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

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

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> I don't know about Stockton, but Stodamire was considered the best PG in
the draft the year he came out, and was chosen 7th overall.  If i were to
compare Jackson to someone in That draft it wouldn't be stoudomire but
rather Randolph Childress.  In my opinion both were great college players
> but not NBA types, at least not right out of college.  Both were
considered "tweeners" between the 1 and 2.  I have some of the same doubts
of Billups that you have but i'd still take him over Bobby Jackson any day.
 Time will tell whether or not i'm right, or more importantly whether
Pitino is right
> with the decision he made.  


I am definitely not disagreeing that Billups was a better choice than
Jackson at #3 , my comparison is Billups to McDyess.  If we were to move
Billups for Mcdyess we could go with a Eisley,  or resign Wesley and we
wouldn't be as strong at the point as we would with Billups, but they both
could perform adequately at the point as Wesley did last year.  If we keep
Billups , what is out there at the center position ?  Schayes ?  Kleine, 
Knight ? Declerq ? Szabo ?  Parish ?  These guys are all going to get
schooled big time, making us have to play Antoine at the 5 some time taking
a beating against the big guys.  This , along with the Olympic & European
tournament play, is one of the things that really took its toll on Dino. 
We need at lest 2 physical players at the 5 spot. 


> 
> 
> > > 
> > > Williams for McDyess straight up would be okay,
> > 
> > Why would anyone trade a #3 pick with great athletic ability & upside
for> an out of shape guy who has an inside game, but can't play the 4, and
is
> > too slow and can't shoot good enough to play the 3 ?
> 
> In another part of the message i said that they wouldn't do it.  I just
wonder why they are trying so hard to get rid of this guy...is there
something they aren't telling us about him?
> 

No he has simply stated he does not want to play in Denver and will be a
free agent at the end of the year, so they need to move him or lose him for
nothing like Orlando with Shaq.  Golden St. is in the same situation with
Joe Smith.  Maybe he will change his mind, they changed their team
significantly by adding Battie, Fortson & Jackson in the draft.



> > To me a Joe Kleine or Danny Schayes doesn't cut it at the center
position,but maybe Pitino is waiting a few years for Baker ?
> 
> Those guys would obviously be quick fixes and not long term solutions. 
My best guess is that Pitino will grab someone from the rookie/free agent
camp to play behind Pervis.  That's where Brett Szabo came from and there's
tons
> of other big guys out there (granted none of them are very good). 
Another guy who didn't get drafted than might be worth a look is Keith
Closs.  He's 7-2 and he played a couple of years at Central Connecticut St.
 He's very skinny but he has height and can jump, although he would be a
quick fix
> also.  I don't think there's a good solution right now for a long term
center, so in the meantime i'd like to see Pitino go with someone young and
athletic over someone like Kliene.  
> 
> Jeff


I agree, that why I like Declerq, he is the #2 rebounder all time at
Florida and is an aggressive,  cheap, fix that may turn into a diamond in
the rough under Pitino's tutilege.  I would also like Rasheed Wallace as
another post mentioned, but I think Portland will re-sign him for big $
with Cliff Robinson soon departing.  Maybe he would like to play for Pitino
so the short term fix can free up some cap room.