Trading Mercer or anybody else: not so fast

["Stathis Avgoustiniatos" <stathisa@email.msn.com>]

The team is 3-7 with Mercer and 4-1 without him.  Having noted that, I think
a major reason for that is Pitino's use of his 3 guns.   Pierce has a
difficult time getting the ball when Anderson perferentially looks for the
cutting Mercer.  And, unfortunately, Kenny does not seem to understand the
importance of getting the ball to Pierce a few tenths of a second earlier
than what he does now.  And  leaving the bomb squad looking for Barros to
make a play seems unreasonable to me, as another fan already noted.

Perhaps Pitino is trying to get as much input as possible on whether the 3
players can play together effectively before the trade deadline.  But could
this be enough time, conceivably?  Pierce is a rookie who has just faced the
challenge of double teams at the NBA level, and Mercer has played just a few
games injury-free.

I think it would be a foolish move for Pitino to trade now anyone of the 3
for a player like Brian Grant.  I would consider though trading Pierce for
an established 4-5 player (not that I can think of anybody fitting, assuming
of course that the Webbers and Duncans are not available).   I mean, I love
the guy, I think he is the best of the 3, but if I'm wrong and Pitino in his
wisdom has made another judgement, then now would be the time to trade him,
with all the hype around him.   But I think we must be more patient, these
guys have been playing together for less than 40 days, and we are talking
about trades?  So what if we don't make the POs?  Actually what I would like
to see is Celtics practice on court a game that would be competitive at the
POs level a few years down the road, even if it means not making the POs
this year (which is questionable anyway).  What do we gain by insisting on
the trapping defense to that extent when it's likely we won't play it when
and if we become competitive?  Losing twice to Toronto, to NJ, and the way
we did to Cleveland is a disgrace.  All the trapping defense does sometimes
is hide Walker's slacking.

So my opinion is: be PATIENT.  Keep the nucleus of 3 good players we have
together, and play them in pairs.  For better results play more Kenny with
Mercer (they collaborate well), while Walker and Pierce seem to work better
when they get the ball early and create something themselves.

The only starter I would be inclined to trade now is Anderson.  The problem
is that there aren't many GMs foolish enough to give something good for him.
Also can you imagine Anderson accepting to play for the LAC when he refused
to play for Toronto?  Trading him for Dampier would make sense to me, but
Barros can't play the PG position alone.

SA

PS 1 A player that I would like to see in green is Anthony Mason.  His FT
shooting fits our team :-))) but he would provide tenacity under the boards.
He likes to handle the ball like Antoine, and that could be a problem, but
he is not a black hole - he takes few shots with great FG%.  But this is not
an urgent issue, as he is out for the season.

PS 2 Jason Williams + Stojakovic for Kenny Anderson + Mercer.  That would be
something if Sacramento went for it.  Sacramento would have
Anderson-Mercer-Williamson-Webber-Divac, an excellent starting 5 that would
compete THIS year, and we would have found our future starters for 1-4
(Williams, Pierce, Stojakovic, Walker) thus getting 1 rather than 2 players
away from being competitive.   That would be perhaps the best rookie-trio
ever!  But it's very unlikely they would be willing to depart with Jason, as
we are unwilling to see Pierce go.