Goodbye, 'Toine. Hello, Raef?
The Boston Celtics are my favorite team. I've stuck with them when they sucked pre-Bird and when they sucked post-Bird. As they've moved into a new era, I've been impressed with the scrappiness of both Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. And as much as he drives me crazy with his shot selection and whining to the refs, Antoine is my favorite player. (It's sort of like favoring a kid who is always in trouble.) Still, I wasn't too crushed when they traded him yesterday. I agree with Danny Ainge's assesment (spoken or unspoken) that the Celtics will never win a championship with Walker as a cornerstone. If they were somehow able to land another All-Star player and Walker was the third wheel, they might have a shot. I think the plan is a long-term one that frees up money for next year and I think they see another player in the deal -- 6-foot-7 guard Jiri Welsch -- as a potential star. Soooo, having said all that, I'll miss Antoine and the wiggle and his oversized head and everything else. But in the end, I think this move will work out for the Green.