Three predictions (fwd)

[Jeremy <jwarren@eecs.tufts.edu>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------

1) A new CBA will be reached on Wednesday.
2) Antoine Walker will not be traded.
3) If Antoine is traded, it will not be to a division rival (i.e. Miami).
---------------------------------------

Okay it looks like my first prediction has gone up in smoke filled
blame the other side without really negotiating rhetoric.  But from what
I've read about the concessions the union has made (four year rookie
contracts and right of first refusal on the next contract), I am even more
confident that Antoine isn't going anywhere.  I doubt the four year rookie
contract will apply to him or Mercer, but with right of first refusal we
can automatically hold on to him for at least one more year.  And now that
one representative of the C's can talk to the players about the CBA, you
know Pitino will be on the phone with Antoine to patch things up.

One more thing about all of these crazy trade rumors.  Last year after
Pitino drafted Mercer and traded for McCarty, most of the "out of the
loop" sports writers assumed that Pitino was trying to create an NBA
Wildcats team.  Remember the rumors about Billups and Mercer for Mashburn
last year?  Riley must have a hand in this too.  Did Pitino ever trade
for Tony Delk?  Did Pitino trade for Nazr Mohammed as he slipped further
and further on draft day?  That would have been an easy acquisition.  All
he had to do was offer a future draft pick with less restrictions than
Philly offered.  Pitino may be trigger happy when it comes to trades, but
he isn't stupid.

Given the assumption that Antoine is here to stay and the limited cap
space we have, I think the Celtics best bet is to try to sign Derrick
Coleman to a one year contract.  The next best bet would be Derek Strong
or Jason Caffey, both of whom I like better than Popeye Jones and his
questionable knee.

Whoever said we should trade for Robert Pack was right on point.  He'd
make a great second string point guard.  He's short but also stronger,
quicker, and more explosive than David Wesley was.  If I were Don Nelson,
I would keep him as insurance against Nash needing time to settle in as a
starting point guard.  He could also start both of them with Nash guarding
the 2s.

Jeremy