West history, Cs' future

[Michael Gooen <callmebogie@xxxxxxxxx>]

Shawn wrote:

<<All this talk about West having something up his sleeve really 
bothers me. West has made plenty of mistakes over the years. The thing
about West is he is never afraid to take a risk. And so when a pick works
out, like Kobe, it makes him seem like some kind of genious. But no one
ever brings up his failed draft picks.

> Sam Jacobson in 1998
> George Lynch in 1993
> David Rivers in 1988
> Ken Barlow in 1986
> Earl Jones in 1984
> Mike Mcgee in 1981>>

Not sure McGee was a "failed" draft pick at 19-- he did contribute on a
couple of championship teams -- but it certainly was a stupid pick
considering Larry Nance was available.  If you look at the 1993 draft
Lynch at 12 doesn't look so bad-- the only good player taken after him was
Sam Cassell @ #24.  (Now if you want to talk failed draft picks, recall
who the Cs drafted @ 19 -- and yes, I was happy about it at the time.)

<<Even some of the others haven't been anything more than servicable
players.
>
> Devean George in 1999
> Derek Fisher in 1996
> Eddie Jones in 1994
> Anthony Peeler in 1992
> Elden Campbell 1n 1990
> Vlade Divac in 1989
> AC Green in 1985>>

Tell you what -- give me those guys at the start of their careers as my
first 7 and I bet my team would have a better than .500 record in today's
NBA.  

That said, I don't think West is anywhere near infallible (three words --
Knight for Battie).  While this draft doesn't dig Wallace and Papile out
of the hole they dug themselves with their past drafts (to say nothing of
the Baker trade), it is amusing that Leo was able to convince West that
there was no way Jones would last to 27.  

I remain disappointed that the Cs didn't get Sweetney or Walton --
especially since the Knicks and Lakers did.  Nevertheless, since I haven't
seen Banks or Perkins play I'm willing to give DA the benefit of the doubt
-- especially since I remain guilty of having uttered the words "Acie",
"Earl" and "Yahoo!" in the same sentence.  For the same reason I can't
bring myself to get too enthused over Hunter, even though he appears to be
exactly what the Cs need.  Unfortunately, there's no alternative to
waiting until November -- and probably a lot longer than that.

In the meantime, count me among those who want to give Antoine one more
year.  On the other hand, it would be interesting to see what Williams's
expiring contract would fetch.  Can't imagine Ainge has free rein to use
the trade exception, since I assume that the "exception" is for salary cap
and not luxury tax purposes.  

Michael Gooen


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