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Michael Holley On Who's Staying and Going
[The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
[Boston Globe Online / Sports]
Celtics embark in busy offseason
There are sure to be comings, goings
By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 05/07/99
The strangest regular season in NBA
history is over. You saw a
schedule made for Sisyphus: 50 seemingly
continuous games packed into three months.
Now it's time for an equally unusual
offseason in which everyone, including
many Celtics, is wondering what's coming
next.
Kenny Anderson, 6-1 guard
Reason for comfort: He has four years and
$31 million remaining on his contract.
That's tough to trade, especially for
someone who has ended the last two seasons
watching instead of playing.
Sticking point: He wants the ball and more
control of the offense. But coach Rick
Pitino is picky when it comes to his point
guards. You've got to prove you can make
the thing click. And if you can't? Well,
say hello to Pitino The Chaperone.
Sticking Point II: Defense. Anderson isn't
known for it, and Pitino insists he will
have to play it.
Chance of returning: High.
Dana Barros, 5-11 guard
Reason for comfort: He and Paul Pierce are
the only players on the roster who can
shoot well - consistently - from 3-point
range. He rarely misses games and is
always in good shape. He has a fullcourt
setup at his Milton home and has a
rigorous treadmill routine.
Reason for a realtor: During his
introductory press conference, Pitino
mentioned a few players who might help the
team. He spoke of Dee Brown, Dino Radja,
and Barros. See where we're going with
this?
Chance of returning: Low.
Tony Battie, 6-11 forward
Reason for comfort: He is the only
shot-blocker on the team. Without him, the
Celtics are a landlocked, pressing unit, a
horrible combination.
Reason for month-to-month lease: He has
one year remaining on his contract and is
eligible for an extension. The Celtics may
not want to extend him and Ron Mercer.
Chance of returning: Low.
Bruce Bowen, 6-7 forward
Reason for comfort: It's good to be a
defensive player on a team desperate for
skilled defenders.
Quote for the road: December 1997, from
Pitino, on the possibility of trading
Bowen: ''No, not him. I'd kill myself
first.''
Chance of returning: Low.
Pervis Ellison, 6-10 center
Reason for comfort: He's a millionaire who
has averaged 13 games a season since Bill
Clinton was reelected in '96.
Reason for ambiguity: He has one of the
team's friendliest contracts - one year
remaining.
Chance of returning: Moderate.
Marlon Garnett, 6-2 guard
Reason for comfort: After playing in
Turkey last season, he returned to the
States and appeared on ''The Rick Pitino
Show.''
Reason to be bitter: He was waived with
one game remaining in the season.
Immediate future: His mother is from
Belize, so he will try out for the
Belizian Olympic team.
Chance of returning: Low.
Damon Jones, 6-3 guard
Reason for comfort: Impressed many during
his 21-day stay. Plus, the Celtics might
need a backup if Anderson or Barros is
moved.
Another plus: He is a free agent who can
be signed for short money.
Chance of returning: Moderate.
Popeye Jones, 6-8 forward
Reason for comfort: He's smart, he's a
veteran, and he rebounds.
X factor: He has had two left knee
operations in less than two years.
Chance of returning: High.
Walter McCarty, 6-10 forward
Reason for comfort: One of Pitino's
favorite people and players. Perfect fit
for the system.
Summer projects: McCarty will try to gain
weight and find time to learn the guitar.
Chance of returning: High.
Ron Mercer, 6-7 guard
Reason for comfort: The team captain,
Antoine Walker, is already campaigning for
him to stay.
Contract/trade talk: Yes, Mercer is
eligible for an extension. But long before
he was eligible, the Celtics were
exploring trade possibilities.
Chance of returning: Moderate.
Greg Minor, 6-6 guard
Reason for comfort: Has added 2-3 feet to
his shooting range under Pitino. Also a
good defender.
Salary cap talk: Signed a five-year deal
averaging about $2.5 million per season in
1995-96. Not a bad contract, but one the
Celtics would probably like to move.
Chance of returning: Moderate.
Paul Pierce, 6-6 forward
Reason for comfort: Surprisingly emerged
as the team's top 3-point shooter.
Extremely balanced game, especially for
someone who is only 21.
Summer strategy: If Mercer is traded, may
have to swing between small forward and
shooting guard.
Chance of returning: High.
Vitaly Potapenko, 6-10 center
Reason for comfort: 6 years, $30-plus
million.
Celtics' perfect world: 12 points, 10
rebounds next to his name each night.
Chance of returning: High.
Eric Riley, 7-foot center
Reason for comfort: He's a 7-footer in a
virtual parquet wonderland.
Heard too often: Celtics constantly tell
him to be more aggressive.
Random note: He is the only Celtic player
or coach who has an NBA championship ring
(he won it with the Rockets).
Chance of returning: Moderate.
Dwayne Schintzius, 7-2 center
Reason for comfort: See Eric Riley.
If the NBA were a Stand-up Stage: He'd
have a job. The team's king of one-liners.
Also was way up there in DNPs.
Chance of returning: Low (Although his
contract is partially guaranteed).
Antoine Walker, 6-9 forward
Reason for comfort: Six years, $71
million.
Reason for earplugs: The boos are probably
not behind him. He says the media
encourage fans to boo him ''by making a
big deal out of it,'' but it wasn't the
media who encouraged fans to heckle him,
at all times, on Fan Appreciation Night.
His quote for the dissenters: ''I'm going
to be here for a long time - next year,
the year after that, the year after that -
so they might as well get used to me.''
Chance of returning: High.
This story ran on page E02 of the Boston
Globe on 05/07/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.