thoughts on Walker move

[R Howe <regmanw6@xxxxxxxxx>]

Count me as one who thinks that the trading of Walker as a nessesary move if the Celtics are to make a move to a championship challenging team over the next 3-5 years. We do not become one this year but with the changes that began with the draft (Perkins, Banks and Hunter) athletic FA's and now bringing in a Running, good shooting and decent rebounding Center (plus an ex-teamate to our only true star) in addition an additional #1, a taller swing guard (we will see how he fits in on offence and can he play "D"?), along with some cap flexability going forward I like this move on a lot of levels as already mentioned here so far:
 
1. Makes team stronger on defense and the boards and a deeper more versatle rotation at the 4/5 spots in a conference that is weak in these spots. A rotation of LaFrentz, Battie, and Baker with devlopment or foul insurance of Perkins and Blount at the 4 and 5 spots depending on situations and matchups is to me better than Walker at the 4 for 45 mins and Battie, Baker, Blount and no development time for Perkins fighting for leftover touches and PT at the 5 spot, plus trying to garner long rebounds from long range Walker misses. We now will at least cut down on NJ fast breaks on us by this shift in shot selection alone.
 
2. Should allow for the quicker development of our point guards, that will hopefully translate, by mid season, to better passing and movement on the offensive side both in running and half court sets. This is also where we have to be patient. Does anyone remember Billups first game against Chicago at PG? compare that to who he has become as a player now. My hope is that the coach can settle Banks and James down and just tell them to play naturally and within themselves, concentrate on defense, get the ball to the open man and let the game come to them. 
 
3. The trade makes it possible for Baker to assume a larger role that was envisioned for him when that disaster of a trade was made. It looks to me from what I have seen in pre-season that he still has some game left and appears ready for the challenge. This can be dangerous depending on how strong a person he is to keep straight with possible added responsibility and accompying pressure it may bring on him. But with a healthy Battie (who I thought was the key to success before the trade) and LaFrentz, the pressure should be lessened even with the loss of Walker's scoring and the need to find more scoring.
 
4. The potential of Walker playing for his next contract was already surfacing as a distraction if statements from the C's clubhouse are acurate. Walker's statements that he would not change his mindset, that he did not think that not much change was going to occur as far as offensive flow and touches were concerned, no matter what staff and Ainge were saying, another words give me and Pierce the Damn Ball!! while the rest of the team should not be options other than support..... NO WAY could this happen again, that thought process was ok to get us to the Playoffs (no small feat considering our long drought) but with a player of Pierce's caliber it is time to move past that formula. I believe Ainge to be spot on when he said Walker's true value to a championship caliber team would to be to subjugate his multifacited game to a 3rd or 4th option and do the dirty work required. Another words less playing for all-star status, max money and playing for championship status. I think that it
 is obvious if Walker was willing that we would be a better team, but equally obvious that while here he would not allow himself to change his role of co-star with Pierce to a more team oriented role. His only sin IMHO is that he thinks of himself to be of the same caliber as the upper-tier stars of the league (as good as Pierce) when in fact he is what we all see he is, a very good, fearless player capable of doing a lot of good things on the court that can help a team win in a number of ways. I may be wrong but the numbers that Lafrentz brings from his Dallas time will be comparable to what Walker will put up there also, just too many other star players, only caveot is Nelson getting Walker to do what we could not do here and that is to checkin his ego a bit for the team, if he cant the team will force him to just by sheer talent.
 
5. Kendrick and Jones?? and even EWill should benefit from more ball movement that would not happen if the offense always funneled thru Pierce and Walker, making them only kickout options. 
 
All in all a good trade considering we would not in a couple of years make Walker a contract offer to make him a happy camper. Did we get equal talent in return in the form of one player? No, but collectively there is a good possibilty that we did. I have mixed feelings of Walker as a player as almost everyone here... Great competitor, leader, multi talented, and I like his personality. But a low post player, powerforward who could never get to the line and probally led the league in no-calls becuase he has pissed off every ref in the league, and who acounts for about 25-30 percent of your shots makes it hard for the team to compensate on the defensive end. I hope it works out well for him in Dallas. Dallas is an intesting team without walker, with him it should be even more fun to see how it will all work out. As for our Celts I think this is the second step, next step is to aquire or develop a solid second scoring option that compliments Pierce and the supporting cast already
 assembled and to make this team truly one good player away from a challenger which we were not before this trade occured.  GO Celts!!  
The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search