Holley: Mercer Loves Boston But Wants More Money

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

Mercer's spin is he loves Boston and the fans, but the C's
just aren't offering him enough money


                                [The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
                                [Boston Globe Online / Sports]

                     

                                Mercer goes one-on-one with Celtics

                                By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 07/09/99

                                Ron Mercer met with Celtics
                                management yesterday. He was
                                alone. There was a reason for that.

                                ''I didn't want to hide behind an agent,''
                                the Celtics guard said. ''I wanted to be a
                                man, talk to them face to face, and hear
                                what they had to say.''

                                In three weeks, Mercer will officially be
                                able to sign a contract extension with the
                                Celtics. The 6-foot-7-inch guard said he
                                wants to stay here because, ''I love the
                                Celtics and I love the city of Boston. The
                                fans have been great to me and very
                                supportive. I want to let them know that I
                                want to stay here.''

                                But, according to Mercer, staying here
                                will not be easy. Especially, he said, if
                                the Celtics don't significantly raise the
                                contract number they spoke with him about
                                yesterday.

                                How high - or low - was it?

                                ''I'm not going to get into specifics,''
                                Mercer said, ''but let's just say there's
                                a huge difference between what I think my
                                value is and the offer they gave me. I
                                want to be here. I don't want to go for a
                                contract that is above my value, but I
                                don't want one that is below it.''

                                Since he has heard what the Celtics have
                                in mind, Mercer said he will now allow his
                                agent, Tevester Scott of No Limit Sports,
                                to handle negotiations. As for the
                                Celtics, they are not required to sign
                                Mercer to an extension. They have three
                                options:

                                They can sign the third-year player to a
                                contract (the signing period begins Aug.
                                1);

                                They can allow him to play out the final
                                season on his original contract, which
                                would make him a free agent at the end of
                                the 1999-2000 season;

                                They can trade him.

                                He has definitely heard rumblings about
                                trade discussions.

                                ''I can't say I like hearing my name in
                                almost every trade rumor that comes up,''
                                he said. ''But that's part of the
                                business, I guess.''

                                Mercer has been working out in Nashville
                                and Baton Rouge, La. He also will train in
                                Houston and Los Angeles with fellow No
                                Limit clients such as Laron Profit, Ricky
                                Davis, and Jason Terry. But before that,
                                he will go back to his roots: he, Antoine
                                Walker, Walter McCarty, and other members
                                of the 1996 University of Kentucky NCAA
                                championship team will play an exhibition
                                game against the Kentucky national
                                champions of '98 at Rupp Arena. At least
                                he is sure of those results.

                                ''We'll win,'' he said. ''No question.''

                                This story ran on page E02 of the Boston
                                Globe on 07/09/99.
                                © Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.