Since nobody else posted this...

[opi@unesco.org]

The coach and player are on speaking terms according to Steve Bulpett,
but it seems a little forced and a little surreal in a twilight zone
kind of way.

I don't know if I should get my hopes back up that Fort will stay past
the trade deadline, or start rationalizing that he really is a
stat-padded non-defender for whom we lost our best chance to trade for a
3-assist-per-game, brick-laying backup point guard.

I think it is important to separate the issue of "he can't play Pitino
defense" and "he is therefore an irreparably flawed defender."

In fact, I'd like Danny Fortson to start games in a Marc Iavaroni, Kurt
Rambis role. Play the first 6 to 8 minutes of each half, then give way
for our best 6th man (Adrian Griffin) to get 30+ minutes per game (with
Antoine taking over at PF). It's not like the other starters (Pots,
Antoine etc) are any better suited than Fort to play the chicken
outbreak. The Celts would have given up a .473FG% with or without
Fortson's token 12 minutes per game.

Joe



________________________
Fortson returns to rough C's
Celtics Notebook/by Steve Bulpett
Tuesday, February 15, 2000

SALT LAKE CITY - Danny Fortson was welcomed back aboard yesterday to a
team he had called a ``sinking ship'' just four days prior.

Of course, that was when Fortson met the media in Toronto, the place he
had been traded to for Alvin Williams and Sean Marks. The Celtics voided
the deal when Williams' right knee didn't pass their physical.

That put Fortson in Celtics practice gear yesterday. How long he remains
with the club is uncertain, though Rick Pitino said yesterday it's
possible he will keep Fortson for the rest of the season and see what
happens when he becomes a free agent this summer.

Fortson spent All-Star weekend working out back in Boston at the Celts'
facility.

``First of all,'' he said yesterday, ``I had to apologize for the
unprofessional statement I made about the boat. I apologized to my
teammates, for one, because it wasn't meant towards them or the coaches.
I was caught up in the emotion. It was a frustrating situation.''

Pitino was understanding, saying, ``I told Danny this: I said, `I'm in
this business to see young people succeed, not fail. So anytime a
mistake is made and you own up to it, to me there's no grudges and no
problems. I'd love to see you succeed.' I just think he was bitter
because it was Toronto.''

Fortson was looking to leave the Celtics because the playing time had
not been there since his return from a fractured right foot. He may get
his trade wish soon, as there are teams with interest in him.

``We're not going to just move him for the sake of moving him,'' Pitino
said. ``His agent said if he can't get a lot of minutes, he would rather
be traded. Or he wanted us to make a commitment to him now, and we can't
do that. So if we can't get something that we want out there, we'll just
stick with him and see what happens.''

Fortson is taking it as it comes.

``I can deal with it. I've got to. I mean, what am I going to do?''

****