Trade?

[peter delevett <pdelevett@amcity.com>]

Chris - I like your thinking. I have to say that, knowing how trade-crazy
Pitino was last season, it is probably not a bad guess that he might try
something like this. And if he were to trade either Mercer or Pierce, I would
agree it would be Pierce, as Merce is Pitino's college player, and he was not
really planning on drafting Pierce anyway -- he simply couldn't afford to pass
him up, especially since Nellie already had taken Lewinski, I mean Nowitzki.
PP was head and shoulders better than the guys who were left, like Keon Clark.

Now, personally, I hope Pitino DOESN'T trade either of them. I think PP CAN be
an effective NBA 3, and with Walter and Bowen (plus Toine) able to back up at
this spot, Pitino will have options should Pierce find himself overwhelmed
defensively against a given opponent. I think a lineup of Pierce, Mercer,
Anderson and Walker gives us the best collection of young perimeter players in
the game, period, guys who can run all night in Pitino's system. And Pierce,
from what I remember, is not a bad three-point shooter, no? (.358 for his
college career, which would place him 2nd on last year's Celtics team, behind Barros.)

All that being said, you can certainly argue that we need a quality center
right now more than a quality SF. I like your trade scenario, but don't see
any way the Clippers would part with Olowokandi -- he is the centerpiece of
their marketing strategy. And he is only set to be in Italy throug Feb. 15,
not for the whole season. With Ike Austin set to bolt, LA must keep Kandi.

If LA did make this trade, we would be more likely to get someone like
Lorenzen Wright, Brian Skinner, a tweener like Rodney Rogers, a throw-in like
Keith Closs (who is a great shot blocker though not much else), or possibly
even Maurice Taylor. I wouldn't trade Pierce for any two of them, not even to
dump Barros' salary -- Wright and Closs are too skinny, Taylor plays the same
spot as Walker, Skinner projects as a career backup, etc. 

And I don't necessarily agree that Pitino is thinking PLAYOFFS NOW. I mean, he
is as competitive as anyone, but I think he has been very shrewd in telling
fans he still isn't planning on making the playoffs until Year 3. I think
Pitino knows he has enough talent on his roster to flirt with the playoffs
this year, but he also knows that won't be a sure bet until we can add some
serious beef in the middle. And why would he trade off a kid who could be a
franchise cornerstone (Pierce) when he could wait 5 months, suffer through
this truncated season until the cap goes up, and then make a bid for a free
agent center? He may not get Geiger, Ratliff or Stewart this year, but there
are bound to be some quality free agent big men coming on the market this next
offseason. In fact, I bet someone like Warwick could cull a list pretty easily.


"Christopher J. Littlefield" <cjlitt@erols.com> wrote:

Pierce and Mercer will not play together as Celtics.  One of them, plus
whatever else is needed to get the job done, for example Barros and/or
Knight, and maybe next year's pick, will go to a team that can provide
the Celtics with a legitimate big man.  My bet is that Pierce, Barros,
and next year's pick will go to the Clippers for Kandi and Brian
Skinner.

Why do the Celtics do this move?  Duh.  Pierce and Mercer are
interchangeable commodities.  Pierce is too small to play 3 night-in,
night-out. He'd get mauled.  It's a waste of resources to have two 2's
like that.  Getting Kandi puts Walker at the 3, where most pundits
(though not me, I'll have you know) think he is better suited, places
Popeye Jones at the 4, and gives the Celtics the size they desperately
need to compete, much less go anywhere, in the playoffs.  

Okay, now why would the Clips do this?  Well, first and foremost,
they're the Clippers.  Secondly, they have no backcourt.  They have a
huge frontcourt with which they've had no success.  Darrick Martin and
Eric Piatkowski are not the answer.  Barros is still not that far
removed from an All-Star season, is a veteran influence, and played
progressively better once thrust into the starting role last season.
Mercer or Pierce (I say Pierce because he's from LA and could be
convinced to stay with the Clips...maybe?) are potential All-Stars. 
Plus Kandi's in Italy, maybe through the end of the year.  Can the Clips
afford to wait?  Are they disenchanted with him that they have to?