Peter May(TSN) on Newton, Barros, Olumide...

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

Boston Celtics
Team Report posted JUNE 8, 2000      http://www.sportingnews.com

By TSN correspondent
Peter May
Boston Globe


It pays to be a friend of Rick's. Literally and figuratively. Just ask
C.M. Newton. 

Pitino's former boss at the University of Kentucky has agreed to join
the Celtics as a consultant for the draft and for the upcoming season.
It's not like the Celtics need another voice; they already have Pitino,
a slew of assistant coaches, a general manager, a head scout and,
sometimes, even Red Auerbach. More than likely, this was Pitino taking
care of a friend, someone who, to use current terminology, gave him a
lifeline when he needed it. 

It was Newton who reached out to Pitino in 1989 and convinced him to
come to Kentucky and rebuild the scandal-marred program. Pitino was an
unhappy man finishing up his second season as the head coach of the
Knicks. The team did well, but Pitino did not get along with GM Al
Bianchi and was looking to get out. He ended up staying nine seasons at
Kentucky, winning a national title along the way. 

This hasn't been the easiest year for Newton, although he did gain
admittance to the Basketball Hall of Fame. He just stepped down as
Kentucky's athletic director and also suffered a personal tragedy,
losing his wife. The Celtics' opportunity will give him a chance to stay
current in the game. 

Newton has an impressive resume. He coached at Vanderbilt and Alabama
and also worked for USA Basketball in helping to oversee the selection
of NBA players to Olympic and World Championship teams. 

The Celtics have decided that one summer camp is sufficient. Plans for
Boston to participate in the southern California Summer League have been
cancelled and the team will instead stick to its own league later in
July. 

The Celtics did send a team to California last summer, which is where
they got their first, extended look at Adrian Griffin. But with few
roster spots available, and the need for veteran leadership more acute
than ever, the club took a pass on LA. It also seemed to be a waste of
money as well. 

PLAYER ANALYSIS 

This could well be the final season for Dana Barros, one of the truly
good people in the NBA. He has been around since 1989 and already has
spent five seasons with the Celtics. The team should try to move him to
a contender because, frankly, he deserves it. 

The book on Barros hasn't changed since he came out of Boston College.
He is an excellent spot-up shooter, a deadly weapon from three-point
range, and a more-than-decent penetrator. But he's also 5-9 and that is
not good for a league which is getting bigger in the backcourt. 

Barros has improved both his defense and his point guard skills under
Pitino, but he is a shooting guard in a point guard's body. He has
trouble defending because of his size -- he's an easy post-up target.
But he's also been a valuable substitute for the Celtics over the years
and there have to be teams that wouldn't mind taking him on for a year.
Some team with a dominant inside game would benefit immeasurably from
his shooting touch. 

WHAT'S NEXT 

The Celtics' basketball brain trust is in Chicago this week along with
everyone else to look over the 2000 draft class. Boston is holding the
11th pick and many mock drafts indicate that someone like Jerome Moiso
or even DeMarr Johnson could be theirs. 

The Celtics also might go European with either center Iakovos Tsakalidis
or forward Olumide Oyedji. Oyedji is a 6-9 native of Nigeria who played
for Dirk Nowitzki's old team this past season in Germany and is a true
athlete.