Mercer worth gamble Issel took in trade

[DJessen33@aol.com]

How come we can't have any Boston writers who are as biased as this Denver 
newspaper writer? 

Mercer worth gamble Issel took in trade
By Mark Kiszla
Denver Post Sports Columnist 

Oct. 10 - Don't be fooled by the unflappable hair and Italian suits worn by 
NBA coach Rick Pitino, who despite his $70 million contract with Boston has 
lost nearly 60 percent of his games for the Celtics. The man's obviously not 
as perfect as he looks. 

In fact, Denver's Dan Issel unraveled Pitino quicker than a cheap sweater, 
undressing him in the trade that brought 6-foot-7 forward Ron Mercer to the 
Nuggets. 

Obtaining Mercer just might be the biggest heist the Nuggets have pulled 
since they fleeced Portland for Fat Lever, Calvin Natt and Wayne Cooper more 
than a decade ago. 

Mercer, who at age 23 already has scored nearly 2,000 NBA points, could grow 
into Denver's sweetest, smoothest scorer since Alex English stopped making 
poetry with a basketball and the net. 

In the Pepsi Center, the Nuggets have a new arena so beautiful it can cause 
fans to gasp. But it's Mercer who will take spectators' breath away. 

"Ron Mercer?" said Denver power forward Antonio McDyess, finally united with 
a teammate who can help him carry the offensive load. "He can make those 
unbelievable plays that make you go, 'Whew!'" 

If you're at the bottom of the pro basketball heap, as the Nuggets have been 
for too long, there are only two ways to improve have the burden lifted. Pray 
for the good, blind luck of winning a Michael Jordan or a Tim Duncan in the 
draft lottery. Or take a bold risk to exploit trouble in another 
organization, by trading for a player in need of a fresh start to become the 
best he can be.

Guess how the Nuggets acquired Mercer - who was so tired of listening to 
Pitino scream at him in Boston that he informed the Celtics he would almost 
certainly earn his beans elsewhere, as soon as his contract expired in 2000.

"So much of what's important for NBA players now is being happy and being 
comfortable. Ron has played for Rick Pitino the last four years - two years 
at Kentucky and two years in Boston. But I don't think I'm a difficult coach 
to play for," said Issel, taking a subtle jab in the puffed-up chest with 
which Pitino fills his Armani jacket.

There's no denying Issel took a gamble on Mercer, who could walk out of town 
as a free agent after a single season with the Nuggets.

But, as cheering audiences in Denver should soon confirm, Mercer was a bet 
worth taking. Meaning no offense to Danny Fortson and the box of rocks the 
Nuggets shipped to Boston in return for Mercer, but how often does a team 
have a chance to acquire a player with genuine all-star potential for next to 
nothing?

"Antonio McDyess is our No. 1 offensive choice. But Ron Mercer will be 1b," 
Issel said. "He can put so much pressure on the defense the way he can get to 
the hole. I saw him score 20 points as a freshman (for Kentucky) in the NCAA 
championship game, so I don't think he'll experience any trouble having the 
basketball when the game's on the line." 

Now, not everyone in the NBA loves Denver's new starter at small forward. 
Loudmouth Celtics veteran Kenny Anderson recently told a Boston newspaper 
that he was happy to see Mercer depart Boston.

"I believe we're going to be better from the trade. I'm happy with it. I'm 
not knocking (Mercer), but the trade is going to make my job a lot easier. He 
was one of the guys who always complained," insisted Anderson, a point guard 
with the nasty habit of leading every pro offense he runs into the ground. "I 
know you're going to write this, and I don't want to belittle Ron or 
anything. But he's one of the guys who made my job harder than it had to be." 

What does Mercer think of Anderson's rude, reckless evaluation? Stupid is as 
stupid does.

"What you need to know about Kenny Anderson is the only reason people 
interview him is because he says stupid stuff ... There's always something 
stupid that comes out of his mouth and makes a headline," Mercer said. "Kenny 
is one of those guys who has a lot of pressure on him in Boston, so he has to 
say something negative about somebody else to cover his own butt. I'm smart 
enough to know what Kenny is doing, but he's dumb enough not to see it." 

Hear the edge in his voice, and you start to understand Mercer brings a 
tired-of-losing competitiveness the Nuggets have long sought. More important, 
he's probably already better than 90 percent of the players in the league. 
And what Denver needs most desperately is fresh talent.

"Mercer is a slasher. We haven't had a slasher in Denver, a player who can 
get the the hoop, since when? Fat Lever?" Issel said. "Mercer can really 
handle the ball. He can get to the hoop, and he's a better outside shooter 
than most people know." 

Beaten down by a decade of losing, there are some miserable folks who 
steadfastly believe the Nuggets are doomed to failure forever. These are the 
pessimists who note Mercer rented rather than bought a home in Colorado. But 
the cynics paint a far bleaker forecast for the next year than Mercer does. 

"My only job right now is to go out and improve this team," said Mercer, 
refreshingly unpretentious for a young multimillionaire. "I think everything 
else will take care of itself." 

What's the best way for the Nuggets to make Mercer feel at home?

"Winning is certainly going to be important. Mercer doesn't want to be in a 
situation for the next six or seven years where he's getting his head kicked 
in. What player does?" Issel said. "I think he has to be happy in Denver. I 
think we have to be successful. So it goes hand in hand. Ron Mercer needs to 
have the great year I know he will. And we have to prove to him this is the 
place he wants to be for the rest of his career." 

It's worth a shot.

This year, Mercer is the best shot Denver's got.