Re: Still cranky.

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

The thing with Van Exel wasn't just the luxury tax, it was that future cap
room. They didn't want an $11 million albatross three-four years from now. I
don't blame them. If Van Exel had agreed to non-guarantee the last two years
of the deal, fine. But after saying he would do that, he backed out. Hard to
blame the Celts.

As for the earlier post on Forte/Omar Cook... I think it's obvious they blew
the draft. Johnson was a disappointment and Forte just a bad choice. I've
harped on it for a long time and everyone tells me to get over it, so I'm
trying to do just that. At least they recognized the Johnson mistake and
turned it into something useful. Cook is the developmental "true" point
guard they should have taken instead of Forte. I hope Obie gives him a
chance (it won't be this season, obviously, but in the summer and next
season), but I worry that Omar won't be a good enough shooter for Obie's
liking. We'll see.

Anyway, I'm not so sure Van Exel would help that much more than Rogers/Delk.
He'd help. No doubt about it. But I'm high on the two new guys. They're good
players and good fits. I can see them being major contributors in a playoff
game. No one leaving Boston would have been. I love this deal.



--- --- ---

Paul M. wrote:

I mean, if you really think you have a chance this year, and it's obvious
they
do given the state of the Eastern Conference, don't you throw all caution to
the wind, ignore the luxury tax concerns since they won't effect the team
this
year anyway, and go for Van Exel? The immediate rewards, you have to admit,
could be much higher. Sure he's a crackpot. But if they're real concern is
going for the Eastern Conference finals this year, Rogers and Delk don't get
you there faster than Van Exel.