Re: A quote for Mark Berry

[damekmo@teleport.com]

>I don't know what's out there, but Pitino mentioned these "unbelievable"
>offers for Pierce. The thing with Pierce is, say you trade him for Shareef
>Abdur Rahim (just an example). Shareef is making Antoine money. So you
>package Pierce with some bad contracts to make the salaries match. You
>exchange talent-for-talent, but you gain the advantage of dumping bad
>contracts. Too often under Pitino, we've been the team on the other end,
>taking back Kenny Anderson or Eric Williams contracts that kill your roster
>flexibility.

And who knows, maybe SAR was the sort of offer that Pitino was talking
about. Pitino mentioned "unbeleivable" offers that he turned down this
summer and I imagine that if he were to try to resurrect any of them now
he'd have to spice up the deal. Pierce and any one of VP or Battie or Stith
or? for SAR? If the Grizz would fall for it.....why not? SAR is twice the
talent Pierce will ever be. I don't know, maybe you'd have to throw in a
draft pick too. Fine...but this is the sort of talent Pitino is shooting
for...I think. I'm just guessing, but I think Pitino finally understands
this team is more than a Griffin or Stith away from respectability. If he
wants to add a real player like SAR and he needs to give up Pierce +, then
he should do it. Maybe you send the Clips Pierce + for Odom +. If you have
to give up a draft pick with Pierce, fine. I'll say it again though....he
should've done it this summer, because soon the only guy on this roster
anybody's going to want is Walker and anybody besides Shaq on this team
without Walker gets you nowhere. The sooner you move Pierce, the better.

Paul M.