No Subject

...According to some of my readers, Rick Pitino appeared on WEEI the
other day and said that the biggest mistake of his three-year Celtic
reign was NOT listening to GM Chris Wallace when Wallace wanted to draft
high schooler Tracy McGrady with one of their two top-six picks. At the
time, Pitino was adamantly against drafting high school players,
believing they took too long to develop. Now he admits he was wrong. 

(I will now light myself on fire.)

...Speaking of the draft, this 7-foot-2 Greek guy that the C's keep
talking up sounds like a smokescreen to me (I can't see them partaking
in "Stojko, the Sequel"). Unless they win the lottery, they're either
taking a point guard or a high schooler at #11. Mark my words. 

...Gut feeling of the week: Mark Jackson in a Celtics uniform next year.

...I've never seen Minnesota's Joel Pryzbilla play. I don't even know
what color he is. But just the fact that this guy's name is "Joel
Pryzbilla" should be a big red flag, as far as I'm concerned. Can you
see somebody with that name making it big in the NBA? For instance,
imagine the Celts picked Pryzbilla and imagine he panned out... now
imagine an NBC promo five years from now...


"Shaq! Kobe! PRYZBILLA! LA takes on Boston, Sunday on NBC!" 

(Sorry. Can't see it.)

...One intriguing Celts "Would you do this one?" trade: Vitaly Potapenko
and Danny Fortson (sign-and-trade) to Milwaukee for Glenn Robinson. The
Big Dog's on the block and Milwaukee's looking for inside rebounding and
muscle. I say no.

...I still can't believe they sent ML Carr as the Celts Lottery
representative in '97. That still keeps me awake at nights. Why didn't
they just send Mush from "The Bronx Tale" with a black cat and Bobby
Brady's Hawaiian tiki?

Finally, if Grant Hill really wants to leave Phoenix AND wants to get
paid, he only has two viable options.

1. A sign-and-trade.
2. Sign for big bucks with either Orlando, Chicago or the Clippers.

Now... we know he wants to play for a winner. That means Chicago and the
Clips are out. We also know that Detroit needs to get equal value for
him to agree to a sign-and-trade; also, Hill must AGREE to the
sign-and-trade; and the salaries must match between Hill and the
player(s) for whom he's being swapped. 

So that leaves the following options for Hill and Detroit:

1. Orlando -- Hill could just sign there on his own and the Pistons
would get nothing. But would he sign there if Tim Duncan re-upped with
the Spurs?

2. Philly -- A sign-and-trade for Iverson. No way Philly makes that one.

3. Vancouver -- Sign-and-trade for Shareef. No way Hill agrees to go to
Canada.

4. Lakers -- Double sign-and-trade for Glen Rice, with Robert Horry
thrown in to make the salaries work. Doesn't sound like Detroit's
getting enough.

5. New Jersey -- Sign-and-trade for Van Horn. But why would Hill want to
play in New Jersey? Why would ANYONE want to play in New Jersey?

6. Atlanta -- Sign-and-trade for Mutombo. Makes no sense for Detroit.

7. New York -- Sign-and-trade for Allan Houston (plus picks). A
possibility if the Knicks don't win this weekend.

8. Boston -- Sign-and-trade for Antoine Walker and a 1st-round pick.
Hmmm...

Not saying it would happen. Just throwing it out there. If YOU were
Grant Hill and your viable options looked like this -- a) stay in
Detroit; b) accept $2 million for two years to play for a contender; c)
make it happen for big bucks in Orlando, Boston or New York -- what
would you do? I'd be looking at Option #3. And maybe Boston isn't as
appealing as Orlando, and maybe New York has a better chance of winning
than the Celtics do... but there IS the appeal of 16 banners and a name
coach and some decent teammates.

It's unlikely. But it's not unfathomable.

Again, I'm just throwing it out there...