RE: Ruben Waived??

["John Lyell" <jlyell@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Maybe we will sign Songalia!


I am not sure if it works salary wise but how about Shammond & E. Williams
for Foyle and Sura?


John




-----Original Message-----
From: owner-celtics@igtc.com [mailto:owner-celtics@igtc.com]On Behalf Of
Belanger, Roger
Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 10:33 AM
To: 'Bos3332@AOL.com'; celtics@igtc.com
Subject: RE: Ruben Waived??


Yes he is gone, here is the article from the globe..

Regards,

Roger


Wolkowyski headed to Spain

Expect roster to remain at 12

By Shira Springer, , Globe Staff, 2/19/2003

AKLAND, Calif. - The Celtics will place Ruben Wolkowyski on waivers today,
clearing the way for the Argentine forward to join Spanish league champion
Tau Ceramica. It will take 48 hours for him to clear waivers, then he is
free to go to Europe and play. Wolkowyski leaves Boston before public
address announcers could learn how to pronounce his last name.


By heading overseas midway through the NBA regular season, Wolkowyski
forfeits the remainder of his one-year, $586,435 deal. As a result, the
Celtics gain some salary cap/luxury tax relief, but it's minor in the larger
scheme. Basically, the Celtics let Wolkowyski go as a courtesy, allowing the
forward to get playing time and enter a more comfortable situation in a
country where he speaks the language. Tau has two players who were teammates
with Wolkowyski on the Argentine national team.

''I guess you could term it an amicable parting of the ways,'' said general
manager Chris Wallace. ''We're happy to be in a position to make Ruben and
his family happy. It was a very comfortable, natural fit [in Spain]. He
wanted to pursue the opportunity and we gave our blessing.''

So, the Celtics are back to a 12-man roster and, according to coach Jim
O'Brien, there are no plans to again increase those numbers. Wallace said
there are very few good, NBA-caliber players still sitting around. Still, a
12-man roster does present its challenges.

''We're not getting another player,'' said O'Brien.

Asked if he had any concerns about going the rest of the way with a 12-man
roster, O'Brien replied, ''I think we're all concerned with the center
position with Tony being banged up and then ill. And in many cases, we had
to go with Walter[ McCarty] and Grant Long at the 5-spot. That's a concern
and stays a concern. But we've adjusted to this point in time and we'll
continue to do what is necessary.''

That said, there has been trade talk surrounding a deal for Denver (and
former Boston) center Mark Blount. League sources said yesterday that the
Celtics have talked with the Nuggets about a deal that would send Shammond
Williams and a second-round pick to Denver in exchange for Blount. Wallace
remained noncommittal about the Celtics' trade prospects. He added all was
relatively quiet on the Celtics' front yesterday.

''We're sitting inside 48 hours,'' said Wallace. ''I wouldn't handicap our
chances [of a deal] as overwhelming, nor would I call them out of the realm
of possibility.''

Welcome assist

If O'Brien has not already sent a thank-you note to the Heinsohns, he may
sit down to write one after the Celtics finish their six-game, 11-day trip.
Last summer, the Heinsohns helped convince Walter McCarty to sign a one-year
deal for the six-year veteran minimum worth $762,435. As Boston endures its
toughest trip of the year, it has found McCarty's versatility invaluable.

With starting center Tony Battie excused from the game at Seattle because of
''personal issues,'' then missing games at Portland and Los Angeles because
of severe stomach flu and playing only four minutes in Phoenix, McCarty got
the call to start at center for the first four games of the trip. O'Brien
also considered McCarty an option to start at shooting guard against
Portland when it was uncertain whether Paul Pierce could play with a right
groin strain. In those four starts, McCarty has averaged 10.2 points and 6
rebounds in 32 minutes.

Last night against the Warriors, McCarty scored 24 points.

''He is a guy who will do whatever is necessary to help the group that he's
with succeed,'' said O'Brien. ''He was that way at Kentucky and he's that
way here. He's always ready. He always works hard. He's always focused. He
doesn't care what position he plays. If he has to play a giant strong
center, he'll do that. If he has to play a 2-guard, he'll do that.''

When asked what might have happened without a versatile player such as
McCarty to fill in, O'Brien answered, ''If he decided to play for another
team, it would have been devastating to our team. He's very, very important
to what we do. As long as I'm in coaching, I want Walt on my side.''

The feeling is mutual. When McCarty becomes a free agent again this summer,
he would like to remain in Boston. He said it is difficult to imagine
playing with a different group of teammates under a different coach. As a
result, he would be willing to take something of a so-called hometown
discount. McCarty simply wants to ''feel appreciated'' when the Celtics make
an offer this summer, though he would not reveal the numbers or years he has
in mind.

''It would be kind of strange playing somewhere else and playing for someone
else,'' said McCarty. ''I think I've got a good base in Boston, fan base
especially. I really love the city a lot. We'll just have to see. Hopefully,
they'll make the right offer. Hopefully, it won't even come to the question
[of going somewhere else].''

Battie battles back

Battie started at center last night as he continues to recover from his
recent illness. He had 7 points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes. O'Brien is
trying to get Battie back into the mix as much as he can.

''I was just trying to get my game speed back and my hand-eye coordination
back and get back into the flow of things,'' said Battie. ''It felt pretty
good out there. There were a couple of times where I felt totally exhausted,
but you get fouls and timeouts called and you get a breather. [O'Brien] said
if I got fatigued to give him a sign, but there's no way I was going to tell
them to take me out.''

''I need him to compete at the highest level,'' said O'Brien. ''So, how long
he's in there is how effective he's going to be. As soon as he stops being
effective, he comes out of the game. We need Tony on the court in the long
run in order for us to be the type of team that we want to be.''



-----Original Message-----
From: Bos3332@AOL.com [mailto:Bos3332@AOL.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 1:12 PM
To: celtics@igtc.com
Subject: Ruben Waived??


Anyone hear the Ruben Wolloski(sp?) has be put on waivers so he can go play
basketball in Spain? If he is waived what does that mean for the Celtics
financially? Who might they pick up to take his place? If true?

tony