Re: [Celtics' Stuff ] Banks

[CeltsSteve@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 11/28/03 7:44:50 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
Celtic4Hire@xxxxxxx writes:

> What about a Kedrick &Battie for Davis &Bimbo Coles (expiring)? Would you 
> do that and would you think the Cavs would do it?
> 
> DJessen33
> 
> <<Dave,
> 
> First off, let me explain the reason I'd be interested in Davis more. In a 
> nutshell: his relatively low salary. He's currently making about $4.9M which 
> is basically the mid-level exception money. And to get a 20 pt/game scorer for 
> that little amount of money makes a lot of sense. You couple the fact that 
> he's only 23 or 24 and you'd have someone that will be here under contract for 
> relatively short money for the duration of Pierce's prime years. $4.9M is 
> much cheaper than what Antoine would have wanted to re-sign for and he's much 
> younger than Antoine.
> 
> Volatile? You bet. Immature? To be sure. Another high risk/high reward deal 
> ala Baker but that deal is now paying dividends. Pierce, Davis, and Baker 
> (and 
> LaFrentz) give the C's three (or four) potent scorers and much more 
> offensive 
> diversity than the Walker/Pierce playoff team of the past two years. 
> 
> I would start by offering Battie only because their salaries (Battie's and 
> Davis') would work straight up. However, I'm certain Cleveland would want more 
> -- either a draft pick in addition to Battie or an expiring contract along 
> with a pick. EWill is fitting nicely into his role of coming off the bench at 
> this time and I'd be leery of trading him; especially since his presence 
> would be needed in the locker room to help keep Davis in check. 
> 
> Mills' contract is for more money so somebody else would have to be included 
> from Cleveland's side. They also might want the C's to take Yogi Stewart off 
> their hands to get Davis. Stewart has this year and next left at virtually 
> identical money to Battie whereas Battie has two years left after this season. 
> That's a sticking point where things would get fuzzy and probably make the 
> deal fall apart as I don't see the C's having any interest in Yogi what with 
> Kendrick (and Hunter) on the bench and McCarty also under contract.  
> 
> It would take some haggling but I think it's doable from the C's side. The 
> question is though, are the Cavs still wanting to unload him and build around 
> James, DeJuan Wagner and Boozer and to a lesser extent Mihm and Ilgauskas?  
> If I'm Ainge, I pick up the phone and make the call to find out.      
>    
> CeltsSteve >>



In my initial response to Dave, I categorized any deal for Davis as "high 
risk/high reward" ala Baker. I'd modify that assessment and reclassify any deal 
as "low to medium risk/high reward" with much less risk involved than Baker's 
deal due to the much lower dollar value of the contract and Davis' youth vs. 
Baker's age.

Battie and Kedrick for Ricky D and Bimbo? Yep. I'd do it. Here's why:

Kedrick is slowly starting to come along (too slow for some people's taste 
and I've even been impatient at times with him myself) but trading Kedrick would 
open up PT for JJ.  And I can't emphasize how much the team dynamic would 
change by instantly injecting 20 points/game of "pop" into the C's offense. And 
adding another scorer now still allows Ainge the flexibility to spend virtually 
the same amount of money on a FA next summer with the mid-level exception.

In fact, to add a 20 pt/game scorer right now who is locked down at a modest 
salary/short money like Davis', I think I'd even do Battie and Kedrick for 
Rick Davis and take Bruno back if that's what is required to get the deal done. 
And then I'd turn around and try to repackage Bruno's expiring contract again 
along with Mills' by the deadline.

But would they truly be interested in Kedrick as part of the package along 
with Battie? Remember, they also have D. Miles.    
    
CeltsSteve