Re: Bulpett: Budget Clouds Mercer's Future

[Josh Ozersky <josh_ozersky@yahoo.com>]

Why should we sign Ron now?  We can wait until Pervis'
contract is finally over, and other moves have been
made.  Tony Battie absolutely has to be signed -- this
is more important that Mercer, for my money.  And I
don't see why we need a bruising power forward at all.
 Put Tony in at four, and Popeye against bigger guys. 
If Jones can't play, then use his IR money for Mercer.
 See?  No problem.  I think Pitino is doing a lot of
talking about money for his boss' benefit, but no way
will he hurt himself as a basketball coach for
financial reasons.  The Celtics can afford plenty more
then they are spending.  They had better plan on
paying Pierce the Max next summer too.


--- Way Of The Ray  wrote:
> This is a paraphrase of Steve Bulpett's article --
> non-
> Web posted -- from today's Boston Herald (p. 115):
> 
> - Contract negotiations between the C's and Mercer
> will be interesting
> this summer
> 
> - "Budgetary concerns" could intrude upon the
> negotiations, despite the
> fact, that "Mercer is clearly a key member of the
> operation..."
> 
> - Pitino said negotiations will be more difficult
> than the Walker one's
> because he said he has a budget, "'that I have to
> stay within...'"
> 
> - Pitino further stated: "'It's not something that's
> just going to 
> happen, like Antoine's...'"
> 
> - Bulpett mentions that the C's could wait to sign
> Mercer in the summer
> of 2000.
> 
> - Pitino mentions that Chris Wallace is going to
> handle the financial 
> aspects of the negotiations, and that he hasn't
> thought about it all
> that much
> 
> Now for the good stuff:
> 
> Bulpett says:
> 
> "Mercer's name has been raised in trade discussions 
> before, and he will likely come up again if the
> Celtics
> can find a large, high-quality defender and
> rebounder for
> the power forward spot - or even a front-line point
> guard.
> 
> "The latter would have to be a package that includes
> 
> Kenny Anderson.
> 
> "While noting that he certainly isn't trying to get
> rid of a
> talent like Mercer (Ray's comment: Ha Ha Ha), Pitino
> acknowledged
> that a new contract for his Kentucky pupil would
> essentially
> bind him to Boston for a while.
> 
> "'Once you sign him, you can't really trade him for
> two years... 
> If Ron signs, then he goes to base year and you can
> only get 50 percent 
> back in trade after a certain date.'"
> 
> Bulpett says the Mercer contract issue will come
> down to "how much Gaston
> allows his coach and president to spend."
> Ray
> 
> 

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