RE: Mercer for Shandon and Quincy Lewis...

["Noah Evans" <ishbak@conknet.com>]

> Looks like the Sonics would rather have Shandon than Ron.

That's purely hearsay at the moment but let's take it at face value. Even if
the sonics would rather have Anderson than Mercer, when was the last time
the Sonics have made a good deal? Just look at the Sonics. They fired their
coach, who proceeded to take a once irredeemable team and make the playoffs
with it while falling out of the playoffs for the first time in 9 years
themselves. They trade Shawn Kemp for Vin Baker, both had good years last
year and both came in fat this year, but Kemp even at 300lbs was still a
better player. Especially on the defensive end. Now they trade a an
extremely athletic but unproven player for an aging power forward(reminds
you of the Scottie Pippen trade doesn't it?). Now if Jerry West said that
I'd be worried.

> The word is that they turned down a possible Vin Baker for Ron
> Mercer *straight up* deal NOT because Vin was the offer, but because they
believe
> that it would be in their best interests to trade for Doug Christie and if
that
> fails try and get Shandon Anderson via free agency....

Both would be cheaper as well, in terms of trade value and salary price.
Mercer wants the maximum neither Christie nor Anderson will approach that.
That does not mean that Anderson is better than Mercer, even in Wally
Walker's weak eyes. Cost not talent is the key to that equation.

> You look at a team like the Sonics who are looking for a
> tremendous athlete and another scorer at off guard and they'd rather have
Anderson
> instead of Mercer; makes one wonder.

Not really. This is the sonics we're talking about. If they had wanted their
athlete and scorer so desperately they would have kept Magette. There's a
reason that nearly everyone has given them an F for that trade.

Noah