Re: long term planning

[ken_kokubo@highway1.com (Ken Kokubo)]

I think he will be the GM, if not next year the year after.

>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...


I don't think Pitino will leave kentucky (If he did I think bird would be
one of the only people he accepts in a  GM/shared control role), and if not
DJ seems the most likely candidate. My only concern is, will the players
respond to him since it's not a "new" change (too much of the ML legacy
left behind?). " OK guys I really mean it. We're going to try and win, no
seriously...stop joking with the officials...hey, ML get back in the loge
sction and pick up your towel...Eric! Twan! stop chest thumping, we're down
by 20, come on!!!" If a young management type at work all of a sudden gets
promoted and you spent the previous year going out with them, and then they
try and get all serious because they are now in an authority position what
is your reaction going to be? You could have the best of working relations
or it could be disastrous.

>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.


Walker and whoever we draft with our first pick this year. We need to give
up (get rid of) a lot. As many people have stated we need help almost
everywhere. From there, we see who we can utilize. (IMO we should try and
keep Fox and Wesley)

>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.
>

See above. We have to get rid of a lot before we can even think about FA. I
think the going rate for an all-star is probably going to be about 6-10 mil
a year, we'll have maybe 1 unless any or all of the 3 D's (~13 million
combined) are gone.

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

Yeah, but I still want Duncan!

>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