Re: Sportstalk: Celtics going hard for Gasol

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

At 15:02 12/06/01 -0700, John Lyell wrote:
>I really think now is the time to make the moves Jerry West did to get the
>next Shaq & Kobe. Walker is not the answer, so I would offer him to the
>Wizards for the #1 and Richard Hamilton, and also to the Bulls for #4 and
>Brand and see what happens. If we can land Curry, Brown, or Griffin,  along
>with say 2-3 out of Johnson,  Radmanovic, Hassel,  Jefferson, Cook, Earl
>Watson, or Gerald Wallace, yes it may take a few years but we will have the
>nucleus we do not have now.

I wonder what Michael Jordan thinks of Walker after playing with him 
everyday so far this summer? Maybe he sees a Scottie Pippen type sidekick 
veteran on the verge of a breakout 7-assists-per-year, double-double type 
season. Or maybe he sees a guy who needs too many touches to fit into his 
glorious comeback plans next year.

I don't know quite how we could get 10 million or so in cap fodder from the 
Wiz to make the Antoine-for-#1 deal work out. Risky but worth considering.

We could also move the #10-11 picks to get a second top-five level of pick, 
or #10-21 to move a few notches up. Two or three top players to rebuild 
without Walker sounds kind of smart. Could even be "win-win". Of course, it 
will be more than a little annoying watching Peter May and the rest of the 
Fleet Center retahds gloat about this deal. May will say this is proof this 
draft is a lousy one, if Walker is worth anything near a number one overall 
pick in the eyes of MJ.

In the end, MJ will probably go with Eddy Curry. If he thinks he and 
Barkley can neutralize Shaq in the playoffs he's dreaming. With Curry and 
Patrick Ewing splitting time, they might have a fighting chance.

Joe

p.s. Unless we hear about Boston actually inviting Curry, Kwame, Battier 
and Eddie Griffin for workouts, this whole scenario is a sinsemilia pipe 
dream. With everyone and their mother talking about the top-four teams 
willing to trade, Boston has been curiously disinterested in scouting any 
of the top guys.

****