RE: Pitino Urged/Latest Trade Rumor... It's Time For Celtics Note s

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

I don't agree Josh. First, let me admit that I really like Houston as a
player. He is a big, tough shooting guard who can score against good
defense. There aren't many of those guys around. He hits more shots with a
hand in his face than anyone in the NBA. He also plays defense.

I agree that the ideal acquisition for this team would be 1. a shot-blocking
center or 2. a point guard, but shooting guard is next on that list. Put
Houston at 2, slide Pierce back where he belongs at 3 and let Toine play 4.
It sounds like we're going to see more of Battie and Blount at center this
year, anyway. And losing Kenny is addition by subtraction.

I just don't buy the "too many scorers" theory. Houston has played with
Sprewell and Ewing the last couple of years, not to mention Camby, Childs
and Larry Johnson, so he knows how to share the ball. Toine and Paul need to
learn that, and bypassing big-time talent just so they can continue to get
their 20-25 shots (and hit 40 percent of them), doesn't make sense to me.
Allan Houston is no Ron Mercer. He's a much, much better player.

Houston has an opt-out, but what are his options really going to be? Sign
with Chicago or the Clippers? Let's face it, no one has much cap space out
there. I say that's a risk worth taking.

And the bottom line is Houston is the best player in the deal. He's a legit
All-Star. When you get a chance to pick one of those guys up and it only
costs you two guys who aren't in your long-term plans anyway, you do it. I'd
do Vitaly-Kenny-filler-No. 1 pick for Houston and Childs in a heartbeat.

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: OzerskyJA [mailto:OzerskyJA@cmog.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2000 10:24 AM
To: 'Berry, Mark S'; 'wayray@ix.netcom.com'; 'celtics@igtc.com'
Subject: RE: Pitino Urged/Latest Trade Rumor... It's Time For Celtics
Note s


How would Houston be "a great, great fit" on this team?  We already
have two heavy-duty scorers in Pierce and Walker, the former duplicating
Houston's skills to some extent.  We wouldn't have a center, and we would
have major chemistry problems.  Houston wants to be the man, and here he
would be in a situation just like the one with the knicks (playing alongside
another
all-star caliber shooting guard) except without the Knicks' success.  Don't
forget,
he has an opt-out after next year.  And he'll want a lot of money...I don't
see it at
all.  We don't really have a problem scoring points.  This trade makes no
sense to
me at all.  Maybe I could see trading Vitaly and Kenny for Stoudamire, but
Allan
Houston is a terrible fit.

Josh Ozersky	
Marketing Communications Specialist 
Corning Museum of Glass

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Berry, Mark  S [SMTP:berrym@BATTELLE.ORG]
> Sent:	Tuesday, September 12, 2000 10:15 AM
> To:	'wayray@ix.netcom.com'; 'celtics@igtc.com'
> Subject:	Re: Pitino Urged/Latest Trade Rumor... It's Time For Celtics
> Note s
> 
> OK, I read this Houston rumor somewhere as well, but I seem to remember
> doubting its legitimacy. I don't remember where I saw it, but I dismissed
> it
> pretty quickly. Ray, do you have any reason to believe this is being
> discussed?
> 
> It's interesting. Supposedly the only thing keeping the Knicks from
> joining
> the big three-team trade that would send Ewing to Seattle and Rice to NY
> is
> the Knicks' insistence that they add a legit center or power forward in
> that
> deal or a second trade. Would Vitaly qualify? I doubt it.
> 
> You just don't trade guys like Allan Houston for spare parts like Vitaly
> or
> problem children like Kenny Anderson. I'd love to see it happen, because
> Allan Houston would be a great, great fit on this Celtics team, but I'd
> guess my first instinct on this one was right. Wishful thinking.
> 
> However, the Nuggets signed Andre Woolridge yesterday, meaning it's almost
> a
> certainty they deal Chris Herren. That deal may come back to life at some
> point, if anyone out there even cares anymore.
> 
> Mark