Re: C's Sign Chris Carr

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

Joe Hironaka wrote:

> 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

But he wasn't on the list of players mentioned in the post.
Do they really need Vitaly, if they have Kemp?


> 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.
>

I think AG will be there. The lack of rebounding and passing in the
starting lineup calls out for an AG type. But yeah, he's one of the
few tradeable types on the club.

>
> 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.
>

I'm pretty sure Il Duce still has a thing for O'Neal. The jilted suitor
always wants the suitee much more.

>
> 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 he was really interested in addressing needs, a big time shooting
guard was there for the taking...

>
> 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.
>

It's my view, that the C's should concentrate on putting themselves
in the best position to acquire a center and point guard out of the
upcoming draft. Keep Pierce, Toine, Moiso, Griffin, Blount, and a
a couple of others, forget about the rest, and add the young
center and PG. Maybe use next year's $4 million exception on a
veteran big man to tutor the young center. Stuff like that...
Ray

>
> 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.
>
> -------