Carr resigns as head of basketball operations

[bocelts@scsn.net (R. Bentz Kirby)]

I just picked this up a Nando News url is below:

http://www.nando.net/newsroom/ap/bkb/1997/nba/bos/feat/archive/050797/bos22163.html

ML is going to be head of corporate development.  I think it is terrible
that DJ got fired, but I suspect he will end up in Indiana with Larry
Joe Bird!



Carr resigns, Bird's future with Celtics uncertain


(c) 1997 Copyright Nando.net
(c) 1997 Associated Press

BOSTON (May 7, 1997 - 20:02 EST) -- The question is the same as it was
when Larry Bird made blind
passes or amazing shots from behind the backboard: What will he do next?

M.L. Carr's resignation as director of basketball operations Wednesday
left one key figure's future
uncertain in the shakeup of the Boston Celtics.

And Bird's decision -- to help new Celtics coach Rick Pitino with
personnel matters or, more likely, to
become coach of the Indiana Pacers -- should be revealed by Friday.

Pacers president Donnie Walsh and a source close to Bird denied reports
Wednesday that Bird already had
agreed to return to his home state and succeed Larry Brown as Indiana's
coach.

A Celtics spokesman said the club was unaware of any decision Bird might
have made.

That decision -- as Pitino said Tuesday when he was named coach -- might
come down to whether Bird
wants to be in the front office talking by telephone to general managers
or on the bench helping his team
win games as he did throughout his brilliant 13-year career with Boston
that ended in 1992. He has been a
special consultant for the Celtics since then.

"I think he'd do better as a coach, although he'll do pretty good as a
manager," said Celtics president Red
Auerbach, who took Bird with the sixth pick of the 1978 draft one year
before he was eligible to leave
Indiana State.

"He'll do well at anything because he's bright and he's very motivated.
When he has a purpose to do
something, he does it," Auerbach added. "As a coach, you're right out
there and you're working with
players. As a general manager, you're dealing with other guys who may
not want to deal with you."

WISH-TV in Indianapolis, citing an unnamed source close to the family of
co-owner Herb Simon,
reported that Bird had made a verbal agreement and that the deal was to
be finalized Wednesday night.

The Eagle-Tribune of Lawrence, which didn't cite its source, said Bird
would sign a contract with Indiana
on Friday worth about $4 million a year. The newspaper said the former
Celtics great would coach at least
two seasons, with an option to then become the team's director of
basketball operations.

The Boston Globe said the offer was $4.5 million a year plus part
ownership and that an unidentified
source close to Bird indicated Bird would accept it but delay the
announcement until after Pitino's
scheduled news conference Thursday in Boston.

Walsh said the deal for Bird to succeed Brown, who resigned April 30 and
has since been named coach of
the Philadelphia 76ers, wasn't final.

"I have confirmed we have made him an offer. We want him to be our
coach. But he has not accepted the
offer," Walsh said. "I think he's still trying to decide. That's where
we are."

The source close to Bird said, "My understanding is still that he's
receiving information on which to make
decisions. ... There's no way he would just jump into a situation
without looking at everything."

Carr's resignation one week after he stepped down as coach was expected.
The Celtics had a franchise
worst 15-67 record last season and missed the playoffs in his two
seasons.

Carr will stay with the club under a multiyear agreement as executive
vice president of corporate
development.

The Celtics also announced the firings of head scout Rick Weitzman,
director of basketball development
Jon Jennings and assistant coaches K.C. Jones, Dennis Johnson and John
Kuester.

At least 11 Celtics employees, including Carr and general manager Jan
Volk, have left their jobs in
connection with Pitino's decision to leave Kentucky after eight seasons
and accept a 10-year deal worth an
estimated $70 million.

Bird had said earlier that he wouldn't want to coach the Celtics
although he did not rule out coaching
elsewhere.

He told the Indianapolis Star that his interest in returning to Indiana
"is very high because I hear people are
excited. Basically, I feel everything has been positive."

"It just comes down to do I want to coach or do I want to help put a
team together?," Bird said. "I just
feel if I'm going to get in, I might as well try it now. Either do it or
shut your mouth and stay retired."




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