Comments on Katz's Mock and Mark's comments

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Comments on Katz's Mock and Mark's comments:

- If the draft does actually go Katz's way, there's some very interesting players
available after 13, starting with Maciej Lampe and Leandrinho Barbosa.

- The language barrier and developmental time must be lowering
Barbosa's appeal, but his pre-draft Chicago workouts should really
wow the personnel people, so stock could rise.

- Barbosa will be an exception to your beliefs Mark, that all the good PGs will
be long gone by the time the Celtics draft. Of course, if Orlando snags him at 15,
a
good possibility,  then your view is correct, and it's a waste of value to take a
PG.
Better to acquire a Secound-Rounder and go after a developmental Euro
guy or American like Pacellus Morlende, Kristaps Valters, Planinic, Chris Thomas,
Jameer Nelson, etc.

- Even if they do draft Barbosa, he isn't NBA ready quite yet, so if the C's did
take him, they'd have to rely on Bremer/Delk as he developed, or trade for
a transition PG like Best.

- Methinks it's likely, if the Celtics want a top quality PG in this draft, they
are
going to have to trade up, and that's probably not a bad idea.

- Maciej Lampe may withdraw from the draft, if he's not projected to be a lottery
pick, because of contract buyout issues.  If he's avaliable at 16, you snap him
up,
or you package the picks and move up to get him. He's a rare breed, lends hope
for the future, and you can let him develop in Europe for a couple of years.

- How about Nick Collison in the lottery? Safety pick, solid production,
hard worker, guy that will bring it every day like Battier, but no great
upside either.

- Kind of difficult to trade Walker so soon after Ainge proclaimed he
had no intention of dealing him and is a cornerstone of the franchise.

- Wow, Victor Khyrapa's performance at the Euroleague Final Four
has zoomed his value upwards.  His aggressiveness and defensive
intensity is what really impresses the scouts.

- Chicago may not be sold on Wade and could deal the seventh pick.
They want a quality SF like Turkoglu or Battier - Maybe they'll go after
Khyrapa.

- Jerry West always does the unexpected, so Podkolzen is a possibility
if his ankles check out, or perhaps he'll draft Lampe and trade down -
16 and 20 for 13. Interesting!
Ray

>
> > ** Original Subject: Lottery stuff and Andy Katz mock draft
> > ** Original Sender: "Berry, Mark  S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
>
> >I was surprised at how much I was rooting for the Cavs to win the lottery
> > last night. I'm not sure it's overstating at all to say it may have saved
> > the franchise. You have no idea how low interest is in the NBA here in Ohio.
> > It's a wasteland. But with LeBron, that changes. I saw LeBron play a high
> > school game here in Columbus this season and the 17,000-seat arena was sold
> > out. It was a regular-season high school game in Columbus, Ohio. That's his
> > impact. Suddenly, not only are the Cavs going to be a hot ticket in
> > Cleveland, Akron, Canton, but also in Columbus and Pittsburgh-two pretty big
> > markets. Just a great day for the Cavs. Plus, it was nice to see Jerry West
> > squirm when that Grizzlies card appeared. He went from dreaming of LeBron,
> > to losing the pick to the Pistons.
> >
> > Anyway, the top three appear set with LeBron to Cleveland, Darko to Detroit
> > and Anthony to Denver. Those seem like great fits for all three teams
> > (Denver, with Hilario, Tskitishvili, Anthony and, if the rumors are true,
> > Arenas, is loading up with talent.
> >
> > After that, it's a crapshoot. Toronto could use help everywhere. Katz has
> > them taking Kaman, but I could just as easily see them taking Ford or Bosh.
> > You'd have to think Miami would like T.J. Ford. Riley hasn't been wild about
> > small guards in the past, but he needs a point guard (if he's not sold, how
> > about the Celts offer Antoine, 16 and 20 for Brian Grant and Ford?). Who
> > knows what the Clippers would do? Rumor has it they want Ford, but if he's
> > not there, it's anybody's guess.
> >
> > Andy Katz put together the below mock draft. He has been the most accurate
> > of the mock drafters the last couple of years, mainly because he actually
> > seems to do some homework and report what he hears rather than just
> > repeating what all the "experts" keep hearing each other say. In this case,
> > he doesn't have Lampe or Pietrus rated as lottery picks. His only foreigner
> > is the Russian, Victor Kryapa. Also of note is the fact that Ford, Hinrich,
> > Ridnour and Gaines, the top four American point guards, all are off the
> > board in his mock. And that's before he even gets to Orlando at 15, which is
> > in the point guard market. So if you're convinced the fifth or sixth best
> > point guard in this draft is the answer to the Celtics' problems at that
> > position, by all means just stand pat. Now, I'm well aware that sometimes a
> > lesser rated player is better than a higher rated player, but if that's your
> > plan, you're in trouble. No, I think the Celtics need to make a bold move
> > for a point guard, whether it be move up in the draft or trade for an
> > established player (Andre Miller, Jay Williams).
> >
> > Anyway, here's the Katz mock:
> >
> > Mark
> >
> >
> > 1. Cleveland Cavaliers
> > LeBron James, G, H.S.
> > (Akron, Ohio)
> > 2. Detroit Pistons
> > Darko Milicic, F, Yugoslavia
> > 3. Denver Nuggets
> > Carmelo Anthony
> > F, Fr., Syracuse
> > 4. Toronto Raptors
> > Chris Kaman
> > C, Jr., Central Michigan
> > 5. Miami Heat
> > T.J. Ford, G, So., Texas
> > 6. L.A. Clippers
> > Chris Bosh
> > F, Fr., Georgia Tech
> > 7. Chicago Bulls
> > Dwyane Wade
> > G, Jr., Marquette
> > 8. Milwaukee Bucks
> > Kirk Hinrich, G, Sr., Kansas
> > 9. New York Knicks
> > Nick Collison, F, Sr., Kansas
> > 10. Washington Wizards
> > Victor Kryapa, F, Russia
> > 11. Golden State Warriors
> > Luke Ridnour, G, Jr., Oregon
> > 12. Seattle Supersonics
> > Michael Sweetney
> > F, Jr., Georgetown
> > 13. Memphis Grizzlies
> > Reece Gaines
> > G, Sr., Louisville
>
> >** --------- End Original Message ----------- **