Boston Herald Says Mercer Deal Imminient; First Lottery Protected; Indiana Interested In Walker

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

Cofman says the Indiana package for Walker would include Jalen Rose;
Pitino says there have been discussions with eight teams about Mercer...
                          TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1999

Celts close to deal

Nuggets eye Mercer for Fortson, Williams

By Mark Cofman

The Celtics were close to pulling the trigger on a blockbuster
deal last night that would send Ron Mercer to the Denver Nuggets
as part of a six-player trade.

In exchange for Mercer, Popeye Jones and Dwayne Schintzius,
sources said the Celtics would receive Danny Fortson, Eric
Williams, Eric Washington and a first-round draft choice in one
of the next three years. As a sweetener to the deal for the
Celtics, new Denver ownership would agree to pay the maximum
percentage of Williams' contract ($3 million) allowed by the league.

According to the source, the only thing said to be holding up the deal was
the Celtics' plans for Antoine Walker, also the subject of trade talks.
Paul Pierce, coming off a sensational rookie year at small forward, would
assume Mercer's position in the backcourt. Walker, if the Celtics pull him
off the market, would then have to shift from power forward to small
forward to make room for Fortson.

A 6-foot-6, 260-pound bruiser entering his third season, Fortson was the
league's fourth-leading rebounder with an 11.6 average last year, adding 11
points per game. Under terms of the old collective bargaining agreement, he
is eligible to be re-signed to an extension during this offseason.

Williams, meanwhile, would be returning to the team with which he enjoyed
his greatest success. The 6-8 ex-Providence College star played the first
two years of his four-year NBA career with the Celtics, averaging 15 points
per game in 1996-97. He is entering the third year of a six-year, $30
million contract.

The first-round pick the Celtics receive would be lottery-protected for
Denver through the fifth pick in 2000, third pick in 2001 and first pick in
2002. Those restrictions notwithstanding, the Celtics would have their
choice of the year in which they exercise the selection.

Mercer, who starred for Pitino at Kentucky, averaged 17 points per game
last season and is considered one of the league's up-and-coming off-guards.
Like Fortson, he's up for a contract extension this summer.

Last month, however, Mercer said there was a "huge difference" between the
Celtics' initial offer and the amount he was seeking on a new contract.
That set the wheels in motion in the Celtics' front office, where coach
Rick Pitino and general manager Chris Wallace have explored the trade
market and listened to offers for a month. The league's moratorium on deals
and signings ended on Sunday.

Attempts to reach Wallace by phone last night were unsuccessful. Reached
earlier in the day, Pitino confirmed a report in yesterday's Herald that
the Nuggets contacted the Celtics about a trade involving Mercer. But the
Nuggets were far from alone at the check-out line.

"We have discussed with Denver - and seven other teams - scenarios
involving Ron Mercer," Pitino said. "Other teams could get involved as
well."

In all likelihood, the majority of teams vying for Mercer's services were
offering little value in return. They knew the Celtics did not want to run
the risk of losing him to free agency next season and were gambling Pitino
and Wallace would jump at the first deal that came across their desks. The
Denver deal would appear to be something of an equal exchange.

If the trade is consummated, the Celtics would have a starting frontcourt
of Walker, Fortson and center Vitaly Potapenko, backed up by Tony Battie,
Walter McCarty and Williams. Pierce and Kenny Anderson would form the
starting backcourt, backed up Dana Barros, Adrian Griffin and a free-agent
point guard from the summer-league squad. Wayne Turner would appear to have
the inside track on that job.

The Celtics could also be bringing in more new faces if they deal Walker,
who has drawn interest from Larry Bird in Indiana. The Celtics would
probably focus on Jalen Rose as part of a return package from the Pacers.



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