re: Lakers stronger, while C's wait longer

[bird <bird@pixi.com>]

>From: Amy Beauregard <amyeb88@yahoo.com>
>
>...we are trading for Del Negro? I
>thought he was a stiff 10 years ago.

Yup.  And he's still a stiff.  I'd rather have Doug Overton or even 
Wayne Turner as backup points.

>Why do we have to
>trade Fortson? IF you want him, keep him, otherwise
>let him go. You don't have to get something back. Stop
>saving face.

It's not just face, it's a matter of resources and what you can get 
for them.  We can get something for Fortson, we just need to make 
sure we don't overpay some stiff (that's your cue, Vinnie) for the 
privilege of letting him go.  I can't decide which is worse: just 
letting Fort go with nothing in return, or getting back some mediocre 
player with a big paycheck.  Guess it depends on he player.  Why 
_not_ try to get something in return, though?

>I also hope Pot isn't going anywhere.
>He's all we've got

I'm a fan of V but this is a bit of an overstatement, don't you 
think?  If V doesn't improve he's a backup on a good team.  If he 
does, he could be an useful and effective starter on a 
playoff-quality team.  If we have to let him go in order to get a 
better player, either down the road or right now, then I say "Bye."

>... paving the way for [Bird]
>to buy this damn team and get some BASKETBALL people
>running and coaching this team

Look, no one would be happier to have Bird running/owning the team 
than me, and there's lots of stuff you can criticize Pitino, et al. 
about, but saying they're not "basketball" people can't be accurate. 
Everyone but Gaston and the PR staff (your Jeff Twiss's (I think 
that's his name) and such) are virtually basketball-obsessed, aren't 
they?

Regards,

Bill