Hey Hey Hey - Thoughts For The Day

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

- This has to happen: Mo Vaughn as Fat Albert in the live version of 
cartoon. If they can do it with Scooby Rooo, they can do it with Fat Albert.
"Hey, hey, hey, I'm off to the Foxy Lady."

- Ainge's biggest mistake -- well after keeping O'Brien -- this season was 
not acquiring a quality veteran point guard to tutor Banks. Take a look 
at Luke Ridnour: 15 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds last night. His development 
doesn't seem impeded  by being surrounded by quality guards.  Then again,
Seattle's McMillan is a far superior offensive coach than Jimbo, and actually 
knows how to utilize his players.

- How about that Andrei Kirilenko?  He puts up the best stat line in the NBA.  

- So Ainge gave Jimbo the dreaded "Vote of Confidence". Generally when this
happens, the guy ends up being fired less than two weeks later. But this seems like
a different situation. Even if the Celtics go on a Magicesque losing streak, I'm not sure
they would dump Jimbo.

- Because when teams generally play poorly it comes down to the GM either firing the players or firing the coach. Ainge, with his acknowledgement in the papers that he 
is activiely seeking out trades, has chosen the former.

- But who can he trade?  Battie is an injury dud. Brown is a clueless dud.
Jones needs to be showcased, but Jimbo is Jimbo.
Baker contract unfeasible. They want to hold on to Perkins. McCarty is worthless.
Hunter needs playing time. LaFrentz is damaged. James is limited.
 Pierce leaving means a 5-to-7 year rebuilding period.

- That leaves Banks, who'd I trade, as there will be quality PGs like Felton and
Jameer Nelson available to the Celtics in the draft, but Ainge won't. Eric Williams
certainly can be traded as he's at his optimum value. Mark Blount is cheap
and may interest some Big Men-starved clubs. Mills evaporating salary
can be used in a deal.  

- The there's Jiri Welsch. Like the old saying goes:  You've got to give 
up something to get something.  If the Celtics are after Richardson, 
Welsch may have to go in the deal. 

- My instant analysis of the Sonics tells me they need to trade off either
Allen, Murray, Barry, or Ridnour for someone(s) up front who can play defense.
In fact, this would be a good location for Kedrick Brown to decamp, Battie too.
Eric Williams makes three.  Of course, two of those three have little trade value
these days.  

- Good move by Chicago in hiring Scott Skiles, the Bill Fitch of this era. 
For the next  2.5 years, he'll have them playing hard, smart, and in playoff 
contention. Then they'll tune him out and he'll be fired.  But in the meantime 
he can P.O. the likes of Jalen Rose and make other NBA coaches giddy 
with joy (This was written last week, and voila, Rose is dealt!)
Ray