Excerpts from Tommy Heinsohn interview

[lamphier@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp (Marc Lamphier)]

Overall not much here, but I will pass on two of Heinsohn's remarks that I
thought interesting, e.g. which Celtics are presently considered
"untouchable" in terms of being traded.

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<skip>

Birdman: Are the Celtics going to do any trading this season? And if so
whom are we looking at? 

Tom Heinsohn:     I think they're still trying to make moves. Dee Brown has
asked to be traded, and they're trying to find some interest. I don't think
anyone but Walker, Williams and Fox are untouchable. It takes two to make a
deal, however, and not everyone is running to get your players when you
rank at the bottom of the league.

<skip>

Ron:  Red Auerbach used to be so great at bringing in either older players
that fit well into the Celtic scheme, or young stars through the draft.
Like I said,  "used to be." What happened over the last 10 years?

Tom Heinsohn:   Expansion and free agency. We keep dropping lower and lower
in the draft. If you're successful, you draft late, and it's hard to find
good players. When  Auerbach was young, there were only eight teams, and
you couldn't lose.

There just aren't as many kids coming in ready to help you now. I think
it's more a state-of-the-NBA thing, than a state-of-the-Celtics situation. 

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full text can be viewed at: 

http://web1.starwave.com/editors/talk/transcripts/970214heinsohn.html

- -Marc