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

[OzerskyJA <OzerskyJA@cmog.org>]

Mark,  you've convinced me.  (I assume that would be utah's pick.)

Josh Ozersky	
Marketing Communications Specialist 
Corning Museum of Glass

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Berry, Mark  S [SMTP:berrym@BATTELLE.ORG]
> Sent:	Tuesday, September 12, 2000 10:36 AM
> To:	'OzerskyJA'; 'celtics@igtc.com'
> Subject:	RE: Pitino Urged/Latest Trade Rumor... It's Time For Celtics
> Note s
> 
> 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