Holley

[peter delevett <pdelevett@amcity.com>]

Says this in today's Globe:

Pitino sounds now like he's backing away from dealing Ron. ''Yes, we have
discussed deals with teams, but we are not interested in them,'' he said.
''The way it looks now, we'll be coming back with pretty much the same group
we had last year. The difference will be a year of growth and maturity.'' This
comes a couple of days after Antoine said he doesn't want Mercer to be traded
and doesn't expect him to be going anywhere, so maybe these are good signs. Of
course, who the hell knows with Pitinocchio?

As for the draft, Hollery writes: "Although the NBA still has the Celtics
scheduled to pick 37th and 55th in the second round of the upcoming NBA draft,
Pitino said, ''I don't think we'll have either one of them.'' I know two teams
have the rights to pick up the 37th pick, and as I said yesterday it wouldn't
surprise me to see Pitino dump the second one. 

On the flip side, Holley asked Pitino "if there was still an outside chance
the team could deal for a first-round pick. Atlanta, which has an astounding
four first-rounders, would love to deal one or two of them. The Celtics might
even be able to get a Filene's Basement-type discount for a pick." Pitino
basically said he'd consider it if there was a player he really wanted, but he
wouldn't do it just to do it. Holley points out this is the draft for Pitino
to pick up a PG if he wants one; he'd have to trade into the first round for a
shot at Davis, Miller or Herren, but Antoine was talking up Wayne Turner the
other day, and I bet he'll be there at pick # 55. Doesn't Utah also have 3 or
4 picks in the first round this year?