Thoughts about the latest trade...

[Michael Joseph Byrnes <mbyrnes@leland.Stanford.EDU>]

I was going to wait on this until we see what happens with Walker, but
instead I am going to assume that Walker stays.  Here are a few thoughts:

1) Pitino has no long term plan.  Each of the many trades that Pitino has
made in his 2+ years of running the show has (at least arguably) helped
the team.  However, his thinking is just too "short-term".  It seems as if
his philosophy on building a team changes with the New England weather.
He doesn't seem to show any patience with any of his players.  It seems as
if he is just making deal after deal, and expecting everything to suddenly
fall into place...

2) Ron Mercer or Antoine Walker pretty much had to go.  Mercer and Walker
both shoot a ton; but neither shoots as well as Paul Pierce.  Walker is
very clearly the better player, although I still have my doubts about
whether he'll ever be a winner.  On a team with Walker and Pierce, Mercer
would have had to take a secondary role (and secondary role money), and he
clearly was not willing to do so.  

3) Are the Celtics building the right kind of team?  There's been a lot of
talk about rule changes this year which are aimed at opening up the game,
and favoring athleticism over bulk and physical play.  But, in the last
year, the Celtics have gotten rid of athleticism (Mercer) while picking up
huge, physical players (Potapenko, Fortson).  Are they bulking up pne year
too late?  If the officials are serious about calling more inside fouls
than they have in the past, won't Fortson and Potapenko be in constant
foul trouble?  And, in a game where less banging is permitted, won't
Fortson's height (or lack thereof) become more of a factor?  Of course, it
could be that these rule changes never really take effect...

4) Pitino is not done wheeling and dealing.  Right now, the Celtics are
thin at every position except small forward and point guard.  But,
barring a resurgence from Anderson, their three point guards are decidedly
mediocre.  Meanwhile, Eric Washington is the only true 2 guard on the
roster, and the foul-prone Vitaly Potapenko is the only true center.  If
the Celtics don't add another center, then Fortson and Battie are going to
have to back up Potapenko.  That will mean that Walker will have to swing
between the two forward spots (which might be the best way to use him,
actually).  Meanwhile, assuming Pierce is able to easily slide to 2 guard,
there is still a glut of mediocre small forwards (Eric Williams, Adrian
Griffin, Walter McCarty).  

5) A Walker for Dale Davis trade, even up, doesn't seem likely.  Dale
Davis would improve the Celtics depth at the 4 & 5 spots, but he isn't in
Walker's league in terms of talent.  We would have to get more than just
Dale Davis for Walker.  From the Pacers' point of view, it doesn't make
much sense, either.  Now that Antonio Davis is gone, and Rik Smits is
reportedly finished, how can the Pacers trade Dale Davis?  Who would be
their center, Austin Croshere?

6) If Walker and Pierce can find a way to a) coexist, and b) play to win,
not just score a lot of points, this could be a big year for the Celtics.
Fortson, Williams, and Potapenko whoever else Pitino picks up could be the
supporting cast than makes the Walker/Pierce machine run smoothly.  Most
importantly, though, the Celtics need unselfish play from Antoine Walker.
They also need to tailor their offense more to his strengths.

Michael Byrnes
mbyrnes@stanford.edu