Re: Draft and others....

[MBerry@mail.journalink.com (MBerry)]

          In our discussions about who to draft/keep/dump, etc.,
          several people have mentioned the glut of guards we have and
          used that rationale to say we should take a big man with the
          Dallas pick. I'm not against taking a big man, if he's the
          best player available, but I wouldn't pass up a Mercer
          because we already have Dee Brown or Greg Minor. Mercer
          could be a superstar, something none of our guards will ever
          be. The truth is we're only set at one position, and that's
          small forward, with Walker and Williams. Duncan would give
          us a center, but we still could use players at the 1,2 and 4
          positions. Maybe we resign Wesley and take care of the point
          guard spot, but maybe we don't. Anyway, my understanding is
          that several of the players we deem expendable are just
          holding salary slots for the free agent class of '98. That
          class includes Joe Smith, Antonio McDyess, Rasheed Wallace,
          Brian Grant, Damon Stoudamire and Jerry Stackhouse. Smith,
          McDyess, Wallace or Grant would make a nice power forward
          alongside Duncan and Walker. The Celtics are pointing toward
          this crop of free agents and, with Duncan in the fold and
          (hopefully) a new coach, the team might actually be
          attractive to a top-notch free agent. You'd have to think
          some of those power forwards would love to play alongside a
          great center like Duncan.

          Teams make a mistake by drafting for need: remember Eric
          Montross over Eddie Jones? Michael Smith over Tim Hardaway?
          Take the best player available, if that player happens to
          play the same position as an established player, it gives
          you depth and trade options.

          Opinions?