Re: Oh, what the hell.

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

Hi Paul:
Do you think Pitino will trade both Antoine and Mercer for two low scorers who play
the same position (Dale Davis and Danny Fortson)? I assumed the Mercer trade
obviates any need to lose Antoine for a more traditional power forward.

For years, Pitino was telling reporters something to the effect that we don't need
more defenders but rather more players who can actually place the ball in the hoop.
He reversed course by giving up one of our three big scorers (Mercer) but I don't
think he'll go so far as to trade another. Next season will test the maxim that
having fewer shooters can sometimes translate into scoring more points per game.

On the other hand, I do sense that the Boston-Indiana trades were quite serious and
in depth (although Pitino probably made non-binding offers and inquiries to all 28
other teams). Antoine Walker fans should basically thank Denver's Dan Issel for
jumping in  at the last minute (for whatever reason) and offering us far more than
it seemed to make sense to refuse. I'll bet Pitino was stifling giggles and winking
to everyone in the room as he told Issel on the phone: "Look, how about ALSO
throwing in a first round pick?? (....)Are you telling me you're not even going to
help us out on Eric Williams salary??"

I think there are three reasons why the Boston fans and media are so lukewarm (by a
three-to-one margin according the Globe) about what transpired yesterday:

1) Pitino showed tact and common decency in the wake of this trade not to trash
Mercer's game or feel a need to hype/spin the trade as some sort of steal for
Boston (as he normally would). Mercer is not just another guy to Pitino. This is a
decent kid Pitino recruited out of highschool and spent two of the most thrilling
college coaching seasons of his life with. I do believe Pitino thought Mercer's
game was one-dimensional nearly all along. Jersey Red flat out said so (and he's no
basketball talent evaluator) based on overhearing frequent dinner conversations
with Wallace & Pitino.
2) The Boston media probably had been tracking rumors all week of how close the
Celtics were to finally dumping Antoine Walker, so they probably felt a bit letdown
when these stories collapsed.
3) I think Boston fans genuinely loved Ron Mercer, in part because he is a man of
such few words. He was a "model minority". He was held up as the shining example of
how Antoine Walker ought to behave whenever entertaining a paying audience.


---------

damekmo@teleport.com wrote:

> >I bet yesterday's trade made it a lot less likely that Antoine will be traded.
>
> Oh, what the hell. I have a few minutes before I leave for work. I had just
> the opposite reaction concerning the Fortson trade and Antoine. While I'm
> really impressed with Bill Cooper's analysis of Fortson's "foul troubles,"
> let's all remember that a game against the Nuggets was considered a "night
> off" given the rigors of last year's 50 game schedule. I'm not saying that
> young Danny can't rebound. I just don't believe that Danny is able to stay
> on the court playing big minutes along side Battle Ship Vitaly without
> getting into foul trouble. I know young Danny can rebound. He's an
> aggressive bruiser on the boards. But I just don't believe that Pitino
> thinks he starts at power forward. I think Fortson is the perfect back up
> at power forward. I think Ray is right. Pitino plays Tony at sf and Dale
> Davis at pf with Fortson coming in off the bench. Pitino wants to play a
> Blazer-like frontcourt. I was driving around Seattle when this trade was
> announced and my first reaction was, "Goodbye Antoine!" And before you all
> jump on Mishra's back, let's not forget that some of us live out here on
> the west coast and have seen Danny play a few times.  And before you jump
> on my back, I'm not saying I don't like Danny Fortson. But, Jackie
> McMullan's right. Danny can rebound with anybody. But there is a question
> about whether his size, his lack of size against mobile taller power
> forwards, doesn't make him, how should I put this, a "foul target,"
> especially late in games. There is a question about his capabilities on
> defense, and nobody's staying up late wondering how they're going to keep
> him from scoring. Dale Davis can score, rebound, and defend. He's the
> starting veteran power forward that Pitino lusts after. Now, if I'm right,
> and this trade just signals the arrival of Dale Davis at the expense of
> Antoine Walker, I think you know how I feel about this trade. But, for
> now...I'm holding my tongue.
>
> Paul M.