May On O'Neal & Othella Harrington

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

Isn't Othella Harrington eerily reminiscent of Danny Fortson? And
you don't think Pitino would trade Fortson for Harrington in a
deal of two disgruntled undersized power forwards? 

NBA NOTEBOOK
Blazers' O'Neal requests trade 


By Peter May, Globe Staff, 6/15/2000 


NDIANAPOLIS - There are still 13 days before the draft but, of course,
teams are talking. So are players.


Yesterday, Jermaine O'Neal of the Portland Trail Blazers came out with a
''request'' to be traded and the Celtics are one of the teams who would
like to accommodate the young center. ''I like Jermaine O'Neal's game a
lot,'' was all coach Rick Pitino would say last night, when reached to
ask about the Celtics' interest in the 21-year-old.


He referred all queries to general manager Chris Wallace, who refused to
comment. ''That's my story, and I'm sticking to it,'' Wallace cracked.


The Celtics would have to offer the 11th pick plus a couple of players
to balance the salaries. O'Neal will earn around $5.7 million this
season. That would require a combination of players from a group
consisting of Tony Battie, Vitaly Potapenko, Eric Williams, Dana Barros,
and Greg Minor. Portland wants the pick, but other teams with higher
choices will also enter the derby. The Bulls, who have Nos. 4 and 7,
also are interested.


O'Neal appeared in 70 games during the regular season, averaging 3.9
points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.4 minutes. However, he saw limited action
in the playoffs, to the point where his only appearances in the Western
Conference finals were to deliberately foul Shaquille O'Neal.


Another disgruntled front-court player on Boston's screen is Vancouver's
Othella Harrington.