Re: Jackie Mac Attack

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

A lot of good stuff here. Thanks for posting this Ray.

A couple of things:

Yao Ming remains a question mark, but put him in the lottery with Eddy
Curry, Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, Loren Woods and, maybe, Dasagna
Diop, and you have the greatest crop of centers to enter the NBA in decades.
Another reason to keep the picks.

She's right about Bibby. Vancouver isn't going to do it for picks, and
that's best for the Celts. I only  trade those picks at this point for a guy
like Garnett, Kobe, Vince, Duncan... all-NBA types. As good as Bibby is, I
don't trade those picks for him. Put together a package with Pierce and
Bibby as the centerpieces, and I'd do it. Swingmen are a lot easier to come
by than young franchise point guards.

The most important point: I agree about Chris Wallace. He's been handcuffed
by Pitino, but I think the guy could operate effectively as the team's GM
with Pitino gone (hopefully soon). He wanted McGrady. He loved Marion. He
understands the value of lottery picks to a team like the Celts. Most
importantly, with Pitino out of the way, he can start a rebuilding effort.
He isn't locked into that "win now" mindset that Pitino has. He could
prepare the team for the future. I'm hoping this happens sooner rather than
later, and it's one reason--I'm going to get hammered for this--I'm rooting
against the C's at this point. I want Pitino gone before he can screw things
up worse than they already are (no small feat). The more they lose, the more
likely it is he calls it quits before the end of the season (and, most
importantly, before the trading deadline).

Mark