Peter May Questions Croshere and Likes Next Year's Draft

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

Paul Gaston may be behind the Croshere push....

PRO BASKETBALL NOTES
Pacers' Croshere not a real net gain


By Peter May, Globe Staff, 7/23/2000


here were more than a few shaking heads last week at the Shaw's Pro
Summer League when the topic came to the Celtics' pursuit of Austin
Croshere.


Few could understand why the team was so infatuated with Croshere - more
than one individual pointed to chairman of the board Paul Gaston as the
prime mover - and fewer still could fathom how the Celtics could pull it
off, assuming it was even possible.


You want Croshere? The same Croshere who averaged 10.3 points a game in
his ''breakout'' season after appearing in 53 games his first two years?
The same Croshere who has trouble defending forwards? Then be prepared
to say goodbye to Antoine Walker or Paul Pierce. There's no other way he
comes to Boston unless he pulls a financial nutty and accepts the $2.25
million exception.


The only other option is a sign-and-trade deal. Indiana is on record as
not wanting to do that, but, if it comes to that, who are they going to
take? Walter McCarty? Calbert Cheaney? Donnie Walsh's mother didn't
raise a stupid son.


The Pacers and Walsh have long held a fascination with Walker, evidenced
by last summer's discussion about a deal for Dale Davis. One league
executive said that if Walker is involved, the deal will likely be
expanded to include the likes of Davis or Travis Best, names we've heard
in the past.


Now, if you're Croshere, why would you want to go to a worse situation
made even more so by the departure of the team's best (or second-best)
player? Why would you leave a situation where you are coming off a
conference championship with some intriguing young talent to add to the
mix? Unless you detest new coach Isiah Thomas, there's no logic in the
move.


It's all well and good that the Celtics have an interest in Croshere.
But you have to wonder what they're thinking considering they have to
know what it would take. Rick Pitino is on record as not wanting to
trade Walker, not wanting to break up the nucleus and trying to win with
what he has.


The pursuit of Croshere tells us that he may have something very
different in mind. In this case, different might be better. But it also
may be worse. Not one executive I talked to would trade Walker for
Croshere and I wouldn't either. Others would have to be included to make
any such deal work, but those two would be the keys.


The Celtics are in desperate need of tough defenders and no one would
classify Croshere in that category. Tariq Abdul-Wahad? Fine. Bobby
Jackson? Fine. Haywoode Workman? Fine. Throw a couple of those guys into
the existing mix and maybe you have a playoff contender. Blow it all up
- again - and, well, good luck.


The future looks bright


Orlando has been The Place for free agents so far and it will definitely
be The Place for future NBA stars for the next 10 days. What's being
called ''The Super Showcase'' is underway, featuring 32 elite AAU teams
from across the land. Starting Tuesday, there will be a six-day,
Olympic-style tournament for national AAU teams that have qualified (Leo
Papile's BABC is one of them). What does this mean? It means that every
NBA team will have at least one scout there and many, many eyes will be
on three lads: Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler, and Kwame Brown. Curry is a
flat-out monster from Illinois who is being projected as a possible No.
1 pick in next year's draft. Chandler, from California, has drawn
comparisons to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, although one scout likened him more
to Richard Washington, still not too shabby. Brown, who is from Georgia,
is another beast (6-10) who has committed verbally to the University of
Florida. ''This is probably going to be the last time these guys will be
seen in a challenging environment,'' said Papile. ''Once high school
starts, most of these guys are men against boys. The games are blowouts
and they're not challenged. This will be different.'' Another high
schooler to watch is Ousmane Cisse, a Senegalese power forward/center
who is playing for perennial powerhouse Oak Hill in Virginia this
season. Throw in some college freshmen who could turn pro next year
(Eddie Griffin, Gerald Wallace, Alton Ford) and you could have a very
young class next season. One interesting tidbit: John Calipari has
brought along former Louisville/NBA player Milt Wagner to be his
administrative assistant at Memphis. Also coming to Memphis is Dajuan
Wagner, Milt's son, who is one of the most sought-after prep players in
the country. NBA people think the younger Wagner will spend, at most,
one season at Memphis .