Re: Walker Whines While Mavs Win

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Shawn wrote:



I can't imagine anyone still being upset that this nutjob is no longer
on the C's.



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But, Shawn, it's not about trading him, it's about what we got in
return. Clearly, Ainge could have traded Antoine for Kobe or T-Mac or
someone like that, but Ainge was determined to take the worst deal
available. Or he could have held onto Antoine and let him opt out after
this season to walk away for nothing, or kept him another season.
Antoine would have been great to have around, don't you think? A real
happy camper.



Look, I understand the criticism for taking on LaFrentz's contract. If
Raef doesn't come back healthy and average something close to 14 and 7,
the contract looks awful. But look at the rest of the deal - Jiri Welsch
(would anyone, considering salaries, trade Jiri for Antoine straight-up
right now? Anyone? Other than Don Nelson, of course, who I'm sure would
love to have Welsch and rid himself of Antoine ... ); Chucky Atkins and
two first-round picks (Detroit and Dallas). Plus $3 million. Isn't that
pretty darn good? Next season, it's very possible that three-fifths of
the Celtics' starting lineup will have come from the Antoine trade.



It's really not fair to pile on Antoine at this point. Only the most
blindly loyal Antoine fan couldn't see this coming. He is what he is,
and that didn't magically change when he went to Dallas. He doesn't like
to be coached, as this article clearly shows. The Celtics still would be
stuck in the same rut if he were here. He's not. Thank goodness.



Mark