From ESPN Insider: It looks like the Celtics will be caught between a rock and a hard place in their quest to grab Spanish star Pau Gasol. A league source told Insider yesterday that Golden State is leaning heavily toward taking Gasol with the No. 5 pick in the draft. The 7-1, 220 pound small forward is considered to be the top European prospect in the draft. Gasol has drawn comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki and Toni Kukoc, though some European scouts feel his game more closely resembles Kevin Garnett's. Golden State GM Gary St. Jean has fallen in love with Gasol, the only player not to have even one NBA workout during the draft process. The Warriors believe he is less of a risk than taking a high school big man or Seton Hall's Eddie Griffin. Furthermore, the Warriors believe that Gasol may have as high a trade value as any of the top lottery selections. If they select Gasol, they will entertain trade offers from teams like the Celtics and Rockets, hoping to land a veteran or muliple first round picks. If Gasol is selected by the Warriors, he'll make enough money to buy out his contract with F.C. Barcelona and begin playing in the NBA this season. According to the source, the Warriors broke their silence about their affinity for Gasol after his agent Herb Rudoy threatened to pull him out of the draft if he wasn't sure he'd be selected in the top 6. Several contingencies could punch holes in the Warriors' plan. The last few days, Hawks GM Pete Babcock has mentioned Gasol's name prominently in interviews. It's believed that the Hawks will select either Duke's Shane Battier or high school star Kwame Brown at No. 3, but Gasol would be an intriguing pickup for them. Babcock could put him under the tutelage of Toni Kukoc, another of Rudoy's clients. Secondly, if Kwame Brown or Tyson Chandler fell to the Warriors at No. 5, they'd be hard pressed to pass him up. This poses a major obstacle to Gasol's three most ardent suitors, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics and the Houston Rockets. Cleveland GM Jim Paxson has been vocal about his disinterest in grabbing Gasol, even at No. 8. That's nothing more than a smoke screen the league source told Insider. Paxson has had extensive negotiations with Rudoy concerning Gasol. Rudoy also represents another Cavs player, Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Even if Cleveland had to wait a year for Gasol, Paxson was planning on selecting Gasol at No. 8 if he fell that far. The Celtics were beginning to believe the Gasol might fall to them at No. 10. They have been loathe to give up their 10th and 11th picks just to move up in the draft. The Rockets have been trying for weeks to move up, so far unsuccessfully. ------------------ The Mo Taylor Fan Site "Basketball players win basketball games. Athletes win track meets."-- Shane Battier Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! Cat's Mock Draft
