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Celtics In Shallow End
June 27, 2002

By Shira Springer, Globe Staff, 6/26/2002

The Celtics are taking suggestions for their second-round pick, or so goes the joke from sometime comedian and full-time general manager Chris Wallace.

"If anybody has any nephews or great uncles who want to get drafted, let us know," said Wallace.

In tonight's NBA draft, Boston makes its only pick at No. 50, a spot more likely to produce the answer to a trivia question than an NBA player. So see if Uncle Al is in playing shape.

But seriously, folks, Wallace stayed up until 3 a.m. yesterday reviewing tapes of players who could be available at No. 50. (The Celtics actually pick at No. 49 because Minnesota was stripped of its first-round selection by the league for the Joe Smith matter.) Wallace wants to be as prepared as possible, but there is considerably less pressure this year than there was last year, when the Celtics had three first-round picks, including two lottery choices.

In the second round, the Celtics simply hope to get a player with one skill that can be projected as NBA-caliber, be it shot-blocking, rebounding, or outside shooting. Think shot blocker Manute Bol, who went to Washington at No. 31 in 1985, or scorer Cuttino Mobley, who was selected by Houston at No. 41 in 1998.

Instead of watchwords like "upside" and "impact" being batted around in Celtics meetings, the 2002 catchphrase is "ongoing value." The objective tonight will be finding a player, preferably a big guy, with a redeemable NBA skill who could spend time developing overseas. The Celtics will try to steer clear of shooting guards and small forwards, where they are well stocked, though if the best player available happens to be a swingman, they will not hesitate to take him.

"If someone we thought was in the top 30-35 fell down there, you'd have to take a long look at it," said Wallace, "though it would be very unlikely that the guy could make our roster next year unless we struck out on a number of our own free agents. The best-case scenario would be to take somebody who could go play abroad for a few years, who has a redeemable NBA quality or two, hold their rights, and maybe they come back to play for you at a later date or you could put them in a future transaction.

"You're not so concerned in the second about how a guy can fail and hurt you because you've got so much guaranteed money in him. You're not worried about someone who can preclude the opportunity of taking other people who are going to make it. You're just winging it, hoping to find something you like.

"Hopefully, the value of the pick can be stretched out, but that may not be possible. It's a low-expectation pick."

But don't confuse low expectations with little forethought. The Celtics are still in the business of balancing present and future needs with the 2002 draft factored into the larger equation. Boston traded its first-round pick to Phoenix along with Milt Palacio and Joe Johnson for veterans Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk to make a run deep into the playoffs. Exercising a first-round pick this year only would have complicated the team's financial situation, which already places it precariously close to the anticipated luxury tax threshold. So with their five free agents the summertime focus, the organization is content to wait around at No. 50 and watch.

While the Celtics are concerned about the point guard position with Kenny Anderson entering the final year of his contract, picking up a floor general is far from a priority tonight. Wallace believes point guards are unlikely candidates for a tour overseas. Also, the Joseph Forte point guard project will continue next season, concurrent with the development of Omar Cook.

And don't expect the Celtics to follow the international trend in this draft. Wallace expects that 10-12 foreigners will be selected before No. 50, and the 13th-best player from overseas does not sound appealing. But the Celtics certainly see foreign players in their future.

"I'm going to Lithuania, Detroit, Indianapolis, and maybe Dallas for international stuff this summer," said Wallace. "It is going to become a bigger part of what we're doing. I don't know how much this European stuff is going to mean this year, but it's going to be a bigger part of what we're doing.

"We're going to bring some European guys over to summer league. At least three guys should be coming."

But for tonight, the Celtics will sit back and wait their turn.

"There's really nothing to it," said Wallace. "We're at the mercy of those other 48 teams. It is never irrelevant because you may get lucky and hit something, but let's say it's less relevant this year."

This story ran on page D3 of the Boston Globe on 6/26/2002.
© Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company.