Re: No to Van Horn: Thoughts on the big men

[bis@world.std.com (Adi Inbar)]

Roy Enrile <renrile@qualcomm.com> writes:
> I've watched Keith alot, and his strength's are speed getting
> down court, 3 pt range, and great height & touch when he releases
> on post moves.
> 
> We have most of his strengths with our current players, he can't help
> us with what we really need(intimidating bangers, shotblockers), so
> we shouldn't take him at all.
> 
> I would take any of these over Van Horn, Mercer, Tim Thomas(plays soft)
> Duncan, Foyle, Batie, Lafrentz

No, no, *NO*!  That is the WRONG way to think about a high draft pick.
If you have the 15th pick, you draft to build your team.  If you're
drafting in the top 5, you take the best player available.  Don't need
him?  Then trade him!  Or trade the player(s) he displaces.  The
stupidity of worrying about what kind of player you need when you have
one of the top picks has been proven time and time again.

Classic example:  Portland in '84.  "Duh, we don't need a shooting
guard, we already have Clyde Drexler.  Let's draft big."  Big
mistake.  Forget the fact that Sam Bowie blew out his knees.  Even
healthy, he wasn't going to be a superstar, period.  If they had
drafted Jordan, they couldn't have gone wrong.  Don't need him?  Trade
him!  Or trade Drexler.  With that kind of merchandise to shop around,
they could have easily gotten their big man, and a proven performer
instead of a question mark.  Maybe Laimbeer from the Pistons, who were
building their backcourt.  Or, who knows, with Jordan to barter, maybe
they could have even gotten Robert Parish!  :)

Fast forward to Orlando in '93.  They could have said "Well, we have
Shaq, so our frontcourt is all set.  Let's draft Penny Hardaway."  If
they had been boneheads, that is.  They drafted the more highly
regarded Webber, and traded him for the player they really wanted,
plus *three* first round draft picks.  Good deal, huh?

Our own mistake in '94.  Bird wanted Eddie Jones.  The Celtics brass
was hellbent on getting a center.  Eddie Jones is and all-star, Eric
Montross isn't even good enough to start on a bad team.

One more, this time one we won.  The Bucks figured their forward spots
were all set with Vin Baker and Glenn Robinson.  So they drafted Ray
Allen.  I guarantee they will live to regret this.  I see an all-NBA
first teamer in Antoine Walker.  Ray Allen *might* play in the
all-star game once or twice.  Or he might not.  I'm convinced they
could have gotten more than Ray Allen by trading Walker, or Vin Baker.

FORGET ABOUT WHAT THE TEAM NEEDS.  The team needs good players, one
way or another.  When you're over .500, that's when you start worrying
about who can do what.