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celtics centers
The majority of opinion on this list seems obsessed with the celtics getting
a new, serviceable center. Even though a center's importance to a team
justifies this opinion, I don't think we should get one through the draft.
Let's look at the starting centers picked at a position other than first
over the last 11 years:
7. L.A. Clippers Lorenzen Wright Memphis
6. Vancouver Bryant Reeves Oklahoma State C 7- 0 290
28. Utah Greg Ostertag Kansas C 7- 0 275
9. Boston Eric Montross North Carolina C 7- 0 275
32. Washington Jim McIlvaine Marquette C 7- 1 240
23. Ervin Johnson New Orleans Seattle
30. Gheorghe Muresan (Romania) Washington
2. Alonzo Mourning Georgetown Charlotte
26. Vlade Divac (Yugoslavia) LA Lakers
2. Rik Smits Marist Indiana
9. Rony Seikaly Syracuse Miami
11. Will Perdue Vanderbilt Chicago(He started with
Robinson out, so I don't know if I should count him)
38. Dean Garrett Indiana Phoenix
8. Olden Polynice Virginia Seattle (*)
24. Arvidas Sabonis (USSR) Portland
77. Arvidas Sabonis (USSR) Atlanta(I think this pick
was voided due to the cold war)
(information taken from doug's [wonderful] nba stat page at
http://shell.rmi.net/~doug/)
Most of these center's are passable but none(except mourning)are all-stars.
And they came over the course of 11 years. Considering how many picks are
spent on centers this leaves an almost ridiculous success rate. We should
learn from our previous mistakes(montross, earl) and not risk our team's
future on a center who, more likely than not, won't pan out. We should use
our picks on players who have a very good(or at least better) chance of
being stars(i.e. Mercer, Thomas, Knight[brevin not travis]). That way we can
build the foundation of a team that can contend in a few years with the
addition of a passable free-agent defensive center. Personally I would like
to trade for Ervin Johnson. I get the impression that Denver is unsatisfied
with him(that tried not to play him for a short stretch and got completely
trashed). If they are maybe we could give them Dee for Ervin and some of
their deadweight(for salary cap purposes--ervin makes 1.5 mil. Dee makes
3.2). We would admittedly get an offensive millstone but he is an above
average shot-blocker, rebounder and hustler who can run the floor--all
qualities the celtics lack. Denver would get a pseudo-point guard(they're
obsessed with getting billups/daniels right now maybe pitino or wallace
could sell them some snake oil). If the trade worked, Ervin and Dino would
complement each other. Dino would pick up Ervin's offensive slack and Ervin
would make up for Dino's lack of defense. We are more likely; however, to
pick up Chris Dudley(he's a free agent). Unless other teams don't remember
the Mcillivane debacle, we could get him without breaking the bank. He like
Ervin provides defense but he is much slower and would not be effective in
Pitino's transition game. Are there any other center's(free agent or
unwanted) that I missed?--except Brian Williams, he wants more money than
the celtics can offer.
Going on to point guards, do we really need a point guard? Now that
we aren't getting Duncan we probably won't be in contention for a while, so
why don't we try something slightly unorthodox? Instead of wasting either
cap space or a draft pick when we have too many guards right now on a point
guard, we could use dana, dee or hawkins(I'm assuming wesley's gone--it
looks that way) to advance the ball up the court and then immediately dump
the ball to Walker/Mercer/Thomas(depending on who we draft). Any might turn
out to be a rough Pippen/Hill point forward so a point guard might be
redundant. Whoever Pintino chose would be in charge of creating for himself
or others(Pintino should keep him under control). If it doesn't work out
we'll have another crappy record so we can draft a point guard next year or
sign one instead(i.e. stoudamire).
If we use this stratagem, we could use our picks on our future
rather than just mindlessly filling a position. We should pick for the best
defensive and outside/inside scoring combination of players. Primary
emphasis should be put on defense(esp. interior) since we were such a poor
defensive team this year. Secondary emphasis should be put on outside
shooting because if Fox and Wesley aren't back we only have one consistent
outside shooter, Barros. This way we could create the basis for a relentless
pressing team(hopefully like chicago) who forces turnovers and capitalizes
on them with transition layups and threes.
All in all, I think the celtics have a chance to rise from
mediocrity next season. With a (viable)point forward, Mercer/Chapman/other
shooter and Barros hitting the three, Dino, Williams and/or Baker on the
low post and some sort of shotblocking post defender we have a chance at a
good record and the playoffs.
All responses welcomed
Noah(not Ronald)Evans