Free agents 2003/2004

["Ravi Singh" <kelticsfan@home.com>]

As of today, these folks are some of the free agents available in 2003.  It
could be that some of them are on Wallace's radar screen and with a plan in
place to open up cap space for that time, some of these guys may be a
realistic possibility:

Alonzo Mourning
Elden Campbell
Gary Payton
Jermaine O'Neal
Karl Malone
Lamar Odom
Shawn Marion
Tim Duncan

For 2004:

Abdur-Rahim
Jason Kidd
Kevin Garnett
Rasheed Wallace
Stromile Swift

Boston should do nothing that jeopordizes cap flexibility for 2003/2004 as a
push for either of Jermaine O'Neal, Duncan, Mourning (assuming kidneys are
ok), Kidd, Garnett and possibly Swift in those years would put this team
over the top of a Shaq-less league in 2005, assuming a nucleus of Walker,
Pierce, Johnson, Brown, Forte, Blount, Battie and any additional high draft
picks, is in place.  This year must be used to develop the youngsters
Johnson, Brown, Forte, Blount, and Moiso first and foremost.  If Pierce and
Walker can excel and lead these guys to the playoffs all the better, however
this team is at best several years away from truly contending.  I would love
to see Jason Kidd in Celtic Green, not to mention Duncan or Jermaine O'Neal.
When it comes time to recruit those guys, Wallace better wheel out, along
with the wheel barrows full of cash, Red Auerbach, Russell, Cousy, Bird,
Parish, Heinsohn, Havlicek and all the rest of the em so that the free
agents are overwhelmed into signing.

In the mean time, Boston suffers without the point guard and interior player
they desperately need.   Forgetting about the wasted years of the Pitino
nightmare, I am willing, like Paul Pierce, to be patient for several more.