Re: Blount

[Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

    Fine, but why make someone want to unpack their bags for two months if they
aren't going to stay? It was obvious within hours of the original trade that
Pack wasn't welcome (no meet the press, nothing). It seems a lot more
inconvenient to the player. I guess this was yet another nice job by Pat Ewing
(it probably extended the lockout an extra week too). ;-)

    Incidentally, I don't see what's wrong with moving undesirable bench players
in order to balance the cap for a good trade in the interest of both teams, and
then seeking a third party to take the undesired player(s). It's not like this
would be that easy or common a practice anyway, and at least it rewards some
imagination and planning on the part of GMs while placing basketball players
where they may be needed.

-----
OzerskyJA wrote:

> I think the two-month rule was instated by request of the
> Players Association,
> whose ranks are filled with guys who had just moved/settled
> in to a place when they got traded again (think Chris Mills).
> Two months is a grace period to allow the guy to unpack his
> bags.  I agree that most of these rules are sillly, but this one does
> have a reason.
>
> Josh Ozersky
> Marketing Communications Specialist
> Corning Museum of Glass
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Berry, Mark  S [SMTP:berrym@BATTELLE.ORG]
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2000 11:51 AM
> > To:   'Hironaka'; Berry, Mark  S; celtics@igtc.com
> > Subject:      RE: Blount
> >
> > Well, on the trade rules... I thought the reasoning was that it prevents
> > teams from trading for guys specifically to trade them somewhere else. I
> > think the rules only apply to packaging players, so my guess is it's a way
> > to try to curb "salary trades" where a player is traded for specifically
> > to
> > be used as salary filler in another package trade. That's not much more
> > than
> > a guess, though. It does seem silly that the players can't take part in
> > training camp. Even if the trade isn't "official" on the books, you'd
> > think
> > the teams could invite the players to work out with them. Of course, I
> > guess
> > that brings in injury risks and liability and everything else. Geez, how
> > can
> > it be this complicated?
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Hironaka [mailto:j.hironaka@unesco.org]
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 4, 2000 11:38 AM
> > To: Berry, Mark S; celtics@igtc.com
> > Subject: Re:Blount
> >
> >
> > Hello Mark:
> >     Yeah I agree that Blount is thus far the most positive story from
> > training
> > camp that we've heard in awhile. IMO it doesn't at all have the same ring
> > to
> > it
> > as previous Pitinochio praise for Travis Knight, Ringo DeClerq or
> > Shintzius/Riley. Also, the reports on Blount's athleticism cheered me up
> > following the disappointment of the long Globe articles on Moiso and
> > Battie,
> > both of which I found to be a bit of a downer (particularly in the case of
> > the
> > Shira Springer article on Moiso). Moiso just didn't come across sounding
> > like a
> > Russellesque difference maker on the pick-up courts, or a very hard worker
> > with
> > a chip on his shoulder. I really hope he succeeds as a Celtic. McHale
> > seemed
> > pretty laid back (and too skinny) at first too, although he was a much
> > better
> > college basketball player.
> >
> >     I hold the same mixed but hopeful feelings about Herren. After all
> > that
> > genuine and almost embarrassing preseason praise of Chris Herren by Dan
> > Issel,
> > I'm surprised he'd give up on him so fast despite a subpar rookie season.
> > I
> > don't think there is some secret (like Herren is falling off the wagon). I
> > think
> > Herren's inadequate backup stats speak for themselves regarding how
> > Issel's
> > wishful thinking on him didn't pan out.
> >
> >     On another note, I can't get over how (seemingly) unnecessary and
> > arcane
> > some of the new NBA rules are regarding announcing and completing trades,
> > base
> > year salaries etc. This is what we went through a half-season lockout for?
> > I
> > find it comical seeing Pitino and Issel not even allowed to confirm the
> > trade,
> > and also a kind of travesty that Herren and Stith can't participate in the
> > first
> > 12 days of training camp. Can anyone think of one plausible reason why all
> > this
> > should be happening, or who's idea it was in the first place?
> >
> > Joe
> >
> > -----
> > "Berry, Mark S" wrote:
> >
> > > On the other hand, Mark Blount has me excited. Granted, my only look at
> > him
> > > was the Celts' one televised summer league game, but I think he's a
> > > contributor this year--and Pitino's praise on the first day of camp
> > > reinforces that. He's been dismissed as a "project" but I really think
> > he's
> > > more than that. The guy I saw was big, strong, fast and aggressive on
> > the
> > > defensive end. He tried to block every shot, and that's a mentality
> > sorely
> > > lacking in most of the Celts. And his skills seem perfectly suited to
> > > Pitinoball. Is he an offensive threat? No, but neither is Theo Ratliff,
> > and
> > > I think Blount could develop into that kind of player.
> > >
> > > Also, I think the Pitino praise of Blount is more than bluster. They've
> > > flirted with trading Vitaly on a couple of occasions this summer (and
> > may
> > > still be talking about it), and I just don't believe they would have
> > > entertained the idea without complete confidence that Blount could
> > handle
> > > major minutes.