This is our Team?

[Donald_A_Liles@mail.bankone.com (Donald A Liles)]

With the imminent signings of the Celtics, this is how I see the team shaping 
up. It appears that we need additional help at the 2 or 3, maybe not, I know 
that most teams do not go past 8-9 deep. But, if any of these players do not pan
out... Oh well, I guess either way we are lottery bound.

1    Billups/Brown/Barros
2    Mercer/Minor/Barros
3    Williams/Minor
4    Walker/Strong
5    Knight/DeClerq/Ellison

I still think that we need another 2 or 3. 

Then of course there is the "How long are we lucky/cursed to have him" list:

5    Knight, Travis      7 years (still don't understand this one)
5    DeClerq, Andrew     5 years (assuming he signs)
5    Ellison, Pervis     5 years

4    Strong, Derek       4 years (assuming he signs)
4    Walker, Antoine     4 years

3    Williams, Eric      1 year
3    Minor, Greg         5 years

2    Mercer, Ron         3 years (standard rookie contract)   

1    Barros, Dana        4 years
1    Brown, Dee          3 years
1    Billups, Chauncey   3 years (standard rookie contract)   


As I type this, I have a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. I do not 
understand why all of these long contracts which are being offered about. 

I had thought that would be making runs at free agents next year or even still 
this year. I am wondering if Chris Wallace and Rick Pitino are trying to find a 
diamond in the rough by signing Knight, DeClerq and Strong (sounds like a legal 
firm). Sure we may have got the last two reasonably cheap, but the length of the
contracts scares me. Great Eric Williams is a free agent in a year, either we 
sign him or let him walk it does not matter to me. 


What do other people think?

Don