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RE: [Celtics' Stuff
Like I said yesterday Joe, if this trade were for Charles Oakley or someone
I think could actually help this season, I wouldn't complain. I've been
leading the parade to get help for the playoff push. But Bryon Russell
doesn't help. There are plenty of swingmen on this team and Russell isn't
good enough (this season-which is all that matters since he'd be gone at the
end of this season) to be an upgrade. Sacrifice the pick for Oakley or
another big man? Sure. But not for Bryon Russell and his Eric Williams-like
production this season.
The truth is we don't know how good or bad this draft is going to be. Last
year's was exceptional, but even in the weakest drafts there are players
available late in the first round and even in the second who can help a
team. Your contention that the chances of finding them are low... well, what
are we paying Wallace, Papile, etc. for? Isn't that their job? They had
three picks in a great draft-a GREAT draft-and it looks like, at best,
they're 1-for-3 (I'm holding out hope for Kedrick). I'm not exaggerating
when I say you could have taken the first-round picks and thrown darts and
the majority of the time, you would have come away with more help than the
Celts got in this draft. They blew it, and there's no way out of it at this
point. The guys they did take have no value-NONE-so they can't sort it out
with trade. Now, if you want to argue that Wallace is so inept at drafting
players that he should just trade all his draft picks, you probably have an
argument.
Remember when Wallace indicated this draft was point-guard rich and
indicated that would be where the PG of the future would come from? What
happened to that plan? You realize that Kenny's contract is up after next
season, right? Who is going to take over? A rookie? Do you realize that
right now the two guys picked at 27th and 28th in the draft (Tinsley and
Parker) would be our answer at PG, but we couldn't trade for either guy even
if we offered Joe Johnson, a guy picked 17 spots earlier?
I'm angry about this for basketball reasons, for financial reasons, for
philosophical reasons. It's a trade that doesn't help this year's team and
doesn't help the future. All it does is protect the bottom line. If that
doesn't make you a little angry, I don't know what would.
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: hironaka@nomade.fr [mailto:hironaka@nomade.fr]
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2002 1:19 PM
To: celticsstuffgroup@yahoogroups.com
Cc: celtics@igtc.com
Subject: [Celtics' Stuff
Now I'll admit you could be right, Mark. Obviously I'll
like to read more about Bryon Russell. He enjoyed one of
his best pro seasons last year. This year he's a
different player. I have no idea about what's caused his
off year.
I guess its like preferring to spend a dollar rather than
own a lottery ticket. Its not easy giving up the current
22nd pick when memories are still very fresh of the
Tinsley's, Parker's, Rashard Lewis' etc. that might still
be there. To me that's the issue. I love follwing the
college draft, but I personally think this year's draft
seems half as thin as last year.
I also thought the 1999 draft would be the worst in
recent years, and yet teams still came away with
serviceable talent after the 20th pick, including Todd
MacCulloch, Jeff Foster, Andrei Kirilenko, Jumaine Jones,
Lee Nailon, Calvin "Toll" Booth, Wang Zhi Zhi. But I'm
highlighting those names out of a pool of 40 picks taken
outside the top-20.
Even inside the top 20, you end up with names like Weis,
Avery,(Quincy) Lewis, Radojevic, Langdon, Bowdler.
I swear this will be my last post on the subject, but
what price do you pay for experience (possible second
round playoffs)? Is the experience Walker and Pierce can
obtain by getting that even worth the price of a rent-a-
vet and giving up a roughly 1/5 chance at a player who
can help three years later?
I still can't pin down what everyone else is so mad, but
I'm mad because it seems odd that Wallace would even
consider adding another 2/3 player. Presumably he sees
something Mark and I don't.
But if I were mad about the $$$$ (like Mark)I wouldn't
single out Boston for criticism. What GM hasn't mentioned
the affect of the luxury tax.
Bryon Russell possibly may be on the decline, but not as
precipitously as Strickland, Stith and Williams the
season before they arrived in Boston. Assuming Wallace
has seen him play many more times than anyone on this
list, I'd at least give him the benefit of doubt should
this trade go through (unlikely anyway).
Usually I'm among the first people paying attention to
the draft and March Madness, but this year I care about
only one thing as a fan...Boston making the playoffs and
gaining irreplicable experience for our core, young
players for next year's run at 50-wins and the conference
finals. I'd put a price on that experience.
In the case of Russell, the price is kind of reasonable
but what you get in return isn't all that exciting either
(other than his playoff knowledge and smarts from playing
in the old school Utah Jazz system).
I have a strong feeling he won't be coming to Boston
anyway, but its fine either way as far as I'm concerned.
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