Late 90's 'What If? '

[Marbleheader]

I randomly had this pop into my head today. Let's say the Celtics chose Kobe instead of Antoine Walker in 1996. 1997 and 1998 drafts happen just as they did.

What would this team (roughly) have been able to do around the turn of the century?

Kobe
Pierce
Billups
Bowen
Battie
Vitaly
McCarty
E Williams
Mercer

 

[Montana Fan]

Not sure what it could have done in 2000 but that lineup would be pretty ferocious in 2020.

 

[OurF'ingCity]

It's an interesting question - I suspect they would have traded away Pierce because both Pierce and Kobe were relatively (or in Kobe's case extremely) ball-dominant players. So the question then is what could they have gotten for a young Paul Pierce?

 

[nighthob]

Or the young Kobe flourishes under Jim O’Brien after the Ricktator leaves and they actually win the title in 2002. And given the presence of Bryant and Pierce Boston lets that Denver pick roll over in ‘01 and ends up with either Amar’e Stoudemire in 2002 or Chris Bosh in 2003.

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

I just don’t see a scenario where Bryant and Pierce successfully function as a team, especially in their early 20’s.

 

[Devizier]

It's an interesting question - I suspect they would have traded away Pierce because both Pierce and Kobe were relatively (or in Kobe's case extremely) ball-dominant players. So the question then is what could they have gotten for a young Paul Pierce?

Pitino was trying to trade up for Nowitzki but to no avail.

 

[BuellMiller]

It's an interesting question - I suspect they would have traded away Pierce because both Pierce and Kobe were relatively (or in Kobe's case extremely) ball-dominant players. So the question then is what could they have gotten for a young Paul Pierce?

Probably Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers.