Re: Ray, how about this one?

[Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

Thndrblt31@aol.com wrote:

> A friend of mine online said he has heard about a Jermaine O'Neal and Bonzi
> Wells for Walker trade being discussed.  Sounds like anything you've heard?
> Does that even work out moneywise?
>
> We might be looking at a starting lineup like this next season.
>
> c   Vitaly Potapenko
> pf  Jermaine O'Neal or Tony Battie or Jerome Moiso (pick your power forward)
> sf  Paul Pierce
> sg  Bonzi Wells
> pg  Kenny Anderson
>
> (Or maybe resign Danny Fortson and have O'Neal play center?)
>
> Is it an improvement or not?  That is difficult to say right now since both
> O'Neal and Wells are so young and unproven.
>

    Didn't O'Neal recently say something to the effect that if he had the
minutes on another team, he'd show that he's one of the league's top power
forwards? Maybe to Pitino that translates no problem into "a weight room away"
from being a quality center, but he's still listed at just 225 pounds by
NBA.COM.

    O'Neil is a fourth year pro (more than 200 games played) who actually
averaged fewer points in more minutes last season than he did as a rookie.
Whether it be at center or forward, I'm not sure you'd want to put any player
with a .557FT% into your starting lineup, even if he triples last year's 3.9 ppg
and 3.3 rpg.

    If it is at forward, I can't help thinking it is Battie+2picks, not Walker,
that Pitino is trying to trade. I can't possibly imagine why Pitino would want
to have Battie or O'Neil as potential third-string benchwarmers, given how much
they both earn. You'd have accumulated four guys on the team (Batgirl, EuroBat,
ShaqLite, Waltah) with identical physiques.

    For now I think this rumor probably originates from the swapping and
embelleshing of newsgroup gossip. To the degree that Boston/Portland may be
discussing options I would expect it involves the two most urgent concerns (how
to get a return on Fortson and Grant) with draft picks and cap anchors thrown
in. In the end, I doubt there is much there. A trade with Walker and O'Neil as
the principles would shock me.


> I just feel we need some kind of change around here to get some kind
> different vibe for the team.  Walker and Pitino have both contributed to
> making this one of the underachieving teams in the league.  Mediocre at best
> with little signs of hope.  Maybe its just me, but thats how I see the team
> all the time.  I do stay positive though and hope they can prove me wrong.
>
> Thndrblt31