14 feet?

[Mark Piotrowski <markp@edu15.coe.ufl.edu>]

OK i'm no Mel Kiper -- but then WHO really is, huh? -- but i was 
thinking today about the draft.

While i tend to agree in some respects with Mark's comments about 
liking the trade up scenario for Gasol b/c it shows Wallace knows 
what he want's and will go get it, i am REALLY wary of drafting 
Gasol.  i don't know what it is but i'm scared.  Not b/c he might not 
show up next year (in fact that might even help us in the long run), 
but it just seems like sooner or later there is going to be an 
exception to the Euro run the NBA is on.  Frederick Weis was a late 
pick but i'm just waiting for some Euro to be a total bust.  I'm not 
terribly impressed with the things i've read about Gasol.  Maybe 
he'll be a star, maybe he'll be no better than Rick Fox.

I guess the real reason i'm against it is what does he add to the 
Celtics?  i mean we have the 2 & 3 positions set for the next 10 
years.  What the C's DESPERATELY need is muscle, brawn, fight, 
height, power.  I'm not suggesting we reach at the 10 & 11 (can you 
say Montross over Eddie Jones), but i want us to walk away from this 
draft with at least 2 big men.  If you can grab a Steven Hunter or 
Jason Collins at the 21 fine, but chances are better focusing on 
muscle with the 10/11 and taking your pick of Trepagnier, G. Wallace, 
Arenas,  et al at the 21.

if its not for K. Brown or E. Curry, I would much rather trade up to 
get Diop than Gasol.  I'd rather gamble on a quality Center than a 
star SF -- Centers are SO much harder to come by than SF's.  But we 
may not even have to do that 2 or 3 mock drafts have Diop falling 
into our laps at #10.  If that happens i'd almost buy everyone in the 
bar a beer i'd be so happy.

i'd rather the Celts walk away from the draft with 14 feet of talent 
from their first 2 picks and let them battle it out and push each 
other in practice for the next 4 years.  reading about L. Woods 
putting on 25 pounds & building his muscle, I'd rather see the 
Celtics take 2 of L. Woods, B. Haywood (who i think is really 
underrated), T. Murphy, M. Bradley, Radmanovic, et al.

Mark