[no subject]

"I think we tried to focus on the situation and what we knew about it and how
to fix it," said Celtics managing partner and CEO Wyc Grousbeck. "We didn't
think it was going to be a battle. We felt it would be about a solution. We
thought we were all in it, together, and it was an issue for everyone."

Baker's first February meeting with Celtics officials occurred immediately
after the All-Star break and just before the Celtics' western swing. He joined
the team in Seattle, played on the trip, then returned with the team. The
Celtics then acquired Mark Blount from Denver and Baker spent his last two
home games in uniform watching from the sideline. At the Celtics-Pacers game
Feb. 26, the team basically had already decided to suspend Baker. It was all
put down in writing the next day.

Present at the meeting, along with Baker, was his father, James, and a
friend/adviser, Stephen Singleteary. The Celtics were represented by
Grousbeck, owner Steve Pagliuca, team attorney Neil Jacobs, and general
manager Chris Wallace.

Baker was scared at the outset of the meeting. How could he not be? He had
three-plus years and more than $40 million coming to him and maybe that was in
jeopardy. He had health concerns. At the time, he was almost a pathetic figure
on the court; the idea that he could do what he did Monday (16 points, 12
rebounds, 5 blocks) was unfathomable.

"I didn't know what was going to happen," Baker said. "I didn't think they
were going to terminate the contract. I just knew I'd had enough of the
drinking. I was nervous. I was scared. I was disappointed. All of that. There
was a lot of emotion going on."

This was new ground for all concerned. There are no provisions in the NBA's
labor agreement with its players that cover alcoholism.

"It was unclear to us exactly what we could do," said Robert Epstein, another
of the Celtics' owners. "Beyond the issue of the collective bargaining
agreement, how do you do it? We had a number of very difficult discussions as
to what we should do. It was the first crisis we confronted since we had taken
over.

"When you think it through, there just weren't a lot of alternatives," Epstein
said. "You had a disruptive element on the basketball team. You had a human
being. We decided our responsibility was to do what was for the best of the
team and, unfortunately, that was for Vin Baker to leave the team."

Baker said, "I've looked back [on the meeting] and I'm happy I made the change
for my life. If I was going to make the change, there had to be some
responsibility. I accepted that responsibility. I try not to look back and say
what I did or what I signed could have been handled differently. Because if I
do that, I wouldn't be enjoying today or focusing toward tomorrow. What
happened, happened. Now, I'm trying to move forward and put my life back
together. And by putting it back together, I try not to regret anything I've
done."

When the meeting ended, and everyone had left his house, Baker went briefly to
his room, alone, to digest everything that had just happened. He then emerged
and asked his father, "When can we start?' " He then called the Celtics.

"I wanted to go in [rehab] right away so I could get back and play," he said.
"But, more than that, I knew I was going to have to go away to get better. I
was disappointed. I was upset. But I told myself I was going to get better. So
it all started that day."

Said Grousbeck, "We came out of that meeting with an agreement and a course of
action. And there hasn't been a need to have any more meetings. To his credit,
he's done it. If there's a spotlight to be shined in this, it has to be on
Vin."

Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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