Re: Samaki Walker

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

Gene Kirkpatrick wrote:

> Giving up Mercer for S. Walker doesn't seem quite even.  If Dallas is
> ready to sweeten that somehow, I could be convinced.  But they have
> Finley and sixteen seven-foot Europeans who all play small forward
> plus Trent.  What's the deal there?  Where would Mercer fit?

Hello, thanks for the nice post.

In a sign-and-trade, I assume the Mavs can't demand a lot in return for a
guy (Samaki W.) who played just 14 minutes per game AND is a free agent.
We don't have to offer Dallas very much. He's surely leaving anyway.

I believe Dallas was the other major suitor last year for the services of
Olive Oil Jones. It seems plausible they would take him back, whether or
not he shows he's recovered from the ACL. Pervis might be another option.

If Ron Mercer were actually involved in this scenario, I would think the
Mavs would give a lot more in return (say Pitino-crush Nowitzki at the
VERY least). This is pathetic wishful thinking, but I wonder what 4th-year
player Michael Finley's salary cap figure is?

I'm starting to agree with you that we might as well just keep Ron Mercer.
Certainly not throw him away for a combination of lesser players. As poor
a one-on-one NBA shot creater as he is IMO, he's still a better dribbler
than Reggie Miller and has a comparable knack for moving without the ball.
I wish Mercer would surprise all of us by coming to camp with a 3-point
shot. Wouldn't the Celts be something if he did?

****