There might be some Sebastian Telfair critics out there, but don't look for any parting shots from Nate McMillan, the coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. He had Telfair for one season and says he really likes the kid.
The decision to trade Telfair to the Celtics was based more on what style the Trail Blazers want to play rather than any perceived deficiencies in the point guard. That's McMillan's assessment of the deal, which brought Raef LaFrentz, Dan Dickau, and the No. 7 pick (which ended up being Brandon Roy after a deal) to Portland for Telfair and Theo Ratliff.
``We had to make a decision," said McMillan. ``In our minds, Sebastian was the future, but did the combination of Sebastian and Zach Randolph work? And do the players we have fit the style of play that Sebastian brings to the floor? They don't."
With all the teams that hope to run these days, the Trail Blazers are looking to go in the other direction. Because of Randolph, a monster in the low post, they have opted to slow it down and become more of a halfcourt team. (In truth, most teams that say they want to run end up being halfcourt teams, for a variety of reasons, from lack of rebounding to lack of commitment to the running game.)
``Sebastian is a Ferrari and Zach is an 18-wheeler," McMillan said. ``And that Ferrari is running while the 18-wheeler is saying, `Hold up.' Even though they were two young guys and the core of our group, it really wasn't working. We had to make a decision: build around Sebastian or build around Zach. And the decision was to build around Zach."
What McMillan didn't say is that the decision also made economic sense because Randolph has a huge contract and, frankly, has shown some character issues that basically make him untradeable.
But what about the fact that, in the end, Telfair couldn't even supplant the since-traded (Milwaukee) Steve Blake? How could that not be construed as some kind of indictment of Telfair? Again, McMillan said, it was a combination of Telfair getting hurt, the coach experimenting with his young guards (Juan Dixon also was in the mix), and the decision to play a slower-paced style.
``It wasn't so much that Steve beat out Sebastian," McMillan said. ``Sebastian got hurt. We were experimenting. I like all three of them. I could have kept them all, but we couldn't do that. Don't look at it like [Blake beating out Telfair].
``Boston got a good player and a kid with a heart. He's fearless. He wants to take the big shots. Once he consistently learns to knock down his perimeter shot, it will be very difficult to defend him."
The Celtics want to play an up-tempo style, and in Telfair they have a player whose natural position is point guard and who is at his best when the game is more of a free-wheeling style.
``I think Sebastian will do extremely well in Boston," McMillan said. ``He can play with their wings. He'll be able to push the ball and have the wings play with him.
``We don't have great perimeter shooters. That took away from Sebastian's game, his ability to create and drive. I'll give him credit: He tried to play the way we wanted to play. But it tied him down. It didn't allow him the freedom to get up and down the court and create.
``So we had to make a decision: big or small. We felt like our bigs were the ones we were going to build around. Telfair and Zach, it just didn't mesh well. But I think it will work for him in Boston."
Different shades of Orange
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim talks like a proud papa when the subject turns to Carmelo Anthony -- and like a puzzled parent when the topic shifts to Gerry McNamara.
Boeheim, who is an assistant on the US National team, loves what he sees in Anthony and cannot understand all the bits and pieces of bad news that occasionally surface around him. Last April, for instance, Anthony was fined $15,000 for kicking a ball into the stands, his second such infraction. It came a few days after he had been named Player of the Month in the Western Conference for March.
``When Mike [ Krzyzewski] and Jerry [ Colangelo] were picking this team, I told them that Carmelo was a great kid," Boeheim said. ``He's one of the most fun kids that I've ever coached and the least maintenance of any of the great players that I've ever had.
``That Olympic thing [in 2004]? He wanted to play. How do you find fault with that? I'm convinced he's matured more, and he's been through a lot and I think it's helped him. But he has always been a good kid."
McNamara, who played four years at Syracuse (Anthony played one), went undrafted and played three games for Orlando in recent summer league action.
``He got hurt and people are down on him. He didn't miss a game for me in four years," Boeheim said. ``That's the NBA. They want to label players and say things like, `Well, he didn't guard Randy Foye one-on-one.' Who can?
``I can't believe that there isn't an NBA team out there that he can't help. But he may have to go to Europe first."
McNamara didn't shoot the ball well in Orlando (3 for 11, 0 for 4 on 3-pointers) and that is his bread and butter. Plus, the Magic drafted J.J. Redick and have Travis Diener back from last season.
Hooking up with Rockets should be a booster for Battier
On the night of the NBA draft, Shane Battier was at a dinner in Memphis for his basketball camp when he got the following text message from his wife, Heidi: ``Houston?" Thought Battier, ``News to me."
But it was true; the Rockets had acquired the Memphis forward for Stromile Swift and the draft rights to Rudy Gay. (Swift was needed to balance out the salaries.) So after spending his entire career (five years) with the Grizzlies, Battier will head to Houston and join a team that, if healthy, could make things interesting in the Western Conference.
``If you are in the same place for five years, you can get into a comfort zone," said Battier. ``And sometimes it's good to be shocked out of that a little bit, and that is what the trade did.
``I'm excited about it. I'm excited about playing with two superstars."
Battier said the deal was not totally unexpected; he had heard rumors. But he was not counting on going to a team with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.
``It's just time," he said. ``It's time to make new relationships and start over with a clean slate. But as I told my friends in Memphis, it's good night, not goodbye."
Another of Battier's teammates will be Vassilis Spanoulis, who signed a three-year deal worth slightly less than $5.9 million, with the third year being a team option. Spanoulis is on the Greek roster for the World Championships and also played well in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Etc.
Material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report. ![]()