RE: Croshere is new prey (yeah okay)

[David A Wickerham <aw623@freenet.buffalo.edu>]

How long would it take you to fathom why Portland turned it down?


On Thu, 29 Jun 2000, Michael Griffin wrote:

> I've had an hour or so to reflect and I STILL CAN NOT BELIEVE THE OFFER MADE
> TO GET JERMAINE O'NEAL.  SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE.  UNBELIEVABLE THAT WE WOULD
> OFFER BOTH PICKS NEXT YEAR + A SWAP IN POSITION OF THIS YEAR'S DRAFT?  THIS
> HAS TO BE A MISPRINT.
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-celtics@igtc.com [mailto:owner-celtics@igtc.com]On Behalf Of
> > Joe Hironaka
> > Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2000 3:22 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.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 

-----------------------------------------------------------------
	  Dave Wickerham
	  aw623@freenet.buffalo.edu
	  Saratoga Springs, NY