Right now, I'm thinking that Ron Mercer may be the one that's traded after the season...
[Chicago Tribune] [SPORTS]
3/28/99
NBA REPORT/SAM SMITH
Dissension rules in
Boston as Pitino blasts
'expansion' Celtics
March 28, 1999
The Bulls' whole
rebuilding effort seemed
based on one fear. They
didn't want to become the
Boston Celtics.
The Boston Celtics after
Larry Bird retired, not
seven years later.
But the Celtics rank with
the Nets as the league's
biggest disappointments
this season. Star forward
Antoine Walker gets booed
at home every time he
touches the ball.
"I don't mind the
booing," Walker said
after 2-for-15 and
1-for-14 shooting games
last week. "But on every
shot? Is that going to
make things better? I
don't know what's with
the crowd. I don't think
that's right."
The fans don't believe
Walker's barely 40
percent shooting is
right.
Ron Mercer can't stand
coach Rick Pitino and
wants to leave.
Bob Cousy said the team
stinks, athough he used
harsher words. Fellow
Celtics Hall of Famer Tom
Heinsohn, a team
broadcaster, blasted
Walker.
Paul Pierce has been a
basket case, they say in
Boston, since March 1,
when he missed two free
throws late in a game
with New Jersey and
Pitino blamed him for the
loss. Pitino denied the
story, but with it there
were reports of Pitino's
continued cursing and
screaming and even
subjecting the players to
a bed check in
Washington, something not
done in the NBA.
"Everyone is asking if
the team quit on me,"
Pitino said. "I can't
wait to get it started
toward next season. Oh, I
can go back to college
any day I want. The
contract (seven years,
$50 million) only limits
me in professional
basketball. But I'd never
do that. Now, in my third
or fourth year if I
didn't think I was
getting it done . . .
"I'm staking my
reputation. I've never
lost. But I took over an
expansion team."
The problem is the
Celtics seem to have
regressed, and they're
already well over the
salary cap for next
season. Gone is the
pressing Pitino
style--the players
weren't in good enough
shape to play it. Walker,
who just signed a $71
million extension, is the
No. 1 offensive option
and a wild, undisciplined
shooter. Kenny Anderson,
under contract through
2003, seems to have
little left. How bad is
it? Andrew DeClerq
dominated Vitaly
Potapenko last week in a
Cleveland rout, dunking
on two alley-oop passes.
"I've seen the Washington
Generals play better
defense," Pitino said. "I
really believe I could
get a CBA team and win
more games than with
these guys. If anyone has
a problem with me, they
should come say it to my
face. There are two
things I hate: cowards
and liars."
And lately Celtics.
The Bulls would have
drafted Mercer in 1997 if
they had traded Scottie
Pippen. They could get
him now. And Walker could
be available.
The one thing the Bulls
never wanted to be was
Boston, and with good
reason, it now seems.
<snip>