Well, now what?

Ricky Davis is a free agent. Bring back Ricky World. He's a proven winner.

Jiri Welsch showed a lot of promise here years ago. Would have to fight it out with Scal to wear Ainge's #44 and earn Danny's binky status.

Vin Baker could use the money.

Ryan Gomes. This one I'm serious about. Perfect guy for a team like this.

How about Josh Childress? Would Atlanta let him go if the Celts offered him a 3 or 4 year deal at the full mid-level exception? If that cant be done, i would go with Barnes. He's got good size and a solid offense game and could slide into Poseys' spot nicely. Also he's only 28, so thats a huge plus.

Ainge's to-do list, going forward:

1. Re-sign Eddie House. Lue is Milwaukee-bound. Get it done. Eddie was solid off the bench the first 50 or so games, before "Sam I Am" Cassell arrived.

2. Re-sign Tony Allen. Gotta believe he'd take a 1-year deal. Let him step up in 2008-2009 and increase his FA value for next summer. If he shows he can "replace" Posey, then sign him longer term next summer.

3. Of all the names on the Globe's list of possible "replacements" for Posey, I'd go with Matt Barnes. He's 28 years old (3 years younger than Posey), and if he's truly a "hustle guy," that's exactly what you need off the bench.

That leaves you with the Starting 5 (KG, Pierce, Ray Allen, Rondo and Perk), plus a bench consisting of: House, Tony Allen, Matt Barnes, Leon Powe, J.R. Giddens, Big Baby, Pruitt and O'Bryant. Not a sexy bench, but probably sufficient enough.

Eduardo Najera

I actually like Devean George
He is a good defender off the bench, a better rebounder than Posey, plus he has loads of playoff experience. I dont care much about his offense, I dont think Posey was that important offensively either. Sure he hit some big 3's...but he only averaged roughly 7 points for the C's. I think you can get George AND Allen for what they were going to pay Posey for.

I agree with Satch at 3) but would add that the bench, playing with the big 3 (plus) are better than you may believe, and watch for Rondo, and rookie Bill Walker, plus FA's to be real contributers.
Remember Danny is a good judge of talent ie. Posey and House!

What about Giddens & Walker. I think we could have a couple of very good players here that could develop under the experience of the Big 3. I haven't heard about the draft picks since the draft.

RYAN GOMES, and if not him then look at Craig Smith. And how about Delonte West as backup point guard? Is Antoine available from Memphis?

Bring back Ryan Gomes!!!!!!!!

Here's my list : Jamaal Magliore,Kirk Snyder,Darius Miles,(the get even )Jannero Pargo,Keyon Drooling,or make a sign and trade...

I think a nice low-budget option would be Quinton Ross from the Clippers...he's a big time hustle guy who can defend well. He lacks an offensive game (as of now), which means we certainly need to add more than just Ross. But because his cost would only be about $1mill per season and he's still only 27, I think this would be an under-the-radar move that would be very beneifical to the Celtics. Come on Danny!

Sign Quinton Ross!!!

Tony Allen and Eddie House need to be signed. Josh Childress could help-The rest put on the scrap pile

Why does everyone think House is good hes such a one dimensional player and if hes not zoned in on that particular evening hell shoot 11 percent from the field and he did that regularly. He cant push the ball up the court and hes also not a field general . Defensively hes still not there. My question is though can Childress also play small forward like Posey did. I know Childress is above average in height for a point guard which would allow him to slip in the SF spot also.

JR Giddens will be a good player for the C's. When he came to New Mexico he had poor coaching that almost ruined his chance. When Steve Alford became coach last year it all changed, and JR showed what he could do. He's a good defender, a great rebounder for his size, and very athletic with a versatile offensive game.

Walter McCarty. The poor man's James Posey.

Although I like Gomes, he's too similar to Powe and Big Baby. It would be nice to get Delonte back, but he looked like the second best player on the Cavs during the play-offs - doubt he's available. I liked Snyder in college, but haven't seen much of him in the pros.

FInley and then Barnes...you need a guy with major cajones in crunch time. Also willing to throw his body all over the floor. Finley meets 1st criteria; Barnes 2nd.

Before we can make a logical choice,lets wait and see if we still have House in the mix.If House doesn't return to the team,my choices who we need might be different without House on the bench.The whole picture changes,when their are 2 players needed to be replaced,whether their position was the same or not.My feelings all alone has been,if Posey goes,so goes House.Their agent is the same guy,who i think has got some bad taste in his mouth now,with the Celtics not coming up with Posey's 4yr.deal.I know everyone thinks Posey got what he really wants, imo i feel Posey wanted to retire as a Celtic...and this can very well affect the House outcome. There's only 1 player i see is worth Posey,and a possible House replacement ,but he is a restricted free agent,so its highly unlikely we can or will get him.Josh Smith would almost help me get over losing Posey,and House if necessary.The rest of the field,are only fillers,or guys who some view as possible replacements.

Quinton Ross for the Clippers would be a perfect replacement for Posey. He is unrestrcited, as well.

Darius Miles would be an insane addition to the Celts. He's had injuries and trouble in the past, but he's a natural athlete that brings all the defense of Posey with a lot of inside offense and rebounding. He's not going to knock down threes like James, but he'd beat out Baby and Powe for an early spot off the bench.

What about Ricky Davis, he's 6'7", quick, a good shooter, can defend and he's played in Boston before?

Celtic Fan in Northern California reports:

If you can get Matt Barnes, sign him. He's much better than you realize and in system like the Celtics will only get better. Nellie used him, but never with sufficient discipline. Guy can play and brings electricity off the bench.

Fans will love Barnes after a week in Beantown.

How about taking two high energy guys from Golden State...Matt Barnes and Kelenna Azubuike...or either one and resign Eddie House .

Josh Childress is the one, just ask Pierce.

Here's a name for you - Matt Bonner. Local guy with NH roots. A big guy who hustles and can really shoot the rock. I bet San Antonio can be convinced to trade him.

Bill Walker is going to be a beast just watch.....i'd say grab just 1 more FA for depth...finley or bonzi wells would be a great offensive perk

Watch House sign with someone within the next couple of days. He wants
more than the Celtics will offer him. A pay raise and security, meaning more
than one year. If Danny wouldn't give Posey 4 years, why in the heck would he
tie himself up with House for any number of years other than one. Allen will
probably be tendered an offer, since he knows the offense he would be a fit.
I can't imagine he will get much money after what he did last year. If he ever
gets his head screwed on straight he could be a terrific replacement for Posey.
I also like Gomes, but I really don't see Kevin letting him come here. If he
doesn't want him he will sign him and trade him somewhere. How can you
not like Ryan Gomes, a quality kid, a quality player.

I say we go ger Pargo who can do what House and Cassell was suppose to do. He can shot, handle the ball and doesnt need much money prob. Vet min with a player option for next yr. He would be able to b a point and still score on the second unit.
Then I say go after TA on a one yr deal. Kinda show me what u can do and we will talk next yr type of deals. Kid has potential but can potential actually become reality with him. I Love TA and with that crazy bang at the end of Game 6 shows signs.
Then I would hollar hard at Childress, J.R. Smith, or Bostjan Nachbar.
I personal would love Bostjan Nachbar can run create his own shot D is kinda weak but memba KG would be in his ass barking orders he would figure it out. He adds hieght on the wings and out side shot for the second unit. Or J.R. Smith crazy talent and would be fun to have him, TA, and Giddens Sport Center Top Ten every night..

Ry-an Gomes, Ry-an Gomes!! He'd be perfect!

Darius Miles - he's talented, hungry and will come cheap. It's a low risk signing

I love Gomes, but Barnes is the fit they need.

Posey provided

1. Clutch 3's, and taking away opponent's 3's with his length and anticipation.
2. Neutraiize hard moves to the hoop by repeatedly stepping up to draw the charge
3. Huge defensive rebounds with the game on the line
4. Fearless in crunch time

Man, we're not going to replace all that. Don't know much about the possible replacements but none seem to have what Pose had. Barnes is supposedly a good rebounder and passer, borderline from 3. George is apparently a good rebounder, borderline 3 point shooter, decent D, not a good passer. Both are around 6'7. Childress can't shoot the 3 but has nice mid range game. Good defender, weak defensive rebounder. He was a difference maker in that series against us, but he doesn't bring the inside toughness of Pose. We need a guy like Pose who can draw hard charges, bottle up 3 point shooters, and lock up rebounds in crunch time to limit the opponent to 1 shot. Can any of these guys do that? Yikes. Childress is probably the best player of the bunch though. He's got the length and can jump out of the gym. He looked like a smart and unselfish player against us. Offensive rebounding was a weakness of ours and he could definitely help there. He's young too. Maybe Danny should go after him. We'd lose the defensive rebounding, inside toughness, 3 point shooting of Pose, but gain offensive rebounding, mid range game. Both are smart players.

Tony Allen needs to come back. It's awful hard to have a championship caliber team without someone who cannot dribble, is an instant turnover, doesn't understand the offense, and is vastly overrated on defense. Keep reaching for the stars and falling for those pump fakes, Tony.

I haven't followed the FA class this year so I didn't even know Childress was a RFA. I think RD3's comments are spot on and looking back on that Atlanta series, he caused match up problems with his athleticism. Moreover, he's young and with the Big 3 he can roam as an athletic help defender. I gotta agree with RD3 here and really wonder if we make a 4 yr offer, Atlanta has to let him go right??

Beyond Gomes, the rest of this list just isn't appealing. Gomes doesn't shoot the 3 as well as Posey and doesn't shoot as much. It looks like he added that to his game just this year. Childress shoots a better %, but he doesn't shoot as many 3's either. They are both about the same age, I just think Childress upside.

Marty Conlon or bust

bring back reggie miller, pippen and sir charles barkely

JR Smith...super athlete, could provide HUGE spark off the bench.

I agree with RD3 and Mac. Josh Childress. He has the game, the flexibility, the endurance, the desire, the upside, the length, and the youth (he is 25) the Celtics need. On my board, he was always the second guy after James Posey. Anyone who knew anything about the game knew Corey Maggette was an extreme long shot not to follow the money: Ainge tried, and why not? Childress is a restricted free agent, but with the Hawks expected to go the distance to retain Smith, they may not match. Hope Ainge pursues him hard. Go Celtics!

I would go for Matt Barnes. He hustles, can hit the three, and plays "D". I remember how well he played against Dallas in the playoffs a year ago.

We used to watch him play at UCLA. The C's fans would really enjoy his well rounded game.

Tony Allen is not ready to play in the NBA. get House and Wells

1. Ryan Gomes - nothing exceptional but solid contributor and a fan favorite.
2. Childress - although I didn't think the Hawks will let him leave.
3. Barnes - probably not gonna be as good as he was two years back for GS.
4. Devean George
5. Tony Allen -

-I loved the WALTAH comment. I believe he is an assistant to Pitino at Louisville now.

Also, don't count out J.R. He seems like he'll be a nice fit to the rotation.

I think that Gomes would fit in perfectly off the bench as a source of energy and rebounding. The Boston fans already love him, and he would provide a much needed boost to a second team that struggled for the most part, especially in the playoffs. However, we do have Leon Powe and Big Baby, who essentially provide the same intangibles. I think we need an offensive-minded guard to help boost the bench scoring and provide a much-needed break for Ray Allen. Maybe Matt Barnes could do that for us, but I like the Pargo suggestion.

Is anybody else upset that we didn't pick up a backup pg (mario chalmers?) with our first pick. I don't see Gabe Pruitt getting it done this year, and we need some young talent instead of the trigger-happy cassell.

LeBron James- even though he is past his prime

try to get ryan gomes some how. he is young, defintely can score points & will improve especially with veterens like ray allen & kevin garnett on the team to help out like perkins received this past year on the celtics.

Antoine Walker...get him cheap, he'll be motivated...boom #18

SPREWELL!!!!! He needs the money! He would even do it for cheap money! haha

no-one can replace pose...he's the man.

I totally agree with the two guys from Northern Cali. Huge fan of the Celtics and live in Nothern Cali too. If the Celtics can sign the two guys from Golden State...Matt Barnes and Kelenna Azubuike... You will not be dissappointed! They can flat out play defense and hustle. OR Please resign Ryan Gomes!!!! He would be a great role player for the Celtics.

What about Iguodala of Philly? He's restricted but with them just signing Brand, they might not be able to match it. He's got defense and offense and 3's in his repertoire.

What about giving a shot to J.J. Redick?

Forget all the baloney about defense. It was his clutch 3 point shooting in the playoffs that got Posey this big contract. His three point threat also spread the floor and opened things up for the other players. RYAN GOMES IS NOT THIS TYPE OF PLAYER. Granted he's improved his outside shooting but he's not considered a "shooter". And neither is Tony Allen. I'm not sure who the answer is but if you want a player similar to Posey he needs to hustle, take a charge and be able to STICK THE THREE!

J.J. Redick????

Childress (I think Atlanta would match up to the full 5-yr mid, but worth trying) or JR Smith. Gomes needed 30 min/gm to get 12 & 5. I liked him too, but come on. Danny's better to use a combination of Giddens, Walker, TA at the minimum for a year, sign House as the only guy resembling a vet and wait to see who gets bought out in Feb.

Giddens or Baby, Scal, a future 1st and TA or Cassell re-signed for a year to make the numbers work, traded for Artest. That's the only guy who replaces Pose, and then some.

With all the talk here, no one mentioned the fact that the Cs don't have any 3 pt shooter outside of Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. With Posey out of the picture, it is a MUST to resign Eddie since he can shoot 3s late in the game as part of the small ball offense (don't get me started why Paul don't play the point more often even with rest). Almost all the players listed are swingman with no real outside threat, Eddie has to stay or the whole offense has to change due to the lack of depth from the 3 points department.

Out of all the ones listed, Gomes would be my choice to replace Posey. Pargo is NOT what you want on the team. Outside of the stats, have you guys ever seen the guy play? He is another version of Tony Allen, turnovers + no passing.

How about adding Patrick O'Bryant from Golden State? He's a 7 footer with the requisite name to fit in Celtics green.

Danny really messed up on this one by giving up Posey, and his departure will haunt the Celts. For one year, he destroyed the team chemistry and for what $6 million! You are not going to replace Posey's talent with any of the players mentioned,and now all you are looking at is band-aids. Giving up Posey would be comparable to the PATS giving up Wes Welker. SAY GOOD BYE TO THE 2009
SEASON! GREAT Job Danny ... see you in another 20 years ....

I wonder if DA is thinking about last camp's surprise Brandon Wallace before being the final cut.....

Pargo is the only unrestricted FA left worth pursuing - he is the answer at backup PG and would be the only FA that give us something we don't have - there is no replacement for Posey out there - so Pargo would fix our weakness last year at backup PG and could help at 2 - need existing bench or rookies to pick up slack at 3 and 4 that we lose with Posey gone

I've been thinking that Matt Barnes could be a perfect fit for this team since free agency began. By the way, is anyone serious about Antoine? No, nooo, noooooooo! Aside from Ricky Davis, he is just about the only thing that could drag this team down.
I'll miss Posey, but it was probably a good decision to let him go at that high price. They have to anticipate the future, and needing to resign some of their younger stars. Maybe TA out to come back and dribble the ball off his feet a few more times before we finally dump him.

Nobody on that list will bring the defense and intangibles that former XU star Posey did. That being said, the core of this team is getting older so Danny Ainge must make a decision. Does he bring in a veteran to try and win back-to-back titles or does he try to get younger?

He probably splits the exception to give them some flexibility rather than lock up one player for all the money.

If this would be the list, and you had to pick from it, I'm guessing you'd take Finley. You have to someone who is going to stretch the other team's D and will hit shots in the clutch.

You lose D (which will hurt vs. Cleveland) and you lose all the intangibles. But, you gain a guy who looks like Billy Ocean. That has to help.

If you put JJ Redick, Adam Morrison, and Tyler Hansboro, put them in a bag, shook up the bag, and picked one out, could you tell the difference?

All great college players from good systems in college. All drafted high (well, not Hansboro yet, but it's a foregone conclusion), and every single one of them won't score much more than 8 pts a game for their career average.

ADD THE BONZINATOR WITH GOOD MINUTES HE WILL BE MOTIVATED AND WHEN EVER HE IS MOTIVATED HE PLAYS GOOD

Ricky Davis number 12 back in the house.

Josh Childress, without a doubt. Then get JJ Redick to replace House.

House and Walker, we all know how good Walker and Pierce played together. That's a big four lineup.

Posey _in my opinion made a stupid decision to leave the Celtics>_ I think the smart decision was to go for 5mill/ year for 3 years.

He wont withstand the contract he went for--& the Hornets have a lot of "BUT IF "Clauses in it

The Celts winning number 17 was one of my happiest sports moment. Having said that now losing JP is one of the lowest ones. I don't blame him for going and getting what he wanted as how many of us would leave 6 million dollars? JP did what he had to do. Danny should have not let that one more year be a deal breaker. I truly believe that the Celts would not have gotten #17 if not for JP. He wasn't one of the Big 3 but the intangibles he brought to the table were just as important. All I can say about losing Pose is remember the Miami Heat. With the Big 3, the Celts will not be a last place team like the Heat this year or get swept out in the first round a year after winning it all but I, for one, do not see them getting banner # 18 this year. Should have paid JP the money, he proved he was worth it.

Never mind all the has-beens everyone's been recommending. If it's superstar material that the Celts want, look no further than Walter "T-Bone" Madison out of the Hornets organization. His record speaks for itself.

Time for another trade, Danny. Hey...it can be done. The Denver Nuggets just gave away Marcus Camby.

Danny most likely realizes that the future for the Cs is now. Their window of championship opportunity with their current corp of players is two more years at best. That's why I was surprised the C's didn't go the extra mile to sign Posey.

The remaining free agents don't excite me...although it would be nice to see the C's reacquire Ryan Gomes. If the Celtics want to repeat, they'll have to beat the Lakers, plus Andrew Bynum...the Pistons with a healthy Chauncey Billups...LaBron and his Cavs...the Spurs with a healthy Manu Ginobli...and their biggest threat...the New Orleans Hornets, led by Chris Paul.

The C's will need to acquire an impact player if they hope to overcome these teams.

KG is 32, Ray Allen 33 and both sit on long term contracts.
Hard to figure why Ainge didn't offer four years to Posey.
He was one of the main reasons they got that title, he is a huge loss.

Darius Miles

I just don't get the skepticism being aired about next season. Danny's not done signing free agents, we haven't seen the rookies yet, and while I liked Posey, he was a 7-point per game guy. I agree he brought intangibles. But this is a veteran nucleus of players who all benefited from having played a season with the guy. I think they have a closer bond with each other because of Posey and he set a great example with his hustle and commitment to defense. That will have a lasting impact on these players.

In a perfect NBA basketball world , and were he available at the a reasonable price, I'd have Ron Artest sign a Celtic contract to replace James Posey.

Bring back Gomes!!

I think that Danny should take a shot at getting Josh Smith. Even though he is restricted, I think it's worth a try to offer him something. It doesn't seem like many other teams want him, and he doesn't want to return to Atlanta.

Danny should give him a look. He played an important role in Atlanta's improvement last season, and in a locker room like the Celtics, it may have a positive effect on the "attitude issues" that we are hearing about.

I think Pierce sent a message through the media last week that he wants Marbury, saying the Knicks "should buy him out" and he should sign with a veteran team where he can fit in to an established system.

Marbury plays both guard positions and, while he can get a little crazy, will have to behave around KG, Pierce, and Allen.

Combine Tony Allen and Ryan Gomes and you have the best possible answer, because of the range of players Posey could defend. It would turn the Posey minus into a plus I believe. The fans would love Gomes returning to the Celtics. A healthy Tony Allen and Gomes would address current needs because they have enough experience, as well as longer term plans, because they are both just entering their primes.

Allen was a team player operating at less than full health in 2007-2008, but there were signs he was getting his hop back at the end of the season. Gomes is a good character guy, who would benefit from the Celtic veteran leadership and defensive coaching. On this Celtic team, Gomes offers a lot now and has very high potential. The only question is whether the Celtics can get him away from Minnesota (another favor we are not likely to get from McHale).

It has to be Gomes. No one is going to be an exact replacement for Posey but Gomes brings the energy and an improved skill set off the bench. Certainly Danny can see that.

Re-sign Eddie House, tell PJ to stick around for another year, and then go get Antoine Walker!

For reasons already mentioned by many here, I'll say Josh Childress. I kept saying to myself (and anyone that would listen) during the first round "Man, I like the way this Childress kid plays. Just, I wish he wasn't doing it against us right now."
I like how he played, I like his skills and I liked his attitude. Everytime he came in against the C's, I hated it because he was playing so well. That's the kind of guy I'd like to see in for the Celtics.

We do NOT need any of the following: Artest, Davis, Marbury...are you kidding me??? Any of these guys (or others like them) would be an absolute poison to this team. To me, if Michael Finley can still do it, he's the man to go after.

Ryan Gomes would fit in and is a class act. He has the fundamentals and knows the system that Doc employs. Celts must resign House and decide that Pruitt will get more time.

Re-sign Eddie House, tell PJ to stick around for another year, and then go get Antoine Walker!!

Antoine Walker??? As Johnny Mac used to say; YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!

I still have my Ryan Gomes Celtics bobblehead doll. what more incentive does Danny need.

Only a few people have mentioned Delonte West, and he ought to be considered seriously. A good offer would not only attract him, but make it pretty painful for Cleveland to match--their salary total is up there. He is a combo guard who plays good defense and can hit the 3. He was impressive in the playoffs. He likes the Celtics and the town. If they can get him, they don't have to resign House (although I like him), and they could resign TA for a defensive specialist.

Devean George? A Walker? Darius Miles? Ricky Davis? Bonzi Wells?

A lot of people on crack right now.....

Ainge sez "there is no championship without James Posey" I agreed and then they let him walk. Dumb move.

Darius Miles--can dunk and nothing else; A Walker--can't finish at the rim or in the paint. can't shoot a decent pct; Devean George is useless; Bonzi Wells is a total tool; Ricky Davis is all about....Ricky Davis;

Gomes. Barnes, Mo Evans, Maybe's.....

TAllen give a chance.....E House I like his fire...bring him back....

I agree with Wendell. Josh Childress would be a great replacement for James Posey. The Atlanta series clearly showed that this kid has game. He's long, can defend and can shoot. He may not be as polished yet as the Celts need him to be, but he's only 25 and he's got the Big Three around to guide him. He's also a smart kid, so he should learn the team system in no time at all. In my opinion, it's worth risking the team's mid-level exception for a 3-5 year contract for Childress. He has skills that the team can immediately use. With proper training and guidance, he'll be a great player by the time he's 31 (Posey's age at present). Of course, all this speculation will depend on how far Atlanta is willing to go to re-sign Childress, who is a restricted free agent. In addition, it may be smart to sign Tony Allen for a year to see if he really has what it takes to remain a Celtic. He's got the talent, but he's been erratic and inconsistent. Perhaps, he's being in limbo is the jolt to the system that he badly needs. He's actually a better all-around player than Eddie House, and younger too. Eddie House would be nice to have as a reserve, but he's definitely not going to come cheap this time around. Tony Allen will definitely be affordable. And he already knows the system.

I really hope Danny Ainge is reading this. Matt Barnes is the perfect player to replace James Posey and back up Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

He's very similar to Posey. It wouldn't be surprising if he was better than Posey next season, considering Posey's age. Like Pose, Barnes is a tall, lengthy SG/SF who can slide to PF (this was the norm in Golden State and Barnes held his own on the boards and on defense against bigger players). Just as Posey did for us all season, Barnes can stretch the D with his 3 point shot, especially when he's playing PF. He was money from the 3 point line in 06-07. Not only that, but he shares Posey's energy, hustle, and rebounding (he's a beast on the offensive glass). While he may not be as good as Posey on D, he is solid to above average on D as of now. He could become better than Posey defensively, considering that he is faster, has quicker hands and better jumping ability, and that he would have no other choice but to play his best defense on a defensive minded team like the Celtics. And last, Barnes is just as capable as Posey in terms of big shots. Barnes is a player who'll rise to the occasion. We saw this when he was one of the main factors in the Warriors supplanting the #1 seeded Mavericks to complete the greatest upset in NBA playoff history.

And unlike Posey, Barnes can actually create his own shot. He's no ball-hog who thinks he's better than he is, but he can handle the ball way better than Posey. He'll actually go between the legs, crossover, behind the back, etc. His spin move is a move he regularly uses to get an easy layup, or his quite effective floater/tear drop. And as mentioned before, Barnes holds advantages in the speed and jumping departments, along with hand speed. He's a terror on the break, and he'll often get easy fast break layups on pure speed. He can finish at the rim because of his leaping ability, dunking with authority when in the paint. His hand speed is the reason why he picks so many players for steals and gets to so many loose balls.

Basically, Barnes can do a lot of the things Posey did for us-- knock down 3's, rebound, hustle and bring energy, knock down big shots, and slide over to PF in a small ball lineup. But he also makes us a more athletic team and brings someone who can create his own shot off the bench. If we don't hear any news about Ainge going after Barnes hard, I'll be incredibly disappointed because he's the perfect replacement player for Posey.

just get Anderson, Gomes, Marburry, R.Davis and Kick T.Allen, CasselL, Pollard. here comes BANNER 18TH

YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS?! Antoine Walker? At $11 or $12 million per season? With 2 or 3 years left? Darius Miles was and is a CANCER. Not only that, he can't play anymore, and he was a TERRIBLE player in Portland and LA.

Gomes and Allen would be the ticket. Allen should have learned from watching Posey just HOW to play the game. Recovered from his injuries, he could just be coming into his own. Give him a year with a player's option and see what happens. Same as E. House.

Bring back Tony Allen and Ryan Gomes please dont sign the walking wiggle Danny please dont.

Definitely re-sign House. He gives a lot of energy on the defensive end for the second unit and also obviously can shoot (and you always need shooters on the second unit). HAVE TO KEEP HIM!

But after that I think Barnes is the best pick up. He is actually a better play maker than Posey (who is one of the most one dimensional offensive players ever - can't really drive, create a shot, pass, etc). Barnes is a very underrated play maker (sees the floor well) and can do a little of everything (plays in the post, creates his shot, shoots the three, makes good cuts, etc.) And he has good energy. I think he fits into the second unit much better (Eddie Shoots, Ray Shoots, Barnes makes plays, the others crash the boards)... if that makes sense....

MATT BARNES!!!!

My question is, can KG and Doc keep Ron Artest in line?? Big gamble, but is it bigger than Corey Dillon and Randy Moss? Is Belicheck doing anything after the Super Bowl? Ray for Ron anyone?

Bring Back Delonte West sub for Rondo/Ray Allen and Pierce at times. Bring an explosive scorer like Bonzi Wells, teach him some defense. Trade Scal's salary whatever it takes, offer JR Giddens and Walker and if need be future first round draft pick just to unload Scal's contract. Delonte and Bonzi might share the mid level's exemption's contract. Other ideas are Ryan Gomes and Ricky Davis.

JJ Redick? Are you serious...he is garbage. They should try to sign Gomes and if they can't they should take a chance on Darius Miles. Either Miles, Walker, or Giddens will pan out. Most likely Walker. He is going to be the steal of the 2008 NBA Draft.

Been a Celtic fan for 50 years in south Florida. This was a great year and happy for the new big three finally winning a ring. The Miami Heat have a fee agent guard Chris Quinn who over the last 15 games avg 14+ppg and over 6 assists. He always hustles and would be a good fit for the team.

Been a Celtic fan for 50 years in south Florida. This was a great year and happy for the new big three finally winning a ring. The Miami Heat have a fee agent guard Chris Quinn who over the last 15 games avg 14+ppg and over 6 assists. He always hustles and would be a good fit for the team.

One guy getting left out is Carlos Delfino. 3 point shooter and defender, with an all around offensive game. Restricted FA, but Toronto is now over LT threshold, so they may not match. Has a lot more ceiling than a lot of the guys mentioned. Could improve the team while weakening a division rival, not a bad idea.

Ryan Gomes

or

Alaa Abdelnaby

or

Vin and Tonic

anyone but RedDICK... seriously

Heck yeah, I love Walta!!!
Used to be just as good a one on one defender as Posey and pretty much just
as good from the 3 point line.
Most people wouldn't admit it, but I watched hundreds of games with him doing
just that.

Of course, deep down, I want it more for my beloved Tommy!

The reason it was so sad to see Posey go is that no single player out there can replace him.
Three pointers -- only House (hence importance to re-sign him) and Finley can match him, but Finley needs a walker to get around these days, and House was a nice double-dagger fit with Posey, not a replacement. for him. Barnes has a nice touch, but is no three-point killer. Childress can't shoot much beyond 12 feet.
On-court intangibles -- Childress brings length, and both he and Barnes are better overall athletes, but neither has the proven court sense or the proven desire to dive for any and all loose balls. Gomes falls into this camp as well -- decent length, rebounder, mid-range jumper,... not much else at this point.
Off-court intangibles -- most of the other options being talked about are locker room poison.

Now I admit I am bias here, but I would love to see Ryan Gomes back in a Celtic uniform. That was the only heartbreak for me in the KG deal. Not that I am disappointed with the results, but I think Gomes is a hell of a great player, perfect for the Celts, hometown boy, popular and the other guys on the team loved him. I watched him all thru college, as I am also a PC grad. I loved his game in college, but not only that, I sat next to the guy in theology one year. He's smart, motivated and a pretty good guy. Bring him on back, he's exactly what this team needs, as he is also young and tough.

The Celtics definitely need more bench players than they currently have. Hopefully, Danny can make a trade or sign someone else that can be a good replacement for Posey. The departure of Posey is a big loss for the Celtics.

I hope Ainge is reading this blog right now. Seems like people have narrowed it down a few pretty solid pick-ups: Matt Barnes (still my favorite - see post by me and anthony above), Ryan Gomes (local favorite, and missed by fans), take a run at Childress (will probably be the best option as lock down defender and is as athletic as ****), and resign Eddie (guaranteed threat from three, instant offence and good ball pressure).

Besides that, other bigs that can be signed for insurance: Dwayne Jones (is a beast and has the size to play up against stars that play a power game in the front court - Brand, Howard, etc) Juwan Howard (wanted to play with KG last year, has experience and servicabe vet), Mourning if he is still up for playing is not a bad idea, and finally... chris anderson should still be an options. But O'Briant I still wouldl ike to see get a chance, but these folks would be good insurance on him.

T-Bone's right. I love Gomes, but Barnes seems to fit the need better. Although I really love Gomes' game - unselfish, a lot of hustle.

Hey, Antoine Walker can take his place! When I think of tough, man-to-man "D" and intensity, I think ANTOINE!

When I think of 3 pointers...I think ANTOINE!

Well, maybe the "D" part is an exaggeration.

And, re: the 3 pointers...Antoine can certainly heave them up with the best of them...problem is, so could I, if you let me on the court. Don't know if he'd nail them with the deadly efficiency and knife-thru-the-heart assasin's touch of Posey.

On second thought, scratch Antoine...

Gomes is the right guy. He's a Celtic and he has size. Plus he's young and plays with the effort needed.

Get Barnes, Pargo and if they still can Kurt Thomas.Use Giddens too and resign TA as well this way I still think we can do as well this season.

Let Eddie House walk, inconsistent 3 point shooter who turns the ball over and poor defender; Giddens and Walker have the abilities to offset the scoring of Posey. Resign Tony Allen, fearless defender who can play either guard position in a backup role. Add Matt Barnes (sorry, I really like Ryan Gomes but the only way he fits is if you trade Leon Powe). Final piece, Childres from Atlanta (I like Smith, but doubt that he will be content to come off the bench for the Celtics). May take a sign and trade, but Childres is perfect for the Celtics style.

See if you can trade for Ron Arttest

How about Kobe Bryant or Lebron James or Joe Johnson or that new guy who was a rookie with Detrioit, but was so good, you know the guy from a college in Washington State, if I remember right? Wouldn't one of them be good in that position?

Danny u did the right thing by not giving Posey 4 years. if he was 27 or if our the core of our team was as young as N.O.'s than it would be a good move(to resign him). But since the Big 3 are a older bunch we need to maintain our level of play while getting younger. Thats why the C's should go after Gomes. hes really developed a mid-range game and hes a very solid defender. not to mention hes a great rebounder for a SF. I also thought that danny shoulda made a early run at JR smith from denver. They were so far over the cap (be4 the camby trade) they wouldnt have matched any offer to him. Hes a young explosive scorer that would be a instant upgrade over house in every way.

bring back antoine walker. or gomes. get rid of scal. he's useless, as well as scott pollard.

bring Hedo Turkoglu or Mehmet Okur but I don't know how

Has anybody noticed that Ryan Gomes actually has better numbers than Posey? Granted he played for pathetic teams, but his talent is undeniable and if you put him on this team?...

Let's bring him back Danny!

Good move signing House and Allen. Gomes is a very logical pickup: knows the system, fans love him, and fgives 100%. Danny, go for him!

Good move signing House and Allen. Gomes is a very logical pickup: knows the system, fans love him, and fgives 100%. Danny, go for him!

I feel that Tony Allen would the best answer to all the questions above.I understand there will be douts due to the old injury but after "playing defender of the basket" during the playoffs and the dunk he did in the finals I belief he's ready.