Re: The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest V4 #337

["Ronald H. Evans" <ronald_evans@pipeline.com>]

At 03:56 PM 10/24/97 -0500, you wrote:

>I disagree with this satement.  The Pippen ordeal was the only thing
PItino has attempted that I really really did not like.  He was about ot
martgage our future for a player that would only be around for a few
years.  Did we not learn from the quick fix mentality? =20

 =20


I still think Pitino was doing the right thing for one simple reason. The
celtics need to win <italic>now</italic>. A quick fix is the only way to
go. Losing is death on players, coaches and most importantly fans. With
three year rookie contracts rookies don't wait around for the teams that
drafted them to improve. Look at teams like cleveland(not anymore), new
jersey, dallas and the clippers. They tend to lose, have their players
turn into headcases(the nets in particular),  when their rookies
contracts are up they lose or trade them and most of all they don't
attract free agents(see cleveland). By getting Pippen, Pitino would have
improved the celtics immensely, providing instant credibility for the
franchise and attracting free agents. We had cap room at the time(and we
wouldn't have had rookie contracts) so we would have been able to make a
play at the(shrinking) free agent market. With Pippen, Walker and another
free agent(next year) we would have had the "three all stars" that Pitino
said we needed.=20


>Grant it Pippen is a great player.  But give me 2 young players with
massive potential anyday ahead of Pippen.  I think it's time to develop
younger players into all-stars instead of trying to have one overnight.


My problem with massive potential is that it ends up as Kevin Garnett in
two years. Shelling out megabucks for a proven player and champion(even
if he is old) is a better risk than paying 126million for someone whose
team won >40 games. Developing younger players is a thing of the past.
Free agents are now the only way to go. Look at how good teams(Bo Outlaw,
Rick Fox) manage to convince players to go to them for less money than
the poorly perceived teams offering them less money(the clippers, the
cavaliers)


>Bottom line the Pippen fiasco was a bad idea.  I like what Pitino has
done since then, but that one proposed deal gave me 2nd thoughts about
Pitino.  He seems a little too trigger happy, but I for one am glad for
any change within reason.

>


I any change with any chance to get us out of the cellar is the way to
go.