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Re: Flash: Ben Pepper is nine feet tall!!
Olowokandi for Mercer or Walker - YESSSS. But not for
Pierce. Olowokandi's going to wind up being one of the
top five centers in the Pros, so it's worth it
to give up Walker or Mercer for him. I think the Clipps
would be more interested in Mercer for Olowokandi at the
moment, rather than Pierce, since they're well stocked at
both forward positions, but desperately need an impact guard.
Another team in a similar situation is Golden State. They
could certainly use a Ron Mercer, even Kenny Anderson and Dana
Barros. They're starting Tony Delk at point, that's how pathetic
their backcourt is...
MG
peter delevett <pdelevett@amcity.com> wrote:
>
> Hey, anybody see Banana Boy's line against the Pacers: 9 boards and
4 blocks
> in like 24 minutes. Leading me to conclude either a) he was holding
out on the
> Celtics or b) my grandmother could probably get six boards and two
swats if
> she were playing alongside Shaquille O'Neal.
>
> On another note, check out yesterday's column from Jesse Barkin of
the San
> Jose Mercury News:
>
> "Pierce's draft-day slide allowed Celtics to score
>
>
> AFTER HIS pre-draft workout with the
Warriors in
> June, Kansas forward Paul
> Pierce sounded excited about the
prospect of the
> Warriors taking him with the fifth
> pick. He had spent a couple of years
growing up
> in Oakland, and he expressed nothing
> but positives after meeting the
coaching staff.
>
> But Pierce didn't believe he would
become a
> Warrior because he thought he would be
> long gone before the fifth pick rolled
around.
> Most pre-draft lists had him going third to
> Denver or fourth to Toronto. Frankly,
Pierce
> thought that was too low.
>
> ``I want to be the first pick,'' he
said.
>
> When the draft arrived, the 6-foot-7
college
> junior sat anxiously at General Motors Place
> in Vancouver, and waited. And waited.
Nine teams
> passed over him before the Boston
> Celtics took him with the 10th pick.
>
> The season is just over a week old, so
it's way
> too early to make judgments. Especially
> this season, when first-year players
didn't have
> the benefits of summer league, the
> normal training camp and a full slate of
> exhibition games.
>
> But it's not too early to wonder how
nine teams
> could have passed on a player who has
> stepped into the NBA so seamlessly.
Pierce is
> averaging 17.3 points on 47.2 percent
> shooting. He had 19 points, nine
rebounds, five
> assists, four blocks and two steals in
> his debut at Toronto, then scored 11
of the
> Celtics' final 12 points the next night in the
> home opener against Cleveland. He also
had key
> baskets down the stretch in a victory
> over Miami a few days later.
>
> ``Crunch time is a time that separates
men from
> the boys,'' Pierce said. ``Even though
> I'm a rookie, I want to be in there. I
put high
> expectations on myself. I'm a confident
> player. Once I get going, I can play
against anyone.''
>
> Here's a brief update on the nine
rookies chosen
> ahead of him.
>
> 1. Michael Olowokandi, Clippers (14.3
points,
> 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks): The
> 7-footer from the University of the
Pacific is
> displaying quick feet and is developing the
> kind of footwork that makes him look
extremely
> promising. He is raw but learning fast.
>
> 2. Mike Bibby, Grizzlies (11 points, 8.3
> assists, 3.0 turnovers, 1.8 steals): The point
> guard from Arizona is having trouble
making his
> shots, hitting 34 percent overall and 20
> percent on three-pointers. Like all
Vancouver
> point guards, he has to live with the fact
> his teammates, on the whole, aren't
very good.
>
> 3. Raef LaFrentz, Nuggets (16 points,
9.8
> rebounds, 1.0 block): He's not big enough
> to be a starting center, but the
slender 6-11
> player is doing a good job of pretending.
> He's a defensive liability, but his
offensive
> production has been tremendous. He had
> 18 points, 12 rebounds and three
blocks in 38
> minutes of Friday's 100-94 victory over
> Dallas.
>
> 4. Antawn Jamison, Warriors (4.8
points, 4.6
> rebounds): In a word, the consensus
> college player of the year from North
Carolina
> looks ``uncomfortable.'' He simply
> doesn't have small forward skills thus
far, yet
> that's the position he's going to have to
> play to be successful. (Technically,
the Raptors
> drafted Jamison at No. 4, then swapped
> picks with the Warriors, who sent the
No. 5 pick
> and cash).
>
> 5. Vince Carter, Raptors (12.3 points,
3.8
> rebounds, 1.8 assists): Jamison's North
> Carolina teammate is coming off the
bench and
> doing well, shooting 50 percent and
> displaying an impressive combination of
> strength, athleticism and physical maturity.
>
> 6. Robert Traylor, Bucks (3.3 points,
4.7
> rebounds, 1.3 blocks): Like Jamison,
> Traylor will have to find a position.
He was a
> burly 6-8 center at Michigan. The question
> is whether he'll be able to score
inside despite
> a huge height disadvantage. Is he Larry
> Johnson or Byron Houston? We don't
know yet.
> (Traylor was drafted by Dallas,
> then traded with No. 19 pick Pat
Garrity to
> Milwaukee for No. 9 pick Dirk
> Nowitzki.)
>
> 7. Jason Williams, Kings (18 points, 4.0
> assists, 3.8 rebounds): The flashy point
> guard from Florida must prove his
troubles
> (marijuana) are behind him, and that he can
> make the simple pass. He has been
exciting so
> far, and a big scorer.
>
> 8. Larry Hughes, 76ers (10.8 points, 4.5
> rebounds): He already has lost his starting
> job at point guard to Eric Snow. Is
the 6-5
> guard from St. Louis a shooting guard or
> point guard? He has been terrible from
the
> perimeter, hitting 12.5 percent on three-point
> attempts.
>
> 9. Nowitzki, Mavericks (9.8 points, 6.2
> rebounds): The 20-year-old from Germany
> considered going to Cal, where he
might be
> leading the Bears to an NCAA title if he had.
> The 7-foot wunderkind has looked
sensational at
> times, particularly with his 44.4
> percent accuracy on three-pointers."
>
> Question for the day: if, theoretically, the Clippers were to offer
Olowakandi
> straight up for Pierce, would you do it?
>
> Not that I expect this would ever happen, but let me throw this one
out there:
> Say the Clippers offered to trade Olowakandi for Pierce straight up.
Would you
> do it?
>
==
MG In Exile
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