Re: Walker should just leave.

[mberry@journalink.com (Mark Berry)]

          Amen, Paul. You know, I can't help but wonder if, early in
          his career, when the Bulls were terrible and Jordan was
          viewed mostly as a dunker, he was compared a few times to
          Dominique. I seem to remember he was, by none other than
          Larry Bird himself. If we have learned anything over the
          years, it should be that one player -- whether it be Jordan,
          Grant Hill or Antoine Walker -- cannot take a team to the
          playoffs by himself. If we keep waiting for the "perfect"
          player, we'll be waiting forever. Walker made great strides
          this season and will continue to improve as the team gets
          better. Players like Walker just don't come along often.
          Mercer is a nice player, but he doesn't make his teammates
          better. Walker does, and as he matures and learns to get his
          teammates more involved (Isiah Thomas had to learn this
          lesson), he will become even more invaluable. If the Celtics
          wait until after next season to sign Walker, there will be
          competitors for his services. Peter May throws out the names
          Joe Smith and Jerry Stackhouse, but what about Rasheed
          Wallace? The six-year, $80 million contract he signed
          before this season would have been dwarfed had the Blazers
          waited and let him venture into free agency this summer. No,
          the time to sign Walker is now. If we decide we can't do it
          this summer, trade him now. But don't go into the season
          with it hanging over the franchise's head. I don't want him
          playing for his next contract instead of playing for the
          team.

          --Mark




You know, you look at the Cleveland game...you watch Walker...you look at
the other "basketball players(?)" on the Celtics...you read Peter May's
article...you hear all the complaining about Walker's apparent "boorish"
behavior, immaturity, how he's not a "real Celtic"...you think about that
wildly talented Vin Baker during his years with the Bucks and all that
playoff success they had, and the way that dynamo Grant Hill has driven his
team into the playoffs this year....and you can't help but think, "Screw
it." Screw the fans, screw the team, screw the writers, the kid should just
leave and we can all watch him play for the Lakers or Suns, and Tommy
Heinsohn can keep on screaming "I love Walter."

Paul M.