Now that Ray Allen is out of the picture for the Celtics, they have turned their attention elsewhere.
The Herald reports that Doc has met with Rockets' free agent Courtney Lee. Originally, Lee was a restricted free agent with a $3.2 million qualifying offer, which Houston recently took back, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Lee is a good defender, averaging over a steal a game last season. He shot 40% from beyond the arc last season. He's 26 years old and is 6'5" tall which would solve the Celtics need for a bigger shooting guard. Lee lives in Orlando and knows the Rivers family well. Doc is one of the Celtics best assets and if anyone can convince a player to come to Boston, it would be Doc.

The Celtics don't have the cap room to make an offer that Lee would likely accept but Houston has made it known that they will work with teams via sign and trade for both Lee and Marcus Camby in order to at least get some assets back rather than lose both free agents outright.

The Celtics will have considerable competition for Lee, with the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns all rumored to be interested in signing him. According to the Herald, he is apparently open to signing for less with the Celtics. The Celtics only have the $1.7 million bi-annual exception left to offer him unless a sign and trade can be arranged. The Rockets need a point guard, so maybe they would be interested in a S&T involving Keyon Dooling.


In other free agent news, according to CSNNE, the Celtics are still interested in OJ Mayo. Mayo already nixed a trade at the deadline saying he wouldn't play for Boston. Not sure if he has changed his mind or not. The Celtics would have to arrange a sign and trade with the Grizzlies in order to land Mayo because he certainly wouldn't be interested in the biannual exception.

Other options that have been mentioned include Gerald Green and Mickael Pietrus. Green played very well for the Nets last season and could worth reaching out to. Mickael Pietrus has made it known he wants to return to Boston and Doc has been in contact with him. Since the Celtics don't have full Bird Rights on him, they can only offer him 150% of his last year's salary. He struggled in the playoffs but then again, he was playing with an injured knee and underwent surgery on it right after the season.

Reports are that Jeff Green has agreed to a deal worth $36 million over 4 years.   By all accounts, that is a bit excessive for a player who missed last season after heart surgery and has yet to prove himself.  He will be a good addition to the Celtics but Danny has not sprung for a 4 year deal with any free agents, let alone one for $9 million a year.  My guess is he is still in damage control mode from that disastrous trade that sent Perk to OKC and brought Green here.

Ira Winderman, who covers the Miami Heat had this to say about a possible S&T involving Ray Allen:

Don't discount the Heat no longer having a mid-level. There still could be a sign-and-trade for Ray Allen, with the Heat perhaps using a draft pick as enticement. Remember, LeBron and Bosh were sign-and-trades. Heat could create a traded-player exception by moving a player for a pick.

[Discuss on CG Forums!]