Re: Pitino signs three players!

[damekmo@teleport.com]

Just some quick thoughts on a previous post, the state of the team,...and
what Pitino has done so far. Let's start out with a talent evaluation.

>That means that, barring injury or trade, the Celtics roster will be the
>following:
>
>        Travis Knight, PF-C
         mediocre at best...should be a back-up
>        Andrew DeClerq, PF-C
         see above
>        Pervis Ellison, PF-C
         forget him...can't play a whole season
>        Tony Massenburg, PF
         see Knight, DeClerq
>        Antoine Walker, SF-PF
         star
>        Eric Williams, SF
         could be a star
>        Bruce Bowen, SF-SG
         probably a stiff...not sure but I'm going with Riley on this one:
one
         game...one minute?
>        Ron Mercer, SG-SF
         ?
>        Greg Minor, SG-SF
         mediocre at best...another back-up
>        Dana Barros, SG-PG
         one dimensional. Had one good year out of how many...should be a

         back-up
>        Chauncey Billups, PG
         ?
>        Dee Brown, PG-SG
         mediocre. Is this guy a starter anywhere else?

>Right now, it seems as if the team we have now is pretty much the team
>that we will see for the next 2-3 years.

Then this team is in big trouble.

>Are DeClerq,Massenburg, and Bowen really the sort of players that should
>be >given long term deals?

 There's an obvious answer to that question...no?

As far as I can tell this team has no center...no serious outside scoring
threat...it will continue to get outrebounded badly...and everyone is
hoping that some "system" will turn a bunch of average players into either
trade bait/desirable commodities or members of a winning team? This is not
an intimidating line-up guys. Unless Pitino figures out a way to trade for
a real basketball player with NBA skills...an intimidating presence to go
along with Walker (this isn't college...players/stars win in the NBA...not
systems) this team is winning in the twenties for the next two years,
Walker is gone, and Cousy, "I'll never see another championship in my
lifetime," is right.

Paul M.