ML Carr Interview

[Tim Nault <rnault@ptialaska.net>]

This interview with ML Carr was taken off the celtics official website
(http://www.bostonceltics.com).



M.L. Carr, Boston Celtics, Executive Vice President, Corporate
Development

                       Picks #3 and #6

                       Q: Do you feel disappointed?
                       M.L. Carr: Obviously we wanted to get No. 1,
because we realized that No. 1 gives you a shot
                       at Tim Duncan. But I look at it and say we still
have two very good picks. I'm sure Coach
                       (Rick) Pitino will use those picks judiciously
and make the right decision and we'll have two
                       quality players come onto the team. Obviously,
No. 1 is what you are shooting for.

                       Q: Were you shocked it was #3 and #6?
                       Carr: No, because you know the balls can bounce
any possible way. So we are just like everyone
                       else, anticipating the outcome. When I saw Pat
(Croce of Philadelphia) move, I knew there was
                       something up. He didn't get called earlier.

                       Q: When you heard Vancouver four ... 
                       Carr: Well, you knew there was a change. In the
final analysis, the real thing is that you have two
                       very good players. We have the pre-eminent coach
in Rick Pitino. So I think he'll be able to put
                       this team together. 

                       Q: You know this team as well as anyone. What
does this team need with these
                       two picks?
                       Carr: I would not jump ahead of Coach Pitino at
this point. He has a lot of work ahead of him. I
                       don't want to be in the way of that. The most
important thing is that we've got the right guy in the
                       position to make the decision, and he will make
the right decision for the needs as he evaluates all
                       the talent we have now. 

                       Q: Does the possibility exist of trading one of
the picks?
                       Carr: I can't really say that, because obviously
there is always an outside possibility. But until
                       Coach Pitino sits down with his staff and does an
in-depth evaluation, you don't know what will
                       happen. I can tell you right now that he will
make the right decision for us. 

                       Q: Do you wish he would have sent someone else
down here?
                       Carr: The balls, I didn't touch any one of them.
I didn't touch a single ball (laughs). I'm sitting
                       here waiting for the answer. The job that I did
got us to this point. So as far as the balls coming
                       out, I don't believe in good luck and bad luck.

                       Q: What has happened to the Celtics' luck?
                       Carr: If you asked me any other time, I would say
it's pretty good, because we have three and six.
                       Your expectations are a lot higher obviously,
because Tim Duncan is sitting out there. But all of us,
                       not just publicly, but in the organization,
thought it would be great to get a guy like Timmy, but
                       that's not the end of the day. I think we have
two quality players with that three and six, Coach
                       Pitino will put that together with what he
already has. Quite frankly, from my standpoint, I'm
                       excited about that end of it, too. Obviously,
you'd be more excited if you got Number One.

                       Q: M.L., it was your trade (trading Eric Montross
and a 1996 #1 pick for 1996
                       and 1997 #1 picks) that got Boston that No. 6
pick. You have to feel somewhat
                       gratified that you have that pick, and it was a
quality trade for your team.
                       Carr: It was a great trade for us. It gives us
two quality players. In essence, you are going to get a
                       good player at six. We definitely will get a good
player at three, so you definitely get two quality
                       players there. Any time you give up something
like in that deal, you make a tough decision and
                       hope that it works out. I believe it has worked
out for us. 

                       Q: How disappointed do you think the fans are?
                       Carr: I don't underestimate our fans. We have
great fans, and very knowledgeable fans. They
                       understand that we have a 36 percent chance of
getting No. 1. It didn't come up that way. But they
                       understand that is an opportunity to get two
quality players. Would you rather have No. 1?
                       Absolutely. But in essence, we already have had a
big score in pulling Rick Pitino in here. So I
                       think that is very helpful, too.

                       Q: You proved last year that you could get a good
player at No. 6, last year
                       picking Antoine Walker at that position.
                       Carr: We think that Antoine has a lot of skills.
Coach Pitino knows him as well as anyone, and
                       he'll be able to get that out of him. I believe
that was a good pick in the deal last year. But we'll get
                       a good player at this position this year too.

                       Q: Last year there was a line drawn at six. You
wanted to (trade for) six, not
                       seven. Has that line been drawn yet this year?
                       Carr: I really can't answer that question with a
100% guarantee, because I have not sat down with
                       Coach Pitino and talked about it yet. I can tell
you right now, he knows college basketball. He
                       knows these players. He had to prepare for them.
He has a distinct advantage coming in. He
                       knows these players as well as anyone out there.
He had to prepare for guys like (Keith) Van
                       Horn, he had (Ron) Mercer on his team, and he had
to prepare for these players, so he doesn't
                       come with the disadvantage a lot of coaches
would. We were fortunate to get the pre-eminent coach
                       in Rick Pitino. From that standpoint, we are in
pretty good shape.


Tim