Re: Subject: Blabbermouth GMs

[kevin lok <kevin.lok@lycosmail.com>]

> Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 14:50:09 EST
> From: Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu>
> Subject: Blabbermouth GMs
>
> Something interesting that has come up is the Heat and Raptors bashing
> the Philly GM Billy King for "confirming" trade talk between the Heat and
> Raptors. This is after Riley criticized the Philly organization for
> unprofessional leaks. I have to think they are probably right because
> I remember King leaking to the media a Celtics offer of Brown and
> Barros for Derrick Coleman in '97.
>
> I think it goes to show that when "some GM" says that so-and-so is
> going to be traded, there could be very little truth to it. King seems
> to maliciously leak information to the media just to mess up other
> teams. I wouldn't be surprised if he, or someone like him, is the source
> of the rumors that the Celtics are trying to give Antoine away.
>

Looking back, during Pitino tenure have you noticed that most (if not
all) Pitino's trades happened quite "suddenly", without much "rumour" or
"news" of it prior to it happening.

Like the Travis Knight / Battie deal (was a total suprise wasn't it?)
Billups to Toronto and Mercer to Denver (yeah, both were rumoured to be
on the block, but when it happened it was really unexpected to teams who
were "not in the rumour picture".
Pot / Declerque+1 deal (quite sudden as there was this report Pot
refusing offer from Cavs on an extension, and a day or 2 later, Pot
traded to C's)

I think Pitino's office is water tight (at least tighter than Sixer's
office) about trade leaks, and those rumours about C's (specifically
with named players and teams) are duds, chances of happening are almost
zero. I am more inclined to think Battie and Barros are on the
block.

>
> The reports about Fortson's agent demanding too much money are unfortunate
> because we've seen similar reports about Walker (before the lockout) and
> Mercer. It's certainly possible because Fortson did fire his old agent,
> who the Celtics probably had an understanding with (otherwise they would
> have been more hesitant to make the trade). You really hate to hear about
> his agent asking for too much because it probably makes him less valuable
> in the trade market too, because whoever takes him may also not want to
> meet his price. Of course, these things can backfire on Fortson because
> if the team holding his Larry Bird rights decides that he's not worth it,
> he could be forced to take the $2M exception from someone.
>
> Anyways, it's bad news and I was hoping we had traded our way out of
> this sort of blackmail situation. It looked like we had because his former
> agent didn't make a fuss when the decision was made not to extend Fortson
> early - usually agents for these young players try to blackmail teams a
> year before, if they are going to blackmail at all.
>
> Alex

If Fortson is the "show me the money" type, than all the more, we should
be patient and not panic trade him away. "Show me the money" type will
not walk away for 2 mill (except a Joe Smith who bangs his head against
the wall every time images of wearing a Warrior jersey
with the number 80 - mill - on his back, comes to mind) when the market
is at least 25 mil/6 year (Battie/Yogi Stewart). Celtics will get
compensation with Fortson come trading time, he is too rare a rebounder
not be in demand ( i feel we should keep him and move somebody
else if needed)

Have you read about the Magic-Denver rumoured deal (Tariq for Mercer)?
"... Orlando is one of the locales Mercer is known to favor if he
chooses not to remain a Nugget..."

By Mike Monroe
Denver Post Sports Writer
Jan. 30 - If the Nuggets decide they need to move Ron Mercer before the
NBA trade deadline rather than risk losing him this summer in the
free-agent market, here's a deal they should consider: Tariq Abdul-Wahad
and any other Orlando player who could make the deal work
within the salary cap, for Mercer and another Nugget, perhaps Johnny
Taylor. Rumor has it the Magic has discussed it with Denver, because
Orlando is one of the locales Mercer is known to favor if he chooses not
to remain a Nugget . . .
Abdul-Wahad wouldn't be the scorer Mercer is, but he just might fit
better into a Nuggets structure built around Antonio McDyess and Nick
Van Exel than does Mercer, who entered the weekend having taken 29 more
shots than McDyess . . .