Re: Who should stay?

[Jim McMaster <mcmaster@sweng.stortek.com>]

In message <Pine.GSO.3.95.970228143839.5048A-100000@mail.sdsu.edu>, Jerry allan
 Lawson said:
> 
> 	When you talk about a team, eventually you come to the area of who
> is a keeper and who is not. My opinion is that besides Walker, Williams,
> Barros, and Radja everyone else could be traded if the opportunity
> presented itself. 

I agree that Walker is a "keeper", and Williams may be, but BARROS and RADJA???
Why do you want to keep a short, mediocre, overpaid SG and a 30+ player who 
spends 3/4 of each season on the injured list?  Radja should have been traded 
two years ago before he lost all his value, and Barros should never have been 
signed at all.

I would keep Walker, Williams, and Minor (just in case he turns out to be 
good).  Wesley is the PG by default.  The rest of the team is expendable.

> However, we must remember that if we can find a
> franchise player or two like possibly Tim Duncan, the celtic players take
> on a whole new meaning and role. With Duncan and maybe say Van Horn or
> Mercer or someone else, the other Celtics will begin to play better and
> more consistently, they will have more enthusiasm because winning will
> become more of a reality.

Duncan *and* Van Horn or Mercer would mean unbelievable luck in the lottery.  
The Celts seem locked into the second or third lottery slot, and Dallas 
seventh to ninth.  Van Horn and Mercer will be long gone by then.  Duncan by 
himself will not turn this team around.

> Players like Fox, Barros, and Conlon would then
> help create a deep bench. 

That's the real problem with the Celtics...the whole roster consists of 
players who would make a solid bench for a good team.

> Our team would have a solid starting five:
> 
> 1. David Wesley
> 2. Greg Minor
> 3. Antoine Walker
> 4. Dino Radja
> 5. Tim Duncan
> 
This is pretty solid, until Radja gets injured.  Duncan should be good if he 
bulks up in a couple of years, but I expect him to get pushed around a lot as 
a rookie.  Walker should shine at SF, if he can find an outside shot.  Minor 
and Wesley would be solid, but not star caliber.  I would rather start Walker 
at PF and Williams at SF.  That way you have a solid backup at each forward 
spot, and maybe Radja could stay healthy while providing some bench scoring.

> Bench (this only includes the players I feel the Celtics should keep):
> 
> 6. Rick Fox
> 7. Dana Barros
> 8. Marty Conlon
> 9. Eric Williams
> 10. Our Dallas Pick Player (Vaughn, Van Horn, Mercer, etc.)
> 
There is a big problem here...*NO* backup PG (unless they draft Vaughn, who I 
think will be a bust), and no backup SG who can play at the same time as 
Wesley.  Two solid backups at SF, who really cannot play anywhere else.  A 
backup center/PF who is a *huge* dropoff.  Ick...
 
> Now before you shout well that's only ten players, you must remember that
> I said those were the players I felt the Celtics should keep. The rest
> like Dee Brown, Brett Szabo, Alton Lister, Pervis Ellison, etc. should
> either be released, waived, or traded accordingly. 
> 
Releasing does not free up salary cap money.  You would be replacing them with 
CBA types.  As for trades, forget it.  Who would trade for any of these stiffs?

> Further more I think we really need to consider players like Jacque Vaughn
> and Danny Fortson as possibilities for that Dallas Pick. I know we have
> players for those positions already, but they are still not exactly the
> cream of the crop. Fortson could play the 4 behind Radja and if he really
> developed well, we could then ship Radja somewhere else for probably a
> pretty good player at a position where we need some help. Further more,
> Vaughn could back up Wesley and certainly has the potential to develop
> beyond Wesley's skills. 
> 
Hmmm...I thought you were slotting Mercer or Van Horne here?  Fortson would be 
nice, but then you have no backup SG, but why would anyone trade someone 
decent for Radja?  I already told you what I think of Vaughn...he can't shoot.

> Even Further, I really think if it was within the salary cap and trading
> possibilites, I think the Celtics should try to trade for Chris Gatling,
> this guy is simply on fire, another is Glenn Rice. Both of these players
> are playing at the top of their games. They are all star caliber players
> and have been consistent for the past few years.
>
Yeah...great...which if the Celtics current all-stars do you suggest they 
trade for these players?  None of the other teams are into giving charity to 
the Celtics.  Why not just trade Hamer for Shaquille O'Neal, Barros for Penny 
Hardaway and Dee Brown for Hakeem Olaijuwon?  Then the Celtics would have a 
REALLY good team.

> 					Jerry
> 
> jlawson@mail.sdsu.edu
> 
I do not mean to sound harsh...you have some good thoughts, but they need a 
little more work.  Be realistic about the lottery odds, potential trades, and 
how poor the current players are.  They did not get to be 11-46 by accident.

I hope they get Duncan and one other halfway decent player in the draft, then 
get Walker and Duncan to bulk up, and Williams to spend 16 hours a day 
practicing jump shots.  Pray Fox exercises his buyout and Wesley resigns.  
Start Duncan, Walker, Williams, Minor and Wesley.  Get another lotto pick next 
year while the team gels.  Wait for the terrible contracts of Barros and Brown 
to expire, then go free-agent shopping.  Oh, and hire a GM and coach for next 
year.  Aim for the playoffs in '98-'99 and go from there.
- -- 
Jim McMaster
mailto:mcmaster@sweng.stortek.com