Re: [Celtic_Pride] Kedrick Brown

["j.hironaka" <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

At 08:15 27/06/01 -0700, Mike Griffin wrote:
>  I think Diop is the slider here so I think we'll have a shot at him 
> unless he gets picked
>before us, in which case I'd be happy with any other slider.

Again, I'll say that as fans tuning in around the world to tonight's NBA 
draft, we should probably all now be rooting--judging from the published 
comments in the local papers today-- for Diop to go somewhere in the top-9 
because, sadly, I sense Boston really might pass on him (see also Bulpett's 
mock draft scenario) even if he's there for us. If he's there, that makes 
the draft one less player deep.

I know I might be dead wrong on this and look like a wicked retard in less 
than 24 hours, should Diop be there and Boston takes him. It could very 
well be Papile will be over-ruled by Wallace or is a master of smoke 
screens (to what end in this case, it's not clear), but somehow I feel they 
are on the same page. I have no idea me why they might not like Diop, but 
I'm inclined to trust them if that's their final evaluation.

Having said all that, if Boston does draft Diop let's just say I'll be 
happy to be called a total retahd by you all. If he checks out physically, 
he's also on the very top of my realistic "wish list".

But again, something tells me Papile/Wallace want the basketball gods to 
let them have a different slider at #10.

Looking at the board, Detroit shows every sign of needing and looking for a 
center at #9, plus they can't seem to find a taker for Stackhouse, so I 
hope they won't call out the name of Jason Richardson or Joe Johnson (one 
or the other will already be gone) when they are on the clock.

Cleveland at #8 would also benefit tremendously from a center, but they 
have the Ilgauskus legacy which might make them shy away from Diop. I hope not.

Is Chicago a possibility? I have to be pessimistic there. What do you guys 
think of Diop?

Papile's "speaks volumes" comment about the re-signing of Mark Blount was a 
real shocker for me. If in Papile's estimation Diop can't give us more than 
Blount's three boards and 1 for 3 shooting per game as a full-time starter, 
that's pretty surprising. But even if that's not the case, clearly there 
are some wing players that Papile values much, much more than Diop. He's 
got his eyes on someone else.

***