Ray Allen Thoughts

The Boston media has weighed in on the Ray Allen trade and there are no ringing endorsements. Dan "Shank" Shaughnessy went as far as calling the move a cave in to Paul Pierce. Shira Springer, Shank's Globe colleague, calls the move a "slight improvement" over last year. Tim Wesiberg, of the New Bedford Standard-Times, is one who likes the move. Out in Seattle, the move is not as popular. Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times doesn't know what direction the Sonics are going now that they have drafted one scorer (Kevin Durant) but have traded another (Allen) and will probably lose another to free agency (Rashard Lewis). Brewer's fellow Times columnist, Steve Kelley, likes the move because it allows the Sonics to get value for Allen before he gets too old. Over at the Seattle Post-Intelligence, columnist Art Thiel calls the move dumb and calls out the team for not getting back Theo Ratliff's expiring contract, instead taking on Wally Szczerbiak. I'm still undecided. I do like the move -- in the Eastern Conference a trio of Pierce, Allen and Al Jefferson could make some actual noise -- but there are still some questions to be answered. For one, is Allen -- who turns 32 in less than a month and is coming off of surgery in April on both ankles -- healthy? We don't need him to be Jesus Shuttlesworth (or do we?) but the C's will be counting on him to score (he averaged a career best 26.4 ppg last year). Another dilemma is who is going to run this team. I am a big supporter of Rajon Rondo but with Delonte West now responsible for feeding Durant, who plays behind Rondo? Not Sebastian Telfair. Not Gabe Pruitt. Celtics ownership better be willing to let Danny Ainge go above budget if he must to find another point guard. Interior defense is another big question mark for the Green. Big Al is a rebounding machine and Kendrick Perkins is a hard working banger but that's all we have. Second round pick, Glen "Big Baby" Davis is a load and has potential but a team that just traded for Ray Allen can't wait on potential. They need some experience on the front line. The good thing is these questions can be answered. From what Ian Thomsen told me, Allen only had bone spurs -- no structural damage -- and should be just fine. And the search for the point guard and big man can be solved by ownership giving Ainge the green light to use the mid-level exception and by dangling Ratliff's contract on the trade market. I am supporting Ainge. He has made a move that isn't about making the C's relevant, it is about giving them a legitimate chance to win. (I apologize for not having links to the stories mentioned above. Hopefully the problem with be solved later. Bruce Allen's site, Boston Sports Media Watch (http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com), can link you to the Boston stories and checking in at SportsPages.com (http://www.sportspages.com) will allow you to read the Seattle stories.)

NBA Draft 2007

Note: I will be making updates all night as the 2007 NBA Draft takes place in New York. The Draft is about 35 minutes away from getting started. Their are rumors flying around but no one really knows what's going to happen. The Celtics are rumored to be sending the No. 5 pick, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West to Seattle for Ray Allen (the No. 5 pick of the 1996 Draft). There is still talk of a three-way trade that would send Kevin Garnett to Phoenix, Amare Stoudemire to Atlanta and the No. 3 and No. 11 pick's (as well as a player or three) to Minnesota. I posted my final Mock Draft yesterday and today I did an analysis of every Lottery/Draft since 1985. Hopefully I'll be getting some inside from Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated throughout the night. Also, check out Celtics Blog, WEEI 850 AM and Fox Sports New England for updates on the Celtics throughout the night. Be back shortly before the C's go on with the No. 5 pick (6:55 pm)... Here are the first four picks: 1. Portland: Greg Oden, Ohio State 2. Seattle: Kevin Durant, Texas 3. Atlanta: Al Horford, Florida 4. Memphis: Mike Conley Jr., Ohio State C's trade finalized, back after the pick (7:48)... The Celtics have made a trade. They will send Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and the No. 5 pick (Jeff Green was just chosen) for Ray Allen and the No. 35 pick. More on that later (8:01)... My initial reaction of the trade ... I like it. I know Allen is getting older (he'll be 32 in July) but he is still a very good NBA player. Paired with Pierce and Jefferson, I expect Allen to put up big numbers. Just remember, he is coming off of elective surgery on both ankles that took place in April. Giving up Szczerbiak is no big loss. His knees are shot and he wasn't a great fit with the C's. I like Delonte but to get something you have to give up good things -- I'm just happy we didn't give away Rajon Rondo. As for Green, who knows? My review of all the Lottery picks snce 1985 shows the Draft is no sure thing. With the Draft still rolling along (for now the C's have both the No. 32 and No. 35 picks) and an eternity until the season tips off, here is a quick look at what the C's could look like in 2007-08: PG: Rondo, Sebastian Telfair, Allan Ray, Gabe Pruitt SG: Allen, Tony Allen SF: Pierce, Gerald Green PF: Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Brian Scalabrine C: Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis, Leon Powe Not great but not bad. They still need experience and defense up front and a veteran point guard. However, a healthy Ray Allen and a healthy Paul Pierce teamed with Jefferson, Rondo and Green in the East that could be enough to get the job done (8:14)... Just waiting for the 32nd and 35th pick. Here is how the rest of the first round went down: 6. Milwaukee: Yi Jianlian, China 7. Minnesota: Corey Brewer, Florida 8. Charlotte: Brandan Wright, UNC 9. Chicago: Joakim Noah, Florida 10. Sacramento: Spencer Hawes, Washington 11. Atlanta: Acie law IV, Texas A&M 12. Philadelphia: Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech 13. New Orleans: Julian Wright, Kansas 14. L.A. Clippers: Al Thornton, Florida State 15. Detroit Pistons: Rodney Stuckey, Eastern Washington 16. Washington: Nick Young, USC 17. New Jersey: Sean Williams, BC 18. Golden State: Marco Belinelli, Italy 19. L.A. Lakers: Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech 20. Miami Heat: Jason Smith, Colorado State (traded to 76ers) 21. Philadelphia: Daequan Cook, Ohio State (traded to Heat) 22. Charlotte: Jared Dudley, BC 23. New York: Wilson Chandler, DePaul 24. Phoenix: Rudy Fenandez, Spain (traded/sold to Trailblazers) 25. Utah: Morris Almond, Rice 26. Houston: Aaron Brooks, Oregon 27. Detroit: Arron Afflalo, UCLA 28. San Antonio: Tiago Splitter, Brazil 29. Phoenix: Alando Tucker, Wisconsin 30. Philadelphia: Petteri Koponen, Finland (traded to Trailblazers) Some well known names slid out of the first round. Josh McRoberts, Gabe Pruitt, Glen Davis, Nik Fazekas and Marcus Williams all expected to go higher. Back with the C's second round picks and some final thoughts (10:52)... Here are Boston's two second round picks: 32: Gabe Pruitt, USC 35: Glen "Big Baby" Davis, LSU I like both picks. Pruitt is a project but is tall and athletic. The C's still need a veteran point guard behind Rajon Rondo but if he can make the roster, Pruitt could be a player down the road. Davis is a bull under the basket who can hopefully turn out like the No. 35 pick in the 2002 Draft, Carlos Boozer. Both were beasts in college who didn't go high in the draft. His weight may be an issue but he can score and rebound. The C's still need a veteran point guard and some more interior defense. To address the defense, Ainge could package Theo Ratliff's contract and Gerald Green for either Marcus Camby of Denver or Andrei Kirilenko of Utah. Brevin Knight, Steve Blake, Chucky Atkins, Earl Boykins and Jacque Vaughn are all free agent options to backup Rondo on the point. Be right back to close this out (11:12)... Other than the Ray Allen-to-Boston trade, a few other moves of significance were made. The Knicks acquired Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau and Fred Jones from Portland in exchange for Channing Frue and Steve Francis. The Trailblazers needed to dump Randolph with Oden coming aboard and adding Fye fives them a great young nucleus up front (Oden, Frye, LaMarcus Aldridge). Randolph is a force but he's also more whacked up than almost any chick you will ever meet. Letting him loose in New York could be dangerous. The Heat dealt the rights to Jason Smith to Philadelphia for the rights to Daequan Cook, a 2009 second round pick and cash. There was a rumored deal that would send Jason Richardson to Charlotte for the draft rights to Brandan Wright. Stephen A. Smith said the Bobcats would be crazy to make this move ... if I were Michael Jordan right now that would give me more incentive to get it done. SAS is an idiot! Some final thought: Joakim Noah's suit was easily the best of the night ... I didn't know Spike Lee was the Knicks assistant GM ... Al Thornton's mom -- Philomenia -- wins the "Best Name" award ... Yi and Prince Fielder probably won't be tight friends ... In the eyes of Jay Bilas, a player can't be an athlete, he must be a terrific athlete ... The girl who brought Acie Law IV to the podium after he was drafted had to be Rachel Dratch of SNL fame, had to be ... According to ESPN, Spencer Hawes has to improve his defense, shot blocking and rebounding -- good thing he's not a center ... I'd love to be a patron the first time Zach Randolph and Sean Williams meet up in a New York City strip club ... Could Oden be LeBron's father? ... Good night! Go Celtics (11:30)...

NBA Draft Thoughts

The NBA Draft is tonight for those of you not paying attention. After having their hopes of Greg Oden or Kevin Durant crushed by the ping-pong balls on May 22, the Celtics will have the fifth pick. Their options at No. 5 include Yi Jianlian, Corey Brewer, Jeff Green, Joakim Noah, Mike Conley Jr. and Nick Young. As I said in my Mock Draft yesterday, I believe the Celtics will select Jianlian. Although his age has been questioned (it ranges from 19-22), Jianlian is very talented. He is an athletic 7-foot, 250 pound forward who can face the basket. He will need time to adapt to the NBA but the natural shooting touch and offensive skills he possesses are obvious. Although there is something inside me saying that the C's should go with a proven college star like Brewer or Noah, the fact is that this franchise needs to dramatically upgrade its' roster and the potential of Jianlian could help them achieve that goal... Looking back on every Draft Lottery since it began in 1985, I have decided to give each one a grade. 1985 (D+) 1. New York Knicks: Patrick Ewing, Georgetown 2. Indiana Pacers: Wayman Tisdale, Oklahoma 3. L.A. Clippers: Benoit Benjamin, Creighton 4. Seattle Supersonics: Xavier McDaniel, Wichita State 5. Atlanta Hawks: Jon Koncak, Southern Methodist 6. Sacramento Kings: Joe Kleine, Arkansas 7. Golden State Warriors: Chris Mullin, St. John's The only reason this lottery receives a generous D+ is because Ewing did make the Knicks a serious contender (if not a champion) and Mullin was a five-time All-Star. But the likes of Karl Malone (No. 13 to Utah), Charles Oakley (No. 9 to Cleveland, traded to Chicago), Joe Dumars (No. 18 to Detroit), A.C. Green (No. 23 to L.A. Lakers) and Terry Porter (No. 24 to Portland) all came well after Benoit Benjamin, Jon Koncak and Joe Kleine. Imagine if the Hawks stepped up at No. 5 and took Malone. The Mailman might not have turned into the second all-time leading scorer without John Stockton but I'm sure he would have been just fine with Dominique Wilkins. 1986 (F) 1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Brad Daugherty, North Carolina 2. Boston Celtics: Len Bias, Maryland 3. Golden State Warriors: Chris Washburn, N.C. State 4. Indiana Pacers: Chuck Person, Auburn 5. New York Knicks: Kenny Walker, Kentucky 6. Phoenix Suns: William Bedford, Memphis State 7. Dallas Mavericks: Roy Tarpley, Michigan In terms of talent and expectations, the '86 Lottery should have been an A+. However, injuries (Daugherty and Walker) and drugs (Bias, Washburn, Bedford and Tarpley) wiped out this group. The remainder of the first round was nothing special either, other than Ron Harper (No. 8 to Cleveland), John Salley (No. 11 to Detroit) and Arvydas Sabonis (No. 24 to Portland). The 1986 Draft is actually most famous for its' second round. Mark Price, Dennis Rodman, Johnny Newman, Nate McMillan, David Wingate and Jeff Hornacek were all picked in the second round and Drazen Petrovic was taken in the third round. 1987 (C-) 1. San Antonio Spurs: David Robinson, Navy 2. Phoenix Suns: Armon Gilliam, UNLV 3. New Jersey Nets: Dennis Hopson, New Jersey 4. L.A. Clippers: Reggie Williams, Georgetown 5. Seattle Supersonics: Scottie Pippen, Central Arkansas (traded to Chicago) 6. Sacramento Kings: Kenny Smith, North Carolina 7. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Johnson, California Not a bad Lottery but there were still some major misses. Horace Grant (No. 10 to Chicago), Reggie Miller (No. 11 to Indiana), Mark Jackson (No. 18 to New York) and Reggie Lewis (No. 22 to Boston) all should have been in the mix behind Robinson. Looking at this draft, this is where the Bulls dynasty was solidified. Pippen and Grant teamed with Jordan to win three straight rings from 1991-93 and then when Jordan returned from baseball, he and Pippen won three more in a row fro 1996-98. 1988 (F) 1. L.A. Clippers: Danny Manning, Kansas 2. Indiana Pacers: Rik Smits, Marist 3. Philadelphia 76ers: Charles Smith, Pittsburgh (traded to L.A. Clippers) 4. New Jersey Nets: Chris Morris, Auburn 5. Golden State Warriors: Mitch Richmond, Kansas State 6. L.A. Clippers: Hersey Hawkins, Bradley (traded to Philadelphia) 7. Phoenix Suns: Tim Perry, Temple Manning showed flashes of brilliance when he was healthy but his knees never allowed him to be the player he should have been -- and that is what really kills the 1988 Lottery. The '88 Draft as a whole was pretty weak. Other first round picks who should have been in the Lottery were Rony Seikaly (No. 9 to Miami), Dan Majerle (No. 14 to Phoenix), Rod Strickland (No. 19 to New York) and Brian Shaw (No. 24 to Boston). Second round picks Vernon Maxwell, Steve Kerr and Vinny Del Negro as well as third round steal Anthony Mason all should have been taken way earlier. 1989 (F-) 1. Sacramento Kings: Pervis Ellison, Louisville 2. L.A. Clippers: Danny Ferry, Duke 3. San Antonio Spurs: Sean Elliott, Arizona 4. Miami Heat: Glen Rice, Michigan 5. Charlotte Hornets: J.R. Reid, North Carolina 6. Chicago Bulls: Stacey King, Oklahoma 7. Indiana Pacers: George McCloud, Florida State 8. Dallas Mavericks: Randy White, Louisiana Tech 9. Washington Bullets: Tom Hammonds, Georgia Tech The worst Lottery ever, no arguments will be heard. When the No. 1 pick is lovingly referred to as "Out of Service" and the No. 2 pick heads to Italy, you know you're in for it. Elliott and Rice were solid players but the rest just weren't worthy of their draft position. Like 1988 this wasn't a deep draft but Lottery teams did skip over Tim Hardaway (No. 14 to Golden State), Dana Barros and Shawn Kemp (No. 16 & 17 to Seattle), B.J. Armstrong (No. 18 to Chicago) and Vlade Divac (No. 26 to L.A. Lakers) and the second round included Sherman Douglas, Cliff Robinson, Dino Radja and Haywoode Workman. Imagine if the Bulls had drafted Kemp at No. 6 and added him to to the Jordan/Pippen/Grant triumvirate. 1990 (D-) 1. New Jersey Nets: Derrick Coleman, Syracuse 2. Seattle Supersonics: Gary Payton, Oregon State 3. Denver Nuggets: Chris Jackson, Louisiana State 4. Orlando Magic: Dennis Scott, Georgia Tech 5. Charlotte Hornets: Kendall Gill, Illinois 6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Felton Spencer, Louisville 7. Sacramento Kings: Lionel Simmons, La Salle 8. L.A. Clippers: Bo Kimble, Loyola Marymount 9. Miami Heat: Willie Burton, Minnesota 10. Atlanta Hawks: Rumeal Robinson, Michigan 11. Golden State Warriors: Tyrone Hill, Xavier Coleman was such a let down, if he didn't dog it so much early in his career he could have redefined the power forward position. Payton is an all-time great at the point guard position. The rest of the 1990 Draft was undistinguished. Dee Brown (No. 17 to Boston) and Elden Campbell (No. 27 to L.A. Lakers) were the best of a bad bunch. 1991 (C-) 1. Charlotte Hornets: Larry Johnson, UNLV 2. New Jersey Nets: Kenny Anderson, Georgia Tech 3. Sacramento Kings: Billy Owens, Syracuse 4. Denver Nuggets: Dikembe Mutombo, Georgetown 5. Miami Heat: Steve Smith, Michigan State 6. Dallas Mavericks: Doug Smith, Missouri 7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Luc Longley, New Mexico 8. Denver Nuggets: Mark Macon, Temple 9. Atlanta Hawks: Stacey Augmon, UNLV 10. Orlando Magic: Brian Williams, Arizona 11. Cleveland Cavaliers: Terrell Brandon, Oregon Yet another weak draft. Johnson was a force when healthy and Anderson was a productive point guard. Mutombo was the best in this class, he is still contributing for the Houston Rockets and should be a Hall-of-Famer at some point. 1992 (A-) 1. Orlando Magic: Shaquille O'Neal, Louisiana State 2. Miami Heat: Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown 3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Christian Laettner, Duke 4. Dallas Mavericks: Jimmy Jackson, Ohio State 5. Denver Nuggets: LaPhonso Ellis, Notre Dame 6. Washington Bullets: Tom Gugliotta, N.C. State 7. Sacramento Kings: Walt Williams, Maryland 8. Milwaukee Bucks: Todd Day, Arkansas 9. Philadelphia 76ers: Clarence Weatherspoon, Southern Mississippi 10. Atlanta Hawks: Adam Keefe, Stanford 11. Houston Rockets: Robert Horry, Alabama By far the best Lottery up to this point. Shaq and Mourning are both headed for the Hall-of-Fame and Horry -- owner of seven NBA championships (two with Houston, three with the L.A. Lakers and two with San Antonio) -- could possibly join them. Still, mistakes were made. Doug Christie (No. 17 to Seattle) and Latrell Sprewell (No. 24 to Golden State) should have been taken earlier and P.J. Brown slid to the second round. 1993 (B) 1. Orlando Magic: Chris Webber, Michigan (traded to Golden State) 2. Philadelphia 76ers: Shawn Bradley, Brigham Young 3. Golden State Warriors: Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway, Memphis State (traded to Orlando) 4. Dallas Mavericks: Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky 5. Minnesota Timberwolves: Isaiah "J.R." Rider, UNLV 6. Washington Bullets: Calbert Cheaney, Indiana 7. Sacramento Kings: Bobby Hurley, Duke 8. Milwaukee Bucks: Vin Baker, Hartford 9. Denver Nuggets: Rodney Rogers, Wake Forest 10. Detroit Pistons: Lindsey Hunter, Jackson State 11. Detroit Pistons: Allan Houston, Tennessee Another solid Lottery. Webber was a perennial All-Star and if Penny Hardaway's knees didn't give out he would have been as well. Mashburn, Houston and Rogers all were solid pro's, as was Baker before he decided to change his last name to N' Tonic. Bradley was a tremendous bust. Hurley is tough to grade, the auto accident he suffered as a rookie destroyed his career. The 1993 Draft also gave the NBA Sam Cassell (No. 24 to Houston) and both Nick Van Exel and Bryon Russell in the second round. 1994 (C+) 1. Milwaukee Bucks: Glenn Robinson, Purdue 2. Dallas Mavericks: Jason Kidd, California 3. Detroit Pistons: Grant Hill, Duke 4. Minnesota Timberwolves: Donyell Marshall, Connecticut 5. Washington Bullets: Juwon Howard, Michigan 6. Philadelphia 76ers: Sharone Wright, Clemson 7. L.A. Clippers: Lamond Murray, California 8. Sacramento Kings: Brian Grant, Xavier 9. Boston Celtics: Eric Montross, North Carolina 10. L.A. Lakers: Eddie Jones, Temple 11. Seattle Supersonics: Carlos Rogers, Tennessee State "Big Dog" Robinson was a 20 point-per-game scorer while both Kidd and Hill (when healthy) became superstars. Marshall, Howard, Grant and Jones all were good NBA players. Other noteable first round picks were Jalen Rose (No. 13 to Denver), Eric Piatkowski (No. 15 to Indiana), Aaron McKie (No. 17 to Portland) and Mr. Heisman, Charlie Ward (No. 26 to New York). 1995 (C-) 1. Golden State Warriors: Joe Smith, Maryland 2. L.A. Clippers: Antonio McDyess, Alabama (traded to Denver) 3. Philadelphia 76ers: Jerry Stackhouse, North Carolina 4. Washington Bullets: Rasheed Wallace, North Carolina 5. Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett, Farragut Academy 6. Vancouver Grizzlies: Bryant Reeves, Oklahoma State 7. Toronto Raptors: Damon Stoudemire, Arizona 8. Portland Trailblazers: Shawn Respert, Michigan State (traded to Milwaukee) 9. New Jersey Nets: Ed O'Bannon, UCLA 10. Miami Heat: Kurt Thomas, Texas Christian 11. Milwaukee Bucks: Gary Trent, Ohio (traded to Portland) 12. Dallas Mavericks: Cherokee Parks, Duke 13. Sacramento Kings: Corliss Williamson, Arkansas Smith was not worthy of being No. 1 overall but he was a contributor for over 10 years to many different teams. Stackhouse and Wallace both are in the midst of solid careers. KG is a future member of the Hall-of-Fame. Kurt Thomas is still rebounding and defending the paint. Some guys that slipped were Brent Barry (No. 15 to Denver, traded to L.A. Clippers), Theo Ratliff (No. 18 to Detroit), Michael Finley (No. 21 to Phoenix) and Travis Best (No. 23 to Indiana). Players slipping into round two included Donny Marshall, Eric Snow and Tyus Edney. 1996 (B-) 1. Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Iverson, Georgetown 2. Toronto Raptors: Marcus Camby, Massachusetts 3. Vancouver Grizzlies: Shareef Abdur-Rahim, California 4. Milwaukee Bucks: Stephon Marbury, Georgia Tech (traded to Minnesota) 5. Minnesota Timberwolves: Ray Allen, Connecticut (traded to Bucks) 6. Boston Celtics: Antoine Walker, Kentucky 7. L.A. Clippers: Lorenzen Wright, Memphis 8. New Jersey Nets: Kerry Kittles, Villanova 9. Dallas Mavericks: Samaki Walker, Louisville 10. Indiana Pacers: Erick Dampier, Mississippi State 11. Golden State Warriors: Todd Fuller, N.C. State 12. Cleveland Cavaliers: Vitaly Potapenko, Wright State 13. Charlotte Hornets: Kobe Bryant, Lower Merion HS (traded to L.A. Lakers) This was an excellent Lottery. Iverson and Bryant are HOF players; Camby, Abdur-Rahim, Marbury, Allen and Antoine Walker all played in at least one All-Star game and Kittles (before knee injuries ended his career) and Dampier were productive. The grade is lowered because of the players that escaped the Lottery. Peja Stojakovic (No. 14 to Sacramento), Steve Nash (No. 15 to Phoenix), Jermaine O'Neal (No. 17 to Portland), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (No. 20 to Cleveland) and Derek Fisher (No. 24 to L.A. Lakers) as well as second round steals Othella Harrington, Jeff McInnis, Malik Rose and Shandon Anderson. 1997 (C) 1. San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan, Wake Forest 2. Philadelphia 76ers: Keith Van Horn, Utah (traded to New Jersey) 3. Boston Celtics: Chauncey Billups, Colorado 4. Vancouver Grizzlies: Antonio Daniels, Bowling Green 5. Denver Nuggets: Tony Battie, Texas Tech 6. Boston Celtics: Ron Mercer, Kentucky 7. New Jersey Nets: Tim Thomas, Villanova (traded to Philadelphia) 8. Golden State Warriors: Adonal Foyle, Colgate 9. Toronto Raptors: Tracy McGrady, Mt. Zion Academy 10. Milwaukee Bucks: Danny Fortson, Cincinnati (traded to Denver) 11. Sacramento Kings: Tariq Abdul-Wahad, San Jose State 12. Indiana Pacers: Austin Croshere, Providence 13. Cleveland Cavaliers: Derek Anderson, Kentucky Not a great Lottery -- Adonal Foyle anyone? -- but Duncan (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007) and Billups (2004) have led their teams to NBA championships and McGrady is one of the best talents in the game. The biggest misses in this draft were Stephen Jackson and Mark Blount, both fell to the second round. 1998 (D) 1. L.A. Clippers: Michael Olowokandi, Pacific 2. Vancouver Grizzlies: Mike Bibby, Arizona 3. Denver Nuggets: Raef LaFrentz, Kansas 4. Toronto Raptors: Antawn Jamison, North Carolina (traded to Golden State) 5. Golden State Warriors: Vince Carter, North Carolina (traded to Toronto) 6. Dallas Mavericks: Robert Traylor, Michigan (traded to Milwaukee) 7. Sacramento Kings: Jason Williams, Marshall 8. Philadelphia 76ers: Larry Hughes, St. Louis 9. Milwaukee Bucks: Dirk Nowitzki, Germany (traded to Dallas) 10. Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce, Kansas 11. Detroit Pistons: Bonzi Wells, Ball State 12. Orlando Magic: Michael Doleac, Utah 13. Orlando Magic: Keon Clark, UNLV This draft is a great example of why the Clippers suck. They take Olowokandi -- a 7-1 British center with no more than five years of basketball experience -- over Bibby, Jamison, Carter and Pierce. If they really wanted a foreigner they could have traded down and taken Nowitzki, who at least had developed skills, just no body. Matt Harpring (No. 15 to Orlando), Ricky Davis (No. 21 to Charlotte) and Al Harrington (No. 25 to Indiana) and second rounder's Ruben Patterson, Rashard Lewis, Rafer Alston, Cuttino Mobley and Greg Buckner all should have been drafted higher than they were. 1999 (C+) 1. Chicago Bulls: Elton Brand, Duke 2. Vancouver Grizzlies: Steve Francis, Maryland (traded to Houston) 3. Charlotte Hornets: Baron Davis, UCLA 4. L.A. Clippers: Lamar Odom, Rhode Island 5. Toronto Raptors: Jonathan Bender, Picayune HS (traded to Indiana) 6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Wally Szczerbiak, Miami (OH) 7. Washington Wizards: Richard Hamilton, Connecticut 8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Andre Miller, Utah 9. Phoenix Suns: Shawn Marion, UNLV 10. Atlanta Hawks: Jason Terry, Arizona 11. Cleveland Cavaliers: Trajon Langdon, Duke 12. Toronto Raptors: Aleksander Radojevic, Barton C.C. 13. Seattle Supersonics: Corey Maggette, Duke (traded to L.A. Clippers) Some very good NBA players emerged from this draft but Brand, Davis, Odom, Hamilton and Terry all have played their best basketball away from the team that drafed them. The first round also produced Ron Artest (No. 15 to Chicago), James Posey (No. 18 to Denver), Jeff Foster (No. 21 to Golden State, traded to Indiana), Devean George (No. 23 to L.A. Lakers), Andrei Kirilenko (No. 24 to Utah) and second round picks Manu Ginobilli, Francisco Elson and one of my personal favorites (although he never did anything in the NBA) Chris Herren. 2000 (F-) 1. New Jersey Nets: Kenyon Martin, Cincinnati 2. Vancouver Grizzlies: Stromile Swift, Louisiana State 3. L.A. Clippers: Darius Miles, East St. Louis HS 4. Chicago Bulls: Marcus Fizer, Iowa State 5. Orlando Magic: Mike Miller, Florida 6. Atlanta Hawks: DeMarr Johnson, Cincinnati 7. Chicago Bulls: Chris Mihm, Texas (traded to Cleveland) 8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Jamal Crawford, Michigan (traded to Chicago) 9. Houston Rockets: Joel Przybilla, Minnesota (traded to Milwaukee) 10. Orlando Magic: Keyon Dooling, Missouri (traded to L.A. Clippers) 11. Boston Celtics: Jerome Moiso, UCLA 12. Dallas Mavericks: Etan Thomas, Syracuse 13. Orlando Magic: Courtney Alexander, Fresno State (traded to Dallas) Okay, an argument can be made that the 2000 Lottery was just as bad, if not worse, than the 1989 Lottery. Martin at least helped the Jason Kidd-led Nets to consecutive Eastern Conference championships in 2002 and 2003. Desmond Mason (No. 17 to Seattle), Quentin Richardson (No. 18 to L.A. Clippers), Jamaal Magloire (No. 19 to Charlotte), Speedy Claxton (No. 20 to Philadelphia), Morris Peterson (No. 21 to Toronto) and Primo Brezec (No. 27 to Indiana) all should hve gone higher. 2001 (D-) 1. Washington Wizards: Kwame Brown, Glynn Academy 2. L.A. Clippers: Tyson Chandler, Dominguez HS (traded to Chicago) 3. Atlanta Hawks: Pau Gasol, Spain (traded to Memphis) 4. Chicago Bulls: Eddy Curry, Thornwood HS 5. Golden State Warriors: Jason Richardson, Michigan State 6. Memphis Grizzlies: Shane Battier, Duke 7. New Jersey Nets: Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall (traded to Houston) 8. Cleveland Cavaliers: DeSagna Diop, Oak Hill Academy 9. Detroit Pistons: Rodney White, Charlotte 10. Boston Celtics: Joe Johnson, Arkansas 11. Boston Celtics: Kedrick Brown, Okaloosa-Walton C.C. 12. Seattle Supersonics: Vladimir Radmanovic, Yugoslavia 13. Houston Rockets: Richard Jefferson, Arizona (traded to New Jersey) Brown was an A+ bust in Washington, Jordan (then running the Wizards) should have gone for Battier. Gasol, Chandler, Curry and Richardson have shown flashes while Battier and Johnson have become very good players. The list of players who slid is impressive: Zach Randolph (No. 19 to Portland), Gerald Wallace (No. 25 to Sacramento), Samuel Dalembert (No. 26 to Philadelphia), Jamaal Tinsley (No. 27 to Memphis, traded to Atlanta), Tony Parker (No. 28 to San Antonio), Gilbert Arenas (No. 31 to Golden State), Mehmet Okur (No. 38 to Detroit) and Bobby Simmons (No. 42 to Seattle). 2002 (C+) 1. Houston Rockets: Yao Ming, China 2. Chicago Bulls: Jay Williams, Duke 3. Golden State Warriors: Mike Dunleavy Jr., Duke 4. Memphis Grizzlies: Drew Gooden, Kansas 5. Denver Nuggets: Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Italy 6. Cleveland Cavaliers: Dajuan Wagner, Memphis 7. New York Knicks: Nene Hilario, Brazil (traded to Denver) 8. L.A. Clippers: Chris Wilcox, Maryland 9. Phoenix Suns: Amare Stoudemire, Cypress Creek HS 10. Miami Heat: Caron Butler, Connecticut 11. Washington Wizards: Jared Jeffries, Indiana 12. L.A. Clippers: Melvin Ely, Fresno State 13. Milwaukee Bucks: Marcus Haislip, Tennessee Ming and Stoudemire are both franchise players with MVP potential. Williams lost his career to a knee injury while Wagner lost his to ... an intestinal disorder? Butler turned into an All-Star this season with Washington. Oversights in this draft include Tayshaun Prince (No. 23 to Detroit), Nenad Krstic (No. 24 to New Jersey), Dan Gadzuric (No. 34 to Milwaukee), Carlos Boozer (No. 35 to Cleveland) and Matt Barnes (No. 46 to Memphis). 2003 (A-) 1. Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary HS 2. Detroit Pistons: Darko Milicic, Serbia 3. Denver Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse 4. Toronto Raptors: Chris Bosh, Georgia Tech 5. Miami Heat: Dwayne Wade, Marquette 6. L.A. Clippers: Chris Kaman, Central Michigan 7. Chicago Bulls: Kirk Hinrich, Kansas 8. Milwaukee Bucks: T.J. Ford, Texas 9. New York Knicks: Mke Sweetney, Georgetown 10. Washington Wizards: Jarvis Hayes, Georgia 11. Golden State Warriors: Mickael Pietrus, France 12. Seattle Sonics: Nick Collison, Kansas 13. Memphis Grizzlies: Marcus Banks, UNLV (traded to Boston) James, Wade and Anthony are the face of the NBA for the next decade and Bosh is close behind them. Hinrich is a top point guard. The bust is Milicic. Imagine the Pistons took Bosh or Wade ... wow! Boris Diaw (No. 21 to Atlanta), Leandrinho Barbosa (No. 28 to San Antonio, traded to Phoenix), Josh Howard (No. 29 to Dallas), Jason Kapono (No. 31 to Cleveland), Luke Walton (No. 32 to L.A. Lakers), Steve Blake (No. 38 to Washington) and Kyle Korver (No. 51 to New Jersey) all dropped. 2004 (C-) 1. Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy 2. Charlotte Bobcats: Emeka Okafor, Connecticut 3. Chicago Bulls: Ben Gordon, Connecticut 4. L.A. Clippers: Shaun Livingston, Peoria Central HS 5. Washington Wizards: Devin Harris, Wisconsin (traded to Dallas) 6. Atlanta Hawks: Josh Childress, Stanford 7. Phoenix Suns: Luol Deng, Duke (traded to Chicago) 8. Toronto Raptors: Rafael Araujo, Brigham Young 9. Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Iguodala, Arizona 10. Cleveland Cavaliers: Luke Jackson, Oregon 11. Golden State Warriors: Andris Biedrins, Latvia 12. Seattle Sonics: Robert Swift, Bakersfield HS 13. Portland Trailblazers: Sebastian Telfair, Lincoln HS 14. Utah Jazz: Kris Humphries, Minnesota Howard is a franchise center, Gordon and Deng have brought the Bulls back into contention, Harris contributes to the Mavericks, Iguodala is the man in Philly now that AI is in Denver and Biedrins has shown promise. Araujo was a complete waste, Jackson is on the brink of being out of the league with a bad back and Telfair should have gone to college. Al Jefferson (No. 15 to Boston), Josh Smith (No. 17 to Atlanta), Jameer Nelson (No. 20 to Denver, traded to Orlando), Delonte West (No. 24 to Boston), Kevin Martin (No. 26 to Sacramento), Anderson Varejao (No. 30 to Orlando) and Chris Duhon (No. 38 to Chicago) all fell lower than they should have. 2005 (Inc.) 1. Milwaukee Bucks: Andrew Bogut, Utah 2. Atlanta Hawks: Marvin Williams, North Carolina 3. Utah Jazz: Deron Williams, Illinois 4. New Orleans Hornets: Chris Paul, Wake Forest 5. Charlotte Bobcats: Ray Felton, North Carolina 6. Portland Trailblazers: Martell Webster, Seattle Prep 7. Toronto Raptors: Charlie Villanueva, Connecticut 8. New York Knicks: Channing Frye, Arizona 9. Golden State Warriors: Ike Diogu, Arizona State 10. L.A. Lakers: Andrew Bynum, St. Joseph HS 11. Orlando Magic: Fran Vazquez, Spain 12. L.A. Clippers: Yaroslav Korolev, Russia 13. Charlotte Bobcats: Sean May, North Carolina 14. Minnesot Timberwolves: Rashad McCants, North Carolina 2006 (Inc.) 1. Toronto Raptors: Andrea Bargnani, Italy 2. Chicago Bulls: LaMarcus Aldridge, texas (traded to Portland) 3. Charlotte Bobcats: Adam Morrison, Gonzaga 4. Portland Trailblazers: Tyrus Thomas, Louisiana State (traded to Chicago) 5. Atlanta Hawks: Shelden Williams, Duke 6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Brandon Roy, Washington (traded to Portland via Boston) 7. Boston Celtics: Randy Foye, Villanova (traded to Minnesota) 8. Houston Rockets: Rudy Gay, Connecticut (traded to Memphis) 9. Golden State Warriors: Patrick O'Bryant, Bradley 10. Seattle Sonics: Saer Sene, Senegal 11. Orlando Magic: J.J. Redick, Duke 12. New Orleans Hornets: Hilton Armstrong, Connecticut 13. Philadelphia 76ers: Thabo Sefolosha, Switzerland (traded to Chicago) 14. Utah Jazz: Ronnie Brewer, Arkansas The 2005 and 2006 draft classes just haven't had enough time to be evaluated. Both are promising though. So, what has all this information taught you? Probably not too much (other than the fact that by spending all this time writing, I have proven -- to myself at least -- that I don't have ADD). Seriously, what this shows is that the draft -- and especially the Lottery -- is a very inexact science. There is no guarantee that a Lottery pick, even No. 1 overall, will make an impact. In most cases, picks later in the first round or in the second round make more of a difference. Also, I didn't get too muh into the Celtics Lottery history because it's just too depressing. The facts are there, the discussions have been made -- the history of the Boston franchise has dropped more than WWE stock since taking Bias in 1986. Looking over all of this has made me temper my feelings on this draft. Other tha Greg Oden and Kevin Durant (who are not locks to be superstars), what is really out there? I like the Florida guys -- Horford/Brewer/Noah -- but I also thought the 2005 UNC foursome of Williams/Felton/May/McCants would set the NBA on fire and that hasn't been the case up until now. It's all a crapshoot, take it for what it is... Celtics rumors have been flying all day. Yi Jianlian. Jeff Green. Trade the pick and Theo Ratliff to Seattle for Ray Allen. Right now it looks like Yi will be coming to Boston. Either Seattle backed out (betcha Ainge asked for Robert Swift) or Ainge's path of make-believe continues...

NBA Mock Draft II

The NBA Draft is less than 48 hours away. Even with a potential franchise center on the board, the Portland TrailBlazers are rumored to still have questions about whether to take Greg Oden or take high scoring forward Kevin Durant. If the No. 1 pick is still in doubt, imagine what the rest of the lottery could look like. Barring any major trade that would wreak havoc on the draft (keep a close eye on the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Bobcats), this will be final attempt at mocking the 2007 NBA Draft. One small note, after each pick, I have listed who I had going in that pick in my original Mock Draft. 1. Portland TrailBlazers: Greg Oden, C, Ohio State The Blazers may be in love with Durant but in the end they will not be able to pass on Oden. The big man will have an instant impact for Portland. (Mock Draft I - Kevin Durant) 2. Seattle Sonics: Kevin Durant, SF, Texas The Sonics will be thrilled to have Durant fall to them at No. 2. With the team expected to be on the move (to Oklahoma City) in the immediate future, a star of the caliber of Durant is just as valuable off the court as he is on it. (Greg Oden) 3. Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford, PF, Florida The Hawks are desperate for a point guard but taking Mike Conley Jr. at No. 3 is too early. Horford can be a force from the start with his low post offense. (Corey Brewer) 4. Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley Jr., PG, Ohio State Will the Hawks once again regret passing over the Draft's top prospect at point guard? Playing in the Western Conference -- home to Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Tony Parker, Baron Davis and Devin Harris -- the Grizzlies need a top young point guard and they can afford to allow Conley to develop. (Al Horford) 5. Boston Celtics: Yi Jianlian, PF, China I really have no clue what the C's are going to do. They have been involved in so many rumors -- they seem to excel at pretending they are in on every marquee name in the rumor mill -- that my head is spinning. If they keep the pick and Paul Pierce (very unlikely) they'll probably take a more NBA-ready player such as Corey Brewer, Jeff Green or Joakim Noah. Pierce wants a veteran All-Star in Boston and the pick will have to be sold to get one. If they decide they can't get a veteran and that they will move Pierce (what I think will happen), expect them to take the Chinese Dirk (or is it the Chinese Darko?) and allow him to develop. (Mike Conley Jr.) 6. Milwaukee Bucks: Corey Brewer, SF, Florida The Bucks have a great scorer on the wing in Michael Redd so Brewer will be able to come in and concentrate on playing defense while his offense develops. (Joakim Noah) 7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jeff Green, SF, Georgetown The Wolves have as much uncertainty surrounding them as the Celtics. They have publicly shopped Kevin Garnett throughout June and may be getting to a point where they have to make a move on him before the draft. With or without KG, Green can join 2006 first round pick Randy Foye in helping Minnesota rebuild its' roster. (Julian Wright) 8. Charlotte Bobcats: Joakim Noah, C, Florida The Bobcats have shown a liking for drafting successful college stars (Emeka Okafor, Ray Felton, Sean May, Adam Morrison) and Noah certainly fits into that profile. (Brandon Wright) 9. Chicago Bulls: Spencer Hawes, C, Wahington Hawes has a good arsenal of post moves and the Bulls are in need of interior scoring. (Yi Jianlian) 10. Sacramento Kings: Julian Wright, SF, Kansas The Kings are going downhill fast. Wright is a versatile player who will help Sacramento move Ron Artest. A future of Kevin Martin and Wright on the wing is a good thing. (Jeff Green) 11. Atlanta Hawks: Acie Law IV, PG, Texas A&M The Hawks finally address their point guard problem. (Law) 12. Philadelphia 76ers: Brandon Wright, PF, North Carolina Wright was once considered a Top 3 pick but has slid all month. The 76ers will be glad to stop his fall at No. 12. (Javaris Crittenton) 13. New Orleans Hornets: Al Thornton, SF, Florida State Chris Paul will be happy to see the Hornets add a wing scorer like Thornton. (Thornton) 14. Los Angeles Clippers: Nick Young, SG, Southern California Young is rising up the draft boards (the Celtics have worked him out recently) and would be a good fit on a Clipper team that could use his outside shooting. (Rodney Stuckey) 15. Detroit Pistons: Jason Smith, PF, Colorado State The Pistons are getting older. Smith, an offensive minded power forward, can help them now and down the road. (Gabe Pruitt) 16. Washington Wizards: Sean Williams, C, Boston College With Gilbert Arenas talking about leaving after 2008, the Wizards need a player who can contribute immediately. Williams, who was tossed out of BC for repeated team violations, can play interior defense as good as anyone in this draft -- including Oden. (Spencer Hawes) 17. New Jersey Nets: Rodney Stuckey, SG, Eastern Washington Stuckey is a versatile guard who, along with 2006 first rounder Marcus Williams, will support the aging Nets backcourt of Jason Kidd and Vince Carter. (Nick Young) 18. Golden State Warriors: Gabe Pruitt, PG, Southern California Pruitt would be a good fit behind Baron Davis. He is athletic and is an above average shooter. (Jason Smith) 19. Los Angeles Lakers: Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech Young won't get Kobe -- who wants out of LA if the Lakers don't get KG -- excited but Young's potential is very high and teamed with emerging center Andrew Bynum, the Lakers future could be bright even without Kobe. (Young) 20. Miami Heat: Javaris Crittenton, PG, Georgia Tech The Heat need a point guard and although they may prefer the more experienced Pruitt, they will gladly place Crittenton next to Dwayne Wade. (Sean Williams) 21. Philadelphia 76ers: Tiago Splitter, PF, Brazil Splitter can't get out of his contract with his team in Spain until 2008 but the 76ers can afford to wait for him (and for his game to develop). (Splitter) 22. Charlotte Bobcats: Derrick Byars, SF, Vanderbilt With Gerald Wallace testing free agency, Charlotte needs insurance at small forward. Byars' terrific NCAA Tournament showed he can play at a high level. (Daequan Cook) 23. New York Knicks: Wilson Chandler, SF, DePaul One of the millions of rumors flying around is that the Knicks gave a promise to Chandler at No. 23. Your guess why is as good as mine. (Josh McRoberts) 24. Phoenix Suns: Jared Dudley, SF, Boston College The ACC Player of the Year might not fit into the fast break offense the Suns run but his defense, toughness and intensity would make him a good player off the bench. (Morris Almond) 25. Utah Jazz: Morris Almond, SG, Rice The Jazz need more offense, especially from the perimeter, and the shooting touch of Almond fits their need. (Derrick Byars) 26. Houston Rockets: Glen Davis, PF, Louisiana State The Rockets were exposed by the Jazz in the playoffs as being soft inside. "Big Baby" will give them a physical presence as well as inside scoring. (Jared Dudley) 27. Detroit Pistons: Josh McRoberts, PF, Duke McRoberts was never the star at Duke some expected him to be but his athleticism and ability give him the opportunity to be a successful pro. (Glen Davis) 28. San Antonio Spurs: Alando Tucker, SF, Wisconsin Michael Finley and Brent Barry aren't getting any younger and Tucker would provide the type of leadership and toughness that the Spurs love in their players. (Marco Belinelli) 29. Phoenix Suns: Jared Jordan, PG, Marist Steve Nash is an All-NBA point guard and two-time MVP but he can't go on forever. Jordan has been compared to Nash, when he was a small college point coming out of Santa Clara. (Alando Tucker) 30. Philadelphia 76ers: Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy Belinelli reportedly can shoot from anywhere and on a team built around a slasher like Andre Iguodala, a shooter will help to spread the floor. (Kyle Visser) Random Draft Thoughts: With all the trade talk and rumors flying around, isn't it sad to think that the NBA Finals didn't gain this kind of attention ... It amazes me that highly successful college players -- like Jared Dudley, Alando Tucker, Glen Davis -- get discounted in the draft so easily because of perceived physical weaknesses ... The top five players I would love the C's to get a shot at with pick No. 32: Jared Jordan, Herbert Hill, Demetris Nichols, Stephane Lasme, Arron Afflalo ... As a Celtic fan, I am happy that Billy Knight (Atlanta) and Chris Wallace (Memphis via Boston) are drafting directly ahead of us ... Bash Danny Ainge all you want for his decisions on NBA players but his drafting skills have been excellent

Random Thoughts (June 26, 2007)

After hitting just .224 in May, Coco Crisp has been on fire in June. Crisp has a .321 batting average in June and has raised his average on the season to a respectable .258. When you think about the Gold Glove defense he plays in centerfield and his reasonable price tag (just over $5 million a season through 2009), Crisp has a lot of value for the Sox... On the other hand, how long can the Sox continue to run Julio Lugo out at shortstop. After inking a 4-year/$36 million dollar contract in the offseason, Lugo has been a monumental bust. Lugo's stat line reads like this: .191 BA, 4 HR, 34 RBI, .256 OBP. The 34 RBI are nice and he has stolen 19 bases in as many attempts but the .191/.256 combination is 100% unacceptable. For the Sox to win the World Series, a change is necessary. It's time for Theo to get creative and for ownership to get ready to pay Lugo to play elsewhere. Remember, Theo traded Nomar and the Sox are paying Edgar Renteria (and he at least hit .276 and had a .335 OBP) to play for the Braves so anything is -- and better be -- possible... The hot Celtics rumor (as of last night) was a four way deal that would have the C's send the No. 5 pick, Al Jefferson and Theo Ratliff to Minnesota, the T-Wolves would ship Kevin Garnett to the Lakers, LA would send Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum and the No. 19 pick to the Pacers and Indiana would then move Jermaine O'Neal to Boston. If Danny Ainge signs off on that deal, I'm done with the Celtics. Jefferson is younger, healthier and just flat out a better player than the overpaid, often injured, ready to opt out of his contract after 2009 O'Neal. The team needs to build around Jefferson. Low post scorers with his size and ability don't come around too often. The best option for Boston at this point, if they ever want to compete for a championship (forget this "be relevant" crap), would be to trade Paul Pierce. He makes too much money (roughly $20 million per year through 2010) to be built around at this point of his career. Find a team with expiring deals, draft picks and young players that could be in contention immediately with Pierce on their team. Build around Jefferson, Gerald Green, Rajon Rondo, whatever you get for Pierce and the draft. The Bulls could send the C's Tyrus Thomas, Ben Gordon, the No. 9 pick and P.J. Brown in a one year contract sign-and-trade for Pierce. At the end of the summer, Ainge could ship Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, P.J. Brown and their 2008 No. 1 pick for Andrei Kirilenko. The C's could then just allow Theo Ratliff's contract to expire after 2008 and use that money to either acquire a veteran or to re-sign their young players. Tell me this team wouldn't be good by 2010: Rajon Rondo, Corey Brewer (C's No. 5 pick in 2007), Gerald Green, Andrei Kirilenko, Al Jefferson, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, Yi Jianlian/Spencer Hawes/Brandon Wright/Joakim Noah/Jeff Green (basically whoever the Bulls take for us at No. 9 in 2007) and Kendrick Perkins. It's time to be creative and aggressive to save the Boston Celtics...

Random Thoughts (June 25, 2007)

First things first -- R.I.P. Rod Beck. Best known for his days closing games for the San Francisco Giants (and for living in a trailer in the stadium parking lot as a member of the Triple-A Iowa Cubs), Beck pitched for the Sox from 1999-2001. He will be missed... Maybe it's just me but I would love to see the Red Sox go back to the old road uniforms they used Friday night in San Diego. The old gray/navy blue combo is a winner... As is the old "Pat Patriot" red and white look. "Hey Jonathan, do you think the NFL will let us use the red uniforms again?"... Hockey for hockey's sake. The Bruins drafted Zach Hamill (No. 8 overall) and Tommy Cross (No. 35) with their top two picks in the draft... The Red Sox are rumored to be the front runner's for Chicago White Sox lefty Mark Buehrle. Buehrle would be a nice addition but at what price? He is a free agent at the end of this season and has said in the past he would like to pitch in St. Louis so is it worth a top pitching prospect (Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden) and a positional prospect (Jed Lowrie, Brandon Moss) for 3+ months of service? I say no... Yi Jianlian excites me with his potential but if the C's are serious about winning in the next 2-3 years, Corey Brewer, Jeff Green or Joakim Noah would be perfect fits at No. 5...

Red Sox-Mariners (June 25, 26 & 27); Minor League Player of the Week (6/18-6/24)

Here are the pitching matchups as the Sox open a three game series in Seattle... MONDAY: Julian Tavarez (5-4, 4.50) v. Jeff Weaver (1-6, 8.56) @ 10:05 TUESDAY: Kason Gabbard (1-0, 3.60) v. Felix Hernandez (4-4, 4.00) @ 10:05 WEDNESDAY: Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-5, 4.01) v. Ryan Feierabend (1-2, 8.20) @ 4:35 The Sox should do well against Weaver (who has been Matt Young-like all season) although he has recorded back-to-back quality starts. Hernandez has not been "King Felix" since his dominant April outing at Fenway after a trip to the DL but when he's on he is tough to beat. Daisuke will look to continue his recent run of success (5 runs allowed in his last four starts) against a Mariner team he has faced twice already with little success. Prediction: Sox take 2-of-3 from the Mariners As for the ML Player of the Week... Charlie Zink, P, Portland SeaDogs 7-2, 2.28 ERA, 1.21 WHIP The possible heir to Tim Wakefield's knuckleball kingdom, Zink is off to a tremendous start for the pitching strong SeaDogs. A former pupil of Luis Tiant (at the baseball powerhouse of Savannah College of Art & Design), the 28-year-old righty may not be on the Boston radar anytime soon but a team in need of pitching might give him a shot down the road.

Random Thoughts (June 22, 2007)

I am glad Kevin Garnett doesn't want to play in Boston. The Celtics don't want a star on the downside of the mountain anyways. They have one already in Paul Pierce and if this team is actually serious about trying to win a championship, pairing KG together with Pierce is not the answer. They need to keep Al Jefferson. He is the star of tomorrow and tomorrow is closer than you think for Big Al. Giving up Jefferson and the No. 5 pick would be crazy. Build around Al, Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Delonte West, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes and Kendrick Perkins then use the pick on either Joakim Noah or Corey Brewer. The C's can then package Wally Szczerbiak and Theo Ratliff's contract to get Andrei Kirilenko from Utah. The Jazz need a perimeter shooter to space the floor for Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams (Szczerbiak) and the expiring Ratliff deal gives them the cash to extend Williams. The C's could then go into battle with a unit of: Jefferson, Kirilenko, Pierce, West, Rondo, Green, Brewer/Noah, Perkins, Gomes. In the East, that is enough to be a legit contender... Holy shit! Isn't this illegal? Great job by the parents and the law enforcement... Don't panic over Schilling's trip to the DL. With a 10.5 game lead over the Yanks in the AL East and with Julian Tavarez pitching great right now, the Sox can afford to plug in Jon Lester and ride things out until the All-Star break... Speaking of Lester, his recent struggles in Triple-A do not alarm me. I think he has prepared himself for the big leagues and is losing focus on the farm. He's ready to pitch in Boston right now... J.D. Drew and Coco Crisp live! Julio Lugo is still dead... Crazy or not, I'd love to party with "PacMan" Jones for just one night...

Red Sox-Padres (June 22, 23 & 24); Minor League Player of the Week (6/11-6/17)

My home computer is in the shop (enough with the porn Ben!) and the machine I am on right now does not open Yahoo! Geocities for whatever reason so the Sox-Padres preview and the ML Player of the Week will be in this space for the time being. Here are the pitching matchups as the Sox invade San Diego this weekend... FRIDAY: Daisuke Matsuzaka (8-5, 4.18) v. Greg Maddux (6-3, 3.90) @10:05 SATURDAY: Tim Wakefield (7-7, 4.18) v. Chris Young (6-3, 2.26) @ 10:05 SUNDAY: Josh Beckett (10-1, 3.14) v. Jake Peavy (9-1, 1.98) @ 4:05 This should be a great weekend for people that love great pitching. Playing at spacious Petco Park and facing a subpar Padre lineup will allow the Boston pitchers to be more aggressive than usual. On the other side of things, facing Maddux/Young/Peavy will not be light duty for the Red Sox hitters. The Beckett-Peavy matchup on Sunday hopefully will live up to the hype it is getting. Remember the Mike Lowell-for-Peavy rumors from last summer? As much as I love Lowell, Peavy -- who was struggling at the time of the rumors -- would make this Sox team one for the history books. As for the Minor League Player of the Week... David Murphy, OF, Pawtucket Red Sox .283 BA, 5 HR, 34 RBI, .362 OBP The 2003 first round pick out of Baylor is expected to be called up from Triple-A this weekend. With Schilling on the DL there is an open roster spot but because Schill's spot doesn't need to be filled until Tuesday, Murphy should get the call due to the muscle strain that J.D. Drew suffered in Atlanat that will take a few days to heal. This is a well deserved opportunity for Murphy and it is also an opportunity for the Sox to showcase the 25-year-old with the trade deadline seven weeks away.

Random Thoughts (June 16, 2007)

Dustin Pedroia -- 5-for-5 with a homerun and 5 RBI Friday night against the Giants -- continues to make Francona look like a genius for sticking with him. The rookie second baseman is now hitting .331 and could make a late run at the All-Star Game... With the NBA Draft less than two weeks away, rumors keep swirling around the Celtics. Names like Shawn Marion, Rashard Lewis and Jason Richardson keep getting thrown out there as possible trade acquisitions for the C's. Should be interesting... The San Antonio Spurs -- 4 NBA championships since 1999 -- are the dominant team since Jordan left Chicago. That includes the Laker championship teams of 2000-2001-2002... Great job by the Fenway Faithful in welcoming back Dave Roberts. Goose bumps... Dave Lewis was fired by the Bruins after just one year behind the bench on Causeway Street. I rarely follow the NHL anymore but it seems to be a quick hook for a guy who wasn't exactly coaching the B's of the early '70s... Credit to Boston Dirt Dogs for this link. Hilarious... Daisuke v. Bonds today...

Random Thoughts (June 12, 2007)

Terry will take no more. Dustin Pedroia will replace Julio ".247 OBP in his last 22 games" Lugo atop the Red Sox order for tonight's game at Fenway against the Colorado Rockies. Lugo drops all the way to ninth in the lineup... Mike Brown, coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has taken his share of criticism during the playoffs and NBA Finals. Is it deserved? My NBA source told me Brown unfairly gets a bad rap. Beyond LeBron James, there is no All-Star caliber player on the Cavs roster. Pairing James (and Brown) with Eric Snow, Daniel Gibson, Larry Hughes, Big Z (I don't care to look up the spelling), Drew Gooden, Anderson Varejao and Donyell Marshall isn't exactly the way to win a championship... By the way, I bet LeBron makes between 18-25 trips to the foul line tonight, leading the way for the Cavs to get their first (and only) win in the Finals... Read Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback on SI.com this week. It will have any Pats fan ready for the fall. Also, King's article in the magazine this week will focus on Randy Moss, another must read...

Random Thoughts (June 9, 2007)

I am more than a little worries with Julio Lugo's start to the season at the plate (.217 BA, .280 OBP) and the mega contract Theo gave him (4 years/$36 million) looks foolish but some of the other "intangibles" Lugo has brought to the Sox make him a good fit. The above average defense at shortstop. The 17 stolen bases. The 34 RBI (one more than Manny). And how about the hidden ball trick he used Friday night to catch Alberto Callaspo at second was an example of how a player struggling with the bat can find ways to help his team win... Roger's first start took place today at Yankee Stadium against the fearsome Pittsburgh Pirates. The 302-year-old hurler gave the Yanks six innings and allowed just three runs. He won't fare so well against good hitting AL teams... Chad Ford at ESPN.com (need InSider to read it, no link) writes today that the Phoenix Suns -- who are interested in cutting payroll -- may look into trading Shawn Marion to the Celtics for the No. 5 pick, Theo Ratliff's contract and Delonte West. I like Delonte but the chance to grab Marion is worth making this trade. Marion would join Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson on the East's best frontline... If the C's do move West before the draft or are planning on trading the guard at all, I plead with Ainge to draft Marist point guard Jared Jordan... Lord Stanley currently resides in Anaheim. God love the NHL... J.D. Drew getting hot? Let's hope so...

Random Thoughts (June 6, 2006)

Today marks the 63rd anniversary of the Allies landing in France. D-Day is one of the most pivotal days in all of history. If you know a World War II veteran, make sure to say thank you today... If you don't do so already, Chad Finn's blog is an absolute must read. It is both insightful and entertaining. Finn also has a blog with Fox Sports (couldn't find the link) -- it is a more national perspective but it follows a similar format as Touching All The Bases. In his May 31st post -- Beer for my Horses -- Finn gives a link to a tremendous Wade Boggs story. Enjoy both the Boggs link and Finn's blog... Daisuke learned the hard way last night what pitching in the American League is like without run support... Interesting note in the Herald today on Al Jefferson. The Celtics talented power forward would be entering his senior year of college this fall instead of being on the brink of the All-Star game and that had the scouts talking about where Big Al would fit into this draft if he were available. One source said Al would be no lower than third and that he may even take him at No. 2 in front of Durant... A nother S tupid A thlete N ot getting T he E ntire point that... ...He will be making almost $8 million guaranteed dollars for one year of playing football if he agrees to terms with the Patriots. How much is enough. He already has made at least $4 million in his first four years (not counting playoff money) and if he gets through 2007 healthy and productive, that big contract will await him. Sometimes the greed is just too much...

NBA Finals Preview

When the NBA Finals open tomorrow night in San Antonio, a large portion of the viewers outside of Texas will be pulling for the Cleveland Cavaliers because LeBron James. The generation of teenagers who worship "King" James are falling over themselves as they heap praise on the 22-year-old superstar. They are already calling him the best player who ever laced up a pair of Nikes, a combination of Jordan, Magic and the Big O. That 48 point/25 straight/29-of-the-last-30 he dropped on the Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Finals? Easily the greatest playoff performance in the NBA's history according to the crowd who probably can't remember the night O.J. rambled down a California highway, interrupting a 1994 Finals game between the Rockets and Knicks. (Or the great Celtics and Lakers teams of the '80s.) Too bad for this group of fans that their "King" will have to wait at least another season to win an NBA championship. The fact is, the Spurs are the better team. And believe it or not, the Spurs superstar -- Tim Duncan -- is just as dominant a player as LeBron James. Duncan may not be capable of being isolated 25 feet from the basket and score with ease but between his great post offense, rebounding, defense and passing, he can dominate a game as easily as LeBron. And once you get past the two stars, the Spurs are a much better team. They have pieces that complement their star player, unlike the rag-tag All-Stars playing for the Cavs. The Spurs also have championship experience (they have won the Larry O'Brien with Duncan in 1999, 2003 and 2005), a point not to be underrated as the Cavs make their first ever trip to a Finals series. A nucleus of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobilli, Bruce Bowen, Robert Horry, Brent Barry, Francisco Elson/Fabricio Oberto and Jacque Vaughn/Beno Udrih are vastly superior to Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Eric Snow, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson, Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall. And the coaching matchup of Gregg Popovich versus Mike Brown is so lopsided that the Spusr should have to hire Doc Rivers for the Finals just to try and make things even. Looking at the rosters, the coaches and the level of where each star is at this point in his career, the obvious advantage goes to to the Spurs. It's time for Duncan to get fit for a fourth ring. Spurs in 6.

NBA Mock Draft I

The NBA Draft is 23 days away and the NBA Finals have not even started yet but with this draft holding importance for the Celtics (and also because I'm bored at work), here is my first Mock Draft. 1. Portland TrailBlazers: Kevin Durant, SF, Texas Why Durant and not Oden? Who knows. A front line of Zach Randolph, LaMarcus Aldridge and Durant would make the Blazers a contender and by passing on Oden, Portland won't be forced to take pennies on the dollar for Randolph in a trade. 2. Seattle Sonics: Greg Oden, C, Ohio State With Oden controlling the paint, Ray Allen will get open looks on offense and will have a premiere defender behind his back for the first time in his career. 3. Atlanta Hawks: Corey Brewer, SF, Florida They need a point guard but they may not want Conley this high. They have a glut of athletic forwards (Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Josh Childress) so Brandon Wright makes little sense here. But with the team possibly looking to shop Joe Johnson, Brewer would be an ideal fit as a small forward or shooting guard. 4. Memphis Grizzlies: Al Horford, PF, Florida Memphis will be glad to take a 6-10 power player who can score near the basket. It will help them trade away Pau Gasol. 5. Boston Celtics: Mike Conley Jr., PG, Ohio State The C's will hold Conley for ransom. A package of Conley and Theo Ratliff to Seattle for Rashard Lewis in a sign-and-trade or Conley and Ratliff to Atlanta for Joe Johnson? Take your pick Danny Ainge. 6. Milwaukee Bucks: Joakim Noah, C, Florida Noah's "stock" has dropped in many eyes but the skills he has -- rebounding, defense, passing, passion, winning -- would be a great fit in Milwaukee next to former No. 1 pick Andrew Bogut. 7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Julian Wright, SF, Kansas Wright is extremly versatile and would be a nice piece to add in Minnesota after drafting Randy Foye in 2006. 8. Charlotte Bobcats: Brandon Wright, PF, North Carolina Wright played his one year of college ball just down the road in Chapel Hill and his raw athleticism and upside fit nicely with a team building around Emeka Okafor, Adam Morrison, Sean May, Primoz Brezec and Ray Felton. 9. Chicago Bulls: Yi Jianlian, PF, China The Bulls are rumored to be hot after the 19-year-old (or is it 22?) Chinese prospect but for a team on the brink of making a run in the weak Eastern Conference, I don't see the wisdom in taking an untested Chinese rookie. 10. Sacramento Kings: Jeff Green, PF, Georgetown Green would be a perfect replacement for the Kings when they finally trade Ron Artest. His skills will complement those of Kevin Martin and Mike Bibby. 11. Atlanta Hawks: Acie Law IV, PG, Texas A&M If the Hawks don't find a point guard at No. 3, Law would be a very good choice. If they do find that point guard before this selection, Spencer Hawes could be the pick. 12. Philadelphia 76ers: Javaris Crittenton, PG, Georgia Tech Crittenton is a big, athletic point guard who would benefit from playing with Andre Iguodala. 13. New Orleans Hornets: Al Thornton, SF, Florida State With Chris Paul running the show and Tyson Chandler holding things down inside, Thornton's offensive skills will fit in nicely with the Hornets. 14. Los Angeles Clippers: Rodney Stuckey, SG, Eastern Washington The Clippers are at a crossroads. After making the second round of the 2006 playoffs, they failed to make the postseason this year. Stuckey is a sleeper but can play both guard positions. 15. Detroit Pistons: Gabe Pruitt, PG, USC With Chauncey Billups a possibility to leave via free agency and the Pistons on the verge of being broken up, a young point guard would be a wise pick for Joe Dumars. 16. Washington Wizards: Spencer Hawes, C, Washington Hawes is considered the top interior scorer in this draft and with most of the Wizards' offense coming from the wing -- Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Antwan Jamison --Hawes would offer them balance. 17. New Jersey Nets: Nick Young, SG, USC Vince Carter is a free agent and the Nets will sorely miss his offense. Young is a scorer who will get many good looks playing alongside Jason Kidd. 18. Golden State Warriors: Jason Smith, PF, Colorado State In their great playoff run, the one thing that the Warriors lacked was an offensive presence inside. Smith runs the floor well and would be a nice addition for Don Nelson. 19. Los Angeles Lakers: Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech As long as the Lakers are stuck in mediocrity and picking in the middle of the first round they will need to gamble to add players capable of helping Kobe get the Lakers back into championship contention. Young is raw but has tons of talent. 20. Miami Heat: Sean Williams, PF, Boston College The Heat got very old in 2006-2007 and just one year after winning the NBA championship, they were swept in the first round by the Bulls. Williams comes with strings attached (his love of pot got him kicked out of BC) but he can instantly impact the Heat with his interior defense. 21. Philadelphia 76ers: Tiago Splitter, PF, Brazil Splitter will most likely stay in Europe so the 76ers can gamble that Splitter will develop into a talent worthy of being in the lottery when he does come to the NBA. 22. Charlotte Bobcats: Daequan Cook, SG, Ohio State Cook lacks experience but his shooting makes him a nice pick at No. 22. 23. New York Knicks: Josh McRoberts, PF, Duke The Knicks struck it rich with David Lee and McRoberts could possibly be in the Lee mold of an athletic power forward with offensive ability. 24. Phoenix Suns: Morris Almond, SG, Rice Almond is an unknown but his shooting range may be unmatched in this draft. 25. Utah Jazz: Derrick Byars, SF, Vanderbilt His impressive showing in the NCAA Tournament against Jeff Green and Georgetown put Byars on the map. Jerry Sloan has had success in the past with physical swingmen (Bryon Russell). 26. Houston Rockets: Jared Dudley, SF, Boston College Dudley is seen as a second round pick by many "experts" but the reigning ACC Player of the Year and four year starter at BC would be a great player for the Rockets in the Shane Battier model. 27. Detroit Pistons: Glen Davis, PF, LSU Big Baby could be the eventual replacement for the aging frontline of Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess and Chris Webber. His weight is a question but he can score inside. 28. San Antonio Spurs: Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy The Spurs are famous for their success with drafting foreign guards (Tony Parker and Manu Ginobilli) so don't ever be shocked when they go with a European. 29. Phoenix Suns: Alando Tucker, SF, Wisconsin The Suns may be looking to trade this pick (as well as the No. 24 pick) but if they keep this pick, Tucker would be a very good selection. 30. Philadelphia 76ers: Kyle Visser, C, Wake Forest The 76ers could use an inside scorer.

Random Thoughts (June 5, 2007)

I made it through to the end of last night's 5-4 extra innings loss to the Oakland A's and while the outcome wasn't what the Red Sox wanted, it was still encouraging on some levels. First, J.C. Romero finally pitched like someone who wants to play a role in the 2007 bullpen. Coming on in relief of Joel Pineiro with the score tied 4-4 in the ninth inning and runners on first and third (thanks to a Pineiro walk and an error at first base by Eric Hinske), Romero walked Dan Johnson. He then went Okajima on everyone, striking out Eric Chavez on three pitches and then inducing a 5-2-3 double play off the bat of Bobby Crosby. On the day of his 31st birthday, Romero may have emerged as another late game option for Terry Francona. Also contributing to the cause were Big Papi (3-for-4, 1 HR), Wily Mo Pena (2-for-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI) and Brandon Donnelly (1.1 innings pitched, 2 K's, no runs/hits/walks)... The biggest "villians" last night for the Sox were Pineiro, who just could not seem to throw strikes, and third base coach DeMarlo Hale, who got Dustin Pedroia thrown out at home in the tenth inning by a good eight steps... How long will the free passes for Julio Lugo (.224 BA) and J.D. Drew (.224 BA, 2 HR, 17 RBI) last? Even with a record of 37-19 and a 10 game lead on second place Toronto in the AL East, the Sox can't expect to be a force in October without improved production from both of Theo's big offseason free agent acquisitions... Asante Samuel did not attend Marquise Hill's funeral services this past weekend, he is not at the Patriots mandatory mini camp (which begins today) and according to a source close to him, he is willing to sit out at least the first 10 games of the 2007 season if his contract situation is not handled to his liking. In today's Boston Herald the cornerback's agent, Alonzo Shavers, said that because no resolution has been made on a deal, Samuel will sit. The quote from Shavers in the Herald -- "Nothing more can be said. His status has not changed. There has been no movement toward a deal." -- gives the impression that this will become a major problem come training camp in July. The unnamed source said that Samuel, "...has to do what he has to do." The source, and not his agent, said that the veteran cornerback is willing to sit out the 2007 season if his demands are not met. The Pats designated Samuel as their "franchise player" after the 2006 season ended. The franchise tag pays Samuel a 1-year contract at the average of the five highest paid players at his position. For 2007, if he agrees to that deal (which he probably will not if his actions are serious), Samuel would be paid $7.79 million dollars... Apologies to my millions of readers in Anaheim and Ottawa but hopefully the Ducks can clinch their first Stanley Cup in Game 5 so the NHL season can finally end... According to ESPN.com, the NBA wants to ban Billy Donovan from coaching in their league for at least five years as a part of the pact that will free him of the 5-year/$27.5 million dollar deal he signed with the Orlando Magic on Friday so he can return to the Florida Gators. If Donovan truly wants to continue with Florida, he should not even flinch at this request. And if he does waver, even for a second, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley should inform Donovan that his services are not wanted anymore. Time for "Billy the Kid" to make a grown up decision...

Random Thoughts

I will be very happy to have Jon Lester back in the Red Sox rotation but I won't forget the contributions of Julian Tavarez when Lester does return. Tavarez has been a solid replacement as the No. 5 starter and his return to the bullpen will improve the setup crew. Tavarez has faced many opposing No. 1 starters and that is the case again tonight, going up against Oakland's Dan Haren... Think the St. Louis Cardinals would give Oakland Mark Mulder back in return for Haren? The 26-year-old Haren is one of the best pitchers in baseball and is another example of the genius of Billy Beane who traded Mulder for the unproven righty before the 2005 season... Billy Donovan wants to go back to the University of Florida and according to ESPN.com, he may soon get his wish. The Orlando Magic may be a bit upset that Donovan has decided to return to the Gators but they should be happy that he is being honest instead of just taking their money. Donovan is better suited for Gainesville and the Magic will find a better fit in former Miami Heat coach Stan Van Gundy, supposedly their top choice now that Donovan is out... Hopefully more college basketball coaches will follow Donovan's lead and "stay in school" but it's only a matter of time before the next college hot shot coach takes a stab at NBA dollars... If you haven't seen this clip, you have to click on this link. Bobby Cox, the bar has been set awfully high in your own organization... My NBA Finals preview will be seen either Wednesday or Thursday... And I'm picking the Spurs... I love Alex Cora as a utility man and I'm willing to live with Doug Mirabelli for as long as Tim Wakefield is a Red Sox starter but the Sox must upgrade the rest of their bench. Wily Mo Pena just isn't a fourth outfielder and Eric Hinske has seen better days since winning the 2002 AL Rookie of the Year... Patriots mini camp opens tomorrow and runs through Thursday. I'm looking forward -- as is the rest of Patriot Nation -- to the New England debuts of Adalius Thomas, Randy Moss and all the other new members of the Pats. I'm especially interested in where first round pick Brandon Meriweather sees the majority of his reps. Meriweather was a safety at Miami but could see some time at cornerback as well... Speaking of the Pats and their cornerbacks, the Asante Samuel situation better not be a situation come July...