Re: Kemp/Baker/Brandon trade

["Jeremy S. Warren" <jwarren@eecs.tufts.edu>]

On Mon, 29 Sep 1997 tl18@cornell.edu wrote:

> Why does everyone think that Knight isn't going to be any good.  
> Personally I think he will be a great center.  He showed it in LA.


I'm not saying Knight will be terrible.  Actually I think he'll be the
best offensive center we've had since Robert Parish.  But on defense he'll
be a major liability at center.  He's seven feet tall and only weighs 230
lbs.  The average starting center weighs about 270-280 lbs.  There's no
way he'll be able to defend most of them.  As for L.A., he didn't play
center.  He played power forward.  Even when Shaq was hurt, he started but
Elden Campbell guarded opposing centers.  And the thing is, Travis has
enough mobility to play PF.  That's where he should get the majority of
his minutes.  Then (if we hadn't signed Mills to a mega cap eating
contract) Antoine could have played SF.

The way things are now, both Antoine and Travis will have trouble
defending their counterparts one on one.  And too many double teams will
leave our opponents with wide open jumpers.  Praise Raef LaFrenz all
you want, but he's not worth another season like last year.  To have any
chance at winning a championship under Pitino's coaching (ie during the
next six years), it is imperative that we make the playoffs by next
season (98-99).  And it would be nice if we could make them this season as
well, but I doubt we will.

Hope everyone is enjoying my pessimism,
Jeremy