RE: Croshere is new prey (yeah okay)

[OzerskyJA <OzerskyJA@cmog.org>]

Anyway, where would we play Croshere?  And how is he going
to help on D.  We need a big, defensive-oriented point guard who
can run the break, or failing that a true floor general like Mark Jackson.
That should be a top priority for us.  We have to unload Kenny; even if
it's not for value.  Of course, the new guy has to be able to make an open
jump shot; but that's not asking too much.  OK, I am now taking an
official break from the list.  BTW, does anyone understand what the hell
Moiso said in his interview?  Joe, you're used to froggy accents.

Josh Ozersky	
Marketing Communications Specialist 
Corning Museum of Glass

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Joe Hironaka [SMTP:j.hironaka@unesco.org]
> Sent:	Thursday, June 29, 2000 6:22 AM
> To:	celtics@igtc.com
> Subject:	Croshere is new prey (yeah okay)
> 
> Here is Bulpett's article. The part about Croshere being available for
> the 2.25 million slot seems incredibly, incredibly absurd. It is a dumb,
> wishful-thinking headline at this stage frankly.
> 
> The rest of Bulpett's article has some fascinating or head-scratching
> tidbits. One is that Fortson is now officially gone. The other is the
> following gem from Pitino about how Antoine has a better chance of
> guarding NBA pointguards than guarding small forwards:
> 
> ``Believe it or not, it's easier for him to play backup one (point
> guard) than it is the three (small forward) spot,'' Pitino said.
> 
> ****
> 
> Croshere is new prey
> The NBA/by Steve Bulpett
> Thursday, June 29, 2000
> 
> Say goodbye to Danny Fortson. Say hello to Jerome Moiso.
> 
> And let the recruitment of Austin Croshere begin.
> 
> The Celtics had what looked to be a positive draft day experience, from
> a key meeting between Rick Pitino and owner Paul Gaston to a failed
> pursuit of Jermaine O'Neal.
> 
> Yesterday began with a power outage at the Celtics' training facility
> and Pitino wondering how much power he'd have to shape the club this
> summer. But when the electricity came back on at the training facility
> early yesterday afternoon, Pitino got the news for which he was looking.
> Though any thoughts of retaining free agent Fortson were gone, the coach
> and president had the financial ability to get and keep his first-round
> draft pick and also to use the $1.2 million and $2.25 million salary cap
> exceptions.
> 
> With the latter, the Celtics are hoping to convince Indiana Pacers free
> agent Croshere to come back to New England (he starred at Providence
> College). It may be a long shot, but Pitino will polish his best
> collegiate recruiting skills.
> 
> While not naming anyone specifically, Pitino said, ``Chris (Wallace, the
> GM) and I will be packing our bags very soon.''
> 
> Teams can begin speaking with free agents on July 1 and signing them on
> Aug. 1 when the salary cap figure for next season is announced.
> 
> The attempt for O'Neal never really got heated. Portland decided to look
> elsewhere with the 21-year-old power forward-center, and with Blazer
> forward Brian Grant opting for free agency, the club may decide to hold
> on to him.
> 
> With Gaston's blessing, the Celtics were offering a swap of this year's
> first-rounders (the C's picked 11th and Portland chose at 28) as well as
> Boston's first round pick next season and the Denver first-rounder the
> Celts got in the Ron Mercer-Fortson trade. The latter pick is available
> in the next four drafts with diminishing protections (through five in
> '01, three in '02 and three in '03).
> 
> To make the numbers work, Portland would have had to take back
> contracts, but the Blazers are obviously waiting until O'Neal's
> base-year number goes down and he is more easily dealt. The three-year
> veteran averaged just 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.3 minutes this
> past season, but he is valued as a raw talent.
> 
> The point was pretty much moot, however, when Moiso was still on the
> board at 11. In Celtic personnel director Leo Papile's mind, the club
> got their O'Neal-type. Other trade talk never really got off the ground.
> 
> Meanwhile, Pitino got a directive to speed things up - which is good
> news in that he has said he will offer his resignation if the Celtics do
> not make the playoffs this season.
> 
> ``Paul met with us and said the future is now,'' Pitino said. ``He says
> our fans have been very patient the last six or seven years.
> 
> ``We're going to be very active to try to bring the future a little
> closer to now. We're going to be very active trying to bring our fans a
> winner. We're going to pursue a lot of different things. Now, no one
> says we're going to be successful doing that.''
> 
> As for Gastonian specifics, Pitino said, ``Go out there and do the
> things necessary to make you more athletic to get the job done. He wants
> to bring the fans a winner.
> 
> ``He's obviously been an owner now where they've lost for five or six
> years, and he wants to turn that around.''
> 
> Pitino also said he will be turning the Celtic style back around to the
> attacking defensive plan he prefers. To that end, he noted that Antoine
> Walker will also see some minutes at backup point guard if he can get
> his body fat down to 8 percent.
> 
> ``Believe it or not, it's easier for him to play backup one (point
> guard) than it is the three (small forward) spot,'' Pitino said.
> 
> With Fortson looking for large money and now out of the picture, Moiso's
> development will be a key to moving Walker around.
> 
> 
>