RE: A quote for Mark Berry

[OzerskyJA <OzerskyJA@cmog.org>]

It seems clear to me that Pitino is not thinking about 
the Jerome Williamses of the world when he talks about
something major...I am wondering what Paul Pierce could
bring us.  I don't think we should use his value to forcefeed
Vitaly or Kenny to another team...I agree with Alex Wang
(as usual) that clearing cap space is a fool's game for a team
like us.  But who is available out there?  If it was somebody 
good enough, I would add a pick, although Paul Pierce at his
current salary is a pretty valuable asset.  I am assuming that
we can't get top five NBA player, or even a top ten NBA
player, i.e. Duncan, Garnett, Shaq, Kobe, Iverson, Mourning,
Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, Rasheed Wallace, CWebb, Tracy McGrady.  But what
about the strata of players directly below -- Grant Hill, SAR,
Marbury, Allen Houston, etc. us better?  Who is out there that would make us
better that  we could realistically get?

Josh Ozersky	
Marketing Communications Specialist 
Corning Museum of Glass

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Berry, Mark  S [SMTP:berrym@BATTELLE.ORG]
> Sent:	Monday, December 18, 2000 10:34 AM
> To:	'Jim_Meninno@hotmail.com'; 'celtics@igtc.com'
> Subject:	Re: A quote for Mark Berry
> 
> Living in the clouds?
> 
> Because I don't want to trade a lottery pick for Jerome Williams? That's
> what I'm afraid of when he talks about a trade that will "make us win
> quicker." Look, you're right. I want major changes. But those changes
> probably won't help the team right now. I'd rather be trading guys for
> draft
> picks or emerging talent, and clearing cap space (not just for free
> agents--cap space gives you great flexibility in making deals).
> 
> I've been advocating full-scale rebuilding, and that process doesn't "make
> us win quicker." Now, if something dropped in Pitino's lap--say Garnett
> became available--then, certainly you sacrifice whatever draft picks you
> need to sacrifice. But not for Jerome Williams. And I don't package those
> picks with Walker for Dikembe Mutombo. We traded for Kenny Anderson
> because
> he would "make us win quicker." We traded for Vitaly Potapenko because he
> would "make us win quicker." So, yes, I want change. But based on Pitino's
> history when he wants to "make us win quicker," I have a little concern.
> Am
> I making my position clear? 
> 
> Do you have an opinion, Jim, or did you just want to question mine?