RE: May article/Celtic Walker MVP!

[D Parker <danp@town.ipswich.ma.us>]

On Tue, 14 Apr 1998, Greg Odegaard wrote:

>  I have a good friend who is not a Celtic fan, yes I said good, who
> strongly believes that AW should get votes for LEAGUE MVP and should be
> assured a spot on the ALL-League First Team.  He puts it in terms of who
> helped there team succeed or improve the greatest, from across the
> league. Beyond MJ and Malone, and maybe a Robinson/Duncan combo who else
> has been a single player on any team that has made the most impact like
> Antoine Walker?  There is no "one" player from the other strong teams,
> Pacers, Fakers and the Sonics.  Nor the middle of the pack teams, like
> the Nets, Cavs, Hornets and Suns.  Think about it.  

Okay, I thought about it.  I don't see it.  Antoine puts up some nice
numbers, but I rarely see him affect the outcome of the game.  I mean,
he's *there*, getting his numbers, but he's has nowhere near the control
of the game the league's better stars do.  And quite often he's apt to
derail the team's momentum by arguing with the refs, getting a technical,
not getting back on defense, or throwing a crazy pass out of bounds.

>  Antoine has a ways to go in the maturity, to achieve the perceived team
>  leader role.  Whether he is all the way there now is unclear, he will be
>  there by 2000, and because of this he must be payed what the market will
>  bear. Arguments against are just plain foolish.   

What makes you so sure he'll mature by 2000?  Why is this such a given?
I'm sure lots of people thought Derrick Coleman would mature and become a
team leader.  People have been taking risks with Benoit Benjamin for
*years* hoping the kid would mature.

>  Sorry to be preachy, but I felt it was time to come clean on Mr. Walker's
>  value and importance to this organization.

I don't think he's anywhere near as important as you, and others, seem to
think.  He's a good player.  The NBA's full of 'em.  Quite frankly, I'd
much rather trade him for an all-star caliber center, say to San Antonio
for either Duncan or Robinson.  That would bump the C's to contendor
status long before waiting for Walker to mature.  I would *like* Walker to
stay, but he's not irreplacable.

Dan