The Sundov article

["hironaka@xxxxxxxxx"<hironaka@xxxxxxxxx>]

As mentioned earlier by Ray, here's the Bulpett article 
praising our one-year lease on Bruno "the hills are alive 
with the" Sundov music. It looks like he and Ruben 
Sandwich boy will fight for remaining backup minutes. 

I'm guessing 12-15 minutes, if that, of PT at least 
initially. It depends on how many minutes Walker plays, 
since Baker+Battie are sure to play 60 minutes combined 
at the 4/5. That doesn't leave much for the Euro rentals.

Best case scenario: if Bruno "this is what it sounds like 
when" Sundov's Cry can steadily increase his playing 
time, I hope they ship him West in February for a lotto-
type draft pick rather than jerk us around again as in 
the Rogers fiasco: where Boston traded a lotto pick for 
him and then offered him only 1 million to re-sign.

Moreover, the more minutes that "Butch Cassidy and the" 
Sundov kid (yeah, I know its getting worse and worse)
potentially earns, the less fulfilled Vin Baker is going 
to feel (with 50 mill left to pay). Not that Vin's a 
potential trouble-maker, but Chris Wallace has bet the 
house on him, and so its obvious that fans and the 
Celtics organization should favor any environment that 
will help him succeed.

Anyway, our roster is now set. Count me as very hopeful 
about the season.

Joe

***

http://www.bostonherald.com/sport/basketball/nbanotes09152
002.htm

Don't forget Bruno 

NBA Notes/by Steve Bulpett 
Sunday, September 15, 2002

Each wave that hits the shore in this Celtic offseason 
seems to bring another question about Vin Baker's body or 
just who in the name of Emmette Bryant is going to 
dribble the ball. There is also the Great Search for the 
All-Important 12th Man and issues about luxury taxes and 
Rodney Rogers going to New Jersey - willingly.


But in the midst of all this, voices keep whispering that 
one shouldn't overlook this Bruno Sundov guy. (OK, in the 
case of Pacer president Donnie Walsh, it's more a chain 
smoker's rasp than a whisper.) It may take a while - and 
certainly there are no guarantees when it comes to the 
realization of potential - but the Celtics are thinking 
the free agent signing was significantly more than just 
roster filling.

Though Walsh was between a rock and a hard place of sorts 
and could not offer Sundov much in the way of money or 
guaranteed playing time just yet, he was none too pleased 
to see him get away. Indiana wanted more time with the 
Croatian to reap the rewards of the development process.

Before we get into what Bruno can do, the numbers alone 
offer enough evidence to convict him on the charge of 
being a prospect. When you combine 7-foot-2 and 22-years-
old you get a package that most NBA general managers 
would pay for sight unseen.

Antoine Walker hadn't seen much of anything from Sundov 
until the latter showed up in Chicago for some summer 
play, but word is Toine now raves about the big guy's 
passing and shooting abilities.

Said one NBA coach, ``Sundov's not physically ready yet 
to be a real inside player, but he could easily get there 
some day. For now, he could be great for the Celtics if 
they put him up top and let him feed the cutters. And if 
his man backs off to cut off the passing lane, he'll hit 
that shot.''

Seeking a measure of perspective from the inside, we 
checked in with Tree Rollins, one of Sundov's tutors in 
Indiana, and figured we'd get a list of shortcomings to 
balance the bouquets.

But we were barking up the wrong Tree.

``Bruno?'' said Rollins. ``You want to know about Bruno? 
He was the most skilled player on that team. I'm not 
saying he was the best player on the Pacers, but he was 
the most skilled. You're going to be surprised with the 
things he can do with the ball.

``If they give him the chance and his body fills out 
more, he can be a really good player.''

Needing to keep the typing fingers healthy for the 
upcoming season, we were in no position to debate the man 
who once tried to have Danny Ainge for lunch in the quite 
literal sense. But it appears Sundov will have a large 
degree of difficulty finding minutes here in the Walker, 
Baker, Tony Battie power forward-center rotation.

If, however, he can spend quality time with both the 
North End chefs and strength coach Shaun Brown, Sundov 
could eventually provide the Celtics the tall pivot 
presence they still lack.

Webber in tough spot


According to a lawyer acquaintance, this Chris Webber 
thing could get very serious. The judicial system loses 
its sense of humor when it comes to lying before a grand 
jury.

Now, we are not prepared here to argue the merits of 
Webber's case. But it needs to be pointed out that if he 
is found to have perjured himself, this will be no heavy 
fine and community service deal. Webber might foul out of 
the season - and maybe next season, as well.

The federal system has fairly strict sentencing 
guidelines in these cases, and they involve doing time.

Unless Webber and his attorneys are convinced they can 
win the case on point, he would be wise to seek a plea 
arrangement, that is, if one is available to him.


No deal was good deal


Had he been able to pull off a deal for Alonzo Mourning, 
do you think Knicks GM Scott Layden would have waited to 
be told he'd been fired or would he have just cleaned out 
his desk upon this week's report that Mourning may be out 
for the season with more kidney problems?

And just what does this do to the Heat hopes for a return 
to the playoffs this season?

Miami may have wanted to move Mourning and his medical 
questions earlier this summer, but as agent David Falk so 
succinctly pointed out, ``Alonzo's making $20 million 
next year, and it's not easy to move $20 million 
guys.'' . . .

The sports community lost a great friend last week when 
Nahant's Jim Brown, former football coach at Lynn Tech 
and renowned hockey official and coach, passed away. 
Brownie will be missed. . . .

Weekly Springsteen reference: Did any other entertainer 
really have the heart, humility and credibility to be the 
voice Bruce was last Wednesday? Sometimes it's not only 
rock and roll. . . .

Nobody wins unless everybody wins.
 

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