Pitino deals for center: Gets Potapenko from Cavs

[Vinny Natale <vnatale@map.com>]

Pitino deals for center: Gets Potapenko from Cavs
by Steve Bulpett 
Friday, March 12, 1999 
ATLANTA - The Celtics solved a glaring need yesterday, acquiring 6-foot-10,
280-pound center Vitaly Potapenko from Cleveland for Andrew DeClercq and a No.
1 draft pick. 
The move, reported in yesterday's Herald to be in the works, came to fruition
just before the trading deadline when the Cavaliers agreed to give the Celts
protection on the pick if it is in the top three this season. Celtics coach
Rick Pitino had balked on the deal because the Cavs were holding out for an
unencumbered selection. 
``I was happy to get it protected to three,'' he said. ``That was the key. And
the clincher was being able to sign Vitaly. I think he'll be a Celtic for a
long time. I feel comfortable that we'll be able to sign him.'' 
The Celts hope Potapenko will be able to join them for tonight's game in
Detroit. He is a third-year player under the original rookie wage scale who
could be a free agent this summer. 
But he will not get there; the Celts have until midnight tomorrow to sign him
to an extension, and they will almost certainly do so in a deal that begins in
the $3.5 million range. 
As for the draft pick, Cleveland may take it in either 2000 or 2001 if not this
June, but Pitino said last night he is confident the Cavs will take this year's
selection. 
``Yes, because I think they feel we're going to be better,'' he said. 
After watching Charles Oakley slap Antoine Walker last Sunday without response
and after seeing Charles Shackleford back in on the Celtic centers Tuesday in
Charlotte, Pitino wanted to fight back. 
``It's what we need. We have to have a tough, physical banger,'' he said. ``I
tell you, this kid's tough. We've researched him now for the last month, and he
is a great guy like Andrew, but he is a tough, hard-nosed guy. Don't mess with
this guy. 
``Red (Auerbach) was saying we needed a guy like Bob Brannum and this is that
type of guy for us. He's prone to foul a little bit, and that's something we've
got to work on, but he guards his own man without double-teams and he's strong
and tough.'' 
With Eric Riley the Celts' only true center, a move was imperative. Pitino felt
that with just a $2 million exception to spend on a free agent pivot man, he
had to jump at this chance. 
Potapenko was available because, with the Cavs having spent big money on center
Zydrunas Ilgauskas and power forward Shawn Kemp, club management insisted it
was not going to pay him big free-agent dollars. In DeClercq they get a capable
backup with just $5.7 million left on his contract the next three years (the
$2.16 million in 2001-02 is at DeClercq's option). 
``We tried everything humanly possible to get a center,'' Pitino said. ``We
looked at the free agent list, and Olden Polynice is probably the best name on
it, and he's probably going to want more than the $2 million exception. We
tried everything possible to get a banger, and we're very, very excited with
Vitaly because he's 280 pounds and just last night he had (Phoenix center) Luc
Longley 0-for-5. 
``He can guard his own man. He's maybe the strongest person in the NBA from a
weight training standpoint. He's also extremely physical - very rough, very
rugged - and probably what this team needs.'' 
The loss of the draft pick isn't an issue with Pitino now that he knows he can
keep it if the club misses the playoffs and catches lottery lightning in a
bottle. 
``Protected to three, no I'm not concerned (about the pick),'' Pitino said. ``I
think that this team needs age, not youth. I think right now we're too young.
That's been one of our weaknesses. Now were going after age and trying to keep
our young players intact if that's possible.''  
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