Perimeter vs, inside game, Popeye, Battie, etc.

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

Ryan Falcone wrote:

> Besides, the team is shaping up to be a perimeter oriented team anyway.
>  Does anyone really think that Pitino is looking at Battie to be a force
> down low?  He'll be lucky if he ever sees the ball, given Walker's shot
> selection!  I think Pitino and Wallace look at Battie as an athletic player
> who can run well, hopefully anchor the press as a shot blocker, and
> perhaps score in transition and on offensive rebounds.  Anything else
> would be gravy.  

Even though the Celtics strength (Walker, Anderson, Mercer, Pierce) is
clearly at the perimeter, they would still be much better off with a
player who could score consistently in the paint.  If the C's con't have a
center who can score inside, then the center on the other team won't need
to worry too much about guarding him, and can concentrate on defending the
basket against the drives of our perimeter players.  That will reduce our
perimeter offense to outside shooting, and no team that could only play
bombs away from outside ever won anything.  

------------------------------

Josh Ozersky wrote:

> BTW, does anybody out there think it's possible that Jones will be
> headed elsewhere?  Since Antoine plays forty minutes a night at power
> forward, and since Battie is hardly a full timer at center, where is
> Popeye going to get his bread and butter minutes?  He's not the type
> of player that comes in and impacts in a few minutes.  

I think it's very possible that Popeye would be traded.  Regardless of the
center situation, the only way signing Jones makes any sense is if Pitino
plans to give Antoine Walker major minutes (~ 20 per game) at the small
forward spot.  With Mercer, Pierce, McCarty, and Bowen, not to mention
Greg Minor, I just don't see Antoine getting much time there.  

So, if Jones signs with the C's, he will either get small (12-15) minutes,
play center (a huge mistake!), or be traded.

------------------------

Jeremey Warren wrote:

> I haven't seen Battie play that much, but this is a very good trade.
> Travis Knight for me would be a good deal if I only had two years left on
> my contract.  I remember after the 97 draft Pitino was asked why he didn't
> take Battie.  Pitino said he liked him, but he plays the same position as
> Antoine and didn't want to use a lottery pick on a player who wouldn't
> start.  

That is still true, though, isn't it?  From what I've read and heard,
Battie is bigger than I'd initially thought, but he still doesn't sound
like full time center material (at least not yet, anyway).

> I have a feeling Dontae may be included
> in the deal to make up for Knight's base year compensation differential.

That would be the best part of the deal.  My feeling is that Dontae will
either spend the year on the injured list *or* be cut at the end of camp.
Why would anyone want to trade for a guy who throws up more shots than
Michael Jordan, but misses most of them?

> Dana Barros to the Clipppers (who need a point guard) for Stojko
> Vrankovic. Stojko's been with us before so I don't need to tell you that
> he'll make us an instant contender....  And if somehow that doesn't
> happen, his contract is up at the end of the year.  That will help us
> create cap room to go after Dampier or Ilgauskas next summer.

I like Dana Barros.  I don't think he's good enough to start at the point,
but I do think he is a good fit as Pitino's backup point guard.  I think
slow Stojko would be useless.  I suppose doing the deal for the cap room
might make some sense, but that would leave the Celtics with only one
ballhandler.

Michael Byrnes
mbyrnes@stanford.edu