What I'd do

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

Here's what I'd do:

1.	Fire Obie... Now or after the season. The problem with doing it now is you stick an interim guy in there (Lester Connor?) and you set yourself up for a player mutiny after the season if the players like him. That's what got Obie the job - he wasn't Pitino. I want Ainge to choose the next coach on criteria other than "not being Obie." If you have someone lined up now, then go ahead and pull the trigger. That's what West did with Hubie Brown.

2.	Use all tradeable assets to improve the talent... That means EWill, Battie, Kedrick, the Mills contract. Each of these guys (other than Mills) has shown flashes that lead some to be reluctant to trade them. They're just flashes. At this point, we know what each of these guys bring and there's no reason to think they're important to the future of the team. Cash them in to a team looking for cap room/role players and see if you can't land a stud or a draft pick that could be a stud. Be willing to take the step back this season to take steps forward in the future. Is it a disaster if they don't make the playoffs this season? Not if the draft pick yields another big-time talent.

3.	Make sure all acquisitions know how to play. Keep adding guys like Lafrentz and Welsch who understand offensive basketball. Look at Sacramento, Dallas and San Antonio. All those foreign players know how to play.

4.	Figure out if Banks is the guy. As much as I like his potential, the jury is still out as to whether he's the team's point guard of the future. Figure it out. If he's not the guy, then you have to find the guy. This team DESPERATELY needs a floor general at point guard, now and for the future.

5.	Develop Kendrick Perkins. He may be the most important addition they make to the rotation. He's probably not ready right now. Mark Blount does a great job of "blitzing" the guards on screens. Fine. He has one skill. He doesn't rebound, score or bring anything else to the table. Is he any more "ready" than Perkins? Is Battie? I know Perkins would struggle making the adjustment, but he's like Amare Stoudamire in that he has an NBA body right now. He's not a high school kid who needs to bulk up. He's the best rebounder on a team that can't rebound. I'd love to see him out there alongside Lafrentz, with Banks, Welsch and Pierce.

6.	Play Jumaine Jones. I know he's looked bad, but I also know he's better than he's shown. He needs minutes to get his timing and confidence back. Haven't we seen enough of Kedrick?

7.	Don't overreact. Stick with the plan. But use those assets to find better players. And fire Obie. Please.

Mark