Larry Brown vs Rick Pitino

[Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu>]

We have to keep a few factors in mind here:

1) The 76ers started with different assets than the Celtics. 
First, Iverson vs. Walker, which should be in favor of Iverson
considering he was rookie of the year as well as a higher pick.
Second, the #2 pick vs. the #3 and #6 in 1997. This is also
in favor of Philadelphia because Pitino has implied that he 
offered his two picks for the #2 and was refused. Minor assets:
The Celtics had more cap room; Philadelphia had Stackhouse.
Overall, the 76ers had slightly better assets once the draft 
order was established.

2) The way in which the teams are rebuilding. Larry Brown did
worse during the first year because one of the primary benefits
of his Van Horn trade was cap room during this past offseason.
In his second year, he added his veterans and used up his 
remaining flexibility. I'd say that the core of the 76ers is
essentially fixed at this point, with Geiger, Ratliff, Hill
as the big men, Lynch at the 3, and Snow, Iverson, Hughes
as the guards. I'd evaluate his Van Horn trade as a very good
short term move but probably a regrettable long term one. 
The Tyrone Hill/Tim Thomas trade was another move that was
potentially damaging long term but immediately beneficial.  
The Ratliff trade was a home run. Brown's biggest mistake?
Passing on Pierce, especially since he ended up dealing Tim
Thomas anyways.

Pitino has not established the core of his team yet but should
do that this offseason, or by the trading deadline at the latest.
At that point we can make a preliminary evaluation of which 
team has the better future prospects in comparison to their
original assets. 

My hope is that Pitino can pull off something similar to the
Stackhouse/Ratliff trade with Mercer as his main bait.

Alex