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If this doesn't work, <May referring
to Pitino & Anderson>, the Celtics are
on the hook for $30-something million
over the next four years. In other
words, they'd better make it work,
because Anderson isn't seen as a
valued commodity around the loop.
However, one team desperately in need
of a point guard, the Clippers, might
well be able to work a sign and trade
with Rodney Rogers for Anderson. That
might be the only recourse for the
Celtics, who then could go with
someone like Wayne Turner, who Pitino
had at Kentucky, who doesn't care
about shots, and who defends.
But the deeper message in all this is
Pitino's continuing inability to get
along with established veterans. They
simply don't want to play the way he
plays and to have to listen to him.
Chris Mills had it for a month and
then was sent packing. Tony Massenburg
and Dee Brown were similarly dealt
when they couldn't handle it. Dana
Barros is the only legit veteran on
the team and there's not the slightest
doubt he'd welcome a deal almost
anywhere.
Pitino is talking about adding age and
free agents this summer. He'll get
neither the way he's viewed now around
the league. He lost Michael Stewart to
Toronto a couple months ago, a move
which, at the time, seemed crazy. Word
gets around the NBA very quickly and
unless something changes, Boston will
be become a place for only kids,
wannabes, desperate souls, and
ex-Kentucky guys. <snip>
STRONG TO THE HOOP
We've talked about this before. Can
Pitino adjust to today's NBA or is he
better suited for college, where he
doesn't have veterans questioning him
and talking back to him? The evidence
now suggests that college is probably
where he should be. He, of course,
sees it otherwise. But the bottom line
is results and he hasn't gotten them.
Promises about next year sound pretty
hollow right now. If he doesn't
change, neither will his team's
fortunes. <snip>
T H E S P O R T I N G N E W S
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