Center on the way????

["Championship 17" <celticky33@hotmail.com>]

Potapenko for DeClerq and a 1st rounder in the works.


I would hate to see DQ go.  Im not really sold on Potapenko, big bodied 
but I dont think he's a good one on one defender, poor lateral 
movements.  


>

                  C's may land Cav: Near swap for Potapenko
                  Celtics Notebook/by Steve Bulpett 

                  Thursday, March 11, 1999

                  ATLANTA - The Celtics' wish for size may be answered 
by the bell. With today's 6 p.m.
                  NBA trade deadline looming, the club was closing in on 
a deal that would net them
                  6-foot-10, 280-pound center Vitaly Potapenko from 
Cleveland for Andrew DeClercq and
                  a No. 1 draft pick. 

                  The Celts have looked at Potapenko in the past, but 
his price has been too high - the
                  Cavaliers were offering him for Paul Pierce before the 
season. The reason the Ukraine
                  Train is now available is that he will be a free agent 
following the season and the Cavs
                  are reportedly not prepared to meet his asking price. 
With large contracts having been
                  given to Shawn Kemp and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the 
Cleveland management is drawing a
                  line.

                  DeClercq, pressed into service at center for the Celts 
but far better suited to the power
                  forward position, has two more years beyond this left 
on his contract with his option for
                  the 2001-2002 season. He is making a prorated $1.44 
million this season, with
                  approximately $5.7 million left over the remaining 
three.

                  Sources last night said the deal appeared to be done, 
but one side was hedging its
                  comments because there is still time until the 
deadline.

                  ``Nothing's going on,'' said Cavs president Wayne 
Embry.

                  The Cavs, currently in the fight with the Celtics and 
Atlanta for the final Eastern
                  Conference playoff spot, will be without regular 
center Ilgauskas for the season due to
                  injury.

                  The Celtics, meanwhile, will be taking a chance on 
their ability to sign Potapenko, who
                  was drafted 12th overall by Cleveland in the 1996 NBA 
draft.

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