Re: Now the pressure's really on Rick.

[Shailendra Mishra <shailendra_mishra@yahoo.com>]

--- Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu> wrote:
> Have anyone actually done a poll of NBA players and
> asked, "Would you
> be willing to play in Rick Pitino's system?" Where
> does this 80% figure
> come from? It was recently noted in the Herald that
> veterans such
> as Richmond and Chuck Person have actually sent
> notice to Pitino that
> they were interested. 

No, nobody has conducted a poll but there are number of players and
some pretty good ones who don't want to play for the celtics. Based on
the sample of players that have been asked, if they would play Pitino
ball I arrived at the number. Person at this point in his career is a
journey man and would be glad to play for anybody. Mitch, I was
surprised but then this may have to do with his contract situation.

> This has been brought up recently, the idea of
> "developing chemistry."
> But you want to let the players develop chemistry
> only when you've put
> together all the major pieces of the championship
> team. I don't think
> the Celtics have that core yet. If you decide,
> regardless of that, to
> let the players gel by maintaining continuity,
> you'll find out in three
> years or so that you have a cohesive team that has
> no championship chances.
> I say, make the major moves that are needed to put
> the championship team
> together, and then don't touch them.

I don't agree with you, because unless the players gel it will be hard
to figure whether you have the pieces or not. The C's in this perenial
mode of aquiring players and then dumping them without giving them a
realistic chance to succeed. I think with Walker, Mercer, Pierce and
Potapenko we have a pretty good core. They have flaws in their game but
nothing that can't be corrected by a good fundamentals coach.

> I'm not sure how this would be possible given that
> the trades supposedly
> have to match salaries, approximately, unless you
> are picking up other
> players on the last years of their contracts. If you
> trade them for
> veterans, you are going to end up paying less for
> the same or better 
> talent, probably, because young kids like Mercer and
> Battie get paid
> (or overpaid) based on their potential and their
> longevity.

Well! technically you are correct, but what I am implying by that
statement is the following:
 
Take for instance the Billups deal which got us Anderson for Billups +
Dee. One of the reasons that was sited for the deal, was that the C's
couldn't afford Billups when he comes up for renewal.
Dee and Billups would have been FA's in the year 2000 but we aquired
Anderson for even bigger contract. Now the C's are in a bind because
that contract is not easy to move unless we are willing to sacrifice
one of the core players.
                        - Mishra

> I am watching the post-season with interest and am
> really impressed
> > with the play of the Kings and the 76ers. I think
> the 76ers are going
> > to give the Pacers a run for their money. - Mishra
> > 
> > PS: I don't like steals, because it makes a
> defensive player gamble and
> > messes with the defensive formation.
> >                                         [Larry
> Brown]
> > 
> Doesn't Larry Brown's team lead the league in
> steals?
 

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