Philosophy

[Warwick <giants@eisa.net.au>]

Good afternoon, happy salutations.

The whole entire reason of adding a rookie point guard to this team and to
perhaps start in the second half of the season replacing Dana as the starter is
-

That it would be fantastic if the Boston Celtics had a starting lineup that it
can grow with.

We've talked about it long and hard. I really wish that Ron could stay, but with
all of the talk something surely has to give and unfortunately I think in the
end that it will be the trading of Ron Mercer.

Some of you have said that ast season we had the same talks about Antoine Walker
and quite true we did but there is one major difference between Antoine Walker
and Ron Mercer. The difference is Antoine had already delivered a season of over
20 and 10. That is a tremendous season. With Ron however, it is all talk about
potential, for example, Ron Mercer can potentially become one of the marquee two
guards in the NBA averaging inexcess of 20 points and helping 4 rebounds a game.

If the truth be known, Ron Mercer has a lot of limitations in his game. Yes
those limitations can be worked around, Michael Jordan didn't have a tremendous
outside shot, he only hit 555 three pointers in his career (or 0.6 per game)
which is a low number for a scoring guard (in comparison, Dee Brown lead the
league with 135 this season or 2.7 per game). Ron also hasn't mastered the art
of creating a shot for his teammates as a comparison with the greatest scorer of
all, Michael Jordan whose game was centered around scoring for much of his
career (before he realised what team basketball was and how much it meant to
winning) still consistently posted double assist per game stats.

Yes, Ron's no Michael and I know a large portion of the list has been doubting
if hes as good or even potentially as good as Latrell Sprewell, Isaiah Rider, et
al and the answer to that at this stage of his career is that he is well below
their level.

Ron as a man is a fine individual and one that I would love to have on my team,
but, if we can acquire someone that is going to help us, a rebounder such as
Danny Fortson coupled with a draft pick or someone young that has already shown
what he is capable of, a rare find then I definitely would pull the trigger on
that deal so fast it was almost funny.

I would also pull the trigger on a deal that would give us a playoff savvy
second unit. After giving it some serious consideration I believe that if Rick
Pitino was the reason that the Portland deal fell apart (if there ever was a
deal in place) then he made the right decision. Those three players would not
have helped our needs as much as what Ron Mercer can get.

Yes, Jimmy Jackson is a good player and someone who can help us out, but, why do
we get rid of one of the players that Rick Pitino has stated before is one of
the most professional players he has coached in Dana Barros. If the trade were
Ron Mercer, Bruce Bowen and #55 then yes, do the deal, but, don't do the deal if
it is Barros.

One reason that I dont believe the Blazers would have made such a trade is that
they already have made investments into two point guards and if Stoudamire can
get his game back on track or they get an another point guard who can help them
with Greg Anthony then they require no further assistance at the position.
Remember, this is a team that lost John Crotty because there wasn't enough
playing time for him and if Crotty's crying out for playing time then imagine
what Dana Barros is going to be doing, exactly the same thing.

Forget this Mashburn talk, I dont believe that Rick would seriously consider Ron
Mercer for Jamal Mashburn straight up, unless it included Ron Mercer and some
sort of package for Mashburn and Alonzo Mourning which surely Pat Riley wouldn't
even consider.

Riley knows that hes stuck with Mash, unless of course by some freak accident
the Clippers do 'radical' move by trading Lamond Murray or Rodney Rogers in a
sign-and-trade for him.

Kenny Anderson, Kenny Kenny Kenny mah boy. Baby Tiny, eh? Nice knowing 'ye. One
team has already completed a trade for an experienced point guard thats a former
New Jersey Net.... Time for another former Net to get packaged either the 30th
of June or the 1st of August. The mood is set, lets just await the masters move
as he pulls the curtain from the stage.

By the end of the evening I expect it to be one of two things

A) the most probable - a quiet evening by the Celtics. The exact opposite of
what we expect. There ain't been no lying from the media this time. We just
didn't believe *everything* we read in the papers....

B) Extremely busy night for the Celts organisation. One of two possible trading
scenarios could occur. One with the dealing of Ron Mercer and another with Kenny
or a deal featuring both KA and Mercer. Either way, I believe it will achieve
the arrival of a rookie point guard (Andre Miller please) and two seasoned vets
or a veteran power forward.

Then again something could be pulled from something underneath us.

Warwick