re: Close of preseason comments

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

> ** Original Subject: Close of preseason comments
> ** Original Sender: Celtic4Hire@xxxxxxx
> ** Original Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2003 07:04:52 -0700 (PDT)

> 1) We haven't seen that much of Juri Welch but to date, I am not impressed. 
> He better be able to shoot because I don't see anything that he does well. He 
> doesn't seem to had very good lateral quickness or speed. He doesn't appear to 
> be a great dribbler. He could use some time in the weight room also as his 
> legs are like pencils. With all these things not going for him, he must be able 
> to shoot lights out or I don't have the slightest idea what Danny saw in him.

You were able to determine all this after two games and sporadic minutes
for a guy who doesn't know the system and needs lots of developmental time
to boot. 

> 
> 2) If a guy only saw last night's game and didn't see the Wednesday's game, 
> you would have thought we got nothing for Walker (except the No. 1). LaFrenz 
> wasn't hitting, passing or rebounding and was getting his dunks blocked or just 
> fouling. See my comments above on Juri. Tommy was saying he envisioned the Cs 
> starting Blount and Baker with LaFrenz relieving both. You would think Raef 
> would be the starter for the contract he has. 

You would hope so.

But Tommy said that the Cs think 
> Blount is a better defensive player than Battie. If it goes the way Tommy says, 
> Battie is the odd man out.

Battie so gonzo - only a matter of time.

 This makes sense because I would hope they would 
> find a way to get Kendrick a few minutes here or there and if Battie is there, 
> he will gobble them up.

Seems unlikely he'll play much or at all, unless there's an injury or garbage time.

 I need to mention that it appeared that Battie was 
> limping throughout the fourth quarter.

Hard to believe, Battie bothered with injury problems.

> 3) Right now,  I would prefer to keep EWill.

Williams has to go too. I'd worry more about a talent upgrade for the primary unit, 
than stabilizing the second unit. The second unit is like the basketball equivalent
of long relievers or spot starters. You need quality front line starters 
before anything else.

 His expiring contract helps 
> financially but also he really can stabilize the second unit. He can add offense 
> in the post and he played some inspiring defense last night. One thing I didn't 
> like to see was EWill and Battie dogging up the floor on offense in the 
> latter half of the fourth quarter. That doesn't help the up-tempo offense and they 
> did lose all of the big lead because of it. I would be willing to part with 
> EWill and Battie if we could get the Cat, Nachbar and Griffen. I also saw 
> Nachbar last night and he looked like a much better prospect than Welch. Nachbar is 
> much more fluid and has much better quickness.

And yet strangely, Nachbar is the one people seem to write off as a flop, while
management (including Nelson and Ainge) see great promise in Welsch.  

> 
> 4) I think the Wolves fans are going to be real disappointed this year. They 
> still have the Big Ticket. But all the new guys they got are has-beens. That 
> is why they was able to trade for them. Kandi can play center but he is not an 
> upgrade on Rasho. I think they will be a first round flameout again this year. 
> At least McHale's efforts got KG signed again.

Your conclusions are poor today, Mr. Jessen. Minnesota will be fine and
dandy, as will the Nets - last two pre-season games meant and showed nothing
for those teams.

> 
> 5) I got extremely angered last night when Banks determined it was his job to 
> take out the ball on made baskets. What is he thinking? 

He's self-assured and cocky.

Who is the point 
> guard? Where was Obie? Banks took out the ball three times in a row and we got 
> EWill and Walta bringing up the ball at peril. Then Banks gets a technical and 
> gets pulled from the game. Now I have noticed that Banks may need a guy to set a 
> pick for him to get him open to get the ball out of bounds.

Banks has a way to go obviously, and he'll never be the pure PG that
Superstar Luke Ridnour, Hinrich, Blake, and Ford are.

You know, if Ainge thinks he can upgrade the PG position, he won't hesitate
to deal Banks. 

 Right now the 
> defenders are draping over him and the refs aren't going to let the rookie get 
> any calls. So why doesn't Obie help him out? Or is it that Obie figures that 
> Banks should be able to get open and is letting him sink or swim? What ever the 
> reason, Banks shouldn't be taking out the ball and needs to stand there and 
> wait until someone else inbounds it or start yelling.
> 
> 6) I see Juri, Hunter and Mills starting on the reserve squad.

Jiri needs playing time to develop and since he was part of the Walker deal,
they'll likely incorporate him into the offense.

> 7) I am starting to conclude that Danny likes the "triple threat" player, a 
> guy who can shoot, pass or dribble, the kind of player he was. The final 
> ingredient is to be able to think on the floor. That is where Walker missed the cut.

And that's why he likes Welsch.

> 8) Baker posterized Mourning in the first quarter with a vicious dunk. 
> Celtsteve and I are still waiting for you knuckleheads to tip your cap to us on that 
> trade.

Oh please, still an awful trade and Baker's gone the first sensible 
deal that comes along.


> 9) Thinking of how weight loss and getting in shape can make such a 
> difference, Vitally's game really changed when he hit the weightroom the summer after 
> we traded for him. He came back significantly bigger in the thighs and chest. 
> However, he lost significant hops and quickness and became a real plodder. 
> There is a happy medium somewhere there.....

I'm not sure you could have done much with Vitaly. He's probably very available.
Ray
 
> DJessen33

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