Re: Outlook

[Adam A Suchocki <Twilight@world.std.com>]

I'm considering trying to get a refund on my season tickets!

Although I still think Pitino will work wonders as a coach and motivator,
his management skills leave a lot to be desired.  For some reason he has
decided to tie up all of our salary cap flexibility in a free agent class
that is considered to be even weaker than the draft was.  And despite
signing  all of these free agents to long term money, he hasn't been able
to land any of the top free agents.

We have spent in the neighbohood of 8.5 million dollars cap room this year
(which would have been a total of 94 million over 7 years with raises).
With this sort of money, we could have easily had the best players
available.... Brian Grant, Brian Williams, Sam Cassell, David Wesley.
Instead,   we have tied up to reasonably long term contracts the likes of
Travis Knight, Tyus Edney, Chris Mills, Andrew Declerc, Bruce Bowen, and
Tony Massenburg.  I question weather this group is better than the
collection of Rick Fox, David Wessley, Dino Radja, Marty Conlon, and Eric
Williams that was let go.  But more than this, I question why Rick Pitino
has continues to make quick, almost in panic, free agent signings when the
rest of the league is content to wait, conserve their money, and get
better talent for the money (then again this is the same man who wanted to
trade our future for Luc Longley and Scottie Pippen - and the report is
that Pippen might be much more seriously injured than originally thought.)

With the same coaching, I would expect a starting line-up of Eric
Williams, Antoine Walker, Dino Radja, David Wesley, and Rick Fox to beat a
starting line-up of Chauncey Billups, Ron Mercer, Chris Mills, Antoine
Walker, and Travis Knight.  Dino  can't play every day, but Travis has yet
to approach even the level of Dino in Dino's rookie season.  In a few
years Billups will hopeully be a star point guard, but I'd bet the farm
that Wesley takes him to school this year (especially with Wesley's
history of schooling point guards he has been in conflict with).  Rick Fox
verses Ron Mercer is another one where Mercer should be much better in a
few years, but right now, Fox would kill him.   Mercer has had trouble
finishing against summer league competition.  He is lighning quick, but
has not seemed to be able to hit a shot after a quick move.  He does have
a deadly jumper, but only seems to hit it when he gets the ball off a pass
and is already in position.  On top of this, Mercer is not a very good
perimeter defender.  In a few years, with his physical tools and Pitino's
teaching, he should be a star, but right now, Rick Fox is better at almost
every skill aspect of the game.  Williams versus Mills should go to Eric.
Mills has 3 point range with the old line, but I question his ability at
the new (further back) line.  Mills current defense is better than
Willaims (though Williams should be better in time), but Mills cannot
guard Williams inside while Williams can guard Mills.  Walker versus
Walker is a wash.  In a few years, Pitino's new team should be very good,
but why tie up Mills, knight, and Declerc and get rid of Williams   for
nothing (they could have gotten a lot more for Williams if they hadn't
panicked).

I'm still hoping for the best, but to be honest, I thought ML Carr's
management moves made a lot more sense than Pitino's.  Rick seems to be
trying to get the best he can this year, despite the fact that the team
could be better in the long run if he wasn't tying second, third, and
fourth tier players to long term contracts when much better players are
available next year (and the Celtics would have been one of the leaders in
money available).

All of you hoping that there is some greater trade coming, give up the
hope.  First, the Celtics have stated that this is the team they wanted,
and don't expect any new big moves.  Second, you can't trade newly signed
free agents.  In other words, there will be no trades involving Travis
Knight, Declerc, Mills, Edney, Bowen, or Massenburg before the season
starts.

Another thought to ponder.  Chris Wallace made it clear that the Williams
trade was only to allow the Celtics to sign both Mills and Edney, not just
Mills.  Based on the rumors of Mills contract (a 6 or 7 year deal
averaging 3.5 a year), they did not have to trade Williams to sign him.
They already had enough money to offer Mills a 7 year deal at just shy of
4 million a year.  The results of the trade are basicly Eric Williams for
2 second round picks and Tyus Edney.  That trade just plain sucks.
Denver, who doesn't really have a true point guard and is possibly even
more commited to the running game than Boston was not interested in
signing Edney after working him out.  Sacramento, where he played the last
two years, wanted him to go to Europe or the CBA for a few years to learn
a jump shot, despite not liking Abdul-Rauf or Hurley as their point guard.
In short, it was doubtful Edney would have been able to sign with another
team for anything over league minimum, and was probably heading for the
CBA - mainly because, despite his incredible speed, he is a sub par
perimeter shooter and only a mediocre passer.  

I just can't shake the feeling that Pitiono and  company are squandering
the teams assets and lowering the overall talent level while removing all
of our salary cap flexibility.  They seem to be working so hard to make
deals that there is little long term strategy.  He better be coach
extrodinare, because other than Walker (and future potential of Mercer and
Billups) this team does not have the talent level to compete with Atlanta,
Indiana, Charlotte, Orlando, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Washington, and a
few other Eastern teams.  Coaching may cary us past some of them, but
until the rookies mature we don't have the ability  to go after the top
teams in the playoffs.  And when they do mature, we will still be stuck
with the likes of Travis Knight and company as the supporting cast.
Although one of Knight/Declerc might develop into a good backup, odds are
one or both will be inneffective and a major drain on cap flexibility.

Oh well, hopefully the pre-season will cheer me up, cause right now I
would be shocked if we win more than 4 of our first 20 games.

Adam