Re: Pots

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

> Subject: Re:Pots
> Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1999 15:52:10 +0200
> From: opi@unesco.org
<snips>
> If Pitino hadn't pulled the trigger on the "Andre Miller" trade, where would we
> be right now?

In a lot better shape. I think you've been spending too much time with
Otis, Opi. Imagine a starting five of Fortson, Battie, Walker, Pierce
and
Miller - that's better than anything the C's currently have. As already
noted
on this list, with the Pitino system, you need to have a shotblocker
guarding
the hoop. Pot doesn't offer that and neither does the other guy you want
to see
teamed with Pot - Fortson. Battie may, and that's why he should start
along with
Forston, who does provide the rebounding the C's need. 

As far as Pot goes, pre-rules changes and pre-addition of Fortson, he
could 
have helped the club this year, but with the new rules, his time on the
court 
will be mostly foul-plagued. So, he's more suited to coming off the
bench in 
a back-up capacity to Fortson, who will also be foul-plagued. In many
ways, 
Fortson and Pot mirror each others
weaknesses and are somewhat redundant especially for the Pitino system. 
Putting both together on the court is not a smart thing, no matter how
many
Laimber-Mahorn analogies Pitino draws, because this is an entirely
different
system than what the Pistons used. Detroit also had the benefit of two
great guards, one of whom was a superior defender, which lessened the
amount
of penetration to the hoop. As long as Kenny is around, there's always
going to
be opposing guards gallivanting to the hoop, increasing the need for 
shotblocking, which neither pot or Fort supply.   
  

Seriously, we filled a major hole without much cost to the
> franchise (basically we swapped lotto picks with Denver).
> 
> You think Pitino's better off if we bypassed VP him for a Yogi Stewart, Samaki
> Walker, Shawn Bradley, Tony Battie type?

Shawn Bradley averaged 3 blocks and 8 boards in 26 minutes last year,
and is a
better fit in the Pitino system than Pot.  Especially with the bulky
Fortson
around.


 Well I'm telling you those kinds of
> athletic, shot blocking bodies are A LOT easier to find on the market than a
> Vitaly Potapenko. Tall and lean 235 pounders come into the league or free agent
> market every summer in the 2 million range. How many coordinated and motivated
> 290 pounders were there in the last few NBA drafts? It may sound like I'm trying
> to overrate Potapenko's rarity and value, but I'm just stating a fact.


The C's would have been better off trading the lottery pick to Portland
for
Kelvin Cato, who also fits in better with Pitino's system than Fort,
because
he can rebound and block shots.
Ray
 
> Go Red Sox!
> 
> Joe
> 
> ****