Now here's some BAD news

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is from Shira Springer, posted to boston.com today.

My hope is Ainge's phrasing "that's my intention" and "I would never make a
phone call" are just to calm the waters and make it seem less like a fire
sale for Antoine. After all, letting it be known that you're desperate to
get rid of a guy hardly boosts his value. We'll see.

Mark


Ainge plans to keep Walker, O'Brien 
By Shira Springer, Globe Staff, 5/14/2003 
Danny Ainge, the Celtics' new Executive Director of Basketball Operations,
said today that he would not trade forward Antoine Walker and that he was
working on a contract extension for coach Jim O'Brien. 
"I have absolutely no intention of trading Antoine Walker," said Ainge. "I
will never make a phone call in that regard. I had a talk with Antoine
[Tuesday] and told him what I expected of him this summer, his preparation
coming into training camp next year. That's my plan. That's what we're
planing on doing going forward." 
On O'Brien: "I am in the process of negotiating a new deal with Jim O'Brien.
I had a conversation with Jim's agent [Lonnie Cooper] today." 
Team owner Wyc Grousbeck also said today that "paperwork is underway for the
assistant coaches today, meaning written contract extensions are being
prepared."