No, Don't Trade Walker - Lawrence ET

["Way Of The Ray" <wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sunday, July 6, 2003
No: Turning up 'Toine's intensity leads to greatness 
By Phil DiPirro 
Staff Writer 
A valid reason to trade Antoine Walker does not exist. 
Losing the catalyst of the Celtics -- and the leader of this team isn't the
flashy and selfish Paul Pierce, but the multi-dimensional Walker -- for
talent that is nowhere equal would guarantee Danny Ainge's failure as
executive director of basketball operations. 
It's as simple as that. 
Those in favor of dumping Walker, evidently, are not blessed with long-term
memories. They forget that 'Toine battled through knee problems this past
season to play 78 contests, averaging 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.8
assists, in a demanding 41.5 minutes per game. In points and rebounds,
Walker finished second on the C's, while leading the team in assists and
minutes. Not bad for a 6-9 power forward. 
Instead, however, they use his horrid performance in the second round of
this year's playoffs as the excuse to let him slip away. Sure, Walker was
dreadful in the opening three games against the Nets, but he showed his
true colors, both as a person and a player in the fourth and final game. 
Even though his team was overmatched, Walker never went through the
motions, showed by his 20 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five
steals in the loss that clinched the series for the Nets. 
Antoine Walker is as intense a player as can be found, a Celtic that those
from the glory days of this franchise, such as Bill Russell or Larry Bird,
would be proud of. All he cares about is winning. 
Why else would Antoine happily accept the point forward position?
Indirectly, serving it has garnered him nothing but grief, for playing as a
point guard is the lone explanation for his 582 attempted three-pointers in
the regular season. 
You don't think that Walker realizes he is best suited to work underneath
the basket? Plus, because he had to distribute the basketball as the leader
of the offense, Walker could not be concerned with only setting up his
shot, a luxury afforded to Pierce, and which hindered his own offense
drastically. 
Usually in this town, players are ridiculed when they don't appear to care
about the team's fortune. 
Names that pop instantly to mind are Kenny Anderson and Pervis Ellison, who
both earned the wrath of fans for their apathetic attitudes. But those same
people complain about Walker's facial expressions when he "whines" to
officials. Guess some folks just can't be pleased. 
For all that Walker does well -- passing, scoring and rebounding when
positioned in the low-post -- the inadequate facets of his game are indeed
noticeable. Partly resulting from his constantly achy knees, Walker's foot
speed has significantly worsened in recent years, an ominous sign for a
player who is only 27. Add to that his bulky frame, and Walker is
occasionally a defensive liability. 
That didn't ring more true than in these past playoffs, when he was
overmatched by Ron Artest and Jermaine O'Neal of the Pacers and New
Jersey's Kenyon Martin. 
It was the last straw for the ultra-competitive 'Toine, who hired
distinguished trainer Tim Grover to work with him this summer near his
Chicago home. 
"We're going to get back his explosiveness, decrease his body fat
percentage and take care of his lower extremities," said Grover, who has
worked extensively with Michael Jordan over the years. "He needs to work on
his legs to keep them strong for the full season." 
As a commentator, Ainge criticized the freedom that Walker and Pierce had
in Jim O'Brien's offense. Rampant trade rumors include Walker in mismatched
deals, which would net the Celts either New York's Latrell Sprewell or
Toronto's Antonio Davis for their prized commodity. 
Ainge has refused discussions with Walker's agent about extending No. 8's
contract beyond its remaining two years and $28 million, though the final
year is a player option. 
Despite this, Walker has continued to work on improving his game with a
severe training regimen with Grover, all so he can adapt to Ainge's
up-tempo, fast-break style. To reward his co-captain for his diligence,
Ainge should completely remove him from the trading block and extend his
contract immediately. 
Trading Antoine Walker in some asinine deal won't transform this team from
a playoff contender into a lock to win the Eastern Conference championship.

Keep 'Toine and bear the fruits of his hard labor next spring. 
Phil DiPirro is an Eagle-Tribune correspondent. E-mail him at
sports@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx