Re: OK, I've collected my thoughts...

["John Lyell" <johnlyell@hotmail.com>]

Mark I don't know how you can say Moiso is more talented than Battie when
Battie put up much better number in college.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
To: <celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2000 6:42 AM
Subject: OK, I've collected my thoughts...


> Jerome Moiso is fine by me. I wanted no part of Courtney Alexander. No
> defense and selfish, not to mention a thug. He would have been terrible
for
> this team. Haven't we learned that yet? At least Pitino has.
>
> As soon as Przybilla went off the board, I resigned myself to the fact
that
> the draft pick would not make a significant difference in this team.
Having
> said that, if you're going to gamble in the draft, I would think you could
> do a lot worse than taking a shot on an athletic 7-footer who runs like a
> deer, is left-handed (always a plus for big guys) and can play three
> positions if needed. He is a big-time talent. The question is, can he do
it
> every night. If he can, he'll go down as a steal.
>
> I was shaking in my shoes when Vecsey mentioned the O'Neal offer. Three
No.
> 1 picks is too much. I'll take Moiso, thank you.
>
> Let's stop the Battie comparisons. They have vastly different games. Moiso
> is infinitely more talented than Battie. Hopefully Moiso finds the "on"
> switch, because Battie doesn't have a clue. Moiso will be a factor this
> year, and he could turn out to be a real force. The thing you know you get
> with Moiso is the measurables: He's big enough, athletic enough, runs well
> enough and shoots well enough to play the power forward spot offensively
and
> defensively. If he adds a little polish and consistency, he's a pretty
rare
> commodity. Would anyone be that surprised if he is a better player than
> Marcus Fizer or Chris Mihm three years from now? Not me.
>
> Now, I'm not just looking through green-colored glasses. I was frustrated
> last night because I thought there were deals to be made to make us
better,
> and we didn't make them. Milwaukee added Jason Caffey and Joel Przybilla
to
> a team that only lacked interior defensive presence (sound familiar?), and
> they only gave up Jason Collier and a future first-rounder, while dumping
> unwanted Tractor Traylor and J.R. Reid. Watch out for the Bucks. That's
the
> kind of deal I would have liked to have seen the Celts make. Of course, it
> sounds like Przybilla wasn't even a consideration for Pitino, who said he
> would have taken Moiso even if Przybilla were still there (I would have
been
> shopping for a new television set if that had happened).
>
> By all accounts, it sounds like the Euroshooter we traded for in the
second
> round can fill a role. He's a shooter with good size and some experience
> playing the point. He's weak defensively, so he'll fit right in. One of
the
> Celtics' really overlooked weaknesses is perimeter shooting, and this guy
> may be the best shooter in the draft. He's not a starter, but he should
help
> in a well-defined role.
>
> More good news: Pitino said Gaston wants him to be aggressive in bringing
a
> winner to Boston. I'm hoping their lack of aggressiveness in the draft
means
> they are after bigger game. Here's hoping, again, that Pierce moves off
the
> untouchable list and we can bring in some more help in trade.
>
> Finally, on Walker playing point guard: Why not? He basically handled the
> ball when Barros was in there anyway. He has the ability, and he could
> present tremendous matchup problems. Can he guard Stephon Marbury? No, but
> who can?
>
> Sorry so long, but I tried to summarize a lot of stuff swirling through my
> head. My evaluation of the draft? Not bad, with the potential to be very
> good. And I'm hoping Aug. 1 is when the real fun starts.
>
> Mark
>
>