RE: Bulpett, Holley scuttle

["Thomas Murphy" <tfmiii@worldnet.att.net>]

Bulpett's comments concerning that "Walker no longer untouchable" 

http://www.bostonherald.com/bostonherald/sport/celts07021999.htm

are very interesting, although I have a hard time stomaching the idea that
somehow we could end up with Vin Baker as a consequence - how? The only way
I can figure is if we "dump" Walker and then trade Mercer (and Dana? etc.)
for Vin in a sign and trade. But who could we "dump" Walker on? 

Here is where Holley's comments 

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/183/sports/There_s_no_questioning_Clack_s_
athleticism+.shtml

on Chicago are very interesting. . .Chicago has the cap room to take
Walker, we could get a seasoned vet (Toni Kukoc) in return at roughly half
of Walker's $9 mil salary (Kukoc made $4.6 mil last year, just at the limit
permissible by the base year comp rule) and Chicago could make up the
remainder of the talent/age deficit with one of their rugged draft picks
such as Ron Artest (or two? Michael Ruffin and Lari Ketner?). Holley's
comment is very apropos here: "Remember, the Celtics also had Artest ranked
among the draft's top 10 players" 

Here's the Chicago Tribune's take on Artest and Ruffin:

>>The other guys: Artest, whom the Bulls took with the No. 16 pick,
averaged 14.5 points and 6.2 rebounds as a sophomore at St. John's last
season. Ruffin, whom the Bulls grabbed in the second round--32nd
overall--averaged 9.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in four seasons at Tulsa.

Both are perceived as tough players who aren't afraid to mix it up and can
play defense, which is a priority of Floyd's. Ruffin was known as a
defensive stopper in college.

"That's kind of what got me glory at Tulsa," he said. "Just being able to
play defense and being able to rebound. It kind of started from high
school. That's what I love to do. I love playing defense, I love being able
to stop the people I'm guarding. I love that challenge."

Artest can play shooting guard, small forward or power forward.

"I'm versatile," he said. "I can play up tempo, and I can slow it down. I'm
just going to keep playing the same way I did in college, being versatile
and unselfish."<<