I hate to rain on your parade here, but if Gasol goes anywhere next season it's likely to be the Knicks because of Phil and the triangle offense, for which he is PERFECTLY suited. I'm sure that consulting with Pau would help to facilitate such a move. Sorry, guys, but he's not coming to Boston. No one is. Sigh. Have we learned nothing from history haha?
I haven't, please illustrate me what I've missed in history, I'd appreciate specifics.
Thanks, it'll be great help.
please educate me as well
Pretty sure he is talking about free agency (correct me if I'm wrong) in which case what we've learned from history is that the Celtics have never really signed a big named free agent since free agency began. I mean, when James Posey is arguably your best addition via free agency that's not saying much.
Which is why I wanted specifics if possible... you know "Celtics have never really signed a big named free agent since free agency" is too generalized for me.
there'll never be any specific cases provided though. C's have never had the cap money to make a run at a top FA. that's the small fact that jams up their argument but that won't stop some people from clinging to that belief.
I just wanted to send them on a fool's errand.
What more specifics are you looking for? There aren't any examples to provide because we've never signed a big name free agent... Regardless of if we've had cap space or worked out a sign and trade for a free agent.
James Posey? Dana Barros? Dominique Wilkins? Xavier MacDaniels? Pervis Ellison? Jermaine Oneal? Rasheed Wallace? Sam Cassell? Travis Knight? Evan Turner?
I don't really know what other specifics can be said here.
Does Sam Cassell really count, though? I tend to view that more as an in-season, buyout type of transaction. All I'm saying is that it's not quite the same situation, is it? Posey and Sheed were great signings, though. My only question in regards to the group of guys you've got there is what was the rationale behind signing Dominique? I wasn't watching at that time, and if I had been, I doubt that I would remember it like the long-time fans on here, but didn't the front office see who was going to be in the 95 draft? Bird and McHale had both retired, Reggie had passed away, and Parish left for Charlotte - we didn't exactly have even the slightest bit of direction, and that class alone had Stackhouse, Garnett, McDyess, Sheed, and Finley. Why didn't we put the onus on getting a good draft pick? Was it because that was the last year of the Garden , which should never have been torn down? I'm just trying to figure out the logic, or lack therof, behind the signing of 'Nique. Any thoughts?
I was pretty young back then so I don't remember, but my guess is basically the Celtics could not attract any free agents and, under that ownership (Gaston) were more than willing to sign past-their-prime lesser stars just to put an average product out there and sell tickets. Xavier McDaniel, Wilkins, and Vin Baker would fall under this category.
Ugh, Wilkins was 35 at the time of the deal. Hey Celtics fans, remember how great Nique was in the 88 playoffs? We got him! Call the ticket office today!
Xavier McDaniel was signed in 92, but he should have re-signed with the Knicks. Letting X go and trading Mark Jackson for Doc and Charles Smith was monumentally stupid. Epic fail
. I've watched those games on youtube, so that obviously makes me an expert (sarcasm), and that 92 Knicks team didn't need a lot more to beat Chicago. Trade Oakley for AC Green (who would have been a much better match up with Horace Grant due to his size, speed, defense, athleticism, and shooting ability, plus his championship experience. Magic had just retired and the Lakers weren't going anywhere, and Green was no longer a focal point of their team, anyway, so why not?), re-sign Trent Tucker (which should have been done once he was waived by Phoenix in 1991, I believe. Come to think of it, why didn't we sign him? He would have been a nice guy to have off of the bench, imo), keep Gerald Wilkins (but maybe have him defend Pippen instead. That's a good match up on both ends for New York, imo), and get rid of Greg Anthony. Trading Mo Cheeks prior to the 91-92 season was stupid, too. He would have helped a lot with handling the Bulls' traps. Okay, tangent over
As for Nique, yeah, that was dumb. First of all, why he was traded by Atlanta is beyond me, especially given how well the Hawks were doing at the time of the transaction. Plus, why would he want to come here? Wouldn't he rather be a contributor on a contender? Hello, the Knicks needed at least another go-to guy beside Ewing, and Dominique was an assassin. Just a thought. I know that I sound like a broken record.
Also, the Knicks should have signed Bernard King when he was waived by the Bullets in 92-93. He could still play, and his toughness, passing, and scoring ability could have been Aguirre-like off the bench. We all know how great King was, and, again, he was an assassin. Wouldn't that have been a perfect ending to his career? Even if they had still lost to the Bulls, at least BK would have finally gotten a chance to play in the ECF, and against the best. Well, it makes sense to me lol
.