Samaki Walker

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

The latest news from Samaki
"me-upside-the-head-for-rejecting-a-20-million-offer" Walker says he
would accept an offer from any team for its $2 million exception slot. A
sign-and-trade with added flotsam + jetsam for veteran Eric Williams
would put our financial house back in order and give the Celts a
fallback should Fortson or Battie prove unsignable.

BTW, I'm still happy with the Calbert Cheaney signing. Based on game
videos I recently watched, he is a "plug & play" addition to the Celts
lineup. One way to look at it is that we traded a former High Schol
Player of the Year for a former NCAA Player of the Year. :-)

Joe

The relatively mild comments Spankmi makes in the Star Telegram article
posted below would NOT be tolerated in Boston from our own Walker. Our
kid is smart enough to keep his mouth shut unless actively provoked, as
when Peter May railroaded him last year by making it appear that Pitino
was bashing him in the media for not responding to Chris Wallace's form
letter asking players to fly into Boston for a voluntary workout. If
Antoine ever said anything similar to what's printed below, IMO our
criticisms would start with words like "uppity" and ramp up
progressively to worse without the slightest discomfort or doubt.


-----------

Walker won't return to Mavericks; questions progress

                    By Dwain Price
                    Star-Telegram Staff Writer

                    Free-agent forward Samaki Walker said he's leaving
the Mavericks.

                    Walker said he would take an offer from any team for
its $2 million
                    exception slot rather than return to play for coach
Don Nelson.

                    The Mavericks' most recent reported offer to Walker
was a
                    two-year deal worth about $6 million, but all he can
get from
                    another team over the salary cap is one of the
exception slots. The
                    NBA has given teams that are over the $34 million
salary cap two
                    exceptions to sign players, one for $1 million and
another for $2
                    million.

                    "I think not returning to Dallas is the best
decision that I can make
                    at this point in time," said Walker, whose contract
last season
                    called for him to make about $1.6 million for a
whole season. "I had
                    an enjoyable time in Dallas, and the fans are the
ones who made my
                    time here in Dallas very appreciative.

                    "But I'm going into my fourth season, and I'm trying
to get
                    somewhere where they actually take young players and
help
                    develop them."

                    Walker said he wouldn't mind being included in a
sign-and-trade
                    deal, which would, at least, give the Mavericks an
opportunity to
                    salvage something rather than have him just walk
away after three
                    years with the team.

                    Walker also questioned the direction the Mavericks
are headed.

                    "Where is this ballclub going?" Walker said. "That's
the question. I
                    just don't see a solid foundation. I see some good
young talent
                    here, but the foundation comes from upstairs.

                    "You've got the horses, but you've got to teach the
horses where
                    to go. If you don't tell the horses their
destination and where to go,
                    then there's going to be problems. So, I've made up
my mind; I'm
                    definitely not returning to Dallas."