Re: Deals with LAC

[Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

jmc@ptc.com wrote:

> John Lyell said:
> > The more I think of this the more we need to move Mercer or Pierce for
> > Wright. Good big men are hard to find, and  if they can walk and chew gum,
> >  ridiculously priced.
> >
> > 2's & 3's are a dime a dozen and always available in free agency or the
>
> To me, Mercer is the most untouchable of all the untouchables on the
> Celtics.  He should be part of the core that we build around.  Sure,
> 2's & 3's are a dime a dozen, but sometimes a special one comes along
> who you don't trade, and in my opinion Mercer is one of those.  (clip)
> Jon Mc

Hi:

Remember also that Ron Mercer's rookie stats last season were nearly identical
to those of second-year sensation Kobe Bryant.

Ron Mercer
15.3ppg (.450FG   .839FT)
3.5 rpg
2.2 apg

Kobe Bryant
15.4 ppg (.428FG  .794FT)
3.1 rpg
2.5 apg


FWIW, I have a very bad feeling Kobe's career might spiral downward similar to
what happened with Harold "Baby Jordan" Minor. I like Kobe as a personality
(it's not his fault he's so tragically over-hyped compared to Ron Mercer or
literally any freaking player in the league).  But unless Kobe has so far only
shown the world one side of his game (come off the bench and be a disruptive,
erratic ball hog), I don't think he will ever adopt within a great championship
system (even a great championship bench). I think he's basically the Billy Ray
Bates (remember him?) of our era.

As for Ron Mercer, I'm thrilled he's a Boston Celtic but I also think he has
been a disappointingly one-dimensional player since high school. I think we're
so impressed with his unimpeachable attitude and his superman leaping skills
that we forget he is not a very productive passer or rebounder for a player his
size, even while he was a kid at Kentucky.

Based strictly on statistics, Antoine Walker is either twice as talented at
passing (and of course rebounding) or he's twice as hungry to make himself into
a complete NBA player. Now that we thankfully have Employee #8 signed, I'm happy
to say Ron Mercer is my favorite Boston Celtic. But I don't think for a second
that Ron Mercer (or any other young NBA player out there) is as valuable to
winning basketball as an Antoine Walker.

I'm glad Bruce Bowen wasn't injured but I'm even happier to hear Antoine Walker
is already well into his total psycho zone, where he would literally run through
a brick wall to get that extra rebound. As soon as the game is over, he's back
to being a good guy (provided that his side won).

Joe

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