HoopsHype.com Columns

Luck of the Irish? Only time will tell
by Chris Clark / July 25, 2002

When the Celtics traded for Baker – sending Kenny Anderson, Joseph Forte and Vitaly Potapenko to the Great Northwest – they stepped up to the craps table, grabbed the dice, asked Beantown to blow on them for luck and let ‘em fly.

Only time will tell if they roll snake eyes or seven, but the odds certainly don’t look good.

Besides the weight of the remainder of his contract (four years, $56 million) and that of his frame (he’s listed at 250 pounds … wink, wink), he a 6-11 piece of walking Samsonite.

Word is he gave up in Seattle. That won’t be tolerated by the Celtics Nation (they’ve booed Antoine Walker for less on numerous occasions before falling in love with him last season). Word is his attitude wasn’t exactly good for the younger players. Guess what? Not a lot of veterans in green and white around now that Anderson has gone. Word is he’s not very motivated. Not good on a team that thrives on energy and getting up the floor. And definitely not good for a guy with a fat contract.

And what comes of Tony Battie? Where does he play now? It’s not like the Celts traded for a $56 million backup center. Well, in the long run, they might have done just that.

While Baker may be a big part of what could eventually go wrong with the Celtics, he’s not entirely the problem. His presence certainly hurts in other ways, however.

In dealing Anderson, the C’s have no proven point guard and thanks to taking on Baker’s deal, they don’t have the cap room (and might not for any of the four years) to be able to be in the market to land one.

This is a young, up-and-coming team that was two wins away from making it to the NBA Finals (granted, they play in the rec-league Eastern Conference). Now the payoff on their biggest bet in years hinges on the demeanor, work ethic and production of a 30-year old “project.”

The Sonics on the other hand get a boost. Potapenko may not play a huge role in Seattle’s turnaround. Anderson, however, has the same stigma placed on him as Baker. If he plays up to his potential, the fans at Key Arena will get a more than capable backup point guard. If not, they get Mini Me – a brooding, whining, trade-demanding smaller version of Baker.

And if neither Baker nor Anderson work out, maybe they should call Jerry Krause. He might be willing to trade Jay Williams for a song. He’s a gambler, too. He did deal Elton Brand away.

Hey, you never know. The Sonics did it. Why not the Celtics?

It’s obvious they like to roll the dice.

Chris Clark is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

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