Re: add this guy to the top ten

[Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

OzerskyJA wrote:

> He AVERAGED 29 points, 16 rebounds and 13 blocks per game this season,
> including outplaying Tyson Chandler.  Count him in the top ten.
> If we get him, it will be a miracle -- but who knows?  Either way, he pushes
> someone good down to us.

    I have a hunch Wallace and Papile have Ousmane Cisse very high on their list, since they follow high school
and AAU basketball so closely. Like Eddy Curry, Cisse's shrunk a few inches since the original hype-machine
kicked in last year. If he's actually still only 6-7 then Boston might think twice, but this guy just sounds
like a devastating, non-stop athlete with a voracious rebounding appetite.  BTW (this is truly retarded of me)
but I was noticing how both Tyson and Curry could easily have poultry metaphors attached to their names (as in
Eddy "Chicken" Curry etc.).

    What do you all think of the Celtics pulling a "one&one" in this draft (one prep player, one veteran guy).
Makes sense if we want to make the playoffs next year and develop from there.

    One thing about Shane Battier as a guy slipping down (in our minds at least), I think in some ways he's got
fewer question marks than Paul Pierce had in terms of shooting ability, height, defense and tweener status. For
one thing Pierce shrank two inches to 6-6, whereas I'm very confident Battier is 6-8 and can handle the ball.
In fact, without question he seems to be the same height as Elton Brand, judging by an old video I watched the
other day.

    Battier also is a two-time NCAA defensive player of the year, and put up a rare college "double-double" of
2+ steals and 2+ blocks. I mean this guy is a "Battie" but with an extra "r" (I have no clue what I'm saying).

    But let's say we decide Battier is the best player available and draft him. Then Walker is a part time 4
and part time 1, rather than the small forward many clearly feel he should be. And we'll still need a shot
blocking and rebounding center in that lineup true enough.

    Say we take Battier and power forward Cisse? That's a nice balance between an NBA ready product and a kid
with stunning upside as a rebounder/defender. Were that the scenario, I actually would reconsider the Toine for
Theo Ratliff scenario that Alex Wang brought up.

    You would have a smarter, more defensively intimidating Celtics forward rotation of Ratliff, Battier and
Cisse, although Battier will have to adjust fast if he's going to be a go-to scorer alongside Pierce and
Anderson/Palacio in the backcourt. That might not happen right away, but he is a good chemistry and ball
movement player and a proven outside shooter. A second issue is that it locks us in for the forseeable future
with Bat Girl and friends at center. I don't think there is any question it also diminishes the probability of
making the playoffs next year.

    Also someone posted that we might be able to "pull another Danny Ainge" and draft Yao Ming out of the
Chinese army. That probably depends on how Dubya handles the diplomacy with China. Clearly I would welcome Yao
Ming any day over "crouching poodle" Jerome Moiso.

    BTW, I was not surprised at Moiso's preference to hang out with his LA friends rather than play in Obie's
structured environment. In his defense, the LA league actually has more talent (that's where Pierce and Palacio
played last year) as a pickup league (do they even have coaches?) This move would almost guarantee "crouching
poodle" won't dramatically see any change in playing time at the start of next year.

    Joe

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