RE: Sick of Cousy

[Matt Healy <mhealy@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu>]

>How long can you wait to
>find out a player isn't what you thought ?

I don't know, but the answer is DEFINITELY more than half a season, which
it hasn't even been yet.  Of course, 5 games was enough for a lot of people
on this list.  Yes, we are deficient at point guard.  So what?  I mean, we
aren't going to the championship this year.  We probably aren't even making
the playoffs.  We need a solid point guard in the next few years.  Maybe
Billups will be that guy.  Maybe not, and we go get that guy.  But you wait
longer than half a year to determine whether your #3 pick in the draft is
any good. Also, who are you talking about when you say "isn't what you
thought"?  Maybe Pitino and the Celtics thought the Billups could be a lead
guard in 2-3 years?  I doubt they thought he'd be stepping in to play the
point like an all-star in his first year.  He's still young.  Kevin Garnett
wasn't a superstar overnight either.  It takes a little while.

>We waited too long on Minor,
>Brown & Barros now the have little or no trade value.

Barros has no trade value because we overpaid for him.  Brown hasn't had
trade value for YEARS, probably ever since he came back from that leg
injury years ago and decided to never drive to the basket again.  Who was
knocking on the door trying to grab these guys from us?  I don't know if
any of them EVER had significant trade value.

>Personally I have seen very little that would lead me to say Chauncy
>Billups will ever become a good point guard in the NBA.  True he has good
>height and athleticism, but he shows little point guard instincts. I would
>move him for Nash any day, if I was looking for someone to run my offense.
>  Does that mean he won't become a better player than Nash ?  No. But in
>keeping Chauncy,  are we really trying to fit a square peg into a round
>hole and make him be something he really isn't ?

Maybe.  But maybe he's square clay, not a peg, which can be molded.  We DO
have time, remember.  We aren't going anywhere this year.  Why not see if
the guy can grow into what the Celtics thought he could when they drafted
him?


>If we don't get a real point, or Chauncy doesn't turn into the next Gary
>Payton,  3 years from now we could be at .500 also, and won't be too happy
>then.

Of course, we all hope the Celtics chances aren't pinned on Billups
becoming Gary Payton in a few years. Payton dominated college basketball,
and is an awesome NBA all-star.  We could win a championship with Billups
being half the player Payton is.  And, if he doesn't become even acceptable
in a few years, we let his contract run out, send him on his merry way, and
sign a free agent or make a trade.

Matt