All-Star forward Antoine Walker was traded by the Boston Celtics to the Dallas Mavericks in a five-player deal Monday.I am still trying to make my mind up on if this is a good thing or a bad thing for the Mavs - I really liked Jiri’s potential and what he was capable of doing for the team. Not a good way to start a Monday off at all. I am wondering if this means there is another trade in the works, seeing as we are log-jammed in the PF position and have more shooters than possibly any other team in the league. I think this is a good one for Raef - he will probably be an all-star in the Leastern Conference. Posted by shanti at October 20, 2003 10:55 AMWalker and LaFrentz can still battle, after they switch uniforms.
Dallas is sending Raef LaFrentz to the Celtics along with Jiri Welsch and Chris Mills. Boston also will get Dallas’ first-round pick in 2004. The Mavericks will get guard Tony Delk from Boston.
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Living in Boston, I’m only a tangential Celtics fans, I have mixed reactions about this trade.
Antoine Walker is good player, not a great player. He seems to be one of those people who have yet to realize their full potential, and will never will realize even though he has the talent for it
Posted by: Niraj at October 20, 2003 2:09 PM
blink
I’m trying desperately to see what the Mavs get out of this. They give up a decent inside player for…another swing forward. And this one is a ball hog that consistantly jacks up 3’s while shooting an abysmal 3-pt and general FG %.
I’m confused here…
Posted by: Chris C. at October 20, 2003 5:31 PM
My roommate just mentioned that it looks like an attempt by Dallas to just run everyone off the court. They have uber scoring potential now, especially on the break. It could work, too. Still, I can’t help but think that they gave up too much for Walker.
Posted by: Chris C. at October 20, 2003 6:04 PM
Raef lafrentz was underperforming. He’s not a big game player. Antoine Walker will help the Mavericks. Mark Cuban is God. The Mavs will be very good next year.
Posted by: AJ at October 20, 2003 10:12 PM
Chris, from what I have heard from the mavs discussion boards so far, Walker is supposed to be a pretty good passer and has a decent post-up game when he actually puts his mind to it. If he works on those aspects, I think it might end up being a good deal for the Mavs.
Of course, last 5 minutes of the fourth quarter and Dirk, Nash, Finley, Jamison and Walker on the court - who would you double-team? ;)
Posted by: Shanti at October 21, 2003 6:49 AM
AJ, I don’t know how Mark does it, but he does have a knack for moving so-called “unmovable” contracts to his advantage that too :)
Posted by: Shanti at October 21, 2003 6:50 AM
The key phrase there is “when he actually puts his mind to it.” I have yet to see him do that in a Celtics game in the past 2 years. Plus, either Walker/Jamison does significant bench time or you relegate Dirk to playing center.
In any case, I never said that it wouldn’t help them score, but rather that they didn’t NEED the scoring help. There are, ultiamtely, only so many scoring chances anyway. The only thing I can see is that I thkn Walker’s contract is up sooner and it gives them decent trade bait mid-year if they need it.
Posted by: Chris C. at October 21, 2003 7:57 PM
I agree with Chris. I expect them to trade some of these scoring machines for some defensive players in forward/center position while retaining the Big Three.
L.
Posted by: L. at October 22, 2003 3:50 AM