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Boston Globe
Bird, Gaston could coexist


By Peter May, Globe Staff, 1/12/2001


he man who served as Larry Bird's boss in Indiana over the last three
years thinks Bird would be able to work with Celtics owner Paul Gaston.


Moreover, says Indiana Pacers president Donnie Walsh, ''if I were
Gaston, I would try to make it work.''


Walsh hired Bird to coach the Pacers in 1997 at the same time Gaston was
throwing $50 million at Rick Pitino. Bird coached the Pacers to the
Eastern Conference finals for three straight years before leaving. He is
now incommunicado in Naples, Fla., while trying to put together a group
to purchase the Celtics. Talks are ongoing.


''Larry wants to put together a team,'' Walsh said yesterday. ''I think
his preference is to do it as an owner. I do think he has a genuine
feeling for the Celtics and he'd like to see them back on top.''


It was 11 months ago that Bird first went public about putting a group
together to buy the Celtics. There was only one problem: they weren't
for sale. While sources tell the Globe that talks are going on, the
Celtics continue to insist that nothing is imminent and that Gaston
isn't looking to sell.


The prevailing view had been that Bird would have to take control of the
team to return to the Celtics. He took some shots at Gaston in his book
and also in the Globe article where he first expressed interest to own
the team. The relationship between the two is, at best, frosty.


But if there is not going to be a sale, could Bird return and run the
basketball operation if he still had to report to Gaston? Bird isn't
talking, although sources say he has considered such a scenario. Celtics
financial boss Rich Pond said yesterday he thinks such a marriage could
work.


''Paul is a very good businessman, who listens when he has to listen and
deals with whatever the situation is appropriately,'' Pond said. ''I
think Paul operates in a manner where he could work with him [Bird].
He's a very good businessman and understands what it takes to operate
the business and to operate it as successfully as possible. I'm certain
that if the two of them sit down and talk and try to work something out,
it could work.''


So does Walsh.


''Larry would improve it whenever he goes,'' Walsh said. ''He'll do it
in his own way, but it's a very competent way of existing on the planet.
You know where you stand with Larry.''


Walsh said he has never heard Bird say he wouldn't work with Gaston.


''He never took that attitude with me,'' Walsh said. ''I think, for the
most part, he thought he [Gaston] was all right. But I don't think they
really have any choice there [in Boston]. And you can't get the buy-in
anywhere else that you could get with Larry. He will turn it around.
I'll tell you one thing: if I'm here [Indiana] and he's there [Boston],
then I'm worried.''


The last two NBA sales have involved the Dallas Mavericks, who went for
$280 million, and the Seattle SuperSonics, whose sale went down
yesterday for around $200 million. The Celtics would go for considerably
more, even though there is no real estate involved in the purchase. Pond
has said in the past that Gaston would undoubtedly accept a
Godfather-type offer, but that he is not looking to get out. The team
has lost money the last two years.


''There's no disappointment or disillusionment that's forcing him
[Gaston] to do something,'' Pond said. ''Will he listen to somebody if
they come forth and express an interest? Absolutely. Does that mean the
team will be sold? Absolutely not. It's not actively being sold. If
somebody were to come forward and want to pay a premium to buy the team,
I'm certain Paul would give it consideration and perhaps move forward
with it. The likelihood of that at this point is probably not that
great.


''I don't know what that number is and I don't know if he [Gaston] even
knows what that number is,'' Pond went on. ''Because, quite frankly,
other factors would come into play. Who it is and what they would mean
for the franchise. Regardless of what the press might say, Paul has a
great love for this franchise. Even if he were ever to sell it, I think
he would want to sell it to somebody who would do as good a job as
possible for the franchise going forward. So, that comes in to play,
too. There's an emotional side to it.''