Re: C's may land Cav: Near swap for Potapenko

[Mister Ghost <mister_ghost@yahoo.com>]

Cross your fingers this comes true and they can re-sign
Potapenko.  He has skills.  I give them my seal of approval
on this deal, although I was kind of hoping they end up with
Chris Herren in the draft.  I like this deal, because Potapenko
is eminently tradeable if Pitino sours on his lack of shot-
blocking skills.  In Potapenko's defense, he does take up a
lot of room and has a real nice touch, and won't be hesitant
to be an enforcer.  
MG


Vinny Natale <vnatale@map.com> wrote:
>
> 
> 
>         
> 
> 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. 
> Pierce still gimpy 
> It appears the Celtics will be facing some of the East's iron
without all their
> irons in the fire. Pierce's right ankle was improved yesterday after
he
> sprained it Tuesday night, and while word is it may be recovered
enough to give
> it a shot tonight against the Hawks, the rookie was being far more
cautious. 
> ``I feel better today than I did yesterday,'' Pierce said after
watching
> practice with his foot in ice and getting up to take a few shots
before heading
> out to an interview and more rehab. ``After the game I could barely
walk on it,
> so I'm taking good steps and getting better. 
> ``It's not as bad as I thought it was. I can turn it. There's a
little pain,
> but I can tell it's getting better.'' 
> Pierce was talking about ``missing a few games,'' but he would like
to, at the
> worst, attempt to play against the Pacers Sunday afternoon in
Indianapolis, if
> not against the Pistons tomorrow. 
> ``Well, that's what I'm looking forward to hopefully,'' he said.
``If I can
> continue to make strides with it, it'll get better and then most
likely I'll be
> able to give it a try on Sunday.'' 
> Pierce suffered the injury in the first quarter of the 105-87 loss in
> Charlotte, stepping on Kenny Anderson's foot after coming down with
a rebound.
> He was X-rayed there (negative) and came back for a 47-second stint
in the
> second period, then took the night off. 
> Walker, Mercer sit 
> Antoine Walker and Ron Mercer also did not take part in the practice.
> ``(Antoine) said his shins hurt, so whether he'll play (tonight),
I'm not
> sure,'' said Rick Pitino. ``Ron (leg cramps Tuesday) will play.''  
> SECTIONS 
> FRONT PAGE 
> TODAY'S PAPER 
> LOCAL NEWS 
> NAT./ INTL. NEWS 
> BUSINESS 
> SPORTS 
> COLUMNISTS 
> OPINION 
> ENTERTAINMENT 
> MOVIE REVIEWS 
> LIFESTYLE/ FOOD 
> PERS. FINANCE 
> OBITUARIES 
> FEATURES 
> BOSTON DIARY 
> INSIDE TRACK 
> CARTOONS 
> CROSSWORD 
> HOROSCOPE 
> PERSONALS 
> TV GUIDE 
> TRAFFIC 
> WEATHER 
> CLASSIFIEDS 
> jobfind.com 
> carfind.com 
> homefind.com 
> 
>         
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com