Draft

[Ryan W <ubiquitous_am_i@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ah, draft time.  The most exciting--non-season--day of
the year for any Celtic fan.  What would I like to see
go down?  Well, let's set it up in the same manner as
Ainge is apparently going to, with Plan A's, B's, C's
and the potential sliders.

For my plan A--

I'm quite sure at this point, after reading all the
mock drafts and the interesting "insider" information
on the Realgm message boards (if anyone's interested
and has the time, check them out, especially if we
select Banks--go the realgm.com, click on the message
boards and then to the Celtics link--because there is
one poster on there, rebelx, who basically started the
whole Banks to Celtics rumor and who has an apparently
fascinating email (which I haven't read, cause rebelx
would only send it to those posters who had a rep--so
as to not let the secret out--that really worked
well), from Bank's agent himself, detailing the secret
meeting between Ainge and Banks in which the promise
was made), that Marcus Banks is the choice at 16. 
Let's forget about the wisdom of "promising" a player
a spot.  If it's done, it's done.  As Wallace said, if
it's a player you have to have, then it is a good
move.  Do we need a point?  Hell yes.  So apparently
Banks is the guy.  As for the kind of player he
is....from all the posts on Realgm (from the obviously
biased rebelx guy who said he watched every practice
and game of Marcus' tenure) and what all the other
"experts" have said, I think Banks will be a great
player for the Celtics.  The one weakness that is
popping up is that Marcus doesn't have court vision. 
For me, there's court vision and then there's "court
vision".  The first is the ability to pass to an open
cutter because that cutter is open and the passer's
anticipation was able to percieve that and deliver the
ball on time.  Most point guards have this ability
(I'm thinking point guards like Terrel Brandon, Mark
Jackson, Bibby, etc...).  Then there is "court
vision", which is an almost superhuman ability to
percieve what happens on the court two to three counts
before it happens.  Bird had this, Magic too, JKidd,
apparently LeBron and TJ Ford as well, etc....  Of
these two versions of court vision, I think Marcus has
the more common.  And that's alright.  If he had
"court vision", he wouldn't be available at 16.  BTW,
I don't think Delk has even the most common court
vision and Bremer may or may not, we'll see this
upcoming year.  Regardless, Marcus will be an upgrade
at point for the C's (but I think you could say that
of the six top points---Heinrich, Ford, Ridnour,
Barbosa, Gaines, Banks).  The most encouraging things
I've heard about Banks are these; in an informal
scrimmage at UNLV following Banks' transfer to that
college, Banks was the most dominant player on the
court--a court made up of NBA and college players. 
Apparently, Marcus was able to keep Sam Cassel at bay
with superior defense that frustrated Cassel to no
end.  And I think that'll be Marcus' biggest impact
next year, on the defensive end.  Think a better Erick
Strickland.  We really missed such a player last year.
 This year we get him back, faster and younger. 
Another thing that I liked were reports of his
personality.  He's fiery, ultra-competitive, gets on
his teammates when they don't perform, and, above all,
is cocky.  We need players like that---they lead (at
least when the team is good and winning) and the
affect the other team, not just with their play, but
with their attitude, which can be just as deflating. 
So count me in on liking Banks (Chad Ford can go to
hell).  

As for the twenty, I still don't think we know for
certain what is going to happen.  I don't believe the
Kendrick Perkins talk--he seems too much a stretch. 
We definately could get better value at the 20.  I'm
thinking that if Pavlovic was at 20, we'd take him. 
We'd also probably take any swingman that dropped,
maybe Hayes or Lampe (he's 7 foot, but is a small
forward--go figure).  I keep remembering back to what
one of the owners said, "We'll get a big or a point,
but not both."  This leads me to believe that they
feel that they will have to choose between a point or
big with the 16 and then take the best available
player at 20--which invariably will be a swing player
type.  But who will this swing player be?  If I were
picking, I'd look for shooter...but I'm not picking. 
For some reason, I think it will be a high schooler,
but not Perkins.  Let's go for a surprise...Travis
Outlaw.  Of all the players in the McDonald's game,
Outlaw was the best athlete....an out-of-this-world
athlete who is 6'9".  That means he'll be blocking
shots from the small forward position...which is
necessary with Antoine on the team.  So my plan A is
Banks and Outlaw.

Plan B:

Plan B is the plan where somebody has taken Marcus
Banks before the Celtics.  At this point, we've
probably got Reece Gaines, Sweetney, Collison, or
Zarko to choose from.  Sweetney, obviously, would be
great at this spot.  But I don't think he'll make it. 
But if he does, Antoine could be at the three faster
than anyone thought.  Collison, as well, could be a
player in the NBA.  I actually like him better than
Heinrich (Heinrich will be a flop--mark my words). 
Collison has 3 point range (Obie will like that), can
rebound (college rebounders almost always rebound in
the pros---look it up, it's a fact), and score. 
Again, I don't think he'll make it to the Celtics'
first pick.  Gaines, on the other hand, may be there. 
I don't know what to think of Gaines...I've seen him
play, but he didn't seem that great of a player.  He
can shoot it, has size, defends....but that's it.  He
dribble drives like a big man--one direction, as fast
as he can.  That works in college, but the pro's
usually just beat you to the spot and make you stop or
charge.  I doubt Gaines can get around a protypical
NBA point guard.  So basically he just becomes, if
he's on the Celtics, another guy sitting at the three
point line.  We've already got enough of those, so I
say we pass at this point.  And so, at this pick, I
think they'll go with a scorer.  That scorer, I
believe, is Pavlovic.  He's a great athlete, can run
the lane and finish, apparently loves to play defense
(though overzealously, which led to foul trouble). 
Also, he set an impossible work out schedule prior to
the draft, scheduling a workout a day in almost every
NBA city.  That's dedication.  And I like that.  So,
for plan B, we go Pavlovic.  

But what about 20?  This is where it gets harder.  I
don't think they necessarily like anyone.  But, since
they've missed out on a point, I say they get another
point....this time from overseas.  And, luckily, there
are two great oversized points available, Diaw and
Planinic.  Big points are about the greatest matchup
problem ever.  They can post the smaller points,
running the entire offense from the post like Mark
Jackson.  They can always get a jump shot off as the
clock winds down.  They rebound.  The only problem
with a large point is mobility.  That's why I would
lean to Diaw at this point...he's a better athlete. 
Imagine next year, having a posting point who demands
a double team....we would be quite a team.  I love big
points (who are actually points) and I think Diaw is
the man.  Having never seen him play, this could all
be crap, but I like what I have heard.  So let's put
Diaw here.  So plan B consists of Pavlovic and Diaw. 
Not too shabby.  

Screw Plan C (this is getting too long anyway).  Who
could slide to us?  I'd love if TJ Ford made it to 16.
 He, singlehandedly, would put us in the finals.  You
cannot underestimate the importance of a pass-first,
quick as lightning, see the floor kind of point guard.
 Of course, this is all assuming that O'Brien plays
him and let's TJ be TJ....that is, let him control the
rock.  The point needs control and O'Brien has yet to
cede such control to anyone except Pierce and Walker. 
Banks could succeed without such control, Ford
definately would not.  Hopefully Ainge has scared
O'Brien straight.  Another slider may be Ridnour. 
However, his defense definately would cause him to
stay on the bench, so I doubt we even consider him. 
The last slider who could possibly be there is Jarvis
Hayes.  Some people are hot for him.  I am not.  I've
watched only one game, but I can away with the same
problems as all the experts.  All he does is spot up
and shot.  Can't dribble.  Can't pass.  He did have a
nice block shot in the game I saw, but that was it for
defense.  He's is one-dimensional.  And that's bad. 
Ainge said he wanted well rounded "basketball players"
and Hayes is not that.  He's a specialist, and while
it would be nice to have a shooter (hopefully
Pavlovic), they must do other things beside shoot,
because our team is not constructed to the point where
we can afford to have just a shooter.  Think Tracy
Murray, just not as ugly or nailed to the floor.  So
let's pass on Jarvis Hayes (he's probably going to get
picked by the Celtics now....at which point, I'll make
myself like him....but for now, I hope he goes top
15).

So, in closing, we're looking Banks and Outlaw, or
Pavlovic and Diaw, at least in my opinion.  Both would
be excellent drafts.  And it would be really great if
somehow we got Banks and Pavlovic, but that would
entail some luck.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  

Ryan

P.S.  The best players, three years from now, that
came from this draft are going to be Carmelo Anthony,
Dwayne Wade, and TJ Ford.  James will let the money go
to his head... 

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