RE: Getting Baker for Mercer&Anderson would be the final piece

[John Lyell <Jlyell@concentric.net>]

Yes maybe Baker's off year will allow us to sign him for one year cheap 
like a Rick Fox or Joe Smith for both sides to se if they like it ?  Baker 
had a pretty poor year, was very productive in past years.








On Saturday, May 08, 1999 6:55 PM, DJessen33@aol.com 
[SMTP:DJessen33@aol.com] wrote:
> Tidbits from recent articles in the Seattle Times:
>
> <Is Gary Payton paying attention? Would he surrender the ball, just a 
little
> bit, to another point guard, if the Sonics found the right guy? . . >
> ----->Hello Ken Anderson<------
>
> <During the offseason, Seattle will look to acquire a physical big man, 
an
> athletic shooting guard and a backup to Payton at point guard. >
>
> <Next season, Payton likely will have a new backcourt partner for the 
first
> time in five years: If Hawkins isn't traded, he will come off the bench.
>
> "We want Hersey back," Westphal said. "But I don't necessarily want him
> playing 40 minutes. I think at this stage in his career, he has a lot to
> offer.
>
> "But we need another backcourt player who can give us a lot of minutes 
and a
> lot of versatility."
>
> Hawkins seems willing to accept a changed role. "I have absolutely no
> problems with coming off the bench. I just want to win. If they want me 
to do
> that next season, that's fine with me," Hawkins said. Even so, Hawkins is 
a
> likely trade candidate. Westphal's system works best with an off-guard 
who
> can shoot off the dribble.>>           ----->Hello Ron Mercer<------
>
> <A Sonic-less NBA playoffs will be different, for sure. But not 
necessarily
> all bad. Consider the Emerald City upside:
>
> Vin Baker leaves town, freeing up the Super Burrito line at local Taco 
Del
> Mar.
>
> Extra offseason days for Wally to dangle large contracts before half the
> starting lineup of the Los Angeles Clippers. >
>
> Conclusion: Baker has said in the past he would love to be a Celtic. Vin
> would be the perfect starting PF and backup center. A re-signed Battie 
could
> backup both positions. Vin could be our go-to guy at the end of the game, 
> providing he gets in shape. If Baker would say he wouldn't sign with the
> Sonics and only the Celtics, then they could do a sign-and-trade using
> Anderson's money as the match. I would like to keep Mercer but he would 
have
> to go to make the deal go down. This allows us to sign Battie and Pierce 
in
> the future. We can't have everyone on this team making 8 million a year.
> Baker was totally out of shape this year and plays much better along side 
a
> physical center. PERHAPS WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A OFF-YEAR FOR BAKER. 
We
> couldn't just trade Mercer because of the base year problem. Baker would 
be
> the final piece of a championship team. Barros is a little weak at the PG 
> positon but would be adequate with enough talent at the other positons.
>
> Championship Lineup:
>
> 1-Barros, Jones
> 2-Pierce, Minor
> 3-Walker, McCarty
> 4-Baker, Battie, Jones
> 5-VP, Battie
>
> DJessen33
>