Re: Vin Baker

[JB <JBMetzEA@yahoo.com>]

   I agree with Ravi, the Seattle paper was speculating from "whole cloth,"
that the C's once had interest in Baker, so they threw the name in again. As
for Shammond Williams, I suspect Eric Strickland fills that role pretty
well.
   On the original trade speculation, I think there may be some merit. I
also believe, that if they are talking*;  the Vitaly for Ostertag portion is
out there. V. has not played many minutes lately, nor, has he been very
effective. 
   Utah is fooling no one, thinking that if they win a game or two this week
they will keep their players. They have no chance in the West and they know
it better than any one else.
   Ostertag must go and Russell is a very logical jettison, being in the
last year of his contract and not a building block for the future. They are
throwing out the bait, to see what is the best deal they can get. If I had
to place a line, on their willingness to deal, I'd give 3-1.
   If we could send Randy, Walter, the pick and Vitaly for Ostertag and
Russell, I'd pull the trigger. This also gives us a roster spot to pick up
that point guard we so badly need, to replace the expectations, that Milt
Palacio has dashed.
   Someone (DJessen, in fact) mentioned Khalid El-Amin. Honestly, just
yesterday. The post used Khalid, as an example of how rookie point guards,
who played point in college, can show well early (Khalid made the rookie
All-Star team) and then flop, as their career advances, to reinforce JoeH's
apologia, in reference to Parker and Tinsley, who might not become more than
Bobby Jackson or Brevin Knight.
   Well, let me just say, that if we could get Bobby Jackson or (a healthy)
Brevin Knight here, for about $80,000, for the rest of the season, I'd fly
to Bora Bora to pull him out with my bare hands.  If Khalid is any where
near the level of those two players and I fervently believe he is, one would
only have to go to North Dakota to grab him.

  JB

* Semi colon used with permission, from 'J"Mori.

                  Unchain My Heart !






on 2/14/02 11:23 PM, CeltsSteve@AOL.com at CeltsSteve@AOL.com wrote:

> This is very interesting given the timing coincides with the reported trade
> discussions with Utah for Russell in the Herald and Globe. Not long ago,
> there was in the Herald, I believe, a reference to the fact that Utah and the
> C's had held prior discussions re: Utah's interest in V. Ostertag is in
> Sloan's doghouse so far now that I'm wondering if the current talks between
> the two clubs over Russell have also included the possibility of the deal
> being expanded to include Ostertag and V?
> 
> Given the fact that the C's would still be overloaded at the wing positions
> and coupled with these two articles that Francis cites, could the interest in
> Bryon Russell actually be only to in turn reroute him to Seattle as part of a
> deal for Baker? Seattle wants to keep Rashard Lewis and they could be looking
> to create cap room to re-sign him. There also was some prior interest by the
> C's in Shammond Williams.
> 

> The Seattle Times and Sports Network are reporting the Celtics as one of
> three teams (the others being Pacers and Knicks) being interested in
> Vin Baker, although one article seems to be a paraphrased version of the
> other.
> 
> http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/134404446_soni14.html
> 
> http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=nba/news/ACN1934
> 351.htm