RE: Did we miss a golden opportunity?

[jason david jones <jdjones1@midway.uchicago.edu>]

Agreed.  I just don't like banking my future on the draft any more then
the next guy.  It only gets frustrating when a team thinks about all of
those could've's.  The 6ers could've had Paul, and they could've gone all
the way (maybe) with aanother scorer.  

I agree with yo, I am just rying to be upbeat.  I have a good feeling
about NY for some strange reason.

Jason David Jones


On Mon, 10 Dec 2001, Berry, Mark  S wrote:

> You're right. Why bother? Let fate run its course.
> 
> Should the Celtics be excused for their mistakes because Portland drafted
> Sam Bowie instead of Michael Jordan? I'm not giving up on anyone the Celtics
> drafted, but I don't think it's out of line to point out the fact that the
> two glaring areas of weakness-the two most important, most difficult
> positions to fill-could have been upgraded in the draft.
> 
> The "braintrust" is going to be judged on these kinds of decisions. Two
> years from now, if we're still running Battie and Potapenko out there and
> finally admitting that Joe Forte isn't a point guard, how would you judge
> them?
> 
> I'm just pointing out that Tinsley and Parker aren't the only mistakes the
> Celts made in the draft. Haywood would have solved a lot of problems right
> away, and probably turned into a legitimate, upper-echelon starting center
> in a year or two. How many of those guys are there?
> 
> Look, there are a lot of ways the Celtics could have gone in the draft...
> trade up, fill needs, best player... but there isn't a lot of evidence (yet)
> that they did any of those things. It's way too early to pass final judgment
> on Brown or Forte, but is there any evidence that they were the best players
> available at those spots? No. Did they fill needs? No. Kedrick Brown could
> turn into Tracy McGrady, and if that happens, great. But based on what we
> know now, I think it's worth mentioning.
> 
> Mark
> 
> P.S. Someone tell Obie that it takes six fouls to foul out in the NBA.
> Sitting Pierce for basically the whole second half with four fouls was nuts.
> 
> 
> 
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: 	jason david jones [mailto:jdjones1@midway.uchicago.edu] 
> Sent:	Monday, December 10, 2001 1:50 PM
> To:	Berry, Mark  S
> Cc:	'celtics@igtc.com'; 'celticsstuffgroup@yahoogroups.com'
> Subject:	Re: Did we miss a golden opportunity?
> 
> Was Jordan the number one draft pick when he came into the
> league? Drafting is an inexact science that can be very difficult to
> predict.  It is almost impossible to always make the right choice.  Look
> at how many teams passed on Paul.  YOu think that they are asking for a
> "do-over"?  
> 
> Jason David Jones
> 
> 
> On Mon, 10 Dec 2001, Berry, Mark  S wrote:
> 
> > This team's two glaring personnel needs are center and point guard. Did
> the
> > Celtics blow it in the draft with three picks, when starters at both need
> > positions were very much available?
> > 
> > We've talked about Tinsley and Parker at point guard, and it's really hard
> > to justify the Forte selection ahead of either of those guys. But what
> about
> > Brendan Haywood? This 7-footer has made Jahidi White very expendable in
> > Washington and has the look of a legitimate center. He certainly seems to
> > have made a difference with the Wizards.
> > 
> > The Wiz are 4-3 in the seven games since Haywood returned from the injured
> > list. He's played fewer than 22 minutes just once and is averaging about 9
> > points and 6 rebounds a game. He's picking up the pace recently, going for
> > 18 points and 9 rebounds against Orlando and 19 and 7 against Dallas (a
> game
> > Washington won on the road). He's also averaging 1.5 blocks per game and
> > shooting 60 percent from the field. And he's 7-feet, 265 pounds. Doug
> > Collins can't stop raving about him.
> > 
> > The fact of the matter is he'd be starting ahead of any of our three
> > centers, just as Tinsley or Parker would be starting at point guard.
> Instead
> > we have Brown and Forte buried on the bench and Joe Johnson seeing his
> > minutes stolen by Eric Williams. But this isn't a criticism of Johnson or
> > Brown. I love the intelligence of Johnson and the potential of Brown. But
> > how good could the Celts be with Joe Johnson, Brendan Haywood and Jamaal
> > Tinsley?
> > 
> > Johnson, Brown and Forte may well turn out to be great players, but
> Haywood,
> > Tinsley and Parker are going to improve as well. It's tough to find
> centers
> > and point guards, but they were there for the taking in the draft and the
> > Celtics passed. But Duncan is a free agent in two years...
> > 
> > Mark