News Synopsis: Mills Cap Godsend, Next Celtics Coach, Attack Of The NY Trades, Best Player, Ainge Trades

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Agggghhhh!!!!
It was an "Attack of the New York Trades" weekend.
That Arod or A Hole (as Mayor Menino calls him on the Weiner
Whiner line) hurt the most - big shot into the Solar Plexus of Red
Sox Nation. Major Downer in these parts.

Then the Divil Isiah struck again. Isiah must have Larry Bird flashbacks,
when he sees white players, because since taking over the Knicks,
he's moved out five of them in Van Horn, Doleac, Lampe, Vujanic,
and Vranes.  Cezary Trybanski you are on the endangered list.


Mills Is A Cap Godsend says Conra Costa Times:


	Posted on Sun, Feb. 15, 2004		
			
	 Mills is a godsend for teams seeking cap relief   Injured forward has yet to play for Boston, but he's in the final year of his contract, worth $6.6 million this season SPOTLIGHT BOSTON CELTICS SMALL forward Chris Mills (yes, he's with Boston these days) hasn't played a game this season. In the four years before this one, Mills missed 206 of a possible 328 games. His career -- slowed to a crawl by a left Achilles injury -- is basically over. Yet Mills is more sought after and more valuable now than he ever has been at any point during his 11-year NBA career. And it has nothing to do with his solid shooting or above-average defense of days gone by. No, Mills is a hot commodity because he is a player in the final year of his contract, one that is earning him $6.6 million this season. Mills, like any player on the last year of his deal, can spell instant cap relief for a team that acquires him. You trade for Mills before Thursday's trading deadline, and it matters not if he ever puts on a team uniform. His $6.6 million will come off your books this summer. With so many teams attempting to get payrolls under control and begin rebuilding anew, Mills has value. Significant value. A lot of teams have use for Mills. For teams wishing to get under the salary cap or further under the cap than they already are, Mills represents hope. For teams wishing to get under the dreaded luxury tax, Mills represents possibly tens of millions of dollars. Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge has traded Antoine Walker and Eric Williams, but he still has a nice asset in Mills, who is drawing all kinds of interest around the league. "One thing that we do have that has been discussed is Chris Mills' contract, which is a situation where a lot of people would like to get that and get off a player's contract," Ainge said. "There are a lot of teams out there hoping to be in the Kobe (Bryant) sweepstakes this summer, and they might want to get rid of a halfway decent player -- a player that comes in and contributes to us greatly!
 . So tha

t's one possibility." For example, let's say a team has a payroll around $40 million, which projects to about $4 or $5 million under the salary cap. If that team trades a contracted player or players to Boston for Mills that team's payroll will drop to $33.4 million ($40 million minus $6.6 million), at the end of the season. That right there is the difference between being a bit player and big-time player in the free agent market this summer. Similarly, Mills could be a godsend for a team flirting with the luxury tax. Suppose a team's payroll is hovering around $55 million, which let's say is $3 million over the projected luxury tax threshold. By not making a move, that team would have to pay a dollar-for-dollar penalty in the amount they exceed the threshold -- or $3 million. But by acquiring Mills, their team salary would drop into the $48 million to $49 million range, which would mean that team wouldn't have to pay a penalty. That team would have a savings of approximately $10 million. Mills hasn't hit a jumper since the middle of last season. He hasn't played in a playoff game since 1998. It's tough to remember the last time he locked someone up at the defensive end. But he's never been in more demand. -- The Boston Herald contributed to this report		


5-4 Kendall Marshall of Dale City, VA is the Number 1 Rated 
6th Grader in the country. 

- Jersey Red says the next Celtic coach will be Paul Westphal.

And the next Portland coach?  Why none other than 
than
than
than
than
than
than... Jim O'Brien is walking through that Trailblazers door.

- Vecsey says Walker is on the block; so does Bulpett,
who adds that things may heat concerning Celtics trade
discussions later this week. Deadline is the 19th.


- Dennis and Callahan, in reference to their upcoming interview with
Stephen A. Smith, quasi-intimated that Lionel Hollins would be 
the next Celtics coach. May have been a bit of a throw-away line,
but it surprised me they knew that Hollins was one of the top candidates.

- I had a dream that the Celtics traded Walter McCarty and a got a 
first-rounder back and someone named Boggins.
The lucky Bilbo Bo Boggins to be named later I guess.
Ray