamed beyond belief, was paying attention, the Celtics sent that message loud and clear on draft day by bringing in two athletic mid-size players.
The expectation on draft day was that, per ownership's orders, they didn't want to take on any new salaries, in order to save up money for Posey.
That first round pick salary is guaranteed for two years at about $2 million total.
Instead, with the 30th pick the Celtics selected a talented enigma in J.R. Giddens (who has a Posey-like frame ... interesting?) and then paid cash to acquire Bill Walker, who was chosen 47th overall by the Washington Wizards.
For good measure, with the last pick in the second round the Celtics chose "Mr. Irrelevant," Turkish center Semih Erden, a 7-foot-1, 240-pounder who averaged 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in the Euroleague this past winter. Erden, though, will remain in Europe at least one more season.
The Celtics ownership group has told Danny Ainge & Co. that Posey's dream of twentysomething million isn't happening here.
The Celtics are over the luxury cap as it is, which means whatever they were to pay Posey would be doubled, based on the "tax" they would pay to the NBA pool.
If you recall, Ainge admitted it was a tough sell to sign Posey in the first place for $3.5 million last season, but thankfully, Celtics owners trusted Ainge on that one.
The one-year Posey and Eddie House contracts ate up most of the $5.8 million mid-level last season.
Rather than give Posey, who turned 31 in January, the three or four-year deal he would want, at that $5.8 million per year, the Celtics would like to keep that mid-level exception open for some potential star who would come here for one season to contend for another championship.
With Garnett politicking, some interesting veterans might want that slot (see Corey Maggette) and shot at a championship for one season.
What could work in the Celtics' favor is that there aren't many teams out there, with cap room available, that need Posey. Most of those teams, like Memphis or Philadelphia, needs stars.
And the teams that could use Posey, like the Lakers, are in the same position as the Celtics are, over the salary cap, which means they would in essence have to pay double for Posey's services.
His hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, where he'd be a perfect complement to LeBron James, is a possibility.
What could work in the Celtics' favor is the fact the Posey had a religious-like experience here in Boston this past season. According to his dad, James Posey Sr., it was the best year he ever had in sports.
That would mean Posey taking another deal in the $3.5 million vicinity, probably for one or at most two seasons. Celtics owners would have to be convinced, too. And I'm not sure if they would do that.
Which brings us back to draft day.
Giddens, whose agent also is Bartelstein (isn't that interesting?), might be good enough to play important minutes next season. While two inches shorter than Posey, he too is a high energy player with the strength and long arms to make an immediate impact on defense.
Such is the life as a champion. You win some and, unfortunately in Posey's case, you might lose them, too.
"When you win a championship, some players get the opportunity to get a bigger contract," said Ainge last week. "You can't blame them."
E-mail Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.
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