RE: Why not Marc Jackson?

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

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-celtics@igtc.com [mailto:owner-celtics@igtc.com]On Behalf Of
Berry, Mark S
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 10:55 AM
To: 'celtics@igtc.com'; 'celtics@igtc.com'
Subject: Re: Why not Marc Jackson?

Anyway, "cap room" doesn't get us anything in and of itself. Detroit had cap
room this year, and what did they get? The Bulls? The Clippers? If the
Celtics don't start winning-and soon-why would free agents consider coming
to Boston? The weather? That's why you try to win. You have to build
credibility. Toronto saw that and probably overpaid for Antonio Davis,
Jerome Williams and Alvin Williams, and still is trying to land Shammond
Williams. But it showed they were contenders, and committed to staying a
contender, and Vince Carter signed an extension because of that.

So the grand plan of watching the bad contracts come off the books is
great-as long as it pays off with some talent. A guy like Marc Jackson is
the bird in the hand, so to speak. You may not have cap room in 2003, but
you have a pretty attractive bargaining chip when you're discussing a
sign-and-trade for Jermaine O'Neal or Tim Duncan.
****************
Points well taken.  With respect to recruiting free agents Boston's way,
aside from the money, I was assuming the whole "storied franchise steeped in
basketball tradition and lore", along with a couple of well meaning phone
calls from Russell, Cousy, Bird, etc... would be enough to land a Duncan,
O'Neal, Stromile Swift, but alas, I think the days of free agents thinking
about those things is long gone.

I do think that Pierce, Walker and hopefully Joe Johnson, K Brown, Forte and
any future draft picks would be enough talent to warrant a high profile free
agent taking a serious look at Boston in a couple of years. In fact, adding
a Duncan to the Pierce/Walker mix this season would put Boston into instant
title contention, in my opinion.  So given a couple of years of development
for JJ, Forte and K Brown, a high profile free agent should see some
championship potential in Boston.  Jason Kidd anyone?