Pistons focusing on Haywood... back on my soapbox

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

OK, I've backed off my Haywood rants, but this story got me going again.
Looks like Detroit may be targeting him at No. 9. Now, I'm sure everyone
will be thrilled with that news so that another 6-8 slasher falls to the
Celtics, but I find it frustrating that we finally have a draft chock full
of center prospects, some of whom may be the best players on the board when
the Celtics pick, yet we have decided our greatest need is another wing
scorer. Check out the quote from Chris Wallace at the end... "He should be
able to block shots and rebound right from the start," said Chris Wallace,
general manager of the Boston Celtics, who have the Nos. 10 and 11 picks in
the draft. "Eventually he could become a double-figure scorer in the
NBA.".... I mean, it's not as if we could use a 7-foot, 265-pound center who
could step right in and rebound and block shots and eventually score in
double figures.... 

Mark

Here's the story:
AUBURN HILLS -- The Detroit Pistons went into the offseason looking for a
big man in this year's draft. It appears they have found him. 
If the June 27 draft goes as expected, there's a very good chance the
Pistons will select 7-foot center Brendan Haywood from North Carolina. 
The Pistons have had nearly a dozen players work out for them in the past
couple weeks, but only one -- Haywood -- will be back for a second workout. 
For the Pistons, drafting Haywood addresses their greatest need heading into
next season: lack of front-court size. 
At 7-foot, 268 pounds, Haywood would come in and likely be the team's
starting center from Day One. That would allow 6-8 Ben Wallace, the NBA's
second-leading rebounder this past season, to move over to his more natural
power forward position instead of being an undersized center. 
Most of the centers that are considered better pro prospects in next week's
draft are from the high school ranks, and are expected to be among the top
six or seven players selected. 
And with so few big men available this summer on the free-agent market, the
Pistons know their best chance at addressing this void in their lineup is
with the No. 9 pick. 
However, Haywood is by no means a cinch to come in and contribute. While
finishing his career as the Atlantic Coast Conference's all-time field goal
percentage leader (63.7 percent), he is not a prolific scorer and has a
tendency at times to disappear in games. 
"The body and skills are fine," said one NBA team official about Haywood.
"The question everybody has about him is his heart, or more specifically,
can you count on it night in and night out?" 
Haywood played in a conference that had few dominant post players his senior
season, but he averaged only 12.3 points per game. He shot 59.2 percent from
the floor as a senior, but did not have enough field goals to be listed
among the nation's field-goal percentage leaders. 
But scoring is not what the Pistons would need from Haywood. They need
someone who can rebound and block shots, both of which are Haywood's
strengths. He grabbed 7.3 rebounds per game as a senior in addition to
blocking 3.6 shots, which ranked seventh nationally. 
"He should be able to block shots and rebound right from the start," said
Chris Wallace, general manager of the Boston Celtics, who have the Nos. 10
and 11 picks in the draft. "Eventually he could become a double-figure
scorer in the NBA."