Pierce on Nets & Celtics

[Mark Piotrowski <markp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sounds to me like while Pierce and Walker *were* both consulted about 
the trade neither one of them were completely 100% behind it.  Sounds 
like they wanted Rogers back, but failing that they'd give Baker a 
try -- what other option did they have really though?  I wonder how 
much of this is that one or both of them really do have some 
misgivings or just typically talking-to-reporters stuff.  Only time 
will tell I guess.

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August 29, 2002 -- INDIANAPOLIS - If Boston's Paul Pierce had his 
way, Rodney Rogers would have stayed with the Celtics or signed 
someplace like Jupiter rather than the Nets. But Rogers selecting New 
Jersey coupled with the trade for Dikembe Mutombo, makes the Nets the 
favorites to reign again in the East.

"The Nets made changes and it's all about chemistry but with their 
trades I believe they definitely got better. On paper they will be 
the team to beat [in the East]," said Pierce, who helped lead the 
Celtics to the Eastern Finals, where they lost in six games to the 
Nets.

"They're the Eastern Conference champs. They've gotten better. They 
upgraded from a year ago. They basically traded Keith Van Horn for 
Rodney Rogers and Todd MacCulloch for Dikembe Mutombo. Both of them 
are better players. So they definitely should be the favorites going 
into the season."

As for the Celtics who added Vin Baker and subtracted Kenny Anderson, 
"we have to wait and see," Pierce said. "You have to find out how the 
chemistry is going to work and how our players are going to get 
along. I thought we had something special last year. Maybe we should 
have come back with the same team but obviously we had to get better. 
We weren't quite there. Hopefully this change will make us better."