The next 2 moves Ainge needs to make

[Mark Piotrowski <markp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(or "An Open Letter to Danny Ainge")

Dear Mr. Ainge,

PLEASE  forget the Mid-Level Exemption this summer...there's no one 
worth the money -- to paraphrase, "I don't think Q. Richardson (or 
Bird, McHale, Parrish) is walking through that door", too many other 
teams will have more $ to offere.  Instead, please work like hell to 
make the following 2 moves happen:

1.  Trade for Eric Snow -- Philly is in about the same predicament we 
are, yet with a much worse Salary Cap situation looming.  Sounds too 
like just about everyone is available -- maybe even Iverson.  I really 
think what this Celtics team needs is a veteran leader, preferably at 
PG, who can teach the young guys (incl. Pierce) about winning and being 
a professional, and who can teach Banks to be a NBA-level PG.

Eric Snow is that guy.  While he doesn't do anything really flashy or 
superstar-level, he's a solid, solid NBA PG.  If Banks developed into a 
quicker Eric Snow, i'd be happier than a pig in shit.  And Snow's light 
years better than anyone we could get with the Mid-Level Exemption.  
Marc Jackson can fill in this year for LaFrentz, then move to the 
backup 4/5 for the next 3 years at only-slightly-higher-than-reasonable 
money

I imagine Philly would want salary cap relief, a young player or 2, and 
a pick.  Ainge should offer:

Mark Blount
Mike James
Chris Mills' expiring contract
Dallas' #1 (and our 2nd round pick if necessary) (I'd offer our #1, but 
we need to be able to trade next year's #1for Part 2 of my master plan 
and you can't trade your own #1 in successive years)

for

Eric Snow
Marc Jackson

Reasoning:
------------
Jackson is essentially the 76ers backup PF/C -- along with Dalembert 
behind K. Thomas & D. Coleman.  Blount is just as good a backup at $3 
million less/year (their stats are very similar), Mills' contract comes 
off the books this summer and the 76ers can decide to resign James or 
go with John Salmons at the PG, and/or pick up a senior PG (a la Troy 
Bell, Marcus Banks, Jamaal Tinsley) with the Dallas Pick, allowing them 
to take a "upside/project" best-player-avaiable with their mid-teens #1 
pick.  Though they may be able to grab (hometown star) Jameer Nelson 
with where their #1 looks to fall.

While we're at about where we were salary wise (assuming a moderate 
($20 mil) Baker buyout) if we add a MLE free agent ($60 mil w/ 
Snow/Jackson vs. $57 mil w/ MLE), the Sixers go from $61 mil in 2004 to 
$53 mil ($57 -->$45 mil in 2005)...a savings that may even let them go 
after a free agent with the MLE.

The other nice thing is that with Snow quarterbacking the team -- 
taking some veteran pressure off Pierce -- I really think the C's can 
squeak into the playoffs, which is important for the team's psyche 
(like it was back in 2001).  It also sets our core 
Snow/Pierce/Welsch/Davis/LaFrentz/Banks/Perkins for at least 3 years 
(all signed through 2006-07) if my next suggestion doesn't pan out.  In 
the meantime marginal/non-contributing players like Baker, Stewart, 
McCarty will come off the books.

Post-trade lineups
--------------------
Boston
PG: Snow / Banks
SG: Pierce / (Davis) / (Boston #1 pick -- Hakim Warrick?)
SF: Welsch / Davis / Jones
PF: Mihm / Hunter / (M. Jackson) / McCarty
C: (LaFrentz) / M. Jackson / Perkins / Stewart

Philly
PG: James / Salmons / (Philly #1 -- Jameer Nelson?)
SG: Iverson / McKie / Buckner
SF: Robinson / (McKie) / Korver / (Dallas #1 -- Christian Drejer?)
PF: K. Thomas / Blount / (MLE Free Agent)
C: Coleman / Dalembert / McCaskill


2.  Trade for Antonio Daniels & Ray Allen (at NEXT year's deadline or 
after the season in a sign-and-trade) --   Allen is sounding more and 
more like won't be re-signing with Seattle, esp. if they lose Brent 
Barry.  Seattle may be best served (or forced) to rebuild (or blow-up) 
the team around Rashard Lewis and their young-uns (Collison, Ridnour, 
Radmanovic, 2004 #1 pick).

I imagine that rather than start from scratch they'd prefer to a get 
some short-contract, reasonably priced talent and a pick or 2.  So we 
should send them:

Eric Snow (having spent 1  1/2 seasons teaching Banks the job of PG)
Ricky Davis
Jiri Welsch
(the expiring contract) of Michael Stewart
our #1 pick (or 2 if necessary -- one now, one in 2007 or later; with 
our newfound talent a 2005 pick will just sit; extra money can be used 
to re-sign Allen)


This would give us a beautifully talented lineup for the 2005-06 season:
PG: Banks / Daniels
SG: Allen / (2004 #1 pick -- Hakim Warrick?)
SF : Pierce / Jones
PF: LaFrentz / Hunter (resigned) / (M. Jackson) / McCarty
C: Perkins / M. Jackson / (LaFrentz)

Banks should be ready by then to start full-time, though Daniels is a 
decent insurance policy if not.  Starting Perkins (even if he's still a 
year away) is not a big problem b/c we'd have veterans Allen, Pierce & 
LaFrentz shouldering most of the burden...allowing him to come along at 
his pace.  Allen's outside shooting will keep defenses from doubling 
Pierce, allowing him to get back to his 2001 form of driving/posting 
up.

If we simply let Mihm walk (replacing him with a bargain-basement FA 
(like Strickland a few years back or Blount, etc.)) we'd be at about 
the same place salary wise we've been for the last 2 years when 
accounting for "NBA inflation" ($60-62 mil).  And the following summer 
when Banks and Perkins are eligible for extensions, Baker, Daniels, 
Jones, & McCarty come off the books at about $10 million.

Seattle would have a rebuilding, yet talented lineup of:
PG: Snow / Ridnour
SG: Davis / Murray (resigned this summer)
SF : Lewis / Welsch
PF: Radmanovic/ Collison
C: Booth / (Seattle 2004 #1 -- ? Ha Seung-Jin (7'3" Korean))
+ two 2005 #1 Draft Picks (Own + Boston's)

thoughts?  especially do you think what we're offereing is enough to 
get each deal done?

(the other) mark