Bulpett: Pitino Says Nothing In The Works, Will Wait Till Summer To Address The Needs

[Mister Ghost <mister_ghost@yahoo.com>]

All this Pitino double-speak probably means a big deal is going down...

==
MG In Exile

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                  Boston Herald
                  Pitino swaps trade thoughts
                  by Steve Bulpett

                  Monday, March 8, 1999

                  TORONTO - Unless Rick Pitino had an out-of-Larry Brown
                  experience and traded the entire team on the flight to
                  Charlotte last night, it appears the Celtics will be
                  patient through Thursday's NBA trade deadline. With teams
                  reaching for Ron Mercer, Pitino has stood pat.

                  In the wake of a 105-92 loss to the Raptors yesterday
                  afternoon and 54-32 rebound shortfall, 
                  Pitino may want to rethink turning down a tough
                  power forward likey Brian Grant or Rasheed Wallace). 
                  But with a team this young, time is still on his side.
                  ``To be honest, there's nothing in the works right now,''
                  Pitino said. ``We've had some phone calls. We have not
                  made a phone call. We're letting people come to us if
                  there's that is something out there. But there's nothing
                  that we're seriously contemplating. There's nothing that
                  we're interested in or that would make us significantly
                  better.''

                  Particularly when you'd be taking Mercer out of the
                  lineup.

                 ``I think obviously the most interest people have is in
                  Ron Mercer, because (Antoine Walker) is in his base year
                  so you can't go after him and Paul (Pierce) is a rookie
                  and they know we wouldn't trade him,'' Pitino said. ``So
                  Ron is where all the interest lies on our basketball team,
                  and we're not too interested in trading him right now -
                  even for a big man. He's someone we'd like to hold on to
                  and get a big man elsewhere, if it's at all possible.
                  (Mercer is) the guy teams are interested in, but that
                  would be a bitter pill to swallow.''

                  Mercer, however, is in a position the Celts could best
                  fill, moving Walker to small forward and Pierce to guard,
                  if a large forward is acquired. But the present thinking
                  is to get better as a team and increase the market value
                  of the players, and then make a move in the summer.

                  ``Unless you had a crystal ball and could look at the
                  future and tell whether it was right or wrong, this is a
                  tough call,'' Pitino said. ``There are certain decisions
                  that are easy to make. This one's not easy to make.

                  ``And the way I'm looking at it now, if you're going to do
                  something, why do it now? Why not do it after July 1 when
                  you've had more time to develop your assets and more time
                  to see how things pan out?

                  ``We've got some guys that we could attract, no question.
                  I think we need interior defense and shot-blocking, but I
                  think we've maybe got to address it a little later on than
                  now.'' <snip>