Wacky Trade Idea

[Michael Gooen <callmebogie@yahoo.com>]

What the heck -- it beats watching the Knicks celebrate....


1.  If the Clippers either sour on or miss out on hometown hero Baron
Davis @ #4, the Celtics trade Kenny Anderson, Ron Mercer and Popeye
Jones to the Clippers for a re-signed Lorenzen Wright, the #4 pick and
cap garbage (Pooh Richardson?  Sherman Douglas?) -- or if Pitino is so
hot for Rodney Rogers, maybe he throws in a future first rounder as
well.

Big q here is whether the salaries could be made to match.  While I
can't imagine the Celts (or anyone else) giving Wright the maximum over
7 years, does the CBA permit starting him at the maximum ($7M for a 3
yr player) and then keeping the salary level or even cutting it in
future years?  Same for Rogers ($5M for year 1, then less)?

Step 2:  Inspired by Bill Parcells up-and-down draft maneuvering, the
C's trade the #4 pick and Greg Minor to Cleveland for Derek Anderson
and the return of the #8 pick.  Cleveland uses the #4 on Wally World
(doubt he'll be there @ 8 from the sound of it). 

Step 3:  Draft Andre Miller with the #8 pick.

Step 4:  Extend Battie and Anderson.

Resulting roster (assuming Rogers is acquired in Step 1):

PG: Barros/Miller/D. Jones
SG: Pierce/D. Anderson
SF: Walker/Rogers/McCarty
PF: Wright/Battie
C:  Potapenko/Riley

Untradeable natty dresser/splinter gatherer:  Ellison

This roster has a lot going for it:  depth, quickness, balance,
versatility and power (if not height).  Miller and Barros complement
each other nicely and could even play together in a pinch.  Anderson
gives the C's a real 2-guard.  Wright brings rebounding, shotblocking
and an incentive for Battie to fight for his minutes.

I hate to lose Mercer.  I am troubled by his apparent inability to play
with Pierce, but I think it's foolhardy to give up on the combination
after one freakish season (hey, if Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell
can learn to coexist on the court, anything's possible).  My bigger
concern is Mercer's ballhandling, which was nothing short of abysmal
this year.  I'm not sold on Pierce as a 2, but in the above scheme the
C's could always slide in Anderson, move Pierce back to 3 and Walker
back to 4.  

I realize this scenario is far-fetched, but short of this kind of
windfall I vote for keeping Mercer.

Michael Gooen
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