Peter May: Radja's Agent Screws Celtics

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

It will be a long while before Il Duce deals with another Marc Fleisher
client.


[The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
[Boston Globe Online / Sports]
            (snip)
PRO BASKETBALL
       
Strike three

If you're looking for the perfect holiday gift for Celtics chairman Paul
Gaston, you might consider a bull's-eye with a picture of Marc Fleisher on it.
He's the agent who represents Dino Radja and has managed to stick it to the
Celtics on at least three occasions in the last several years. There was, of
course, Radja's ridiculous $21 million extension a few years ago, signed under
the threat that he would go to Europe. There was also a nice $7.5 million
''settlement'' last summer when Radja realized he wasn't going to cut it in
Rick Pitino's system. But the latest may be Fleisher's best. The Celtics went
to arbitration this summer to secure the right to use the NBA's set-off clause
against Radja's Greek contract. (The formula for establishing the set-off is
believed to have been developed by the same people who programmed the Mir
spacecraft.) Suffice it to say that the more Radja made in Greece, the more he
would have to pay the Celtics. Even better, that amount would cut his salary
cap number and give Pitino more money to burn on free agents. Well, when Radja
went to Greece, the conventional wisdom was that he went for somewhere in the
neighborhood of $2 million-plus a year. But when Fleisher showed up at the
arbitration hearing in June, he produced a document (presumably accompanied by
a laugh track) that showed Radja made only $500,000 in Greece. The Celtics
were incredulous, but try as they could - and they certainly did try - they
could produce no evidence before Feerick to refute Fleisher. The matter went
to arbitration again last week, with the sides agreeing on a figure that is
greater than $500,000 but less than $2 million-plus  The Celtics will get to 
adjust Radja's $2.5 million slot downward, but the amount may not make a 
significant difference. Fleisher said he could not comment on the settlement
because of a confidentiality agreement other than to say, ''Dino is happy and
the Celtics are happy.'' He got it half-right.

                                Material from personal interviews, wire service reports, other beat writers,
                                and league and team sources was used in compiling this report.

                                This story ran on page C02 of the Boston Globe on 10/11/98.
                                © Copyright 1998 Globe Newspaper Company.