Re: Adding talent

[damekmo@teleport.com]

>Most teams are not going to be able to attract quality free agents unless
>they are already contenders or have warm weather, low taxes, or some other
>popular benefit. I don't think that "championship tradition" is going to
>mean much to prospective free agents. There isn't much reason for them to
>care that the Celtics were a great team before the 90's. It doesn't impact
>their lives today.


Absolutely right Alex. Free agents don't think about Red, Russell, Cousy
and championships when they talk to Ricky. They think "cold weather, 35
win, loser." Maybe a couple of other things but this isn't the time or
place.


>I don't think it'll pay immediate dividends. The Celtics are
>already full of former high picks and the younger guys aren't likely to get
>lots of playing time.


Again...I agree. Don't count on the draft to get this team over this
mountain of a hump. Ricky's shown he can screw up any draft anytime.


>We'll have to rely on
>sign-and-trades and exceptions.


And as Ricky has proven, he won't get the team any more wins rlying on
sign-and-trades and exceptions.


>In the meantime, you have to keep building the talent of the team slowly
>and building up that win total. We'll probably be on a slow approach. First
>we have to make the playoffs, or come very close (40+ wins) this year.


And I've seen nothing - I know you disagree here Alex - which tells me that
the win total is going up this year. I keep coming back to one of your
earlier posts Alex. Ricky has three assets: Draft picks, Pierce, and
Walker. Dale Davis for O'Neil? If Pierce is such a hot item I can't believe
Ricky couldn't move Pierce and those drft picks for a "Dale Davis +" trade.
Something like that. The "unbelievable" trades are out there, apparently.
Pitino's told us. He's been dealing mediocrity ever since he got here.
Mediocre players moved for other mediocre players and nothing else. For all
that money and genius Ricky is turning out to be simply a gutless, failure
of a gm. He has to prove other- wise...THIS YEAR.

Paul M.