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Asik is a restricted free agent on the books for a $2.3 million qualifying offer from the Bulls. If the Celtics bring back Garnett, they will almost certainly be over the cap and that means Boston will have only the taxpayer’s mid-level exception ($3 million) available to lure anything more than a minimum-salary player (at least for a free-agent of which they don’t already own the rights to). All of which is to say, Asik would almost certainly command more money from another team and — even if he didn’t — the Bulls can still match the price tag, so don’t expect an Asik-Garnett pairing. Now, if Garnett does not return, clearly the Celtics might be interested in a young defensive-minded center who already has knowledge of their system having played for Tom Thibodeau in Chicago. Alas, the question becomes whether Asik is a long-term answer worthy of an elevated price tag.
— Reported by ESPN Boston
