[none]

["Jeremy Warren" <jeremy.warren@alphatech.com>]

Mishra wrote:
>I think the keyword here is "is", Vin is an all star. Billups has to take
>that first step, he could be a bust also, nobody has seen him play against
>NBA competition. Williams is a good player but he is not an all star. In my
>view I am willing to give any number of good players, to aquire a star who
>can take us to the next level.

EXACTLY.  Let me repeat myself for emphasis: EXACTLY.  In Baker you are
getting an all-star who will be underpaid for the next two years.  Which means
that if we can clear up cap space with other trades (big 'if'), we could sign
another major free agent next summer.   After that (with the nucleus pretty
much set), we could resign Walker and Baker the year before they become free
agents (if necessary).

To say that Billups and Mercer are potential all-stars is meaningless.  Every
lottery pick is labeled a potential all-star but less than half of them ever
pan out.  And Eric Williams is a good player, but I don't think he'll ever be
an all-star.  With all that said, I think Mercer will be a good player in a
year or so and Eric is a very solid contributor.

(Warning: Watch out for the upcoming FLAME.)  I'm sick of this NBA Draftmania
advertisement being posted and reposted on the list.  The author (I forget his
name) hasn't made any real posts and should be booted off the list.  And who
wants a draft report a month after the draft?

Jeremy