Popeye Would Like To Play For The Celtics, But 12 Teams Interested In Him

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

Popeye's okay, but I don't like the idea of having a starting frontcourt
of Knight, him, and Walker.  ROY Paul Pierce must start...
Ray
                  Boston Herald

                  Popeye flexes: Jones thinks his muscle would look good in
                  green
                  by Mark Cofman
                  
                  Thursday, January 14, 1999

                  The sight of Popeye Jones working out at Brandeis
                  yesterday should be welcomed by anyone with a rooting
                  interest in the Celtics. The 6-foot-8 power forward is
                  precisely the type of rebounder and physical presence the
                  team needed in its frontcourt a year ago.
                  But Jones was simply working out with the Celtics as an
                  extension of a rehabilitation program that began last
                  season under the supervision of strength and conditioning
                  coach Shaun Brown. He is a free agent the Celtics would
                  love to re-sign, but who has suddenly become the object of
                  desire for about a dozen NBA teams.

                 ``I don't think it necessarily means I'm going to be
                  playing here,'' said Jones, referring to his arrival for
                  the third day of the team's voluntary workouts. ``I like
                  working with Shaun Brown. He's done a lot for me, so I did
                  want to come back here and get in condition.

                 ``I was doing a lot of stuff back home in Dallas at the
                  Mavericks' facility. But I wanted to get a look at what
                  they're doing here in Boston in case I end up here. I want
                  to be ready for training camp.''

                  That Jones can be ready for training camp is somewhat
                  remarkable given his condition last season. He tore the
                  left anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while
                  playing for the Toronto Raptors in a Nov. 30 game,
                  undergoing season-ending reconstructive surgery in early
                  December.

                  The Celtics acquired Jones, Zan Tabak and Kenny Anderson
                  in a Feb. 18 deal that sent Chauncey Billups, Dee Brown,
                  John Thomas and Roy Rogers to Toronto. Although Jones
                  never played a game for the Celtics, Rick Pitino expressed
                  an interest in re-signing him from the outset. Pitino, who
                  has seen the 250-pound Jones reduce his body fat almost in
                  half to 12 percent, hasn't stop singing the praises of the
                  six-year veteran since.

                  ``It definitely means a lot to me that he likes me as a
                  player,'' said Jones, who began his pro career in Dallas.
                  ``I love Boston, I love what Rick Pitino has to offer and
                  what he's done for me by bringing me here. I like his work
                  ethic because I also believe hard work is the only way to
                  be successful. Boston would definitely be good choice for
                  me.''

                  But not the only choice. Kyle Rote Jr., Jones' agent,
                  informed his client there are 12 teams expressing an
                  interest. Jones was surprised by that news.

                  ``It's very shocking to me coming off an injury like this
                  to have that many teams that would be interested in my
                  services,'' he said. ``It's really nice, it makes you feel
                  good and makes you want to work that much harder.''

                  Which team benefits from the hard work remains the
                  question. One of the teams interested in Jones is Dallas,
                  where his wife and three children reside. Rumors that he
                  was close to a deal with the Mavericks surfaced last week.

                  ``That's not true at all,'' Jones said. ``All I said was
                  I'd explore the opportunity because my family lived
                  there.''

                  Should Jones slip away, Pitino and general manager Chris
                  Wallace would be hard-pressed to find an equitable
                  rebounder in the open market. Should he stay and fill
                  their power forward slot, the Celtics could easily get by
                  playing a finesse center like Travis Knight, while moving
                  Antoine Walker to small forward. Walter McCarty and rookie
                  Paul Pierce would complete a solid frontcourt rotation.

                  ``I think I could really help this team,'' Jones said. ``I
                  think they need some inside rebounding, somebody who can
                  give some hard fouls and somebody to do the dirty work.''