Re: The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest V4 #387

[Peter Delevett <pdelevett@nopg.com>]

Here's my opinion, for what it's worth, on these proposed trades:

>#1 - >Knight, Barros & Billups for Jayson Williams and Cassell in Jersey ?
The point's been made, but Jersey a) has no reason to deal Williams -- 
they're in first place, he's eating glass and he seems to have made his 
peace with Calipari, b) could get a LOT more for him if they did decide 
to deal. Almost any team would like to have him. MAYBE the combination of 
those 3 players could get Williams alone, not Williams and Cassell. But 
probably not.

>#2 >How about a three way ?
>Knight, Barros & Billups to Golden State>
>Joe Smith & Sprewell to L.A.
>>Campbell & Eddie Jones to Boston
You have to be kidding to think that trio, or any combination of Celtics 
players outside of Walker, could deliver G'State's best two players -- 
regardless of Sprewell's troubles. WHy wouldnt GS just do the deal 
straight between themselves & the Lakers? Also, the Lakers could get much 
more than Smith & Sprewell for players the caliber of Campbell & Jones. 
I'd love to see them in Green, I dont see it happening without our 
shipping off Walker or Mercer (whom I consider our best players and 
therefor th eonly untouchables.) 

>#3I have heard yet another rumour.
>
>San Antonio gets- Steve Smith, Dana Barros
>Atlanta gets- Sean Elliott, Hererra, Dontae Jones
>Boston gets- Avery Johnson, Alan Henderson
>
>I really like this trade, and it works out cap wise.
So we're basically giving up just Barros and Jones in exchange for 
Johnson and Henderson? Dont think so. Alan has proven his worth to the 
Hawks this year, and I'm certain the SPurs would rather have Johnson 
running the point than Barros. Plus, Johnson is basically similar in 
ability & style to Edney -- if we're going to have two small PGs, lets at 
least have one who can shoot the three!  I dont see why Atlanta would 
trade two of their top 6 to get two washed-up players and an unproven 
rookie -- in theory, yeah, Elliott fills the SF need, Gray can step in 
for Smith at 2 guard and Herrera maybe fills Henderson's shoes. But look 
at how these players are performing this year and you see how uneven this 
trade would be. SA would probably make out best in this scenario, giving 
up Elliott for Smith. But I dont look for them to move Johnson, whom 
RObinson loves.  


>#4>I see this as realistically being the only way cap wise that the C's can
>get Jayson Williams trade-wise.
>
>Celts get- Williams, Dare, MacLean
>NJ get- Billups, Bowen, DeClercq
No way. Not to beat the point to death, but the C's will not get Williams 
without at least giving up a legitimate big man. Maybe switch DeClercq 
for Knight and add a fourth player -- Barros and Minor may have value but 
their salaries are problematic. McCarty or Jones could conceivably be 
possibilities. But this is all academic since I dont think this trade 
would or could happen.


                                    
           Peter Delevett             
            Staff Writer         
     New Orleans CityBusiness       
         pdelevett@nopg.com