Missed this earlier... Celts deny Vancouver trade rumor

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

This in the Herald's NBA notes... Let me just say that I don't believe they
aren't having conversations. They're not doing their job if they're not
talking. But it does sound like they're not ready to cash in the first two
picks for Gasol.

Here's the blurb...

C's deny trade rumor 
The Celtics strongly denied an Internet report that they've offered their
first two first-round picks in the June 27 draft (Nos. 10 and 11) for
Vancouver's No. 6. 
With No. 21 also in their pocket, it's not inconceivable at all the Celts
could make a trade, but they are prepared to be more the hunted than the
hunter. 
``We'll listen, but we're not picking up the phone right now,'' said
personnel director Leo Papile. ``We'll return calls, but I have to tell you
we like what we see in this draft, very much so, all the way down to 21.
Everybody knows our number and we'll listen, but this is not some fire sale
where we're looking to dump picks. I think that the long-term plan here is
starting to come through. The chickens are coming home to roost from the Ron
Mercer and Danny Fortson trades. That's where these picks (11 and 21) come
from basically. 
``There have been a lot of bumps in the road in between, but basically these
picks are Danny Fortson and Ron Mercer. We want to replace those guys with
similar players and we think we can. And we can have them for five years
under the collective bargaining rules.'' 
General manager Chris Wallace has been in contact with his NBA peers, but he
added that if nothing comes of the calls, ``We're very comfortable about
lining up and going to bat three times.''