Re[2]: NBA DRAFT 98 = NBA DRAFT 86

[mberry@journalink.com (Mark Berry)]

          I don't want to start on this draft thing too early, but I
          have to take exception to the statement that this may be one
          of the weakest draft crops in history.

          Granted, there is no Duncan, but how many times do we see a
          Duncan? Once a decade?

          But with Raef LaFrentz (he is much better than Laettner),
          Paul Pierce, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Miles Simon, Mike
          Bibby, Richard Hamilton, Kenny Thomas, Toby Bailey, and
          others, I think you'll see a fairly talented crop in the top
          10 picks. That's all you can ask of any draft class.

          Those ratings only counted seniors. You have to look deeper
          to see the talent of the group. And I'm not even counting
          talented freshmen like Larry Hughes of St. Louis or Michael
          Redd of Ohio State, players who may opt to go pro, or any of
          the top senior high school players.

          Anyway, enough draft stuff. I'm still hoping we pull
          something off before the trade deadline.

          And by the way, does anyone else see Chauncey Billups as
          another Sam Cassell? He is a scoring point guard who looks
          shot first. On the right team, he can be a real asset, but
          I'm not sure Boston is the right place for Chauncey or that
          kind of point guard.

          Just a few thoughts.

          Mark