RE: Thoughts on K. Anderson

["Berry, Mark S" <mberry@journalink.com>]

Jim, you just summed up my feelings better than I could have. I think we can
do a lot worse than Kenny Anderson at point, but if we don't address the
gaping hole at the power forward spot, we're in for more than a few more
defensvie debacles as teams exploit our soft middle.

I've said all along I'm for trading Mercer for a PF. I'm still hoping it
happens.

Mark

> ----------
> From: 	Jim Hill
> Reply To: 	jahill@leasingservice.com
> Sent: 	Monday, June 28, 1999 3:04 PM
> To: 	Celtics-Talk List
> Subject: 	Thoughts on K. Anderson
> 
> Giving a different insight (my own) to the Anderson dilemma my start a
> flame war against me but here goes.......
> 
> Anderson came in two seasons ago and made positive impact.  Last season
> was a disaster.  It was a disaster for most players on the team and IMO,
> the Coach, I think we could all agree.
> 
> Anderson started the season out of condition as did all the players
> except 2-3.
> 
> He is/was going through a (by all reports) a nasty divorce which is
> quite mentally debilitating.  There is very little positive personal
> improvement while entangled in this country's legal system dealing with
> judges, lawyers and court personal who all have their own agenda.  Which
> typically is based on only their own particular need. (This is a
> sweeping statement not meant to malign any individual on this list.  How
> bad could "you" be if you bleed Green?)
> 
> I think that Anderson simply coasted this past season.  As did many of
> the players. The designated vs. earned, team leader was anything but,
> until the end of the season.  The Rook was good until the injury, but
> nobody played well consistently through out the season. (Maybe Barros
> did)
> I personally thought they were poorly coached as well.
> 
> I still think there was a lot of discontent between the players because
> of poor shot selection/ball hogging by a number of players.  There
> wasn't a common team cohesiveness throughout the season.
> 
> There appeared to me, many times, that the players just did their own
> thing because they didn't like what the other players were doing, or not
> doing.  As in "Well I may as well shoot it, that player just missed his
> last 3 shots and wouldn't pass it to me when I was open."
> 
> This style of play has to stop.  With a focused Anderson and teammates
> that are in shape and where they need to be on the floor, when their
> supposed to be and rotating as their supposed to we'll see a team of
> skilled players winning the games they should and looking like they
> deserve to be playing NBA ball in the ones they lose.
> 
> This can be an exciting team to watch.  Anderson didn't forget how to
> play point, his mind was on his divorce and "hey no one else was trying
> hard" (My qoutes).  With him and his teammates in playing shape,
> mentally and physically, I think we'll see the Anderson from those
> couple months 2 seasons ago (hopefully minus the injury).
> 
> I wouldn't object to starting the season with this same team if they all
> come to play team basketball, together!
> 
> Anderson may not be an all star point for the rest of his career, but
> neither will most anyone at point in the draft this year that we could
> get without giving up all the "potential" players the team currently
> has.  And anybody we could trade for at point isn't any less of a gamble
> then Anderson or never was as good as he has shown he can be.  That
> isn't to say we couldn't get an upgrade at the point, but at what
> expense?
> 
> Now if even 1 player shows up out of shape or has not worked on their
> free throws or whatever was needed to improve their game, I'd send them
> home the first day of camp with instructions to call their agent and
> find a trade the team would be interested in. Before they get "hurt" and
> we have another PE on the team.  This year I wouldn't take any excuses
> for anything less then full effort.  A bad pass, a poor shot I can live
> with.  Lack of effort will get the whole team booed this coming season,
> IMO.
> 
> Pitino has put the pressure on the players to win together with his
> prediction of being in the playoff's this coming season.  Barring
> injuries, if they don't, heads will roll.  If they do, it won't matter
> who opts out as a free agent because they will be able to attract the
> right replacements/trades.
> 
> I think Anderson gives a better shot at making the playoff's this year
> then a rookie.  With the salary cap and luxury "tax" that P. Riley
> referred to in an another post, a lot of teams will need to go younger
> in the next couple years as our 22-25 year olds are hitting the
> beginning of their prime.  The disgruntled veterans who were left out of
> the big money sweepstakes will want to play for a ring.  The Celt's can
> get a point of the future in the next 3 years.  The real question, IMO,
> is the 4 of the future.
> 
> <Jim
> 
> 
> 
>