Here's what I have been able to conclude from the various sources I've read the last few days:

1.  James Posey     The Celtics would obviously like to keep James Posey.  He opted out of $3.2 million for next year.  The Celtics have some or all of the Mid Level Exception (MLE) to the salary cap that they can offer him.  This is $5.8 million this year.  An MLE deal can be for a maximum of 5 years, and I think it can include up to 12% in annual raises.  Posey's agent wants the full MLE and the full five years.  He claims other teams have offered this already.  That is a lot for a guy who is already 31.  Counting the annual 12% raises, my calculator tells me this would be $36.8 million over five years.  In 2012-13, the Celtics would be paying Posey $9.1 million.  The Celtics have reportedly offered $4 million a year for three years.  I could see them going for four years at this price.

So the question is how much should the Celtics be willing to pay to keep Posey?  According to Steve Kyler's article today here on Hoopsworld, the thinking is that Posey already has a couple of titles, so he feels comfortable about leaving the Celtics for more money -- especially if that money is being offered by other contenders like the Lakers or Pistons.  John Hollinger said in his ESPN.com chat this week:  "I think Posey will end up being this year's biggest free agent mistake (if Udrih isn't).  Midlevel is way too much for a player of his caliber, and four or five years is ridiculous for a 31-year-old role player."

2.  Corey Maggette     Boston has tested the theory that free agents will take a discount to come to Boston, and has offered Maggette their full MLE.  Where the full MLE would be overpaying Posey, this would be a bargain price to get Maggette.  Maggette averaged 22 points a game this year, and gets to the free throw line even better than Pierce.  He's a 29-year-old slasher.  Because he drives so well, teams have to play off him, which allowed him to hit 38% of his three pointers this year.  In his first few years, they spoke of Maggette of being a good defender who might become a stopper.  But then he got Clipper-itis, and hasn't played a lick of defense the last few years.  It'd be interesting to see if Thibodeau and KG could restore his defensive intensity.

Maggette would rather not settle for the MLE.  According to Kyler, he's going to wait until the teams with cap space (Warriors, Sixers, Clippers if Brand leaves, and maybe the Grizz) have used their space.  Then, if he has to settle for the MLE, he will go to the Spurs or Celtics.  The Celtics might raise their offer to Posey if they can't land Maggette.  The flip side is that by the time they find out what Maggette is going to do, Posey may have signed elsewhere.

3.  Chris Andersen     The Celtics have met with Birdman the last two days.  Assuming they're not going to offer him a chunk of the MLE, what they'd have to offer him is the Low Level Exception (LLE), which is around $1.8 million.  Though Ainge does have a history of pissing away MLE money on big white guys (Gugliotta, Scalabrine).  If they can get him for the LLE, he would make a solid backup center for those matchups where you need a guy taller than Powe or Davis.  Marc Spears reports that the Celtics also worked out ex-Pacers center David Harrison yesterday and are working out ex-Warrior Patrick O'Bryant today.  Think of Andersen as P.J. Brown's replacement, and Harrison/O'Bryant as potential replacements for Scot Pollard.

4.  Tyronn Lue     The Arizona Republic reports that point guard Tyronn Lue is deciding between Boston, Phoenix, and Dallas.  Lue was historically a slasher, but he has a solid three-pointer these days.  He has also been a good defender.  I'm assuming they're looking at him for Sam Cassell's roster spot, but I haven't heard anything yet about where Eddie House might sign, so who knows if he's coming back.

5.  Others     Marc Spears says that "An NBA source said the Celtics surprisingly worked out Blazers free agent small forward Darius Miles yesterday and he had an impressive workout."  They also worked out SF/SG Kirk Snyder yesterday, a guy who has shown flashes of talent but hasn't stuck anywhere.  I'm assuming that the Celtics are evaluating guys like this so they will have fallback positions if they lose out on both Posey and Maggette.

Posey: ID give him no more than a 3 year contract. Maybe 20M over 4 years with 4th year being non gaureenteed or a team option. If he wants to chase the $ to leave what should be a good shot at reachingt the Finals for 1-2 more years (the Celtics are still cream of the east) for a team on the verge of a shakup (Pistons0 or a team scrapping it out in the west (that already have like 4 SFs) Lakers then be my guest

Maggette Celtics aren't really the best fit for him but if they can get him for the MLE they can always trade him later. I would would offer him the Full MLE but on either a shorter contact or one with an opt out for him so that he can get a chance to get one more big payday while he's still in his prime if he wants. I think he'd be better off with the spurs myself but its his call not mine

Chris Andersen: No thanks. I think he's more activitey than results. You've got KG for energy and intensity. You need an itelligent defender who can hit a 15 footer like PJ not a guy like Andersen.

I know he's a little short but if PJ is sure he's not coming back I'd be taking a serious look at throwing some $ at Kurt Thomas. He'd be perfect. He can hit a 15 footer. He'd be a good mentor for Big Baby and Powe. He will not be intimidated and can still be a body guard for the big 3.

Lue: I'll take him over Lue or Sam or both. He'd be a perfect backup PG and he's got the final experience to boot. If I have to choose between Posey AND Lue I'll take Lue. I'm quite high on him .

Others: Snyder's OK but I'd rather have one of the other FA Swingment out there. Azibuke would be nice, Diawre from Denver

I also think Lorenzen Wright is a FA would could be a deep backup big

Posey: Posey is a very good defensive player with a very high percentage from open three.  With him gone, it's not like the C's would be totally crap on defense.  A 3-4 year deal should be enough for him, and I see him getting traded after two years.

Andersen: I like his height. I know he can dunk.  Outside of these, haven't really seen much about him.  Maybe is a replacement for Scott Pollard, not the PJ Brown replacement yet.

Corey: Am excited to see additional scoring for the C's, especially coming from a slasher.  I just feel that he can get a better offer from elsewhere.  And I just feel that winning a championship is not a primary goal for him now (please correct me if you guys think otherwise).

Darius Miles: He's got attitude. He's done.

O Bryant: For some reason I'd be interested to see if he can work out. He's big and still young.  

And yes, I'd be interested in Lorenzen Wright.  This guy should come cheap. 

jman:

Corey: Am excited to see additional scoring for the C's, especially coming from a slasher.  I just feel that he can get a better offer from elsewhere.  And I just feel that winning a championship is not a primary goal for him now (please correct me if you guys think otherwise).

Marc Spears' article in the Globe today talked about Maggette.  Doc Rivers, his old coach in Orlando, had given him a call on Wednesday:

Even with Maggette's scoring ability, he would be expected to come off the bench with Boston behind All-Star wing players Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Maggette said he would have no problems with a reserve role.

"I don't mind," he said. "If you want to win, you have to make sacrifices. With their caliber of players, that's what you have to do.

"Going to a championship team would be exciting to me. Going to a team that can win and has tradition is exciting."

I agree with Toolatecrew that Kurt Thomas would be a great replacement for P.J. Brown.  But with the Celtics only able to offer the LLE, I don't see any way to make that happen.  Failing that, I'd like to see them get a guy like Chris Andersen or Adonal Foyle who can provide defense, rebounding, shot blocking, and height, even if he doesn't have a jumper.  I'd consider Lorenzen Wright in the third string center role, not the second string.

Hey GT as I've said please correct me if I'm wrong because I would love to see Corey in Boston.  That should make my video gaming a lot more fun.
But I think his priority would be to get max value. 

Regarding big men, yes I'd go for an Adonal Foyle - somebody who can contribute on defense.  There are enough guys to take care of the offense anyway.

Have you heard any about David Noel? 

jman:

Have you heard any about David Noel? 

Neither the Globe or Herald has had a lot to say about the mini-camp.  The Globe says that Patrick O'Bryant was winded 15 minutes into his workout.  The Herald says that Big Baby blew everyone else away in the camp, and that David Hawkins, a former Temple swingman who's been playing in Rome, was a standout.

I remember Noel having a good game against the Celtics two years ago.  Overall, he's nothing special.  A 6'6" small forward, but bulky enough that the Bucks used him some at power forward.  He was mostly a jump shooter, only shot 37% his season in Milwaukee.

I've only seen some clips of David Noel during his college days and I thought he was a pretty 'spectacular' player.  I wasn't aware that he did mostly jump shots.  I saw him dunking on some people and I thought he might have something in him.  

By the way, did you get to read Wade's comment about Posey?  That he could have helped Miami and his contribution is being undervalued because he is not a starter and a superstar.  And I kinda felt this is how I am thinking too. So long as the Big 3 is there, Posey will not be a 'major' loss.

Foyle is kind of a poor man's Perkins which is a bit scary but I'd still rather have him than Andersen. Folye is a veteran who knows how to play a role and while a bit undersized seems to play good position D as well as block shots. I think that fits a lot better than depoending of a flake like Andersen.

How much do you think it would take to get thomas?The entire MLE? I agree it would be tough. Maybe a sign and trade where he gets a 3 year deal for around 12M in return for Scalabrine and some picks 3 M cahs (basically 1/2 his salary) Dunno you are right doesn't look good as he's probaly in demand but maybe they get lucky and Tomas at this point isn't concerned over a few Million bucks.

There is a report saying that with Mags gone, the Celts might be willing to offer tht 4th year.

Personally, I don't think 4 years is too bad for a 31-yr old. He has 2-3 good years left in him then he becomes a good sized expiring (or close to) deal. The guy is a solid player, brings it on both ends of the floor and has a couple of championship rings. 

A fourth year at $4 million would be reasonable.  That's four years at $16 million compared to five years at $36 million.

James Jones signed with Miami today for a reported $23 million over five years, out of Miami's MLE.  Bartelstein will undoubtedly use Jones' deal to try to talk the market up for Posey.

It's imperative now for the C's to sign Posey or be left with a major gaping hole from the bench.  Maggette went after the big bucks offered by the Warriors.  He can run and gun, sans defense w/c might be more to his liking.

Maybe Barnes can be an alternative target.