Wright and Taylor

[Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

Hi list:

Note that neither the Boston Globe nor the Herald nor any other Web site
I visited makes any mention this morning of this pretty fascinating
trade rumor.

FYI, here is some more info about Wright and Taylor.

*Lorenzen Wright lists his favorite books as "The Color Purple" and
"Gone with the Wind" and would like to pursue a coaching career upon
retirement. Last season was the breakout year for 24-year-old. He had 22
rebounds twice last season. More importantly, he dropped 32 points and
15 rebounds on the LA Fakers the day after Christmas last year. For
whatever reason his game has regressed this season, no doubt about it
(.380FG% etc.)

*Mo Taylor is averaging 16.7ppg this season on .513FG and .800FT
shooting this season. His career high game (26 points) also came at the
expense of the LA Fakers last season. He had a 20 rebound game this
season against Vancouver. He is averaging only around 13 shot attempts
per game this year, so he is certainly not a lottery team ball-hog type
player. He is only 23 years old, and (on paper) a more valuable
commodity than the 13 million dollar man Rasheed Wallace. He is also
statistically a better rounded and more effective NBA player than Ron
Mercer, and plays a much more difficult position to fill.

In general, both players are good FT shooters for their position.
Neither guy is an explosive shot-blocker. I stress again that only one
chatty Boston radio station has made mention of this trade (thus far to
my knowledge). I wonder what they are saying out in La La Land?

Joe

p.s. Already I'm getting a little nervous about NBA player of the month
Antonio McDyess and a hyped-up Chauncy Billups homecoming, especially
with such distracting rumors floating around the locker room. Again, I
feel terrible for poor Ron Mercer. He deserves to play for a winner.

****