More on Potapenko

[peter delevett <pdelevett@amcity.com>]

Sorry, I still have more to add on this. What happens if we do deal Pierce
now: Walker has to slide to the 3, Popeye and Battie play at the 4, and (let's
say) Potapenko is at the 5. Keep in mind Popeye hasn't played in a year and
even he says he'll be rusty, while Battie is still a huge question mark. So if
Walker has to play many minutes at the 4, we're back to McCarty starting at
3... not nearly as palatable as Pierce. Which would you rather see?

SF: Pierce
C: Battie/DQ/Popeye
PF: Walker/Popeye

SF: Walker
C: Potapenko/DQ
PF: Popeye/Battie

In my mind, the first lineup gives us much more firepower, even if we do get
overwhelmed against some of the premier centers. But that still leaves about
2/3 of the league, which is playing guys like Ervin Johnson at center. I think
it would be much more sensible to lock in a wing player who could be a
perennial All-Pro, then go after a FA center this summer or in 2000. Consider:

FA in 1999:
Ilgauskas
Vin Baker
Erick Dampier
Scott Williams
JR Reid
Andrew Lang
Roy Rogers
Samaki Walker
Priest Lauderdale
Greg Foster
Felton Spencer
Todd Fuller
Vrancovic
Shawnelle Scott
Lorenzen Wright
Will Perdue (?)

FA in 2000:
Horace Grant
Armon Gilliam
Sharone Wright
Chris Anstey
Kevin Willis
Scott Pollard
Michael "Animal" Smith
Tim Duncan (yeah, right)
Adonal Foyle
Kelvin Cato
Chris Dudley (probably)

Now, many of these guys are no great shakes, but they're not necessarily much
worse than Potapenko -- who (and note this) will be a FA this June! What if we
trade Pierce for him, and he walks?! Cleveland will almost surely not be able
to keep him, since Ilgauskas and Cedric Henderson both are also FAs this
summer -- if RP wants Vitaly that bad, why not just wait to sign him? 


Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 11:27:06 -0500
From: Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Jackie MacMullan: Celtics Should Trade Pierce For Potapenko Or Any
Big Man

On WEEI, MacMullan indicated that Paul Pierce may not be long in
Celtic nation.  She said that they should trade Pierce for Potapenko
or some other big man.  Her reasoning was with Ron Mercer now locked
into
a long term salary slot, you can move Pierce for a big man.  There was
some 
debate as to whether to deal Pierce now with his stock so high, or wait.
Jackie gave strong indications that we should not be surprised if Pierce 
is dealt.

Perhaps the impending Pierce trade will be the subject of the strangely
absent Michael Holley, who's been AWOL the last few days. 

Ray