Re: The Boston Celtics Maili

["Jeremy Warren" <jeremy.warren@alphatech.com>]

                      RE>The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest    9/19/97


Mike Allen thoughtlessly wrote:

>Nice idea, but what the hell does Denver do with Bobby Jackson?  >This kid
>isn't exactly back-up material.  Unless, we do an even swap for >Billups &
>Jackson but I'd rather have Billups and wait for Baker.

Do you mean that Bobby Jackson has already earned the right to be a starting
NBA point guard?  Based on what his tournament play?  He's a mid-20's first
round pick with some potential, but having Billups and Jackson would be fine
with Denver.  As we have seen with all these high priced contracts, the NBA is
first and foremost a business.  And the Nuggets need someone to capture the
fans' attention and sell tickets.

And you may be willing to wait two years for a chance at signing Vin Baker as
a free agent, but if I could get him now and only have to give up Mercer or
Billups, I would jump on it.  After Baker becomes a free agent in two years,
we may still be a lottery team which could turn him off.  And furthermore,
there's no guarantee that we'll be able to free up enough cap space to sign
him.

Some people on this list seem to think that signing Baker as a free agent in
two years is a done deal.  This is similar to before the lottery when people
would predict this year's roster with Tim Duncan on it.  Personally I doubt
there will be anymore moves until about a month into the season.  Pervis will
probably start the year on the injured list.  Now watch Pitino make a
blockbuster trade this afternoon.

Jeremy