Let's not schedule the coronation just yet

[Michael Gooen <callmebogie@xxxxxxxxx>]

Shaq, Kobe, Payton and Malone?  

I'm not scared.  I'm not sure I would've been scared 5 years ago, and I'm
certainly not scared now.  If Jackson can win his 10th title by getting
these guys to sublimate play together, then he deserves to break
Auerbach's record.  I don't see it happening.  I think it's going to
backfire.

As for the Cs:  I'll miss Waltah, but I'm hardly heartbroken.  He's got a
screw loose if he takes the minimum elsewhere just because he thinks the
Cs have disrespected him.  My offseason to do list:

1.  Re-sign Blount, preferably to a 2 year deal.  He did a very nice job
last season, and if Battie goes down again the Cs will need more than
Perkins and Sundov.
2.  Sign either Antonio Daniels or Erick Strickland.  
3.  Start exploring takers for Eric Williams's expiring $5 million
contract (possibly paired with Delk or Bremer).  Especially with Waltah
gone, I'm not married to the idea of losing EWill (my main concern has
been getting minutes for Kedrick).  I'd even consider re-signing him next
season if the dollars work.  But let's see what the market is like.

PG:  Banks/Bremer/Daniels or Strickland
SG:  Pierce/Delk/(Daniels or Strickland)
SF:  KBrown/EWill/(Pierce, Walker)
PF:  Walker/Hunter/(Battie)
C:  Battie/Blount/Perkins

IL: Sundov
Wild Card:  Baker (If he comes back and can contribute -- and I'm not
holding my breath -- then Perkins or Hunter will don street clothes and
Blount, Toine and Battie will see fewer minutes). 

Obviously, we have no idea how Banks will pan out, whether Kedrick can get
his act together, or how this team's chemistry will work.  But on paper,
I'm cautiously optimistic.  In any event, watching this roster beats
watching Sundov, Wolkowhatever, Grant Long, Mark Bryant, Bimbo Coles,
Frank Brickowski, Fred Roberts.....

Michael Gooen

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