Re: This and that...

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

Mark Berry says:

>
> >The speculation that Gasol may drop out of the draft probably is bogus.

I hope so. The more talent; the merrier it is for the Celtics.


> > There were the same rumors about Nowitzki and it seems about every European
> > player. His stock is soaring... why would he drop out?

May be his agent spreading rumors trying to insure that
he'll be taken top five.


> I certainly hope he
> > doesn't. Even if the Celts don't nab him, that means he's gone before 10 and
> > pushes someone else (Chandler? Diop? Johnson?) to Boston.

Could be. This is a draft with a lot of uncertainty and misinformation,
so it's hard to tell who's going where.



> Seems to me there
> > is a  general consensus about the top 10 players-Brown, Curry, Griffin,
> > Battier, Richardson, Chandler, White, Diop, Johnson and Gasol. The Celts
> > need to land at least one of those guys if they stay at 10 and 11.
>

Johnson and Chandler appear to be the best candidates out of that
bunch to drop to ten. Maybe someone like Woods or Murphy,
both having good workouts, will sneak into the top ten and
free up some more players.


>
> > Sportstalk is reporting that all four teams at the top of the
> > draft-Washington, Clips, Atlanta and Chicago-are shopping their picks, and
> > says more established teams, "like the Knicks, T-Wolves and Celtics" are
> > willing to wait on a youngster.

But Sportstalk also says they're shopping to teams out of the lottery
and with veteran talent. What veterans -- besides
Walker & Pierce -- of any worth are on the Celtics?
Potapenko? Maybe. Battie? Maybe. Who else?


> I'm getting more and more vibes that we're
> > going to be moving up in this draft.

I hope so. Dramatic moves are called for. In fact, I'd try to
get two picks in the top five, by using all 4 draft picks
over the next two years,
Moiso, Pot, Battie, whatever, to pair two of the
draft's top five players with Walker and Pierce.
Ray

> If you just have to give up 10 and 11
> > to get in the top four and get either Brown, Curry, Griffin or Gasol, then
> > that's a move I'd be happy with. Jordan's quotes in the Wash. Post today
> > give a lot of insight into his thinking. He basically says he doesn't see an
> > instant impact franchise player and feels he might be better off picking up
> > two players later in the draft. The problem with that line of thinking is I
> > think there might actually be three eventual franchise players in the
> > draft-Brown, Curry and Griffin-if a team can exercise a little patience.
> >
> > The Sixers were great last night. I really hope they keep it up, but I think
> > it might have been a case of the Lakers being rusty from the long layoff and
> > the Sixers being sharp after the seven-game struggle. I predict the Lakers
> > win the next four games, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sixers
> > challenge some records for fewest points in a Finals game. Phil Jackson's
> > greatest strength as a coach, in my opinion, is his ability to prepare his
> > team to take away the opponent's No. 1 option. He's always willing to
> > flip-flop defensive assignments when necessary, and I expect him to come up
> > with a way to keep Iverson in check. The rest of the Sixers can't help
> > enough. You know Kobe is going to come back strong, and the Lakers are going
> > to find ways to get Fisher more involved. I hope I'm wrong, though.
> >
> > How great has Dikembe Mutombo been? What a huge factor that kind of size can
> > be.
> >
> > Mark
>
> >** --------- End Original Message ----------- **
>
> >