Early Look At Lottery Picks

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

It's early yet, but a projected list of possible Lottery Picks, so you
can mourn the players that won't be available when the Celtics are drafting . . .

- Emeka Okafor won't be walking through that door. However, they could
trade up for him. I'd want more than Okafor, if Pierce was involved.
And a package deal of the promising but quite replaceable Marcus Banks, Perkins,
and Davis may be very intriguing to Center/PG-lacking Orlando.

- Dwight Howard isn't walking through that door, but does fit into Ainge's
concept of a big mobile scoring PF.

- Shaun Livingston isn't walking through that door, but apparently an Ainge favorite.

- Josh Smith isn't walking through that door.

- Luol Deng, if he declares for the draft isn't walking through that door.

- Ben Gordon isn't walking through that door and is a more advanced 
version of Chaucey Billups.

- Martynas Andrieuskevicius isn't walking through that door, but a very 
promising 7-3 center prospect.

- JR Smith isn't walking through that door, but maybe he should, if 
he's Vince Carter with a jump shot.

- Andre Iguodala isn't walking through that door and I wonder if he 
can play point guard?

- Kosta Perovic isn't walking through that door and seems like a solid 7-2 
center project.

- Andris Biedrins isn't walking through that door, but once again fits into Ainge's
PF concept.

- Rudolpho Fernandez isn't walking through that door, but drawing rave reviews.

- Devin Harris isn't walking through that door, but the Celtics apparently love him.
So, maybe a trade up.

- All 7-5 of Pavel Podkolzine isn't walking through that door. He's Diop raw,
but a bigger upside.

Other Players Who May Not Be Walking Through That Door

- Sebastian Telfair: World of talent, but very unstable family life (family
in projects, brother up on murder charges) and three years away
from contributing may scare off a lot of NBA teams. Still, it takes but one
LA Clippers-like PG desperate teams to draft him.

- Ivan Chiriaev: He's all over the draft board and ultimate 
placement will depend on his workouts. Competition bad in
Canada; but passing, shooting, and height 7-1 intrigues a lot of
teams.

- Marvin Williams: Think taller Joe Johnson high-schooler; NC seems
a strong draw, but says he's coming out if he's in the Lottery.

-  Robert Swift is 7-1, has talent and genuine NBA Center skills - so
someone couild nab him in Late Lottery.

Ray