Re: [Celtics' Stuff ] Re: Courant article on Baker

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 09:52 PM 9/13/03 -0400, Celtic4Hire@xxxxxxx wrote:

>Hey, Egghead. The other day you mentioned my positive rantings about Baker 
>after we traded for him. Do you know where they are? I think I might be 
>needing to referring to them....
>
>DJessen33

To save Eggy the trouble:  For the IGTC group, go back to July of 2002 and 
good luck.  For the "stuff" group, go to the homepage on Yahoo, and look 
through the messages around the end of July, 2002, when Baker was traded.

This time, I've decided to be a Good Beagle and look this up:

You posted several reports from the Sonics in advance of the trade, only 
the first of which I've copied here (at the bottom of the post).  On July 
20, you reported about how Rashard Lewis was making things tough for Seattle.

Later that day, in reply to a Hoopsworld article suggesting a three way 
deal with the Knicks, you wrote: Hoopsworld is notorious for reading the 
tea leaves and then writing on their own speculation. At any rate, if we do 
this deal just to get Thomas and Ward, I would say it was time to get out 
the tar and feathers. I like the original Baker deal because it is a deal 
to get the final piece of the puzzle. It would be a risk, only because we 
lose future flexiblility. Getting Thomas and Ward are just adding fringe 
players, with slightly less years on their contracts. Kenny adds more than 
these guys would so if we can't do the original deal, just wait for a 
better one...


On the 21st, you offered several different trade scenarios without stated 
preference.

In reply to one of Josh O's articles, you wrote:
Having a guy who can score inside and demand a double team is worth a lot 
more than what Kenny and Vitally can give us on their best nights. If you 
want to argue against the trade, stick to the future cap flexibility 
issues. It is no doubt we are a better team with Baker than Vitally/Kenny 
not considering the possible chance of resigning Rogers with a little cap 
clearance during the trade...

Then, on July 22, you wrote the following:
From:   Celtic4Hire@xxxx
Date:  Mon Jul 22, 2002  5:46 pm
Subject:  I don't mind being the first on the Vin bandwagon

ADVERTISEMENT
Hey, you losers.  I want to go on record that I like the trade. I don't 
like them including Forte and I would prefer a no. 1 to come back. However 
regardless, I'll wait for you all to get on the Baker bandwagon and I can 
say I told to so.

Just like I told you so when I said the JJ for Rogers deal was a good deal 
for the short term and bad for the longterm. I think it was just me and 
Celtsteve who felt this way.

Not to put words in Celtsteve's keyboard, but I think it is just him and me 
again liking this trade.

Sure I'd like the C's to trade Kenny for Shaq but it ain't gonna happen. 
Sure I'd like the C's to trade Kenny for Candiman but it ain't going to 
happen. Vin is available. His contract is a risk. But on the talent side, 
Viola. I love the "cancer" comments, just like when we traded for DJ. Their 
are other similarities of the trade for Walton.

I don't like trading young, blooming talent for one shot deals like the 
Rogers deal. However, I love trading bums for former All-stars, especially 
those that can play inside. A play who can draw fouls on centers and 
forwards which will open up Pierce's game to slash. One who will demand a 
double team that will open up the three point shooters. Why do those Laker 
and Spur scrubs shoot those 3s so well? It is because everyone is so 
focused on the inside game of Shaq and Duncan that they are standing wide 
open at the line focusing in for an eternity. (Vin, of course, isn't in 
their class but has the same kind of game.)

Of course, Vin could show up being fatter than pig and I could be wrong. 
But I prefer the team GO FOR IT AND TAKE THE RISK rather than living in 
mediocority and luxury tax hell. If the cup is half full, we are the 
Eastern Conference champions...


Your original Sonics post:

From:   Celtic4Hire@xxxx
Date:  Fri Jul 19, 2002  1:19 pm
Subject:  Sonics daily scribe on Feburary 2

Baker's scoring rebirth spurs trade interest
February 2, 2002 Print it

Even a strained left shoulder has hardly slowed down Vin Baker's low-post 
scoring this season. Although the 6-11 power forward hasn't been able to 
help Seattle solve its rebounding troubles, Baker is having his best 
offensive season in three years.

Before the injury on Jan. 24, Baker was among the league leaders in 
field-goal accuracy. And he entered the weekend shooting 49.1 percent.

It's a stark contrast to last season, when Baker averaged career lows in 
scoring average (12.2 points) and shooting (42.2 percent) while coming off 
the bench.

The biggest reason for Baker's improvement is a focus on scoring in the 
paint, after prodding from coach Nate McMillan early this season.

Instead of relying on his jumper -- a bad habit over the past two seasons 
--Baker fights harder to get in the paint.

"This team needs a low-post presence, and I've got to be it," Baker said. 
"So I can't settle for jump shots. I have to get as deep as I can. Coach 
McMillan and I talked in Boston (on Nov. 9), and that's the way it's been.

"I'm not relying on jump shots or fadeaways. So as long as I do that, I'll 
keep the percentage up."

McMillan said: "He's still a guy that likes to step out and shoot the jump 
shot. That's a part of his game. I don't want to take that away from him. 
But for us to have any success, he needs to establish a low-post game. 
Hopefully, he'll continue to stay down in the post."

Baker's success has forced opponents to double-team him, which helps 
Seattle's perimeter players get open looks. The last time a team used 
single coverage on Baker, he responded with 32 points against Cleveland on 
Jan. 11.

"I feel right now that if I'm not double-teamed, and I'm in the paint I'm 
going to score," Baker said.

So where was all this last season?

"There was a lot of things," Baker said. "It was a bad situation not 
knowing if I was going to be here. The coach is giving me more touches this 
year.

"Obviously, I was coming off the bench, which was a different thing for me. 
And I've made my mind to get as deep as I can. My jumper is now a second 
thought." . . .

POSITIONAL ANALYSIS

Power forward: When Baker sits, the Sonics suddenly find their shots more 
difficult to take and make. Because of a resurgent offense, Baker's 
presence forces teams to double-team him. It frees up players like Rashard 
Lewis and Brent Barry, who normally have trouble creating their own shots. 
Baker's contributions have an asterisk, however, because of his poor 
rebounding.  Seattle is one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA partly 
because Baker doesn't do a good enough job on the boards. Grade: B

TRADING PROSPECTS

When the Sonics made the unusual announcement they would try trading Baker 
last summer, the interest was similar to that for a dot-bomb company. Now 
the power forward is having his best season since being an All-Star during 
1997-98. And Baker's value has shot up, spurring calls to the Sonics from
several Eastern Conference teams, specifically the Knicks, Pacers and Celtics.

Seattle must decide whether Baker's return as one of the best-shooting big 
men in the NBA is long lasting, or whether to unload the rest of his $87 
million deal that expires in 2006.

For more news on the Sonics, visit the Seattle Times at
www.seattletimes.com/sports.



Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
Please visit the <http://www.celticsbeagle.net/>Celtics Beagle Website