Buddy Thomas: Celtics Should Trade Antoine

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http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/01-03/01-09-03/b01sp083.htm

Thanks to Boston Sports Media Watch

Celtics could learn from this Stackhouse deal
Buddy Thomas - New Bedford Standard Times

 This just in.
 Jerry Stackhouse is pretty good.
 Forget the fact the Wizards' swingman played second fiddle to Michael
Jordan in the credit department following Washington's five-point
victory over the Boston Celtics last Monday night. From my vantage point
four rows behind the visitors' basket, the 6-6 Stackhouse was, by far,
the best player on the FleetCenter floor.
 Better than Jordan.
 Better than Paul Pierce.
 And better than Antoine Walker and Vin Baker combined.
 With the ball, Stackhouse was virtually unstoppable, pouring in a
game-high 37 points while shooting better than 50 percent (11 for 21)
from the floor. From behind the 3-point line, he was 4-of-8 including a
desperation heave from the corner (that hit the rim) while trying to
beat the shot clock.
 From the foul line he was a perfect 11-for-11. And for all the time he
handled the ball in his 43 minutes on the court, Stackhouse turned the
ball over just twice.
 He was there in crunch time, doing for his team everything Walker and
Pierce didn't do for theirs. Offensively and defensively, Stackhouse
delivered.
 Kind of makes you wonder why this outstanding 28-year-old player has
been with three different teams (Philadelphia, Detroit and Washington)
in his seven-year NBA career. But, if you're a Celtics fan like me, that
thought also gives you hope. If a bona-fide star like Stackhouse can be
traded not once but twice, why can't a so-called bona-fide star like
Antoine Walker be dealt at least once?
 The 76ers and Pistons obviously felt they couldn't win an NBA title
unless they got better, so both teams traded the talented Stackhouse in
an effort to move in that direction. Neither may reach its ultimate
destination but at least they made a move.
 Hopefully, the new ownership will realize the Celtics aren't likely to
win an NBA championship with Walker and will be willing to trade the 6-9
swingman sooner rather than later. Walker may be an all-star-type
scorer, but he's a mediocre shooter who plays out of control and
disappears in most clutch situations. He also happens to be the one
tradable commodity who could bring the Celtics the one essential
ingredient necessary to make a championship run -- an inside presence.
 As presently constructed, the Celtics have no shot at an NBA
championship. The only way this team will even make the playoffs is by
default. (The Knicks, Cavaliers, Raptors, Hawks, Heat and Bulls were all
but eliminated in November leaving nine teams to battle for eight
playoff positions in the East.)
 To advance beyond the first round, the Celtics need a face lift -- one
that would include a legitimate low-post scorer in the starting lineup.
 A Celtics-Clippers trade would be the ideal way to go. A deal that
would bring Elton Brand to Boston for Walker and a No. 1 pick.
 Brand went into the week with 372 rebounds in 1,296 minutes of playing
time. By contrast, the combination of McCarty, Baker and Tony Battie had
a total of 417 rebounds in 2,075 minutes. Brand also was averaging 18.5
points while the Boston trio was contributing an average of 6.1 points.
 Like Stackhouse, Brand was a Top 3 draft selection (Brand went No. 1 to
the Bulls; Stackhouse No. 3 to the 76ers) but both were traded because
their teams wanted to try and get better. Hopefully, the Celtics will
finally get the message.

Buddy Thomas' column appears on Thursday in The Standard-Times.