Re: '01 draft revisited and O'Brien's culpability

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

< No, the #1 reason that two years ago the C's didn't draft a PG wasn't 
because of a "vision" on the part of O'Brien;  it was because of the hard, 
cold, reality that the C's already had a veteran PG under contract that was 
still owed $15M over the next two years and who had little trade value 
coming off an injury (broken jaw) which limited his PT and was going 
to get the bulk of PT if the C's had any hope of breaking the drought of 
playoff appearances.. - CeltsSteve

Steve, it simply is not true that because we had Kenny, we didn't draft
a PG.  In fact, it is utter nonsense, especially since we drafted Forte 
with the intention of converting him to PG.

FYI, here is a Globe column from the igtc archives. It includes lines like, 
''The Celtics were looking for a point guard to groom for the departure 
of Kenny Anderson.''  

And by the way, who do you think Red is referring to when he states
''It was a collective pick?''  

Eggy
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*   Subject: Parker posing: Celtics didn't act with this one 
*   From: "Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
*   Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 07:37:02 -0500
*   Reply-to: "Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
*   Sender: owner-celtics@xxxxxxxx

Parker posing: Celtics didn't act with this one

By Peter May, Globe Staff, 3/9/2003

It's pretty painful when the San Antonio Spurs come to town. It has 
nothing to do with the fact that the Spurs are one of the NBA elite and 
haven't lost to the Celtics since the 1996-97 season. It has everything 
to do with their two best players, both of whom were Celtics-in-waiting 
at one point, only to end up in Texas. The more obvious, of course, is the 
estimable Tim Duncan. The Celtics did everything they could to land 
Duncan in the 1997 lottery, going 15-67 during the season to acquire 
the most ping-pong balls and the lowest odds. They didn't come close. 
(All LeBron wannabe employers, take heed.)


Four years later, the prize was less well-known. Tony Parker was only 
19 years old at that point, playing in France, which is not to be confused 
with Duke or even Bologna. The Celtics were looking for a point guard to 
groom for the departure of Kenny Anderson. They had three picks in the 
first round and, at No. 21, Parker was still there.

Parker may not have been an automatic at that slot, but he should have 
been. He was at least as well-known as Kedrick Brown, whom the Celtics 
had taken 10 picks earlier. San Antonio certainly knew about him. The 
Spurs, who eventually got Parker with the (ugh) 28th pick, wanted him 
desperately. They had worked out Parker twice, once in Chicago and once 
in San Antonio. ''We fell in love with the kid,'' recalled Spurs coach 
Gregg Popovich. They were impressed with his maturity and his court 
sense. They also needed a point guard because Avery Johnson was 
moving on.

''We tried frantically to move up in the draft into the high teens to get
Parker,'' Popovich said. ''But then teams ahead started making picks that
helped us and he fell to us. We were dumbfounded.''

The Celtics, of course, decided to take Joseph Forte with the 21st 
selection. He lasted a year before being dealt to Seattle and rarely 
played in Boston. Celtics icon Red Auerbach has been targeted as the 
guy responsible for the Forte selection, even though Chris Wallace was 
the general manager and personnel boss Leo Papile defended the 
selection by saying Forte would have been a top 10 pick had the draft 
been in January.

Somehow, there's this notion still lingering of Red doing a Nikita 
Khrushchev at the United Nations, banging his shoe on the draft table 
and demanding the team take Forte.

''It wasn't that way at all,'' Auerbach said. ''It was a collective pick. 
I advocated for Joseph Forte. I liked him a lot. If I had to do it all over
again, I'd do it the same way. The guy led his conference in scoring. 
He could pass. With a little work, we thought we could make him into 
a point guard. He could shoot. Then he came up here and did a lot of 
crazy things and his teammates never liked him. He turned out to be 
a mess, you know what I mean? Always in trouble. Bad attitude. 
Things like that.''

What about Parker, Red? Anyone advocate strongly for him?

''He was mentioned, but nobody had really seen him play and it was all 
through word of mouth,'' said Auerbach.

The Celtics weren't the only ones who bungled this one, although, given 
their point guard needs and the fact that Parker was their third No. 1 
pick, they bungled it more than the others. Popovich is simply glad 
everyone passed on the kid, who merely has developed into one of the 
game's better point guards and is, inarguably, the most valuable Spur 
after Duncan.

''There's no doubt about it,'' Popovich said. ''We're 16-0 when he scores 20
points or more. He has to play well for us to beat the good teams.''

Popovich has really taken a liking to Parker, who already is rumored to be
sign-and-trade bait should the Spurs, as expected, make a serious overture 
to Jason Kidd this summer. But with each passing game, Parker is making 
himself harder and harder to ignore. Instead, we're now wondering whether 
a Kidd-Parker backcourt could make it, with Argentine Manu Ginobili as 
the first guard off the bench. That's how much Parker has progressed in 
less than two seasons.

''Sometimes I have to shake myself when I want to correct him,'' said
Popovich. ''He's only 20. He came from France and he had no clue. But he 
just has an uncanny maturity and sense of self for a 20-year-old.''

So, Celtics fans, watch this kid tonight because he can flat-out play. 
Maybe he did land in the perfect spot, as Auerbach contends. If so, he has 
made the most of it.

''You make mistakes and you go on,'' Auerbach said. ''Remember, I'm the 
one who drafted Bill Green [No. 8 overall in 1963]. How was I supposed to 
know the guy didn't like to fly? Who knew?''