Re: Crazy Trade Idea

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

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Joseph Byrnes" <mbyrnes@Stanford.EDU>
> To: <Celtics@igtc.com>
> Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 10:25 PM
> Subject: Crazy Trade Idea
>
> > Anyone think it would make sense to send Antoine Walker to Vancouver for
> > Mike Bibby and Shareef Abdur-Rahim.  Obviously Walker alone would not get
> > the job done, but we could throw in some of our draft picks along with
> > whatever other players would need to be traded either way to make the deal
> > work under the cap.
> >
> > Rahim is a big forward who, unlike Antoine, does not think of himself as a
> > cross between Magic Johnson (big PG) and Craig Hodges (3 point king).  And
> > Mike Bibby is the point guard that the team badly needs.
> >
> > On the downside, a deal like this may not be possible even though Rahim is
> > trying to force his way out of town, and there is the question of team
> > chemistry between Rahim, Bibby and Paul Pierce.
> >
> > The reason I even suggest it is that I'm still not sold on Antoine Walker,
> > or, to a lesser extent, Paul Pierce.  Both of these guys have obvious
> > talent, but neither has so far shown the commitment to report for camp in
> > the best possible physical condition.
> >
> > Michael

I  understand the list's interest in Rahim and also Bibby, and am one of those
who probably wouldn't shed a tear if we traded Walker for Shareef's straight up.
Clearly most of Walker's worst flaws aren't found in Shareef's game (FG shot
selection, height and athleticism, and so on etc.).

Two points, though.

First, maybe this fixation with the Vancouver roster is analogous with our
interest in the past in all the "studs" on past Clippers rosters (e.g.
Kandi-girl and Mo Taylor). I say this only in the sense that we are also talking
about a indefensibly atrocious team that should raise some "red flags" in our
minds, especially concerning defense and team chemistry of star players. When
you have the quality of Bibby and Rahim (with a 16+ppg player thrown into the
mix in Dickerson, and an arguably deeper team than Boston's), you ought to see
them leading their team to as many competitive wins as Boston has seen under
Walker/Pierce. This is one of those rare instances where that's not the case at
all.

Second, if we are concerned about Walker's defense then we ought to take a
careful look at why Rahim/Bibby get the most PT on the worst defensive team in
the NBA bar none over the past four or five seasons. I don't think there has
been a single year during that span where Vancouver's FG% allowed wasn't higher
than Bostons. Typically the Grizzlies were the worst in the NBA, despite their
not playing as much of a trapping or pressing style that is conducive to poor
results in that area. As a team, the Griz have allowed as high as a .475FG% in
1998 and .474FG% last year. Coaching isn't an excuse. Vancouver has actually had
some experienced coaches, including Brian Hill (who coached Orlando to the
finals in 1995) and Stu Jackson. You'd think Hill would have been able to do as
much with Shareef as he did with Penny Hardaway.

Oops, here's a third point. Once the franchise moves, I don't think Vancouver
would trade Shareef for Walker. By the strictest definition, Walker is the most
"underrated" player in the NBA and I just don't believe we could get fair value
for him (the guy averaged 6.2 assists since the start of 2001). It would be hard
to find an owner or GM who would want a player who is so fan-unfriendly and so
disliked by the media, whether or not you believe Walker as a person has done
enough to deserve that animosity. Even Walker for Bibby would probably be panned
by Griz fans. Shareef for Walker would be nearly unthinkable.

In this sense, I think we are kind of "stuck" with Walker in Boston. It is there
where his ultimate redemption will have to come. I recommend we just try to get
used to this reality as fans. It beats Chris Wallace trading Antoine for an
inferior player. That's not something I'm willing to accept. There's too much
talent there, and I think Walker is more than a good enough person for Boston.
His maturity is actually pretty staggering, in the face of all the incredible
crap he's endured over these past years. This past year, you can see even
greater maturity from him as a captain. Like I say, try to get used to him. He's
not that bad.

Joe

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