Wallace Absolved Of Celtics Problems

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Says the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman:

THE FALL GUY

The true culprit of the Celtics' demise remained out of view as Boston's
season crumbled in the franchise's first 0-4 sweep since 1983, when
Larry Bird's flu sapped the team's spirit.

The downfall began in the wake of last season's Eastern Conference
finals, when then-owner Paul Gaston informed General Manager Chris
Wallace that the funding would not be in place to re-sign impending
free-agent forward Rodney Rogers.

Gaston's frugality, in turn, led to the disastrous trade of Kenny
Anderson, Vitaly Potapenko and Joseph Forte to the Sonics for Vin Baker
and Shammond Williams.

Even now, Gaston's past parsimony continues to exact a toll. With Baker
wedded to the payroll, the eight players under contract for next season
already account for $54 million in payroll. At that level, even the
less-miserly new ownership has expressed unease about stepping further
into the luxury tax by spending next season's $4.5 million mid-level
exception.

About the only way out would be dealing the incredibly disappearing
Antoine Walker and his $13.5 million charge against the cap next season.
In the wake of the demise against the Nets, new personnel chief Danny
Ainge has discounted that possibility.

The scary part is in introducing Ainge, new owner Wyc Grousbeck said,
"This is a long-term plan, a five- or 10- or 15-year plan to make this
team ultra-competitive."

Somehow, you'd think the timetable would be a bit more dramatic for a
team one year removed from the Eastern Conference finals.