long term planning

[RACE --- <race@midusa.net>]

all this talk about Duncan and the draft is premature and not very 
useful...

until the Lottery it doesn't help to fantasize and there is plenty of 
time post Lottery to discuss such things.

NOW, the important subjects are:

1)  how to expand Larry Bird's presence in management.  This not only 
makes sense in its own right, but will make the Celtics more appealing 
to possible free agents...

2)  what to do about the coaching situation?  it is not useful to have a 
coach who cheers through losses ... the current and future crop of 
players need someone that will push them to improve not accept failure.

3)  which players are essential to the long term plan ... which are 
expendable?  it is not possible to get good folks in trade without 
giving people up.

4)  which players eligible for free agent are most likely to fit into a 
Celtics "fast pace, trapping, pressing, breaking" team?  

5)  by then there is probably time to think about the lottery, about the 
possibility of trading picks etc.  

it seems that the current fantasizing puts the cart far before the 
proverbial horse.

dbr