Bulpett on Clack, Turner and Trades

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

      Boston Herald
      
      Celtics click with Clack: Take Texas guard in draft 
      by Steve Bulpett 
      Thursday, July 1, 1999
      For the second straight draft, the Celtics were surprised at what was 
      available to them. But while general manager Chris Wallace said he didn't 
      want to compare Kris Clack to Paul Pierce, he was nonetheless pleased to 
      get the Texas guard with the 55th overall pick last night. 
      ``We were very shocked,'' said Wallace. ``This is someone who was 
      projected to go in the late first round or maybe early in the second. We 
      were very, very shocked and we didn't ask any questions about it.''
      Actually, Wallace did ask questions, phoning Clack's agent at a hotel room 
      in Austin, Texas.
      ``I asked him if there was something we don't know and he assured me there 
      wasn't,'' said Wallace, who also canvassed a few teams that had Clack in 
      their sights.
      In addition, the Celtics will get the first shot at a player they were 
      projecting at that spot. Local product Wayne Turner, who played for 
      Celtics coach and president Rick Pitino at Kentucky and chief scout Leo 
      Papile with the BABC, was not drafted. But the Celts spoke to him quickly 
      and he will be with the club in summer league as a free agent.
      Clack, meanwhile, was a four-year player at Texas who averaged 14.2 points 
      his senior year and measured out to 6-foot-5 in sneakers and 236 pounds at 
      the pre-draft camp in Chicago. He was the MVP of the Nike Desert Classic, 
      a postseason tournament for potential draftees in Phoenix.
      ``He's very athletic and a streaky outside shooter,'' said Wallace. ``He's 
      someone who has to watch his weight and conditioning, and that was a 
      problem for him at Texas. But in all the mock drafts we saw, he was in the 
      late first or early second round.''
      Pitino left the pick to Wallace, Papile and staff, spending part of the 
      night on a treadmill overlooking the Celts' practice floor.
      ``I don't know much about (Clack), but I had a good time watching Paul 
      Pierce play one-on-one below me,'' said Pitino. ``It was his second 
      workout of the day.''
      Said Clack: ``I'm obviously very happy for the opportunity to get to play 
      for the Boston Celtics. They've obviously had a great tradition there. I'm 
      just happy to be a part of that. (Pitino) has a college style which 
      basically forces you to get up-and-down and press. So I don't see much 
      difficulty adapting to that. That's what we played here at Texas.''
      As for deals, there wasn't much that was close for the Celtics.
      The Indiana Pacers got in the way of some potential Celtic movement when 
      they sent Antonio Davis to Toronto for the No. 5 overall pick. There was 
      talk during the day that either Dale or Antonio Davis could be available. 
      Word was a third team would have been involved, with either Ron Mercer or 
      Antoine Walker being moved by the Celts.
      The Celtics were also said to have interest in Mississippi high schooler 
      Jonathan Bender, the fastest riser in the draft. But when it was learned 
      the Pacers were making the deal to get the 18-year-old, 6-foot-11 forward, 
      the air became too rarefied. Bender became such a hot property that the 
      Lakers were working hard to get up to No. 2 (the Vancouver pick) to get 
      him. Lakers general manager Jerry West was hot on his trail and new coach 
      Phil Jackson followed suit.
      As for any possible Celtic deals with Portland, the word is the same as 
      reported in the Herald three weeks ago. The Trail Blazers are balking on 
      giving up Brian Grant and Rasheed Wallace. Portland is looking to give up 
      smaller or less talented types.
      There had to be a ripple of local interest when Cleveland selected Andre 
      Miller with the eighth pick. The choice came from Boston (with Andrew 
      DeClercq) for Vitaly Potapenko last February. Miller, a heady point guard 
      from Utah, was a player the Celts targeted through the season.