Only the "braintrust" thinks this is a good deal

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is from ESPN Insider...


Facing the loss of Rodney Rogers, a key free agent, this summer due to
luxury tax issues, the 
Celtics did the unthinkable this weekend -- they traded away Kenny Anderson
for a has-been 
power forward and a backup point guard. 

For the Celtics, the trade culminates a strange series of moves in Boston.
In the last six 
months the team has dealt away two 2001 first-round picks, Joe Johnson and
Joe Forte, its 
2002 first-rounder and its starting point guard for Vin Baker, Shammond
Williams and Tony 
Delk. 

Anderson is coming off, perhaps, his best season as a pro as the Celtics
made their way to the 
Eastern Conference Finals. Anderson's trade value may never have been
higher. He was in the 
last year of his contract and was finally living up to the huge expectations
he's been saddled 
with his entire career. While, at 32, he didn't have a long-term future in
Boston, the move will 
likely set the Celtics back a step in the pursuit of the Eastern Conference
Championship. 

The Celtics also entertained offers from the Pacers and tried to work out a
deal with the Heat, 
but in the end decided that Baker was their man. 

"He give us a strong rebounder and someone who can play play both the four
and the five," a 
Celtics source told Insider. "We think with a change of scenery, and in the
right offense, he's 
still got the potential to be an All-Star again." 

The Celtics clearly see something others around the league don't. Although
the move leaves the 
Celtics a little stronger in the frontcourt, there's a gaping hole at point
guard. 

"I don't understand it," one team executive told Insider. "Baker was moved
out of Milwaukee 
because he couldn't coexist with Glenn Robinson and Ray Allen. And back
then, he was an 
All-Star. For Baker to be effective, you have to feed him a lot in the post.
Will [Paul] Pierce and 
[Antoine] Walker be OK with that? And who is going to play point for them.
Anderson was a 
big, big part of their success last year. I just don't get it." 

Both Williams and Delk are really combo guards and neither is a
starting-caliber point guard. 
Rookie J.R. Bremer has been impressive, but he too is really more of hybrid
point. The trade 
will cut the Celtics' payroll by one million dollars, but the team, trying
desperately to get under 
the luxury-tax threshold, may not even be able to use those dollars. While
the Celtics may be 
able to convince a solid point guard to accept a one-year deal at the league
minimum (like the 
Magic did with Jacque Vaughn), they won't be able to replace Anderson.