MacMullan on Baker

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

 "We know O'Brien never wanted Baker in the first place. " 
- MacMullan

 ------------------------
It's time to face his demons 
By Jackie MacMullan, Globe Columnist, 2/27/2003  

It's hard to say exactly when Vin Baker reached the point of no return. 
Was it Nov. 13 against Philly at the FleetCenter, when he found himself 
under the basket, guarded by no one, and upfaked anyway, as if to ward 
off some unseen demons lurking around the basket? 
Was it the night in Dallas Jan. 10, when he logged the first DNP-coach's 
decision of his pro career, and cried like a child whose favorite toy 
had been snatched from his grasp? 
Or was it when he suffered heart palpitations three weeks ago that, 
in his own words, ''terrified'' him, yet triggered reports he invented a 
malady to duck a face-to-face meeting with his old team, the Seattle 
SuperSonics? 
The sad truth is this: It was over for Vin Baker on July 22, 2002, the 
day he was traded here, the day he thought would make everything 
all right, because he was finally coming home to New England, where 
his family and his friends could fill a void by populating the seats of 
the FleetCenter and provide the moral support that would right his career. 
It was a doomed union from the start, this marriage of Vin Baker and 
the Boston Celtics. Right from Day 1, skeptical Celtics fans were 
wondering why Rodney Rogers, Erick Strickland, and Kenny Anderson 
were jettisoned in favor of an overweight, overpaid, overwrought, 
big man who appeared to lack the physical and mental fortitude 
required to survive in the ruthless world of the NBA. 
The Globe's Shira Springer learned last night that Baker will be 
suspended today by his own basketball team to deal with alcohol-related 
issues. 
This news is hardly shocking. Reports of alcohol troubles have dogged 
Baker for years, most recently with the Sonics. Baker, who 
deteriorated in Seattle from a second-team All-NBA selection in 
1997-98 to an underachieving salary cap liability last season, often 
had to contend with the wrath of angry fans who expected more. 
Former teammate Gary Payton, a good friend, told reporters All-Star 
weekend that Baker was prone to ''anxiety attacks'' in his final 
days in Seattle. 
''He had a problem with it [last year] and they gotta find out how 
to cure it,'' said Payton. ''I hope he gets better. He's my little 
brother. It's just unfortunate, the disease he [has] got. Stress and 
all that stuff makes it worse. I hope he gets a cure for it.'' 
It's unclear what ''disease'' Payton is referring to, but it's clear 
those closest to Baker have been hoping for some time he gets 
the help he needs. Today's meeting with the Celtics sounds like 
a pretty good first step in that direction. 
Baker confirmed to Springer last night he'd be huddling with the 
Celtics brass and addressing his teammates today, but denied he 
had a medical problem. He also shot down rumors that he was 
retiring, negotiating a buyout, or taking a leave of absence. 
''We're going to talk about some things tomorrow,'' Baker said. 
''Coach [Jim] O'Brien and I have some things to talk about.'' 
Asked about the exact nature of those discussions, Baker answered, 
''There won't be anything negative. It will be full of positives.'' 
Let's hope that's true. Vin Baker is no villain. He is polite, 
respectful, and well spoken. He cheered his teammates on to 
victory last night even though he knew he'd never get the chance 
to rip off his warmups. Even so, Baker has become a distraction 
in the locker room. Cocaptain Antoine Walker has tried to carry 
the torch for this tormented big man, yet he has become a giant 
elephant in the middle of the room. He's big, he's cumbersome, 
and nobody quite knows what to do with him. Because of his 
bloated contract, he simply is impossible to ignore. 
This could quite possibly go down as the worst trade in Celtics 
history. The front office, hamstrung in part by a heartless owner 
with one eye toward the door, tore up the blueprint of a team that 
went to the Eastern Conference finals last season, then tried to 
stop the bleeding by pulling the trigger on a deal that featured 
Baker as the key element. You have to wonder if the Celtics did 
their homework. The bottom line is Baker has 31/2 years left 
on a $56.25 million contract, making him utterly untradable. It 
was unclear last night what financial relief, if any, Boston will 
get from a suspension. 
Baker logged his third consecutive DNP, coach's decision last night 
in a 71-69 Celtics victory over the Indiana Pacers. He slipped out 
of the rotation following Boston's reacquisition of Mark Blount, 
who logged 16 minutes against Indiana. 
So where do the Celtics and Baker go from here? We know O'Brien 
never wanted Baker in the first place. We also know by bringing 
Blount back into the fold, the coach has decided - at least for now - 
the Vin Baker reclamation project is over. 
Facing up to a problem is never easy for anyone, especially a pro 
athlete who makes millions, and whose every move has been 
scrutinized from the day he walked into this town. You could fill 
the FleetCenter with Baker's parents, friends, cousins, and fans, 
but it still won't be enough. 
Here's hoping Vin Baker faces his demons, whatever they are, and 
learns how to eliminate them. If that means he needs to stop 
playing basketball, either temporarily, or permanently, then so be it. 
On the evenings he doesn't pull on his No. 42 jersey, and brace 
himself for the unrelenting pressure of proving he's worth millions 
of dollars, Baker is a father, a son, a friend. 
At the end of the day, that's far more important than being a Celtic. 
Yet facing that reality could well be Vin Baker's most difficult task.