Celtics Trade Antoine Walker to Dallas (!!!!!!!!)

[WilliamPitt]

Celtics finally part ways with Walker

Pitino pick shipped with Delk to Dallas for LaFrentz, Welsch, Mills, first-round pick

By Associated Press, 10/20/2003

http://www.boston.com/news/daily/20/walker_traded_102003.htm

DALLAS -- The Boston Celtics traded three-time All-Star forward Antoine Walker to the Dallas Mavericks in a five-player deal Monday morning.

Dallas is sending Raef LaFrentz, who signed a $69 million, five-year deal before last season, to the Celtics along with Jiri Welsch and Chris Mills, players the Mavericks got in an offseason trade that also brought Antawn Jamison from Golden State. Boston also will get Dallas' first-round pick in 2004.

The Mavericks will also get guard Tony Delk from Boston.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban confirmed the deal to The Associated Press, saying it was pending league approval.

...more...

[MaineDem]

1. I don't follow the NBA

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

[WilliamPitt]

2. Remains to be seen

'Toine is a great player...but he is slow, and the Celtics are looking for a faster team. These trades aren't so hot. It'd be nice to have cleared a bit more cap space than this.

[VelmaD]

7. What the hell is Cuban thinking?

'Toine is s-l-o-w. Dallas' run-and-gun style of play will kill him. *shakes head at crazy owner*

Be interesting to see if the Mavs keep him or if there's more of this deal coming.

[VermontDem2004]

10. Cuban is smart

I would want Antoine Walker on my team. Plus how did Shawn Bradley do with the run-and-gun style of play last year?

[VelmaD]

13. This is true...

they need to get rid of Bradley. Then again, I've been saying that since the day the acquired him.

[Yavin4]

3. Good for Boston, Bad For Dallas

Does Mark Cuban realize that they only play with one ball.

[VermontDem2004]

12. I disagree

Bad for Boston, Good for Dallas.

[GOPisEvil]

4. Just what the Mavs need...another 6-9 guy who doesn't defend.

Raef LaFrentz? I guess the Celtics are just blowing things up and starting over...

Edit - Oh yeah, I just HAVE to add:

[Ishoutandscream]

21. I love your Dallas Chaps logo

Remember where they started.

[GOPisEvil]

22. Heh!

If only the Dallas-ites had gone to the games back then...

[Ishoutandscream]

24. Well, we have now, what

Basketball, hockey, football, baseball. Lot's of competition.

When the Chaps moved, San Antonio had the benefit of having no other franchises. Times haven't changed.

[VermontDem2004]

25. Dallas has a baseball team?

[VelmaD]

26. The Texas Rangers...

play in Arlington - a Dallas suburb.

[VermontDem2004]

27. I know

I was being a smartass like the anti-baseball people saying "There's a world series?" I was basically saying that the Rangers were diving Dallas something to cheer about?

[Ishoutandscream]

29. No, but still a choice

I find you may be a Dallas hater.

[VermontDem2004]

33. Yeah I am

Due to rooting for the Cardinals, but since they released Plummer, Lassiter, and Boston making them uncompetitive as hell, they are now on my signature line then my avatar. But I am honest in what I said about them playing Buffalo and how they will do in the rest of the season which is a point you keep missing. I kept saying that they only need to win 4 out of their next 10 games to finish 9-7 and then went on saying I like their chances of making the playoffs.

Before you call me a fair weather fan I was born in Colorado and the first football team I ever knew of was the Broncos. Then I move here to Arizona and the Cardinals grew on me but I was dissapointed everytime Bidwell release promising and devoloping players and signed over the hill former all stars. But releasing Boston, Plummer, and Lassiter was the last straw and I will never go to a Cardinals game because I refuse to give the owner money who know wants taxpayers to build him a new stadium in Glendale.

[GOPisEvil]

28. Yeah well...Dallas SHOULD have multiple teams...

It's a larger metropolitan area.

San Antonio likes to think big, but they'll never be more than a one-team town. (Unless you count the minors, and we're not.)

[Ishoutandscream]

30. San Antonio is big, and I think it could support

one other professional franchise. Great city, and good fans.

[GOPisEvil]

31. Large, yes...but not large in terms of wealth, sadly.

That's one reason I bolted to Austin. :-)

[Loonman]

5. Sweet!

Walker sucks ass.

Instead of setting up Paul Pierce like he's supposed to, he would always run to the basket and miss with that shitty lay-up of his.


Good riddance.

[VermontDem2004]

14. whatever

I would take that 21 points per game, 9 rpg, and 5 rebounds per game over a bunch of unproven nobodys ANY day. Plus Basketball isn't played with one player and Walker has a pretty good outside shot. I would watch the Celtics play everytime they are on tv and that scenario is just not true.

[Ishoutandscream]

6. Good riddance to Lafrentz

This could only help, rather than hinder, my Mavs.

Cuban is shaking things up. He knows the Cowboys are the front page news in sports in Big D, and he has to keep up with the Jones', so to speak.

[NicoleM]

8. I find Antoine Walker

extremely attractive.

It's going to be an interesting season for the West this year, between all the trades and the possible impact of the Kobe thing on the Lakers.

[VelmaD]

9. He's a hottie...

but Dirk Nowitzki is hotter. *drool*

[NicoleM]

15. I have to disagree.

He looks like Shaggy from Scooby Doo, but blonde. :)

[VelmaD]

18. I'm a hair slut...

and I just adore all that curly hair flying around when he plays. :-)

[catzies]

35. You must love little Stevie Nash then too.

:P

[NicoleM]

36. Will somebody please tell

Steve Nash that it's not 1974?

[VelmaD]

37. He's not a hottie, but...

I like his energy. He's a bouncy little cutie-pie.

[GainesT1958]

11. Oh, well, at least the Mavs got Antawn Jamison...

But it really does look as though the Celts are trying to do a triple-p, as in "Purge Pitino's Players".

I guess Mark Cuban is leaning toward a "quick fix" that will get his Mavs to the next level in the playoffs...not so sure getting Antoine Walker and Tony Delk is that fix, though...I also don't understand the earlier trade from the Warriors' perspective. Why would they trade one of their most promising young players in Antawn Jamison? Maybe that's just my Carolina bias showing.:eyes:

I sure would like to see the new Charlotte Bobcats franchise acquire him, and (now that he's available) get George Karl to coach the team, too.

(ON EDIT): Speaking of reuniting players of college coaches, it just may work out for the Celts having Lafrenz and Paul Pierce (Kansas, both) on the same team. Those guys instinctively know what each other can do in a certain situation. It did work for the Houston Rockets when Clyde Drexler and Hakeem were re-united there...

B-)

[VermontDem2004]

17. I think Walter is the one

I mean Dallas didn't give up any all stars for an all star. 21 ppg, 8 or 9 rpg, and 5 apg is pretty good for a player if you ask me, if you think not then you go out there and try out for a team.

[alfredo]

41. Sometimes it is not the player but how that player is used

Walker or Delk could come alive in Dallas. they weren't that bad in Boston.

[LoneStarLiberal]

16. The Other Shoe (for the Mavs)

I think the other shoe is yet to drop on this deal for the Mavs.

It makes no sense, even in Don Nelson basketball terms (where centers are just PFs who should occasionally rebound), to keep Walker around.

THANK GOD we are free of Lafrentz, though! Celtics fans, I wish you better luck with him than we had in Dallas.

Mills is a spare.

Welsch could develop into something special ala Drazen Petrovic with more athleticism or he could develop into Bob Sura, career bad backup.

[Ishoutandscream]

19. Absolutely. Raef was a dud

Maybe he will work out in Boston. He's a good guy, and I wish him the best, but I'm glad he's outta here.

[Kusala]

32. I agree

They're shuffling players around. I can't see the mavs keeping that many shooters. Posturing for a deal I hope.


I mean, it's some insane depth but I've got to wonder about the chemistry already trying to adapt to the Jamison/Fortson and loss of van ex.

This trade confuses me otherwise.

[Yavin4]

20. Are You People on Dope?

Raef LaFrentz in the Western Conference is a mediocre player. Raef LaFrentz in the Eastern Conference is a probable All-Star. The Eastern Conference has very mediocre big men, with the exception of Jermaine O'Neal with the Pacers.

This is a great trade for Boston.

[VermontDem2004]

23. I disagree

LaFrentz is not on the level Walker has 21 ppg, 9 rpg, 5 apg, I would take Walter's stats over LaFrentz's 10 ppg, 7 rpg, and 1 apg. Now I ask are you on dope?

[LoneStarLiberal]

34. Pierce Is A Happy Man Today

We're all ignoring Paul Pierce...who no longer has to share the ball with the jacktastic Walker! We will finally see what Paul Pierce looks like with plenty of opportunities.

I don't think Lafrentz is such a bad deal for Boston; the Celtics already have Tony Battie to anchor the defensive and rebounding side of playing center. Lafrentz is excellent as an offensive player and, when he doesn't get into foul trouble, is excellent as a shot-blocking threat.

The reasons you see depressed numbers from Lafrentz in Dallas versus his days in Denver are fairly easy to explain:

Fewer points: Lafrentz went from being one of two viable offensive options in Denver (more touches=more points) to being one of four viable offensive options in Dallas (fewer touches=fewer points). The Mavs rarely ran plays for him; if Boston runs even a handful of plays for him, particularly given the pathetic state of Eastern Conference centers, he will pay out handsomely.

More fouls: Lafrentz simply isn't a great defender. That doesn't mean he can't learn to be a better defender. Post defense is not a requisite skill in Don Nelson's basketball world, so Lafrentz never learned. Because he is not a good defender, he would always get into quick foul trouble when asked to defend post players by the Mavericks. He got away with being a mediocre defender but looking better than he was in Denver because of his youth; injuries have robbed him of that though he is still tolerably atheletic...the main thing he MUST LEARN TO DO is to MOVE HIS FEET!! You'd think he was stuck to the floor the way the clods around in the post! Tony Battie's presence should minimize this need in Boston.

Fewer blocked shots: See "more fouls" section. Defense is not a big thing in Nelsonworld. The goals of Nelsonworld are to not pick up fouls and not allow easy baskets. That's pretty much it. Again, Battie's presence minimizes the importance of this for Lafrentz.

All in all, Lafrentz to the Celts looks like a good deal for everyone involved.

[VermontDem2004]

39. Boston needs a ballhogger!!!!!!

The 26 points per game for Pierce was just not enough! Now Boston needs another person just to fill the starting lineup and feed Pierce the ball. Walker gets 3 fpg while playing 41 points per game also Walker gets 22 points per game, 8 rebounds per game, and 5 apg. LaFrents gets 3.80 fouls per game and only plays in 30 minutes per game so in reality LaFrentz gets more fouls in less time then Walker.

[Forkboy]

38. Bye Antoine

I wont miss ya!

[VermontDem2004]

40. Good

because you will see him in the Western Conference Championship game next year.

[Ishoutandscream]

42. Hey, maybe I was wrong!

Nice analysis!

[Forkboy]

43. Who cares

I'll let Dallas fans listen to his daily bitch fest about how he doesn't get the ball enough.He's a massive whiner and I'm glad he's gone.

[Ishoutandscream]

44. Just heard Don and Donnie Nelson's press coverage on espn 103.3

Both are excited by Walker's ability to play point forward. They did mention some misgivings about playing Dirk a bit as a 5, but they think this will create more mismatches in Dallas' favor. We shall see.