Re: Article out of Denver on Battie, Billups, Draft.

["JLyell" <jlyell@concentric.net>]

- ----------
>                         "Point blank," coach Bill Hanzlik said,
> "everybody wanted to see Chauncey Billups, but we did what was best for
the Nuggets."  Twins Antonios - Battie and McDyess. Be still our
hearts.hereT hasn't been so little excitement in Denver for a No. 5 choice
since James Ray in 1980. He played sparingly   in 103 games over three
seasons with the Nuggets and averaged 3.2 points a game.
> 


I like Billups but would offer Williams & Billups for McDyess & Bobby
Jackson.  Go get Eisley & Declerq as a free agent and Baker in a year or
two:

McDyess    Baker 
Walker
Fox
Mercer
Eisley   Jackson


I like the upside the upside on this also.  Jackson was pretty impressive
in the tournament.


>   Battie, the NBA scouting director said, "could
> start for most of the teams in the lottery." So could the late, great 
Ervin Johnson.  Battie may be a good NBA player someday; Billups will be a
great pro basketball player for many years. So,  despite the Nuggets' happy
face-spin, they
> should have closed a deal to keep Billups in Colorado.
> 

Don Leventhal said the Celtics made the bad choice and should have taken
Battie.  I guess only time will tell.