Re: two expiring contracts = a 1st rounder and a commodity

[Mark Piotrowski <markp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Feb 19, 2004, at 9:54 PM, Thomas Murphy wrote:

> Earth-shattering? No. Bad? Not really. Fairly mediocre, but once again 
> it is
> a mediocre with a lot more upside than sitting on expiring contracts. 
> Think
> of it as the kind of unexciting but necessary maintenance needed to 
> maintain
> a flexible roster that will enable us to take advantage of 
> opportunities
> when they *do* present themselves.

After sleeping on it, this was the conclusion i'd come to as well.

I don't actually think we could have done something with Pheonix b/c 
taking Jahidi White off their cap wouldn't have got them far enough 
under the Lux Tax threshold.  And the 2nd of the #1 picks is for 2010 
or something.

For those who think this trade is the death-knell of the Celtics (Bill 
Simmons, et al), what would you have rather done?  Let Mills walk for 
nothing and either let James walk or resign him to a Greg Minor-like 
deal, when most of us realize he's not the long term answer at PG?

I loved throwing out trade possibilities -- but realistically there was 
very little player movement this year.  Maybe there really was very 
little interest in what we were offering.  Yeah Mills' contract was 
expiring -- but so was Barry's, 1/2 of Utah, 1/2 of the Spurs, Eric 
Wiliams, Antonio McDyess, etc., and none of those players got moved.  I 
think part of the reality is that there is very little -- outside of 
some role players (Darius Miles, Eric Williams, Brent Barry), some 
euros who will 99% resign with their teams (Ginobili, Okur) and some 
stars who may or may not opt out of their deals (Kobe, Dampier, Nash, 
Camby, Kurt Thomas)  -- available with cap space.

I agree with Thomas that taking on "non-answers" like Howard, Barry (+ 
baggage) or Rose would have helped a little initially, but done more 
long term to prevent improving the team.  Remember too this will be a 
busy offseasn other than FA signing b/c of the expansion draft -- with 
teams jockeying to keep or lose players, etc.

On the draft -- i'd be surprised actually if Ainge takes 3 HS players.  
One maybe, two perhaps but he has to realize that we need some more 
immediate talent on this team.  that doesn't preclude another 
Perkins-like late round pick, but I'd expect at least one of the picks 
to be used on a NCAA senior or euro/south american that can step in 
right away.

On screwing NY -- R. Wallace will end up there this summer for the MLE, 
don't worry.  NY couldn't offere anything near what Detroit did to 
Atlanta in terms of cap space.  I just wish we'd held out for more from 
Detroit -- maybe a couple 2nd round picks.  I think Isaiah is doing a 
wonderful job, but this is the NY for the near future (substituting R. 
Wallace for K. thomas this summer most likely).  Their salary cap 
situation is an absolute train wreck (not that it matters for NY teams, 
but its a mess all the same) and they've traded away their #1 this year

(the other) mark