random (if not deep) thoughts

[Mark Piotrowski <markp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

- AINGE & GUARANTEES:  I, for one, actually believe that DA isn't 
going to spill the beans about who the C's draft.  At the same time I 
think he'll be honest about who is working out well for them.  And I 
would expect him to hype some other folks to throw teams off.  Danny 
seems like a smart, straightforward guy (the Brain Dr. thing 
notwithstanding) not a eternal-salesman type like Pitino or even 
Carr.  [but I am still a bit miffed at him, Douglas, for not 
restoring peace in Iraq or parting water yet...:)]

That said I'm nervous about this talk of a Banks guarantee at 16.  A 
part of me just can't/won't believe it, I don't see why it benefits 
the C's at all.  What happens if Jarvis Hayes slips to 16?  I can see 
making a guarantee to a player at 5, 6, or 7 but why the later 1/2 of 
the draft?  If Ainge wants him, take him, but why the guarantee.  It 
makes me think this all might be a smokescreen.

- KEDRICK'S AGENT:  Who is Kedrick's agent.  If we assume that -- in 
part -- we made the deal at 11 as a favor to the agent (hopefully 
Wallace also saw something basketball wise in Brown...HOPEFULLY) who 
is he?  When might we see the favor?  I was hoping that said agent 
might steer someone our way with the mid-level -- Juwan Howard, 
please, please.

- DRAFT DREAMS:  I'm still intrigued by everything I've read about 
Barbosa -- more so than Banks.  Maybe its just the Tony Parker 
hangover.  I guess based on what i've read and how the draft seems to 
go, I think we've got a better chance of picking up a starting point 
guard at 16/20 than a starting big man.

I'd love to get a late 1st rounder, early second and grab James Lang. 
MAN -- did anyone see the video from the Heat site that someone sent 
to the list the other day?  This kid looks like a more fit Eddy 
Curry.  It was hard to tell from a 30 sec clip of him doing dunks but 
i'm still dreaming of a big, wide body for the C's. How long has it 
been since we've had a legit 4/5?  I'd say Dino Radja was the last 
automatic low post scorer.

I was similarly underwhelmed by Sofoklis Schrtsanitis' physiche 
(sp?).  He seemed pretty small.  Too bad, I had high hopes for him.

- RADJA:  Speaking of Dino, I think he might make my all-time 
favorite C's team.  At the very least he'd be starting on the all "We 
hardly knew Ya team" of players taken too soon from us.

- RADJA PT. 2:  Speaking of Radja, I'd love to see the C's go after 
Radja Bell or Speedy Claxton with the $1mil exception.

- DRAFT DIFFERENCE:  I hope Danny realizes -- and can't imagine that 
he wouldn't -- the changes to the draft and is therefore not as 
carefree with trading away our 2nd round picks.  These days a 
high-to-mid 2nd rounder almost assures you of a shot at a Luke 
Walton, Carlos Boozer, Earl Watson, Gilbert Arenas, Eduardo Najera, 
Michael Redd college slider.  These players seem to (except for 
Arenas) lack star quality, BUT are solid, solid players who make up a 
strong bench.

I hope Ainge restores the Celtic tradition of trading for other 
team's picks that turn out to be high ones -- Montross/Dallas trade, 
Gerald Henderson/Seattle trade.  We've unfortunately become that team 
that trades its picks.

- DETROIT:  While we've been understandably focused on the C's how 
scary is it what Detroit is doing?  What a model franchise.  they'll 
add (1) Darko Milicic, (2) get Z. Rebraca back healthy (who was 
strarting in the early part of the season) (3) have playoff-tested 
rookies Tayshawn Prince and Memet Okhur back for bigger minutes (4) 
will probably bring in 1-2 Larry Brown "guys" like Eric Snow or 
George Lynch and (5) the #26 pick.

- SILLY ANTOINE TRADE OF THE WEEK:  Antoine Walker and the #20 pick 
to Toronto for their #1 next year (non-lottery protected), Alvin 
Williams & Jerome Williams.  Toronto can then take TJ Ford this year 
-- or Podkolzine and some PG at 20.  They are cursed health-wise and 
will stink again next year giving us a lottery pick.  The Williams' 
contracts are both long ones -- 5 more years -- but would step right 
in and start for the C's and fit O'Brien's defense first mold.  If 
you were Ainge and Toronto were interested would you do this?  I 
guess the more I think about it I probably wouldn't, but.....