Trade Confirmed: Kenny Anderson is a Celtic

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

I'll say it first:

What would the reaction have been if M.L. Carr had pulled the trigger on
this one?

I just saw on the local news that the Celtics traded Chauncy Billups, Dee
Brown, John Thomas, and Roy Rogers to the Toronto Raptors for Kenny
Anderson, Zan Tabak, and Popeye Jones.

I hate this deal for several reasons:

Chauncy Billups had at least started to show flashes of his talent.  I
think with an offseason of hard work, he could have been a really solid
player next year in what would be his senior season at college.  He's kept
his cool despite the rough time he had at the start and he
hasn't complained to the press.  He seems to have a great attitude, and I
was really hoping the Celtics could fill him with wisdom beyond his years.
That is, recognizing that he can help the team best not with gaudy
statistics but by being the glue that holds the rest of the team together
- making sure the right people get the right number of shots, moving the
ball around, playing tough defense, leading by example - all those good
things.  There's no guarantee he would have been receptive to that, but I
had hopes.  I hope this move doesn't cripple Chauncy's career - it's apt
to make him jaded and cynical and that's too bad.

John Thomas was developing nicely from a question mark to someone who
could contribute off the bench.  With a year of experience and an
offseason to work on his game, he could have been a solid guy off the
bench or trade bait for a solid veteran.

Kenny Anderson: Oh please oh please let there be another trade in the
works.  I just can't believe Pitino would trade for him without something
else in the works.  From the monster contract to the questionable
attitude, it just doesn't make sense.  How am I going to root for this
guy?  (BTW, has it been determined how much of his salary counts towards
the cap?)

It's great to unload Dee and his contract, but doesn't it become
irrelevent by taking on Anderson and his?

Chauncy, I miss you already.

Dan