Sun: Seattle Interested In Fortson?

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

>       Saturday, February 12, 2000
> 
>       Did Celtics feel heat?
>       Sources claim injury just an excuse to nix deal
>       By CRAIG DANIELS -- Toronto Sun
> 
>         Free trade? How about no trade.
> 
>        The Raptors learned yesterday that their trade of two days ago -- Alvin
>       Williams and Sean Marks were sent to the Celtics in exchange for Danny
>       Fortson and Boston's promise not to claim Haywoode Workman off the waiver
>       wire -- has been scuttled.
> 
>        The official reason, the Celtics say, is that Williams did not pass his
>       physical. The problem? Williams right knee -- the same knee that nearly
>       nixed the trade that brought the guard to the Raptors from Portland two
>       seasons ago in the Damon Stoudamire deal.
> 
>        Williams didn't pass the Raptors physical after the Portland deal,
>       either.
> 
>        Toronto ended up getting an extra second-round pick from the Blazers to
>       allay any concerns they had. The knee, however, ended up essentially as a
>       non-issue.
> 
>        According to Raptors general manager Glen Grunwald, there won't be a
>       rekindling of this deal.
> 
>        "It is off the board," he said.
> 
>        That said, the Raptors get to keep Workman, who already has appeared in a
>       game for Toronto.
> 
>        "And Alvin was playing well when we traded him," Grunwald said.
> 
>        Two sources yesterday suggested the real reason the trade didn't go
>       through is that the Celtics were taking significant heat for making the
>       move and now wanted out of it.
> 
>        There also is significant speculation Boston has a better offer for
>       Fortson waiting down the road. The team with that offer is rumoured to be
>       Seattle.
> 
>        "That's what I understand," one source said. "You can always find
>       something wrong with a player if you want."
> 
>        Williams clearly can play on his right knee. He appeared in recent games
>       for the Raptors and played well.
> 
>        "When you first look at Alvin's knee, if you don't know the history, it
>       looks far worse than it actually is," said Grunwald, who was not
>       particularly thrilled with yesterday's developments.
> 
>        Still, the Raptors end up with Workman, the player they really wanted.
>       They do lose the nearly $2 million US in cap space that would have been
>       freed up once Fortson becomes a free agent. Fortson is in the final year
>       of a three-year, $4.3-million US contract.
> 
>        In other words, another deal looms.
> 
>        And it appears the Celtics still have considerable interest in Marks.
> 
>        "We would have liked to have Alvin Williams," Boston GM Chris Wallace
>       said.
> 
>        "Sean Marks would have been an intriguing guy to have a look at for next
>       year, but we'll just go on with the rest of our season."
> 
>        Asked about Fortson's future, Wallace hinted something could be in the
>       works: "Between now and the end of the trade deadline (Feb. 24), is eons
>       away."
> 
> 
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