or
the second time this summer, Fall River's Chris Herren is being mentioned in
trade talks between the Celtics and the Denver Nuggets. or
the second time this summer, Fall River's Chris Herren is being mentioned in
trade talks between the Celtics and the Denver Nuggets.
Sources close to the situation confirmed yesterday there have been discussions of a possible four-player deal. Denver would send the Durfee product and guard Bryant Stith to Boston in exchange for recently acquired guard Robert Pack and forward Calbert Cheaney.
As with most proposed NBA deals, the teams involved must be satisfied they're getting what they want and need - not yet a certainty in this case. Denver, however, has expressed interest in Pack since June, coming close to brokering a predraft deal to acquire the guard from Dallas. Pack played three productive seasons with Denver, averaging 11.8 points per game in 12 playoff appearances with the Nuggets in 1994. Ever since Pack was acquired by Boston Aug. 16, he has been mentioned as a possible trade component.
But the talks have not addressed details, including the assorted medical histories of some of the players linked to the deal.
Pack played just 29 games last season due to injuries, averaging 8.9 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.4 rebounds. Last season, Herren played 45 games, averaging 3.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in a little more than 13 minutes per contest.
Stith also played 45 games for Denver last season, averaging 5.6 points per contest, 1.4 assists, and 1.9 rebounds. Cheaney saw the most action in 1999-2000, competing in 67 games and posting 4.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.
If the deal is made, the most encouraging numbers for the Celtics likely would be those tied to the players' contracts. Stith, Herren, and Pack are in the final year of their contracts. Subtract Cheaney and Boston would not have to pay his $2.4 million salary in the 2000-01 season.
Another number for the Celtics to consider is 60, the number of days from the date of the previous Pack deal they would have to wait before Herren and Stith could join the team. The proposed trade would not become official until 60 days after Pack was last traded. As a result, Herren and Stith would miss most of preseason. With coach Rick Pitino a stickler for conditioning, missed time could detract from the appeal of a possible deal.
This story ran on page E2 of the Boston Globe on
9/7/2000.
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Newspaper Company.
