Re: C's Sign Chris Carr

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

Way Of The Ray wrote:

> There's no one on this list -- other than Paul Pierce -- that would
> interest Portland.

No, a couple people mentioned it and I do agree Portland would also like to get
Vitaly to help against the Lakers and to replace the creaky Sabonis. Vitaly may
already be more valuable tradewise than Sabonis, factoring in age, and might
even start ahead of him at 1/4th the salary. Leaving aside whether Jermaine can
start in Boston, I do think one plausible reason he didn't get minutes before is
because he weighs the same as the 6-6 Pierce and doesn't "work out like Rocky"
(or whatever Pitino's phrase was this summer regarding Potapenko).

> You forgot Adrian Griffin - I assume if he's
> healthy, he's starting.

Well, not exactly. Based on arguments made on this list, the absolute purity of
a gimmick we've put our faith in demands that Adrian Griffin be traded because
he isn't (at all) the athletic headless chicken Pitino needs. Is that a stretch?
I  personally don't see a big difference between Potapenko and Griffin (two guys
whose actual production is better than their athleticism, much like Danny
Fortson). These are three guys who think hitting 50% of your shots is something
worse striving for in terms of shot selection and put up real stats instead of
potential stats.

You'd wonder why there can't possibly be any middle ground, rather than wild
swings from one extreme (36 wins but a lack of bulk or size to guard playoff
teams) on to another (35 wins and a serviceable guy on the roster to guard Shaq
but a relative lack of athleticism) and then back again. We're talking about
keeping or dumping one player on a freaking 15-man roster (Potapenko) who costs
2/3rds as much in salary if that as Jermaine O'Neil.

In this sense, coach Poultrino seems to have a better sense of perspective and
balance than people on this list. I'm guessing but O'Neil might actually be off
the radar screen everywhere in the universe except on this mailing list.

Maybe Pitego even feels he already has addressed our need via the draft to add a
third hyper-athletic 6-11 225 pound forward (Moiso, Battie, Waltah) behind
Walker.

If there exists an NBA stat for "production-to-salary ratio" among healthy
players, he might have been among the league leaders in each of his four pro
seasons (quite an achievement). In Boston, he would be the third highest paid
player (signed through 2003) after Walker and Kenny.

And yet the list consensus remains that we still need a fourth 6-11 225 pound
underachiever in order to have any chance to be the first pure gimmicks team in
NBA history to squeak into the playoffs, even if we get exposed and slaughtered
by a veteran first or second seed that has a true center.

As I see it, that's putting a lot of long-term faith in the success of the
Pitino system (which I do hope will succeed next year), to the degree that you
can't easily go back if things don't work out. Since most "normal" teams covet
that type of affordable young  player, the dumping of a bruising and durable
young center or even a double double power forward is probably a lot easier to
do than actually requiring those type of affordable-contract players back again
via a future trade (in the *off-chance* that more-of-the-same-Poultrino-ball
strategy fails and we get a new coach who prefers slower, smarter players to
headless chicken). Basically it cost us Andre Miller and Ron Mercer in his prime
to get those guys. Next time it could cost us a Paul Pierce to get a center.

In Jermaine O'Neil's favor, we have rarely seen so much local hype regarding a
player with so little production and a so far invisible work ethic and maturity.
In this sense, he must be a LOT better than he sounds or looks. I'm not saying
this sarcastically. I truly believe it could be true, just as I will as usual
predict an ambitious number Boston wins next year based on my trust as a fan in
a best-case scenario.

If Spintino is serious about hoarding 2001 draft picks, it is pretty much a sure
thing he intends to stay with us beyond next season (with or without a need to
make the playoffs this year). So I'm psyching myself to get used to him.

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