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Michael Holley on Mercer and Trading Antoine
Says Antoine to the Pacers for Dale Davis and draft picks.
So conjecturing: Tony Battie becomes the starting small
forward and the C's have a manure-load of draft choices for
future trades....
[The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
[Boston Globe Online / Sports]
Celtics get down to business
Mercer is finally traded
By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 08/04/99
Ron Mercer will
be in Denver
this morning. He will
take a physical. He
will sign a six-year
contract extension with
the Nuggets, who are
now bankrolled by a
billionaire owner. And
then, finally, the
6-foot-7-inch guard
will exhale.
''Now I can go to Denver and not worry
about trade rumors every year,'' Mercer
said yesterday. ''From Day One in Boston,
it seemed like I was always being talked
about in a trade.''
Yesterday, the talk became official.
Mercer, Popeye Jones, and Dwayne
Schintzius were traded from the Celtics to
the Nuggets for power forward Danny
Fortson, former Celtic Eric Williams,
reserve guard Eric Washington, a
conditional first-round draft pick, and $3
million. The deal means that Celtics coach
and president Rick Pitino now has traded
his first two draft picks, Mercer and
Chauncey Billups, both of whom now play in
Denver.
Add the team's signing of point guard
Wayne Turner and you will see that the
Celtics were busy yesterday. And they may
get busier. Indiana Pacers president
Donnie Walsh confirmed that the teams have
had conversations about a trade. The
Pacers would like to acquire Antoine
Walker; the Celtics would most likely be
looking for 6-foot-11-inch forward Dale
Davis and draft picks in return.
One of the snags in such a deal would be
Walker's contract. He is to make $9
million next season, but if the Celtics
were to trade him, the most their new
player could make is $5.25 million. Davis,
30, will make $4.9 million next season.
But the Pacers would have to be creative
to fit Walker under their cap.
For now, Pitino and general manager Chris
Wallace are excited about the deal they
were able to make with the Nuggets,
especially since it was no secret that
Mercer had to be traded. The Celtics are
also excited about the pick they received,
2001 being the earliest they can use it.
All picks are protected, meaning that the
Celtics can't use it if it's in the top
five in '01, top three in '02, or No. 1 in
'03. And if they haven't exercised the
pick by '04, they will be required to do
so.
Pitino explained why Mercer could no
longer be a part of the Celtics: ''I could
never come close to the numbers Ron
wanted. If I could come close, I would
consider hanging on. It was a situation
where we could never have signed Ron
Mercer.''
Mercer's agent, Tevester Scott, was asked
exactly how much the Celtics offered
Mercer when they met with him last month.
''I can't get into specifics,'' Scott
said, ''but they totally disrespected his
ability as a basketball player with the
money they offered him. There are guys on
the bench who make more money than they
were offering.''
Scott said he was pleased that Mercer is
heading to Denver, but added, ''The
Celtics blew some very good deals. I can
tell you there were a lot of teams that
wanted Ron.''
Mercer said he understood that he was the
team's easiest bargaining chip. So the
Celtics dangled him as they sought a
rebounder. They found the rugged Fortson,
a 6-7, 260-pounder who averaged 11.6
rebounds last season. He was available
because he wanted to start and the Nuggets
didn't see that role for him next season.
When Raef LaFrentz was injured, Fortson
took over at center and became the NBA's
fourth-best rebounder. But general manager
Dan Issel now projects a starting lineup
of Antonio McDyess, LaFrentz, Mercer,
Billups, and recently signed point guard
Nick Van Exel.
''I like the trade,'' Fortson said. ''It
will be a better situation for me than in
Denver. I'll have the opportunity to play
a little more and show what I can do.''
If Walker is not dealt, the Celtics see
Fortson at power forward, Walker at small
forward (a position he favors), and Vitaly
Potapenko at center. Paul Pierce will
switch to shooting guard. ''We are
convinced, beyond a shadow of a doubt,
that Paul can play shooting guard,''
Pitino said. The coach said Pierce has
dramatically improved his ballhandling.
Fortson was asked if he sees himself as an
Eastern Conference type of player. ''No
question,'' he said. ''It's a rough and
tough conference, and I think I'm suited
for that.''
Issel agreed, but added that the new NBA
rules could hurt a physical player such as
Fortson.
Mercer and Billups being reunited is not
the only coincidence in the trade. There
is also the return of 6-8 forward
Williams, who was traded by Boston in
August 1997 to the Nuggets. At the time,
Pitino said Williams couldn't play for him
because of his poor work habits.
''I didn't have my head together at the
time,'' Williams said. ''I've matured.
Coach Pitino said he wasn't going to stand
for anyone slacking off, and he was true
to his word, man. I'm in the weight room
so much now, guys on the Nuggets used to
compete with me and see if they could beat
my records.''
Williams had the lowest body fat on the
team.
''I'm glad to be back,'' he said. ''I
found my niche in Boston. And, hey man,
the duo is back. I'm about to call my boy
now and tell him the news.''
Williams was referring to Walker, one of
his best friends when the two played
together in the 1996-97 season. Williams
didn't have good times in Denver, blowing
out a knee his first season there and
playing poorly - 7.2 points per game -
last season. He did receive a $30 million
contract, $3 million of which will be paid
by the Nuggets' new owners.
The Nuggets are excited about Mercer, who
averaged 17 points last season, playing
with them in their new arena. And Mercer
is partially excited about leaving.
''I'll miss the fans in Boston,'' he said.
''Let me tell you why: They get on you
when you do something wrong, but they
appreciate a good play. I like that.''
He is not the only one happy today.
Fortson and Williams are happy about the
opportunity to play. The Celtics are happy
that they got a rebounder. And the Nuggets
are happy that they have their first pure
shooting guard since the days of Walter
Davis and Fat Lever.
''I'll tell you something else,'' Williams
said. ''People in Boston are going to like
Eric Washington. He's a great defensive
player, he runs, and he shoots the three.
That's everything Coach Pitino wants.''
This story ran on page F01 of the Boston
Globe on 08/04/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.