Celtics weigh Best option

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Celtics weigh Best option

by Mark Murphy
Tuesday, July 22, 2003







These two ships have passed before.




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Last year, the Celtics pursued Travis Best for a considerable amount of time,
only for the veteran point guard to sign a one-year, $1.4 million contract
with Miami.

Back then the Miami job appeared to have significantly more upside.

``If you're a player, and you know the history of a coach like Pat Riley, then
it becomes a great opportunity to play for someone like that,'' Best's agent,
Forest King, said yesterday. ``Playing for Pat, and playing with Alonzo
(Mourning), was going to be a great thing. Then, when Alonzo dropped out (due
to a kidney ailment), we had already signed on. And at the time the Celtics
were high on Tony Delk as their point guard.''

As of last night, however, the courtship was on again. Best, who flew in from
Miami, and King were scheduled to meet with Celtics coach Jim O'Brien and
director of basketball operations Danny Ainge over dinner last night.

A tour of the Celtics' practice facility in Waltham was expected to follow
this morning.

This time, with Best reportedly initiating contact and the Celtics in the
market for a veteran point guard to ease in rookie Marcus Banks, the match may
be better.

``We think it's serious,'' King said of the intent from both sides, with Best
also planning to visit with officials from Utah.

Chicago, which is still looking for veteran point guard help, and Best's
former team in Indiana, where Larry Bird has taken over as general manager,
are also in consideration.

The Indiana scenario, in particular, may carry weight due to Best's ties with
his former coach, under whom the Springfield native played the best basketball
of his career.

Bird is also known to be searching for a veteran point guard to take the
burden off Jamaal Tinsley.

But Best is also reportedly at the top of the Celtics' list, with the team
losing some of its interest in former Celtic Kenny Anderson.

And after JR Bremer's poor showing during the just-completed Reebok Pro Summer
League, where he only shot 27 percent from the floor including 0-for-5 on the
final day, the Celtics may have also lost some interest in their second-year
guard.

Add that to Ainge's declaration that he considers Delk strictly a shooting
guard, and the fit may be a perfect one for Best.

With his quickness and ability in the running game, Best may also be the
perfect prototype for Banks to follow.

``With Travis' game, he could really help the Celtics,'' said King. ``They've
got the people inside and the consummate perimeter people that he can tie
together. With the Celtics trying to get further in the playoffs, that doesn't
happen without an experienced guard in place.''

Of particular importance, of course, is the price tag. Best would fall within
Celtics management's minimum salary sensibilities.

The nine-year veteran would earn just less than $1 million this year under the
terms of a minimum contract.

``In these situations, to start out, I've never heard anything other than, `We
were kind of thinking of the minimum,' '' King said with a laugh.

Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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