Re: Billups trade final.

["Cecil Wright" <cecil@hfx.andara.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Joseph Byrnes <mbyrnes@leland.Stanford.EDU>
To: Celtics@igtc.COM <Celtics@igtc.COM>
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 1998 9:07 PM
Subject: Re: Billups trade final.


However, it is unfair to ridicule him as a "38% shooter".  Though he isn't a
shooter, he has, with the exception of
>this year, always been better than 38%.  His numbers, year by year:
>
> GP   MPG   FG%   PPG  APG  RPG
>1991-2  64  17.0  .390   7.1  3.2  2.0
>1992-3  55  36.5  .435  16.9  8.2  4.1
>1993-4  82  38.3  .417  18.8  9.6  3.9
>1994-5  72  37.3  .399  17.6  9.4  3.5
>1995-6  69  34.0  .418  15.2  8.3  2.9
>1996-7  82  37.6  .427  17.5  7.1  4.4
>1997-8  45  32.7  .387  12.6  5.4  3.0
>


Thanks for providing Kenny's stats Mike.  As regular members will attest, I
have been pro-CB from day one.  I wish him all the best and I know he will
respond accordingly.  The ironic thing for me is that because I live in
Canada, I will have an opportunity to see him in action hopefully.  I'm
looking forward to it.

Kenny's stats clearly illustrate one very valid reason for keeping Billups.
Have a close look at Anderson's first year.  Now draw a comparison to the
year Billups is having THUS FAR.  Anderson has been a point guard throughout
his basketball life, while Chauncey is making his first shot at it.   All
things considered, Chauncey is doing better at this stage of his career that
Kenny did statistically, despite the fact that he is a novice at the
position.

>Durability?  He has averaged 71 games per season thourgh the first >six
years of his career.  That may be a little low, but it's not Pervis
>Ellison territory.


I think this is one of Billups' strongest characteristics.  He obviously
takes care of himself and his body.  He is a strong guard right now and I
think his strength will be a key element to his success in the future.


>Height?  I'd rather a guy taller than 6'1", but better a 6'1" guy with
>talent than a taller guy who can't play.
>

If anyone closely scrutinizes CB's play, even his harshest critic would not
state that he can't play.

>Attitude?  How much do we the fans really know about that?  We only ever
see the players through the eyes of the media, which often paints a
less-than-accurate picture of what is really going on.  A long time ago, the
Celtics were able to trade a decent backup center for a star player who was
described as a "cancer" to his team.  That deal worked out pretty well for
the Celtics.  I am not saying that this deal will be comparable, but I just
think that too much is made over players' supposed attitude problems by
people who don't have any first hand knowledge of them.
>
This is the point that tugs at my gut.  I cannot, for the life of me, accept
a player who refuses to report to any team in the NBA, unless there's a
life-threatening reason.  Last year, Carlos Rogers endured a terrible
personal tragedy involving his sister, yet he remained true to his team and
the city of Toronto.  Anderson's refusal to report to the Raptors does not,
AND SHOULD NOT, endear him to Celtic fans as a true team player, for if he
was, he could have approached Glen Grunwald as a professional, and sought
for a deal to be consumated without humiliating an organization still
reeling from the effects of Isiah's defection.  That's not a classy,
team-first guy.

I wish Chauncey Billups, Rogers, Thomas and Dee Brown well.  Though I knew
Dee was going, I have a great deal of empathy for him because say whatever
you like, he swallowed his pride, sucked it up and never complained once
about his lack of playing time early in the year.  And after making his
trade demands in the past, whether it was because of the money he's making
or not, he shut his lips and did what he was asked to do.  I've dealt with
pro athletes before, and what Dee Brown did this year is a credit to his
maturity.

I cannot say the same about Anderson's behaviour.

Having said all this, I remain a staunch supporter of the Boston Celtics and
always will be.  They are my team.  But please don't tell me what a good
trade this is for our team.  We are losing a fine player, but according to
Pitino, a finer person, in Chauncy Billups.  Why even Pitino's wife and
daughter are mad at him for trading Chauncey.

What impact will this have on the rest of the now badly undermanned Boston
Celtics?  I'll be pissed if someone else ends up with an injury due to
having to play exorbitant amount of minutes due to a lack of warm bodies.

I'm hoping we ship Kenny to NY or NJ for Childs or Houston or Cassells.

There that wasn't so bad was it?  I know you were waiting for my post Kevin.
:0)

I just brushed a tear away.

Cecil