Re: [Celtics' Stuff ] "It's like a painful death,"-Globe

[CeltsSteve@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 3/13/04 4:36:11 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
Celtic4Hire@xxxxxxx writes:

> 'We are one half a game behind the Knicks yet you never hear their writers 
> refer them as "hapless". Go read their papers. The Cs are stocked with draft 
> 
> picks and youth and Raef to return to improve while the Knicks only have 
> Sweetney 
> and a Baker miracle to improve yet Danny is the worst GM in the league and 
> Isiah is a media darling. Go figure....
> 
> DJessen33


Isiah might be a media darling but what the media isn't giving any column 
space to is that while he has turned over their roster he/they have added 
considerable cost in the form of buyouts. HoopsHype.com has been down and I usually 
check salary info there but if the Luxury Tax is enacted this year, I read the 
other day the Knicks salaries are close to $92M.  If that is an accurate 
figure, that would incur Isiah the privilege to write another check close to $35M 
or $37M or somewhere in that ridiculous neighborhood. 

Ainge, like most GMs in the league, is operating in an entirely different 
paradigm with respect to budget and accountability with ownership. He's turned 
over the roster but regardless of how Baker-gate shakes out, has kept salary 
about at an even keel or reduced it. 

The roster is shaping up for next year, in more ways than one. Did you check 
out the svelte Kendrick Perkins? Instead of all the current raving over Hunter 
and the clamor for him to find more PT,  I think any available PF minutes 
need to be going to Perkins, not Hunter. If Hunter wants more minutes, I say let 
him earn those minutes at the "3" spot instead. He's undersized as a PF. Heart 
and determination are great but give me those attributes along with some 
size. 

Because for as long as Pierce remains in the backcourt and has the ball in 
his hands so much, the C's need a guy in the frontcourt who can be a legit low 
post scoring option. I see Perkins much more in that role than Hunter. He runs 
with a disjointed/awkward gait but damn if he doesn't cover ground end to end 
with but a few strides. I marveled at that last night and I also marveled at 
his footwork close to the hoop. But his body is so much leaner, thinner than 
when the season began. He is the guy to match the bigs under the paint, 
especially on offense. 

Hunter is a nice, solid guy against 2nd tier players but he's being exposed 
against bigger people. And I believe just as Hunter has improved since he came 
into the league he can continue to improve. But long term, I see Perkins 
improving and being much more valuable to the C's than Hunter and thus more 
deserving of minutes

And what I pray is that next year's coach whoever that might be will insist 
the first day he is hired and going forward is that Pierce will shift to the ' 
3 ' spot. Not even an issue open for discussion. The coach tells him simply 
"Paul, we're sliding you up to the SF position and we're moving Ricky (or Brent 
Barry? Or Stephen Jackson???) to the ' 2 ' " 

I just want the ball out of Pierce's hands and make him the primary scorer 
and not a primary creator or decoy. Let the PG run the show, Paul. Not you. 

And one final thought on Banks. There are times when I look twice and think 
to myself he kind of resembles a young Mookie Blaylock                
    
CeltsSteve 

``In Ainge We (T)rust" - what other choice do we really have?