Re: Is Ricky after Odom?

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Re: New rumors - The problem is, there just aren't that many rumors 
involving the Celtics. Just the usual Mercer for Mashburn or Mercer for
a
draft choice, because the C's won't pay him.  Bulpett said Pitino
inquired
about a top pick, but they were looking for a "bargain."  Apparently no
bargains were to be had.  As far as Odom goes, I saw one draft report
that
had him all the way down to seventh. Right now I'm thinking it's 1.
Francis;
2. Brand; 3. Wally or Davis; 4. Wally or Davis; 5. Bender or Miller; 6.
Odom
Imagine if Odom dropped down to No. 8....

But, I do think Pitino has at least one trade up his sleeve - He's spent
too
much time bad-mouthing the draft, and talking about how he'd like to
deal
away the 55th pick, so he doesn't have any choices.... 

And yet, there are just too many quality point guards available, 
not to take a run at one of them, and a sliding Lamar Odom is intriguing
too...
Ray 


> Subject: Is Ricky after Odom?
> Date: Sun, 27 Jun 1999 09:39:52 -0300
> From: damekmo@teleport.com
> To: celtics@igtc.com
> 
> >Mike Monroe in the Denver Post today says Pitino would love to
> >trade up for a top five pick using Mercer as the bait...
> >Ray
> 
> Since everyone seems to believe that this is a miserable draft, and since
> Ricky's told us that everyone's been after Mercer since he came into the
> league, trading Ron for a top five pick should be pretty easy. I also read
> Mike Munroe's column, Way, and couldn't help but think about Pitino's
> promise/desire to get older and wiser. I figured Mercer was going for an
> NBA vet....not a rookie point guard. Does he trade Mercer for a draft pick
> and then package the pick with Anderson and ???? for a pf...or veteran
> point guard? But what about Odom? I think the guy's dropping quickly...yes?
> Perhaps Ricky wants to trade into the top 5 because he believes he can get
> Lamar. Do you trade Mercer for Odom and put him at the point...eventually
> moving Anderson, giving you Walker at the 3...Pierce at sg....Odom at the
> point.....Battie at pf. Assuming, by some miracle...or nightmare, depending
> on your point-of-view...that Pitino trades into the top 5 and Miller, Odom,
> and Baron Davis are are still on the board, can you actually pass on Odom?
> Even if you want/need a point guard, isn't he too tempting to pass up.
> While I love Baron Davis there seems to be some question about his health.
> Miller vs. Odom? Miller's a solid/nice player. Odom is.....? Don't you have
> to take Odom? Doesn't he bring more to the point position than Miller? More
> than Davis, I'm not so sure. However, in the end, Ricky will probably take
> a pass on the draft and return with the same players. Right about now some
> new rumors would be welcome. Dear God...will Wednesday never come?
> 
> Paul M