Walker and the big bucks

[Gene Kirkpatrick <gkir@tjc.tyler.cc.tx.us>]

First, I think Antoine is "the" emerging star of the NBA.  Better than
Garnett or Baker or Iverson and right up there with Grant Hill. Emerging is
the key word.   But, second, I would not offer him more than about 12
million a year.  As a matter of principle, not pocketbook.  Based on the
idea that Garnett and Shaq are not worth their money, and the idea that
teams are more important than stars.  And the theory that principle is
more important than winning.  Not incompatible with, just more important.

Now, there's a point beyond which the team can't achieve (perhaps
about 50 games and the conference championship round) without a
couple of stars, but they don't have to be the "best" players and certainly
not the highest paid ones.  I believe the issue is one of focus.  Shaq ain't
got it.  It's not about free throws, but LaLa Land.  It's one thing to say he
puts in the time to be a champion and another to actually have the
basketball focus that produces a champion.  And at twenty years, it hard
to imagine that Garnett has it.

Now, Walker is worth a lot of money.  The difference between 16,000
and capacity at the Fleet is what Walker is worth for 41 games.  He
makes that difference, I would guess.  Plus the attraction of other good
players; plus what the others can do because he in on the court.  He's
worth a lot.

The rub comes when a "star" thinks they deserve huge money, or
deserve more than the next guy, or thinks he should get the biggest
contract of all.  Afterall, everyone says he's a god, why not have it all?
Everyone, beginning with his agent.  When this swirl of thinking clouds
the minds of our young, immature "stars," they have lost the focus of
basketball, they will not be champions, and certainly not Celtics.   The key
to this focus is sacrifice, I think, and I think easy and unearned riches are
not conducive to sacrifice.  Well-paid is one thing; filthy rich is another.  It
clouds the mind, deludes the focus, produces spoilation.

I don't think Pitino will put up with someone who loses his focus.  Garnett
was right when he said, "it's not about the money."  And wrong to take
so much from the team.  It's about basketball and winners can't long exist
when the focus is on "my contract."

Just an opinion.  You see,  MJ is the great exception.  Besides "getting
his" late in life, he has been able to keep the focus.  That's why I'm
putting him up there with Russ as co-greatest.  Most of these young
guys don't know much about focus yet.  Walker may.  I hope so.  I
suspect Mercer already does.  I think we can keep most of these guys
because they want to win and Pitino is a great teacher of values.

If we have to trade Walker, so be it.  I'd rather that than to give him an
outrageous contract.  Defined as twice what Mercer is paid in two more
years.

Gene  (I'm tired.  Think I'll go take a nap.)