veteran needs

["gil moreno" <kuya_g@hotmail.com>]

Pitino declared "the future is now!"  This statement got me thinking, do we 
really need young guns like Austin Croshere, Ron Mercer, Derek Anderson, and 
all those other names that are mentioned in the past posts.  It seems to me 
that if the future is now then we don't need to sign players who have 
"potential" to be future all-stars.  What the team needs is to fill needs 
and I'm not talking about rebounding or shot-blocking.  What this team needs 
is MATURITY and LEADERSHIP.  And this you get from veterans.  Just recently 
I read that Mark Jackson woudn't mind playing in Bean Town and that he 
thinks that Pitino is the greatest coach he ever played for.  There you go, 
a veteran point guard who wants to play for the C's, just what the doctor 
ordered.  He gives you both maturity and leadership and he fills the need 
for a point guard.  So what if he's slow and walks the ball up the court.  
If i remember correctly a guy named Dennis Johnson was like that and he's 
got 3 rings.  Since Jackson "loves" Pitino so much I don't think it would 
matter if he started or came of the bench.  As long as he keeps dishing out 
those assists we will be fine.

Another veteran to keep in mind, DANNY MANNING.  With the Bucks recent 
aquisitions (Caffey, Owens) it seems that Manning is the odd-man-out.  Yeah 
his knees are shot and he's seen his better days.  But he still got game.  
Here's a player who looks to pass first and makes his teamates play better.  
Since we are obviously stuck with Walker in years to come I think we need 
someone to guide him.  What Walker lacks is what Manning has, again, 
Maturity and Leadership.  He can set an example for Walker to emulate.  We 
can get rid of useless players like Williams, Mcarty, and Barros (assuming 
we get Jackson) to aquire Manning since i don't think he is a free agent.  
Since Fortson seems dead set to go to NY,  Manning can fill the void at the 
4 with new recruit Moiso backing him up.  Moiso too will benfit with 
Mannings' presence.  And before I fail to mention, Pitino loves players with 
succesful college careers (aka Pervis Ellison) so i think he would love to 
have Manning on board.

The team has enough scorers on the team and it has good rebounders too.  The 
only problem I see is that they don't play as a team.  There is no one to 
point the way.  So i say go with the veterans if the time is really NOW!  
There is no more time to "develop" potential stars, otherwise we will end up 
as the Clippers of the East.  You don't need a bunch of superstars to win, I 
think the Orlando Magic proved that last season.
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