Thumbs down for Orlando, Thumbs way up for Boston.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics sign-and-trade Glen Davis to Orlando for Brandon Bass: Thumbs down for Orlando, Thumbs way up for Boston.
-John Hollinger




This trade is basically a good organization running circles around a mediocre one, and in a year it's going to become obvious what a steal Boston got with this deal.
Faced with a situation in which the Celtics didn't want to lose an asset (Davis) but still wanted to preserve cap space for the summer of 2012, the Celtics did the only thing they could -- sign-and-trade him for a one-year rental. Bass technically is signed through 2012-13, but he has an opt-out after this season, and since he makes only $4 million per annum he's likely to take the out.

We don't know the details on Davis' contract yet, but I suspect it's four years, $26.05 million. The biggest clue is that the only reason he would go for it is if it paid him more than the midlevel exception. With the Magic using the amnesty clause on Gilbert Arenas to put themselves under the luxury tax, they can take back 150 percent of Bass' pay plus $100,000, which would be a deal starting at $6.1 million. Add in 4.5 percent raises and the full deal is likely four years, $26.05 million.

For his one-year rental in Beantown, Bass will be perfect as a first big man off the bench. While he isn't on Davis' level as a team defender, he's strong enough to play as an undersized 5 just as Davis did. And offensively, these guys aren't even close. Bass and Davis both shoot a lot of midrange jumpers; the difference is that Bass makes them. He has had a TS% of 56 for four straight seasons and averaged over 17.0 points per 40 minutes the past three.

Although he's a good team defender who willingly takes charges and can defend post players, I consider Davis one of the league's most overrated players. Offensively, he's really not very good -- a pick-and-pop 4 who mostly shoots 2-point jumpers and mostly misses them. Davis' true shooting percentages the past three years are 50.2, 50.0 and 49.9 -- which is terrible for a power forward -- and he scores and assists at a fairly low rate.

So basically, the Celtics got a better player who makes less money while preserving all their cap flexibility, and the Magic get another iffy contract. About the only benefit to Orlando is that Davis is friends with Dwight Howard, but we saw how far that got the Hornets when they traded for Jarrett Jack.