Re: Vin Baker

["smishra" <smishra@ix.netcom.com>]

> From: Sampath, Venkatesh <Venkatesh.Sampath@microcell.ca>
> The Riley analogy, Mishra, is incomplete. Don't forget Tim Hardaway was
> a huge part of Miami's success, I dare say, more so than Mourning. One
> of the reasons I say this is because Mourning almost disappeared against
> the Bulls, except for one game. 

Riley aquired Hardaway much later, but I belive his aquisition of Alonzo
Mourning, has paid off many times over. Mourning provides them with the
inside threat that enables Hardaway to take all those outside shots. Yes!
Alonzo did vanish against the Bulls,  the reason for which is that Miami is
a star player away from being a championship contender and P.J.Brown is not
that player. 

> Alonzo also has a pretty good supporting cast in PJ Brown, Voshon Leonard
and the centre who substitutes for > > him - Austin? or something - I can't
remember. 

The theory is that one needs 3 star players and two good ones to win a
championship. Miami doesn't have that 3rd player. I will be elated if the
celtics post a record comparable to the Heats' under Riley's 1st year. 

> My problem with the trade for Vin Baker is that we are giving up too
> much to acquire just that one player. The combination of Walker,
> Williams, Mercer, Billups and the rest is definitely a threat,
> especially when you consider the fact that they are being coached by
> Pitino. 

We are not giving too much, if you go by Pitino's analysis he was willing
to give up Mercer & Billups for a scottie, and had pippen been 27 years old
that would have been outstanding trade. I was proposing to give Billups &
Williams & a deadwood for a perennial all star.

> I'm not saying we are championship material with these guys in, but let's
see how well/badly they do before 
> wishing Baker were a part of the team. After all, he and Glenn Robinson
haven't exactly turned Milwaukee
> around.

Winning as a team is an altogether different matter..it needs many
ingredients, talent is only one of them. Washington Bullets are one of the
most talented sides in the NBA and yet they barely scraped into the
playoffs. Milwaukee hasn't been able to develop that winning chemistry, you
can blame it on any number of things. We are evaluating Baker as a talented
player and there is no question that he is a very talented player. 
                                                            - Mishra