Pacer's Talk

[Bos3332@aol.com]

Got off newsgroup. I say Celtics should go after Wright and keep Walker for 
know. What do you guys think.-Tony  


PACERS ARE INVOLVED
                                    IN FORWARD THINKING

                                    BY MARK MONTIETH 
                                        STAFF WRITER
                            THE INDIANA PACERS ARE INVOLVED IN TRADE 
DISCUSSIONS THAT COULD BRING IN FORMER LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS FORWARD/CENTER 
LORENZEN WRIGHT OR BOSTON CELTICS SMALL FORWARD ANTOINE WALKER, IF NOT BOTH.
        THE GENERAL CONFUSION THAT PERVADES THE NBA MARKETPLACE, HOWEVER, HAS 
PREVENTED PACERS PRESIDENT DONNIE WALSH FROM GETTING A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT 
IT WILL TAKE TO EXECUTE A DEAL.
        WE'RE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME DOING TRADES,WALSH SAID.
        THE CELTICS ARE SHOPPING WALKER, A FORMER ALL-STAR WHO HAS FALLEN OUT 
OF FAVOR WITH COACH RICK PITINO, AND HAVE CONTACTED THE PACERS ABOUT A 
POSSIBLE TRADE.
    WALSH SAID HE HAD SERIOUS INTEREST IN A THREE-WAY DEAL THAT WOULD HAVE 
SENT WALKER TO THE PACERS, BUT IT COLLAPSED WHEN THE CELTICS SENT RON MERCER 
TO DENVER ON TUESDAY.
        WALSH DECLINED TO IDENTIFY WHO BOSTON MIGHT WANT, BUT A CELTICS 
OFFICIAL TOLD THE BOSTON GLOBE A POTENTIAL TRADE PRROBALY WOULD INCLUDE DALE 
DAVIS. A DAVIS FOR WALKER TRADE WOULD FIT WITHIN NBA RESTRICTIONS. WALKER, 
WHO TURNS 23 ON AUG.12, WILL BE PAID $9 MILLION NEXT SEASON, AND $71 MILLION 
OVER THE NEXT 6 YEARS. DAVIS WILL MAKE $4.94 MILLION NEXT SEASON AND $26 
MILLION OVER THE NEXT FOUR SEASONS.
        THE 6-9 WALKER AVERAGED 18.7 POINTS AND 8.5 REBOUNDS LAST SEASON, BUT 
HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH PITINO-WHO COACHED HIM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF 
KENTUCKY-SOURED AS THE SEASONED PROGRESSED. ACCORDING TO NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS 
IN BOSTON, THE CELTICS DECIDED TO TRADE WALKER AFTER HE HAD AN ARGUMENT WITH 
ASSISTANT COACH JIM O'BRIEN ABOUT HIS OFF-SEASON REGIMEN.
        WALSH EXPRESSED INTEREST IN WALKER BEFORE THE DRAFT ON JUNE 30. THE  
CELTICS, SEEKING A POWER FORWARD, OFFERED MERCER FOR ANTONIO DAVIS AND DRAFT 
CHOICES, BUT WALSH HELD OUT FOR WALKER.
        WRIGHT'S STATUS REMAINS UNCERTAIN. THE TEAMS WITH ROOM UNDER THEIR 
SALARY CAP TO SIGN FREE AGENTS-THE CLIPPERS, CHICAGO, AND TORONTO- HAVE NOT 
MADE THEIR MOVES THAT TAKE THEM TO THEIR LIMIT, WHICH WOULD THEN MAKE ALL 
OTHER FREE AGENTS AVAILABLE TO THE REST OF THE LEAGUE FOR THE VARIOUS 
EXCEPTIONS TO THE SALARY CAP.
        THE CLIPPERS ALSO COULD SIGN WRIGHT TO A CONTRACT NEGOTIATED BY 
ANOTHER TEAM AND THEN TRADE HIM TO THAT TEAM. WALSH REJECTED ONE TRADE OFFER 
FROM THEM BECAUSE HE WAS UNWILLING TO GIVE UP THE PLAYER THEY WANTED. HE 
WOULD OT IDENTIFY THAT PLAYER.
        WRIGHT'S AGENT, ROBERT FAYNE, SAID HE WAS ALSO UNCERTAIN OF THE 
CLIPPERS THINKING.
        I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO,FAYNE SAID. BUT THE FIT 
IS OUTSTANDING IN INDIANA. HE'D BE VERY HAPPY IF THINGS WORKED OUT IN INDIANA.
            E-MAIL ME ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS