Re: Looking to the offseason

[kevin <kevin.lok@lycosmail.com>]

this is what i subscribed for, celtics news/talk.

Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu> wrote:

> It's time to look ahead to the changes ahead for the Celtics this
> offseason.
>
> 1. I doubt that Pitino is leaving this year, although he has left the door
>
> open for it when talking to reporters. It would be like selling your stock
>
> when it's at rock-bottom. He doesn't have enough of a reason to leave just
>
> yet. I think he's probably hoping to change his approach and finally go
> for more of a veteran team.

I agree. Pitino has been honest and he knows next year is his
make-or-break
year. I think Pitino got to coach the conventional style (I like the
Utah
halfcourt stuff-it-down-your-throat style), half court - with the
occasional
trappings/pressings. No helter-skelter style can survive the playoffs.

> 2. In hindsight, the Celtics didn't add talent over the last offseason,
> which is one of the reasons they didn't really improve. They lost Mercer
> and added Fortson, Griffin, and Cheaney. Fortson didn't fit (whether you
> want to blame that on Pitino the GM or Pitino the coach is your choice).
> Griffin burned out after a promising start. Cheaney ended up filling the
> Bruce Bowen role, with a bit more offensive ability. I forgot about
> Eric Williams, who seems to have displaced Walter McCarty.

I don't agree that we didn't add talent over the last offseason. Didn't
we
gushed over the 3-0 start, saying we are "very" deep talent wise? I
think
the talent is there, just right coaching method (ladynada, i agree with
you
over negative effect pitino cause from the sidelines, shouting
instructions.
I had a lady boss who's had the same style, I/everybody was a wreck
then)
I think Pitino wants all his players to be versatile. Look at Fort the
last
few games, he's got a jump shot now! Look at EW, he's shooting 3s more.
But
i think the mistake here is Pitino should have left them alone with
their
go-to moves (Fort- rebounding, putbacks, FT and EW - slashing, drawing
the
fouls, FT), before introducing new moves. Michael Jordan didn't have a
3-point shot till some years later in his career. Pitino should work
within
the abilities of the players before "developing" them.

I believe that the "current" abilities of our players are a result of
Pitino's coaching/player instructions. Look at Bowen now at Miami, i
think
he got an offensive game now. Different coaching instructions, I guess.

> 3. An inventory of our assets: Besides the players under contract after
> this season, we have our 2000 draft pick (from #7-#11 barring good luck
> in the lottery), our 2001 pick, Denver's 2001 protected pick, the $2M
> exception (which can be used every year - Cheaney's contract does not
> "use this up"), and Danny Fortson as a potential sign-and-trade.

I hope we sign Fort and trade Batman away. Fort is more productive and
comes
to play every night (of course, Battie was a player too BEFORE he got
his
extention.) Fort also can do a Shandon Anderson - sign for another
team's
2Mil slot - i think Fort is worth at least this.

I can imagine the Pitino spin when Batman is traded away for 2 second rd
picks "basically we got Battie for Travis knight whom we got for nothing
as
a free agent, and we've cleared cap money, so this is a good deal"

> 4. I don't see the $2M exception bringing us much of an impact player
> like Rodney Rogers in Pheonix has been. Usually the best $2M players
> seem to end up going to winning teams (like Houston was supposed to
> be for Shandon Anderson) or at least warm weather. Probably, if we use
> it, it will be to deepen the bench. A credible backup to Kenny Anderson,
> with defensive ability, would be great. Someone mentioned Chris Herren
> but unfortunately, the article that was quoted said that Denver had
> a team option on a second year.

The article on Chris Herren said that if Herren is still on Denver's
roaster
for the last game of the season, Herren would automatically be signed
for
next season. What about Wayne Turner? How's he doing? Anybody watch his
play
lately?

talking about the free agent market, I am hopeful that we can get that
"veteran" presence without resorting to trading our players or picks. I
think Pitino has to be patient and wait for those teams who had to
renounce
or waive players (in order to get under the cap) for
Duncan/Hill/TMac/Jones/Taylor/Anderson/Mercer sweepstakes. I think those
renounced or waive players can play. (Have you read that Toronto can
renounce their free agents and get 8mil under the cap to sign Hill AND
keep
TMac?)

> 5. I think that Fortson either gets the $2M exception from some other
> team, or a salary that slightly exceeds that from us, either to keep
> or as a sign-and-trade - 3 years, $8-9M. I really don't see us keeping
> him though. Ellison and Overton are gone. Griffin will be retained with
> the team option.

I hope the Celtic jersey means something for Fort, and I really hope
Fort
signs at least a 1 year deal to keep his "bird" rights. Fort (hopefully)
only need to endure Pitino for 1 more season. Hope is free.

I hope Pervis and Overton's slots are used on CBAers, who are more
appreciative of earning a NBA paycheck. (Orlando's players who plays
hardest
were former CBAers)

> 8. The biggest question is whether Walker or Pierce gets traded, most
> likely to get a quality veteran 4 or 5. I don't think this will happen,
> though I can imagine Walker going to Indiana for a package including
> Dale Davis. Besides those two, I think that Potapenko is the only player
> who has trade value, but moving him doesn't make sense because we aren't
> going to get a better center in return.

my opinion is to take a serious look this summer at what's motivating
Walker. If he's a couch patato in Chicago, I think he should be gone
since
his value is at a high now (hopefully Krause gets no marquee free agent
and
he'll buy into Walker's 71mil). I truly hope the Walker we've seen the
last
month is for real and permanent.

Pierce to me at least is Celtic Pride material. How often do you find a
player working out, wanting to improve during the summer - and this is
not
even his contract year.

I think V can be a Dale Davis type - 6-10 270lbs - nasty. We need Pitino
to
stop telling V to take jump shots.

I really hope Pitino would not (somebody with veto power up there, pls
help)
trade away our core players before the next coach steps in. I really
believe
it is coaching and not players' talents that caused this season.

> 9. Some potential impact free agents that could help this team. Manyof
> these names would probably not come for the $2M exception so a
> sign-and-trade would be necessary, with us giving up draft picks along
> with salaries to make it work. I've left out those free agents that I
> don't think we have any chance of getting.
>
>   Kurt Thomas - a sign and trade would be necessary because NY never loses
>
>     anyone from inability to pay. From what I've seen he's a solid
> defender
>     that can hit the open midrange jumper.

I just don't see Kurt Thomas fitting in with Pitino "system". Thomas is
slow
footed and a positional rebounder. If we sign him, Fort is a goner.

>   Bo Outlaw and Ben Wallace - one of these guys might be available if
>     Orlando hits the jackpot in free agency and needs to clear cap space.
>     Energy, shotblocking, rebounding, athleticism. Unfortunately Orlando
>     has a history of under the table agreements with players, so they
> might
>     be able to retain them with small one-year contracts and reward them
>     down the road.

I think outlaw and wallace are for keeps - in Orlando. I think Orlando
do
not have to renounce these guys to get under the cap.

>   Mark Jackson - Indiana may be heading in a totally different direction
>     this year. I could see them rebuilding by doing sign-and-trades with
>     their veterans for one-year contracts and draft picks. Jackson for
>     Dana Barros and a first-round pick? Given his age (35) maybe the pick
>     could be lottery-protected, or maybe we get him for even less, even
>     the $2M exception, if he loves Pitino as much as he says. Don't know
>     if he'd settle for that for his last contract though.

 I do not want to waste our pick for Jackson, as the pick is our future
and
Jackson got only a couple of season left in him. Dana only got 1 year
left,
so we might as well stick with him.  I am sure come next Feb's dateline,
Dana's contract would be very attractive for trades, and we could really
get
value for it.

>   Derek Anderson - The Clippers hate free agents (because they are always
>     on the way out) and love rookie contracts because the player is
>     practically a captive. Again a sign-and-trade where we give up a
>     first-round pick could do it. Whether we have a shot depends on
>     whether the cap room on teams like Chicago and Orlando dries up before
>
>     their wish list gets to Derek Anderson. I don't know how much interest
>
>     there will be from these teams in Anderson because he's a case of good
>
>     stats on a terrible team, plus he's has injury problems.

I think DA wants close to the max type of money (are Kentucky players
always
this money savvy?)

> Alex

thanks alex for your input.

kevin