Boston Herald: Celtics Not Shopping Walker At The Moment

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

Chris Wallace says players like him are hard to find and they learned
from the Ron Mercer situation, the perils of trying to trade someone,
when other teams know you have to make a deal....

      Boston Herald

      C's OK with Walker
      by Mark Cofman 
      Tuesday, August 10, 1999
      It's no secret the Celtics have dangled Antoine Walker's name in trade 
      talks this summer. But after examining the market, team management is 
      starting to sound like it expects Walker to be wearing a Celtics uniform 
      when training camp opens in October.
      ``Guys like Antoine are very hard to find,'' said Celtics general manager 
      Chris Wallace, finally coming up for air after last week's roster 
      upheaval. ``Big-time talents who can take over a game and who can beat you 
      in a number of ways - there's just not that many out there. And the ones 
      who are out there are generally not available.''
      Particularly for a team in the Celtics' position. They gave Walker a 
      six-year, $71 million contract in January - the maximum allowed to players 
      with six or less years of NBA experience. He responded with his worst 
      season, was booed frequently at home games and became something of a 
      scapegoat for the team's fourth straight non-playoff season. 
      Walker did win back a measure of respect when he returned from a severe 
      ankle sprain to play during the final week of the season, but the damage 
      to his reputation already had been done. The lockout-shortened 50-game 
      season was a disaster for the team and its captain.
      ``I look at Antoine Walker as one of the leaders of the Boston Celtics and 
      an integral part of the future of this franchise,'' said Wallace. ``We've 
      added quality players and helped ourselves quite a bit in the areas of 
      depth and versatility through the deals we've made (last week).
      ``But to win in this league - to get to the playoffs and to ultimately be 
      a championship contender - you need that big-time talent. Somebody who can 
      carry the mail. Antoine has that kind of talent. I fully expect him to 
      step up for us this season.''
      If he doesn't, the Celtics are in for a headache. Before dealing Ron 
      Mercer to Denver in last week's six-player exchange, Wallace and Rick 
      Pitino discovered firsthand the difficulties of trading players at their 
      market-value worst. Mercer's pricetag for a contract extension was too 
      steep for the Celtics. He could have walked as a free agent next summer, 
      with the team getting nothing in return. Instead, he was shopped to the 
      highest bidder.
      But in Pitino's words, the Celtics were being offered ``30, 40, 50 cents'' 
      on the dollar for Mercer by teams aware they were trying to move the 
      talented guard as soon as possible. Pitino and Wallace sat tight until 
      Denver came in with an offer they perceived to be for fair market value.
      They pulled the trigger on the deal last week, shipping Mercer, forward 
      Popeye Jones and center Dwayne Schintzius to the Nuggets for forwards 
      Danny Fortson and Eric Williams, guard Eric Washington and a first-round 
      pick.
      The Celtics subsequently used their $2 million salary-cap exception to 
      sign veteran swingman Calbert Cheaney to a three-year contract. Cheaney 
      will help fill the void left by Mercer's departure. His arrival brings to 
      six the number of new faces on the roster since the league's moratorium on 
      signings and deals was lifted on Aug. 1.
      For a brief period last week, it appeared a trade involving Walker would 
      translate into even more new faces on the Celtics. And though Wallace 
      can't promise a deal for Walker won't happen before the leaves fall, it 
      appears things have quieted down in the Celtics front office.
      For now.
      ``My motto is never say never,'' said Wallace, beginning his third year 
      with the Celtics.
      ``But I do like the team we have right now. There's a nice blend of 
      talent, depth and experience. I'm eager to see where that takes us.''