Re: Final Analysis of Mercer trade

["j.hironaka" <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

At 10:00 03/07/01 -0700, Roy Enrile wrote:

For those who were wondering whether Wallace/Pitino made a wise move
in losing Ron Mercer, it looks like the final result is :
Ron Mercer  equals   Kedrick Brown.

++++++

Hi Roy:

Joe Forte must count in the final tabulation. The trade was basically two 
first rounders (Brown, Forte) and some expiring contracts to clear cap room 
(adios Barros, Cheaney), and some cash for Gaston.

Plus Eric Williams, who was our best defender last year (scary thought).

Plus Bryant Stith if we choose to re-sign him (Herren too). Stith was a big 
reason we finished within shouting distance of the playoffs. If he didn't 
mangle his hands, he might have had a better second half hitting the 
jumpshots. A nice player to groom JJ and Brown but I doubt Boston has that 
luxury (tax).

As noted, Boston also cleared from the cap non-performers Cheaney and 
Ellison. Barros was an expensive liablity from the ML era.

Most importantly, the Ron Mercer trade allowed Paul Pierce to emerge once 
Mercer's 19 shots-a-game went sayonara. He's improved a bit since then, but 
Mercer was a black hole in Boston.

You look at it from Dan Issel's point of view and this schizophrenic series 
of trades and re-trades with Poultrino was a catastrophe. For Boston, it 
was the first sign our luck may be changing. In general, I wish there were 
more Dan Issel's in the world.

I can't wait for the Shaw League to start (I guess that's how Texan's feel 
about Spring football). That's one of the nicest things left behind from 
the Pitino era.

If the four "rookies" are there (Moiso, Brown, Joe Johnson and Forte) it 
will really be worth following. It would be nice to see Herren and Milt out 
there as well. Maybe even Sesar? I don't know who else Wallace will bring 
in to fill out the roster, but in the past two seasons they've discovered 
Adrian and Blount.

It will be nice also to see Kwame Brown at Shaw.

***