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Daivs, Hunter, Payton & the Playoffs

Some thoughts after reading this weekend's posts (thanks to everyone to feeding my Celtics obsession with good posts!)

1. Ricky Davis -- can I propose a moratorium on the question (of which Sean G. was the latest to pose, this weekend) about which is the "real Ricky":

There are still a lot of guys on this team with a lot left to prove - Pierce as to
whether he should remain a Celtic and elite player in the league, Davis
that this is the real Ricky and not the stuff he has pulled in the past ...

I will agree that the stunt he pulled to try and get the triple double (shooting on his own basket) was lame, but other than that what really has Ricky Davis done to warrant the incessant questioning (i'm not saying this about you Sean G, most of its through the media (print & TV), but some on the list) about if/when Ricky is going to go bonkers.

Keep in mind that Davis came out of school as a freshman, played sparingly his first 3 years, then had a breakout season for Cleveland in 2001-02. He was a restricted FA after that season and desperately wanted to leave a horrible team. Minnesota signed him to an offer sheet -- for the deal he has now -- and Davis openly pleaded with the Cavs to let him go -- that it'd be better for both of them. Cleveland waited 'till the last minute and matched the offer. So then he's playing for a team he wanted to leave and they have the worst record -- a season that must have been hellish. Then Silas and Lebron come in (did Silas and he not get along in during their Charlotte days?) and he gets traded to the C's. He's been nothing but the model teamate here -- even though he's playing fewer minutes behind a player that he probably knows he's better than (Jiri -- and that's NOT a knock on Jiri).

I'm not making excuses for Ricky -- he'll I would have played for the Cavs and been happy for $100k, never the millions he was making, but can we maybe all agree that Davis is a young, emotional kid (24 years old) and that what we've got IS the real Ricky? I didn't like losing Ewill, but I really like Davis and hope that the next coach will really try and use him to the best of his abilities (which seem like a lot).


2. Hunter's contract -- In reference to DJessen pointing out that Hunter will be a Rest. FA after next season and we may be in the position Detroit (Okur) and San Antonio (Ginobili) are in trying to sign 2nd rounders who panned out, Snoopy said:

You have to remember the situation when we got him--we had--back
then--enough big men that Hunter was not realistically going to see playing
time this season at all. His excellent play in training camp got him the
contract he now has. Back then, Vin Baker was looking like comeback player
of the decade, and the team that went to the playoffs was pretty much the
same--Danny didn't start decimating the roster until just before the start
of the regular season, by which time it was too late to think of Hunter
getting a three year contract. Even as late as January, there was no sign
that hunter would see anything more than periodic garbage time this year.

But the thing DJessen was pointing to was that -- especially as more and more college seniors and international players who WILL pan out slide to the 2nd round, having been displaced by *upside* high schoolers and 18-year old International players -- why would you ever not sign a 2nd round pick to a 3rd year if you're going to sign them to 2?

The MOST you risk losing is maybe the $1 million of that 3rd year if they don't pan out. One of the things that Wyc, et al. said when they bought the team that brought me the most hope -- but of which I have no idea if they are doing or not -- is that while all teams are restricted by the salary cap (speaking i think about Baker, especially) and while they may not pay the luxury tax or be owners who overspends for talent like Mark Cuban, that there are plenty of things they could and would pay for that would improve the team: scouting, looking for international talent, upgrading facilities. I guess I see the gamble of $1 million for a player like Hunter breaking out -- and therefore being able to keep him w/ Bird Rights after his 3rd year -- as not only a wise business investment (as wise as resigning McCarty), but one of those little things that GM/ownership can do to improve the team long term. I hope they don't repeat this "mistake" in the future.


3. Gary Payton -- with it looking more and more like Gary Payton opts out of his deal this summer (he's really unhappy with his role in LA), I would really like to see Ainge make a push for him -- especially over Karl Malone or Brent Barry.

Payton would a great teacher/mentor for Banks in the fast break offense + PG defense and, more importantly, that type of loud, vocal leader that Pierce needs to succeed. I guess he'd rather go somewhere where he could win a ring (i.e. Indy) but most title contenders have a young PG. Plus adding him would alleviate the temptation to grab a PG with one of our picks -- since I think Gary's still got 2 more good years in the tank. I think this lineup could challenge for the Finals (and would probably be the quickest Celtics team in decades):

PG:  Payton / Banks
SG:  Pierce / (Welsch) /
SF:  Davis / Welsch
PF:  Hunter / Mihm
C:  LaFrentz / (Mihm) / Perkins

+ 3 #1 picks and maybe even a FA shooting guard?

Could we either go after him as a FA or sign-and-trade (Payton for Atkins + Blount + DAL pick). The no-Laker rule, IMO, doesn't apply here since GP really isn't a Laker, but at this point a nomad.



4. Playoffs -- it really is a hard "call". I guess I just still believe that its worth it for the psyche and long term development of this team to make the playoffs. After all, can you imagine how much it would mean to them to have gone through all they've gone through this season and make it to the playoffs and take a team like Detroit or Indy to 7 games in the first round (or pull the upset?). I won't be sad if we miss the playoffs -- since it will mean a better pick -- but I also won't root against the C's winning. Winning may also help avoid Blount opting out of his contract and may keep him here cheaper if he does -- not a major issue, but a not unimportant one.

But Mark B., makes a good point that unlike previous years where making vs. missing the playoffs maybe means a few spots in the draft order, this year it could mean as many as 9 spots. Plus if we make the playoffs and Ainge makes an offseason move, we'll have to hear a new round of "the 2003-04 team was 12 wins from the finals..." before Ainge blew it up again :-)

In either case, I think most of us agree that the best thing to do -- and i think/hope this is what Ainge was saying -- is that we should sink or swim playing Hunter, Mihm, Welsch et al. Carroll/Ainge should use the last 20 games to develop the core and sort it out for next season -- but should keep trying to win. Developing that core, to me, means figuring out how Mihm and Hunter play next to each other, what combo of Davis/Welsch/Pierce works best together, who Banks fits the best with, who can handle coming off the bench (I think welsch would be better suited than Davis) and who can't.


(the other) mark