Re: Whoah, Some Good Stuff Today

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

I'm going to add comments to Ray's comments as we go along:

- The Celtics are fiddling and diddling with McCarty and Blount,
while the rest of the Eastern Conference burns.

Mark: It certainly doesn't seem encouraging, does it? But let's see how this
plays out.

- Miami: Daring move. Loaded the Brand contract with all sorts
of quirks and kickers. Clippers may still match, however, as they
actually need to spend money to reach the minimum cap requirement.
If the Clippers match, the Heat are then going after
Odom with a similar ridiculous contract. Riles deserves credit
for willing to make daring moves.

Mark: I love Elton Brand. I think he's a hard worker and productive player.
But he's not a franchise player. Riley made this same mistake with the
contracts for Brian Grant and Eddie Jones. Good players. Brand is a step up,
but still not a franchise guy. I actually think Riley's best chance at a
turnaround was to hold this cap space and make a strong play for Garnett
next season.

- Where is Detroit in the FA process? They need to send an SOS out
to Coleman and bring him onboard at center. Coleman, Wallace, Milicic
trio, very good indeed.

Mark: The Pistons have been conspicuous by their absence, haven't they? I'm
guessing they'd rather shop for bargains after the big boys settle. Makes
some sense, because that team doesn't have any glaring needs. Might be
better to wait and be one of the last teams with cap space when the "best of
the rest" start looking for deals.

- Knicks are worried about Walker's mental state. Good call. Join the
crowd. You can see the maniacal glee in Walker's eye as he hoists up
threes. And his contant badgering with the refs leaves us all
perplexed. Maybe the Knicks will take Baker, if the Celtics toss in
Battie in a trade instead of Walker and take Sprewell off their hands.

Mark: The mental state thing is a crock. Walker is just the latest NY
media-driven rumor that doesn't seem to have anywhere near the legs the
reporters up there seem to suggest. I think the teams have talked and may
still be talking, and I think the Celts are trying to dump Baker on them.
But I don't think anything is all that serious.

- Minnesota: As long as they can keep Olowokandi healthy and focused,
they seem to have recovered better from the loss of Nesterovic, who
should provide the Spurs with more production than Robinson.

Mark: Nice move by the T-wolves. Kandi is an enigma, but they got him on a
much better deal than the Spurs gave Nesterovic. Three years at the
mid-level exception is a steal for Kandi. He makes them a little tougher up
front, I think. As for Nesterovic, he seems like the right fit in San
Antonio because he's a good high-post center and he has the bulk to put a
body on Shaq. 

- Good column by Peter May. It stretches the limits of credulity for
the Celtics to whack the fans with a jaw-dropping ticket increase and
then plead poverty, especially with the the luxury tax base being
raised. But this is Red Sox country and Manny is misbehaving, so few
care.

Mark: Surprised this hasn't gotten more play today. Peter May is dead on
with this column. And the increase in the projected luxury tax threshold is
being completely ignored, it seems. Do you realize that the Celts now, with
a couple of minor moves, could be out of luxury tax land altogether? But,
more significantly, a mid-level exception player now would seem more
reasonable. If they've budgeted to be taxpayers already, then stick to the
budget and add the player. But they won't. And if they can't get the right
player, then maybe they shouldn't. But it's no longer true that they're
already deep into luxury tax land. They're right at the threshold.

My hope is that Ainge is clearing the decks for next summer (that means
Baker and Walker off the books), but we'll see.

Mark