Today's Insider stuff (Banks and Perkins)

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here's today's Insider roundup. The Celtic-related content is this: He says
the Celts have locked in on Banks and Perkins at 16 and 20, but they are
interested in trading down with that 20th pick. If these are the guys, let's
hope Danny sees something others don't. Hopefully Banks really is Tinsley
with a jump shot. Hopefully Perkins does have Eddy Curry potential.

I can't help but think, however, that some of this is just speculation and
repeating what already has been said. Let's face it... Ainge is making the
call. Wallace and Papile aren't his guys. It seems to me the personnel
department for the C's right now is pretty thin, and the only truly reliable
source is Ainge. And I know he isn't telling Chad Ford who he plans to
draft. We'll see.

I'm getting more and more hopeful that Sweetney might be there when the C's
pick. The way the picks are shaping up, it seems like it may come down to
Orlando at 15, and Sweetney just isn't a great fit there. If they pass,
would the C's actually pass up a low-post scorer, rebounder and free throw
machine in favor of Banks? Especially when all indications are he might
still be there at 20? A Sweetney-Banks draft would put some spring in my
step. But the talk of trading that 20th pick, along with all the other
smoke, makes me think Banks is a done deal at 16 if he's there. If that
means they pass on Sweetney, I'll be forlorn. Sweetney is short for a power
forward, but free throws and rebounding usually translate pretty well. I
could see Sweetney becoming a guy who demands a double team in the low
post-something the C's don't have right now. And he gets things done in the
post with good footwork and a soft touch-again, those things translate. In
other words, he's not a short but strong brute who bullies weaker college
players. Do I think he's a future all-star? Probably not. But I think he
could be an above average starter.

Anyway, we'll see tonight.

Mark




*  Sleepless. Cranky. And doped up on caffeine. 
The rest of the NBA waited restlessly Wednesday night as the Raptors, Bulls
and Heat threatened to dramatically rock the draft. 
It's the day of reckoning for many young international players who are being
criticized -- sight unseen -- for daring to put their names into the draft. 
It's the last stand for GMs like Glen Grunwald in Toronto, Scott Layden in
New York, Pat Riley in Miami and Ernie Grunfeld in Milwaukee. They can't
afford to get this one wrong. 
It's the first stand for rookie GMs like Danny Ainge in Boston and John
Paxson in Chicago, who will have every opportunity to get it right. 
Take a deep breath. LeBron will be a Cav. The Pistons will grab Darko. And,
barring a huge, last-minute trade offer, Carmelo will land in Denver. 
After that, assuming everyone keeps their picks, there are few locks in the
first round. 
*  At No. 7 it appears the Bulls have settled in on Marquette's Dwyane Wade
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18440> , if
he's still on the board. If he's gone, Mickael Pietrus
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18464>  will
be the guy. 
*  The Sonics still have Nick Collison
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18443>
rated ahead of Brian Cook
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18450>  and
Mike Sweetney on their board. 
*  At Nos. 16 and 20, the Celtics appear locked in on UNLV's Marcus Banks
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18487>  and
Texas high school center Kendrick Perkins
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18430> , if
they keep the 20th pick. 
*  The Suns will grab Zarko Cabarkapa
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18463>  at
No. 17, if he's still on the board. If he's gone, they'll likely take a long
look at Illinois' Cook or Oregon's Luke Ridnour
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18434> . 
*  The Nets are locked in on Zoran Planinic
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18564>  at
No. 22. 
*  At No. 23, the Blazers are locked in on high school player Travis Outlaw
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18427> . Or
are they? GM Bob Whitsitt made the promise to Outlaw, but new president
Steve Patterson isn't happy about it. Will he override Whitsitt as his first
big move with the Blazers? If he does, Portland gets an automatic A on draft
night. 
Trade Talk 
*  It all starts with the Raptors at No. 4. After engaging in furious trade
talks the past two days, the phones suddenly went quiet Wednesday night. 
"No one has knocked my socks off; it looks like the Raptors draft No. 4," GM
Glen Grunwald told the Toronto Star. "But, I guess that could change." 
Sure it can. Twenty-four hours ago he was pretty sure the Raptors would be
selecting somewhere else. They probably still will be. Expect the trade
calls to come in hot and heavy this morning, as teams like the Sonics, Cavs
and Blazers try to inch up to the fourth spot. 
The problem is, no one wants to take one of the Raptors' bad contracts off
their hands. Toronto is insisting that Jerome Williams
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3115>  or Antonio
Davis <http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=2143>  come off
the books along with the No. 4. In the world of luxury taxes, that's been a
deal-breaker so far. 
One deal that is rumored everywhere has the Grizzlies sending Stromile Swift
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3401>  and the No. 13
pick to Toronto for the No. 4 and Williams. However, the Grizzlies, who are
loathe to take on bad cap money right now, will struggle to add Williams'
long-term deal to the roster. 
If the Raptors are still on the board? Sources in Toronto say in all
likelihood the pick will be Georgia Tech's Chris Bosh
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18511> . 
*  The only guy the Heat are really sure of is Bosh. If he's off the board
(and it looks like he will be) their decision will come down to Maciej Lampe
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18461>  of
Poland, Kirk Hinrich
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18442>  of
Kansas and Wade. 
The problem is, the Heat feel they can get their hands on all of these guys
later in the draft. The team has been working the phones trying to move
down, but not too far down. That basically makes them trade partners with
the Bucks, Knicks, Sonics or Grizzlies. 
The Grizzlies could offer the No. 13 and No. 27 pick for the right to draft
fifth. Several sources around the league claim the Grizzlies are trying hard
to get that pick to guarantee they get their guy -- Mickael Pietrus --
before he slips off the board. 
The Knicks and Bucks have valuable second-round picks. Given the depth of
the draft, the Knicks' pick at No. 30, and the Bucks' two picks at No. 35
and 42 are coveted real estate. The Bucks appear to be after Hinrich or
Lampe. The Knicks have shown interest in Lampe and Texas' T.J. Ford
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18444> . 
And the Sonics also appear willing to package their two picks at No. 12 and
No. 14 to get into the top five. The Sonics too are high on Hinrich and
Lampe. 
*  The Bulls-Mavericks talk about swapping Michael Finley
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3023>  for Donyell
Marshall <http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=2627> ,
Marcus Fizer <http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3403>
and the No. 7 appears to be a lot of bull. 
Both teams denied on Wednesday that they started the trade talk, and by late
Wednesday evening it appears that the phone lines were silent. 
The pressure is on GM John Paxson to turn some of that raw young talent into
a veteran or two, but chances are, that won't happen tonight. 
*  So? Will there be any trades? Sure. Start with Warriors and Hawks
swapping No. 11 for No. 21 and a future first. The Hawks are after
Louisville's Reece Gaines
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18451> . The
Warriors want high school star Ndudi Ebi
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18424> . It
makes a lot of sense, and I'm told it has been in the works for weeks. 
*  Several other teams are trying to move down. The Sonics are dangling pick
No. 14; the Celtics are willing to move pick No. 20. The question is, can
they find a taker? Four teams to watch are the Nuggets, Suns, Pistons and
Mavericks. The Nuggets and Suns are both looking for a second first-round
pick. The Pistons are trying to get a little bit higher, and the Mavs fear
the guy they want won't be on the board at No. 29. 
The hottest rumor Wednesday night had the Nuggets sending Marcus Camby
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3084>  to the Blazers
for Arvydas Sabonis
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3061>  and the No. 23
pick. Sabonis has no salary protection on his contract if he's waived before
Aug. 16. If the Nuggets do the deal, they'll be around $25 million under the
cap going into the summer. The Nuggets likely would add France's Boris Diaw
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18465>  or
Senegal's Malick Badiane
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18565>  with
the 23rd pick. 
*  The Magic also could be facing a dilemma at No. 15. They want a point
guard in the worst way. But there are now plenty of scenarios where Ford,
Wade, Hinrich, Ridnour and Gaines are all off the board when they pick. That
leaves them with Banks and Brazil's Leandrinho Barbosa
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18545>  at
the point. They aren't high on either one. They could just decide to grab
Georgetown's Michael Sweetney
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/tracker/player?playerId=18448>  or
Illinois' Cook if they're on the board, or they may end up trading the pick
for a veteran. 
Stock Watch 
*  Maciej Lampe slipping? That was the nasty rumor floating around late
Wednesday night. Don't believe it. He's still in the mix with the Heat at
No. 5; the Bucks are serious suitors at No. 8; the Knicks walked away
impressed at his workout in New York City Wednesday; and there's little
chance he slips past the Sonics at No. 12. 
*  Jarvis Hayes continues to move up draft boards because of his size and
shooting ability. But will he be able to make the transition to shooting
guard in the pros? A few teams say his questionable handle could be a big
problem. But right now it looks like Washington is seriously flirting with
him at No. 10, and Chicago could even take a flyer at No. 7. 
*  Brazil's Leandrinho Barbosa has a hip flexor injury that has been hurting
his stock. While no one believes he'll have a long-term issue, it has
limited his exposure. The Suns snuck Barbosa in for a last-minute workout on
Wednesday and walked away impressed. He could be in the mix at No. 17 if
Cabarkapa is gone. 
*  High school star Kendrick Perkins seems to be on the rise. The most
prominent rumor has the Celtics grabbing him at No. 20. Most everyone feels
he won't slip past the Spurs at No. 28. 
*  Mississippi State's Mario Austin is making a late rally to move back into
the first round. Several NBA teams feel the Lakers have locked into him with
the No. 24 pick and are using Xavier's David West and Georgia's Zaur
Pachulia as decoys. 
*  Maryland's Steve Blake is also on the rise after a series of solid
workouts. Some teams believe he could be the Cavs pick at No. 31.