Katz on Diop...

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

Katz says Diop is the key to the draft... Also, posters on the ESPN board
related the details of Leo Papile's interview on WEEI this morning. He
indicated the Portland stuff was "misinformation." He said he loved Kedrick
Brown and thinks he could be great. Said Radmanovic is the sleeper of the
draft and may be gone before the Celtics pick. Said he wouldn't be shocked
to see Battier slide to the Celts, and that the Celts wouldn't have any
reservations in picking him.

Here's the text from Katz...

DeSagana Diop holds the key to the lottery and his last-minute private
workout Monday could be a determining factor. Diop was working out in Cherry
Hill, N.J., Monday, a workout set up by his agent Leon Rose. Boston, New
Jersey, Detroit and Cleveland were expected to attend but the Sonics are
also closely monitoring the situation. Rose got word that Diop needed
another look from the teams that could be drafting him in the late lottery.
There was an assumption that he would go higher by his agent, but there are
reservations about his foot injury. Most teams have canceled workouts,
outside of Philadelphia, for Monday and any for Tuesday are essentially
called off. Diop could affect the draft status of a number of teams. If
Cleveland or Detroit take him then that makes players like Joe Johnson or
Troy Murphy available later in the lottery. Boston has to consider Diop if
Johnson or Pau Gasol get gobbled up earlier. The Pistons have to take a look
at him if their top choices -- Johnson, Vladimir Radmanovic or even Murphy
-- weren't available. Diop is the hardest player to figure in the draft
because he has only scratched the surface of his potential. He's a massive
man and has the "upside" to be more of an immovable force than Eddy Curry.
But teams need to make sure he's worth the risk of being a high pick. That's
why they're getting one last look Monday.