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["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wallace gets OK for Portland talk


By Shira Springer, Globe Staff, 5/21/2003

eltics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said yesterday
he has granted permission for general manager Chris Wallace to talk with the
Portland Trail Blazers. Wallace had dinner with Portland coach Maurice Cheeks
Monday in Los Angeles, where Cheeks was taping an appearance on ''The Tonight
Show with Jay Leno.''



Portland president/general manager Bob Whitsitt resigned after his team exited
the playoffs in the first round earlier this month, and since then, a number
of candidates have expressed interest in the job. Although Wallace has not
asked for permission to speak with teams other than the Blazers, Ainge said he
would not hesitate to grant it.''I think that he would like to look and see
what options are out there,'' said Ainge. ''I think he would like to run a
team on his own. But we will welcome him back if that opportunity is not
there.''Reached yesterday on his cell phone, Wallace offered ''no comment'' on
the Portland job. ''I'm still under contract with the Celtics and eager to
jump into work with Danny and get going on our final preparations for the
draft,'' said Wallace. ''We're in the backstretch with five weeks to go. The
visits have begun, and that's very important.''

When the Celtics hired Ainge May 9, Wallace said his ''first preference is to
stay with the Boston Celtics.'' But even before Boston officially announced
the addition of Ainge, Portland and Washington had contacted Wallace.

Although Wallace's contract has three years to run, he stands to have a
diminished role in the Celtics operation. Ainge has stated that Wallace will
continue to perform many of the same duties he has since 1997, but it's clear
Ainge is now in control.

If Wallace does remain with the Celtics, it's likely his role will be more
heavily focused on scouting, since Boston has a comparatively small scouting
staff. Wallace got his start in the business by founding the Blue Ribbon
College Basketball Yearbook, a scouting publication. Early in his career, he
was a scout for Portland.

Thanks,

Steve
sb@maine.rr.com

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