Nando-Pacers

[DJessen33@aol.com]

This was on Nando's Sport-Server yesterday and I thought you would be
interested:

DRAFT DOINGS: The Celtics are hinting they might be willing to trade one or
both of their
top-six draft picks.
"I think we need stars," said Chris Wallace, the scout-turned-general manager
who will bird-dog
talent for coach Rick Pitino. "Over an 82-game season and through prolonged
playoff situations,
stars win. First and foremost, we have to get a star."
"We need All-Stars," Pitino agreed.
Few scouts think picks 3 and 6 will yield players likely to be All-Stars
anytime soon.
"We could go into the draft with no picks," Pitino acknowledged. "Is that the
likelihood? No. Is it a
possibility? Yes. We'll do anything to make the Boston Celtics strong. Our
ears are open to
everything. We'll be on the phone constantly."
Wallace and most other scouts agree this is an exceptionally weak draft.
"Weak draft," Knicks GM Ernie Grunfeld said. "Very thin draft."
The Pacers are exploring trade talks with Boston, Philadelphia and Vancouver
about picks 2, 3, 4
and 6 because they need a scoring small forward, and Ron Mercer and Keith Van
Horn are the
only blue-chippers who fit the bill. But Philadelphia, at No. 2, looks
increasingly locked in on Texas
Tech center Tony Battie. Indiana is currently at No. 12.
"We've talked about it, yeah, but we're not going to sell the farm in order
to move up," Pacers
president Donnie Walsh said. "It all depends on what you think of those guys
and their ability to help
you, relative to what else is available in the open market."
Raptors GM Isiah Thomas is intrigued by high schooler Tracy McGrady: "I like
his game. I like his
versatility. He might be the best talent in the draft."
Before you laugh, remember that high schooler Kevin Garnett was taken after
Joe Smith, McDyess,
Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace in '95. He was the first member of the
class to be chosen
an All-Star.
How good is Kentucky's Mercer? Word is his former coach, Pitino, won't take
him with either of
the Celtics' lottery picks.