Sportsline report

[Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu>]

The latest Celtics report on CBS sportsline has some interesting commentary:

On Walker's salary negotiation:
--
Antoine Walker has supported Rick Pitino's claim that it won't necessarily 
take a contract in the established stratosphere to keep the star forward in 
a Celtic uniform.

Pitino stated flatly last Wednesday that the Celts would not be delivering a 
package in the Kevin Garnett $120-million range (for a six-year extension).
The coach and president added that Walker would be given the opportunity to
become extremely wealthy while holding the position of prominence on the club.

Walker tip-toed around the issue of dollars, but he agreed that other factors
will carry a great deal of weight when he enters the period of negotiation for
an extension this summer. (If he does not sign between July 1 and October 1,
he will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 1999.)

"I'm in a great situation here right now, and that's important," Walker said.
"Things can be pretty much the same in a lot of places as far as the money
goes, so then you've got to go with the situation that's best for you.

"But it's really going to be up to management. When we go into negotiations,
they're going to know what it's going to take to keep me, and we'll see what
happens then."

Asked about the Garnett's raising of the salary bar for second-year players,
Walker was cognizant of the financial playing field but understanding, too,
of the side factors.

"I'm not really into that," he said of the dollar competition. "I'm into the
process of hopefully being able to stay here and be happy.

"They'll take care of me if they want me to be here. That's basically what
it's coming down to."

--
It really sounds good to me that he won't blackmail the Celtics but
you never know what'll happen when the negotiating begins.

Another interesting bit on trading Dee Brown:
--
Amid word from the league that other clubs are showing interest in a trade for
Dee Brown, Pitino said he would like to accommodate his veteran's desire for
playing time with a mutually beneficial deal.

"We haven't had much conversation with that at all," Pitino said in regard to
active possibilities with clubs.

"But I think, on Dee's behalf, he's worked very hard, he's in very good shape,
can help a team, has a good attitude, plays good defense. I'd like to see him
play, so if we could trade him to a position where he would play, I would do
it because he wants playing time."

Brown is clearly slipping into the cracks here, but he's not rocking the boat.

"His attitude has been outstanding, with the understanding we're going with
(Ron) Mercer and (Bruce) Bowen," Pitino said. "So if I could trade him into a
situation that's good for Dee, I would consider it."
--
If Pitino has truly turned Brown into a positive asset, he's more of a genius
than I reckoned, because Dee's salary is a huge minus.

Alex