Scott Layden's plan to revamp the Knicks roster could include Celtics All-Star power forward Antoine Walker.
The Knicks and Celtics have had serious discussions in recent days concerning a deal for Walker, according to a league source.
A potential deal could include Latrell Sprewell, whose contract matches Walker's. Or Boston could be looking to cut payroll by adding several lower-salaried players, including Kurt Thomas. A third team may have to be involved in order to complete the deal.
Walker, who will turn 27 in August, has averaged 20.8 points and 8.7 rebounds in seven NBA seasons. But the 6-9 forward was severely outplayed by Kenyon Martin in the Nets' four-game second-round sweep of Boston. Walker averaged just 14 points and shot 34% in the series.
Since the Celtics' playoff exit, Walker has been the subject of several trade rumors, including one to his hometown Chicago Bulls. While Walker is a talented albeit moody player, many teams have been turned off by his contract, which calls for him to make $28 million over the next two seasons.
Sprewell is also scheduled to earn $28 million over the next two seasons, although his contract includes an opt out clause for July 2004. The Knicks have been looking to move Sprewell since last summer but have found few willing partners.
Via New York Daily News
New York Knicks, Boston Celtics
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For Marcus Banks and Kendrick Perkins, it wasn't all about the money. When both chose to shut themselves off from further workouts with clubs and accept promises from the Celtics that they would go no lower than 16 and 20 (Perkins' advisers made the call for him), it was with the idea that money cannot always buy job satisfaction.
``Mine started like maybe a month ago,'' Banks said of the commitment process with the Celts. ``I was talking with Danny Ainge a lot - and of course my agent.
``There was a lot of deals going on about different teams, and Boston stayed really loyal to me. And that's what I'm about. I'm a loyal guy. You know, if he can commit to me, I can commit to him. It makes the process that much easier.''
Having just completed high school, Perkins didn't want to concern himself with backroom wheelings and dealings.
``I just played basketball,'' said the ample 6-foot-10 project, ``because we had a rule that my coaches handle all the business and I just play basketball. That took a lot of pressure off of me.''
By being assured a spot in the first round - and the guaranteed three-year deal that comes with it on the NBA's rookie salary scale - Perkins avoided other pressures. His representative, Bob Myers, was happy to get a handshake with the C's.
Via Boston Herald
Boston Celtics, NBA Draft
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Those who believe Kedrick Brown is a ripe plaintiff for an abandonment suit against the Celtics will likely have their day in court in the coming season. Make that on court.
When Danny Ainge talked on draft night about adding three young players - mentioning Brown with draftees Marcus Banks and Kendrick Perkins - he wasn't just blowing smoke. The new president of basketball operations is a Kedrick Brown guy, putting him in a group of celebrity endorsers that includes Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker.
Ainge signed on after recently sharing the floor at the Celts' facility with Brown. While he spoke in fairly measured tones about the third-year swingman who has picked up more splinters than meaningful minutes, the word from inside is that Ainge was bubbly about Brown's possibilities.
``I talked with Kedrick and we went out on the court and spent 15-20 minutes going through some stuff that I'd like to see him work on,'' Ainge said. ``He was leaving town, and hopefully he'll be back and I'll have a chance to work out a lot more with him.
``I like him. I think that Kedrick has some definite skills and talents. I think he's great defensively. I think he has the ability to be a real force as a post-up player and the two positions - especially since we have great shooters in Pierce and Walker. With Antoine being able to stretch the defense, you have the ability to go down and take advantage of positing up smaller positions like 2-guard and small forward.''
Via Boston Herald
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Celtics Jun 2003 Archive
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Boston Herald | Jun 27, 2003
There are people in NBA front offices who are unhappy with the Celtics today, which is why Red Auerbach was smiling as he left The Sports Authority Center in Waltham last night.
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Commercial Appeal | Jun 27, 2003
Grizzlies coach Hubie Brown didn't waste his breath after all.
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Boston Globe | Jun 26, 2003
Chris Wallace withdrew his name from consideration for the Portland general manager job yesterday after an interview process that dragged on for almost seven weeks.
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Boston Globe | Jun 26, 2003
Bryce Drew.
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Boston Globe | Jun 26, 2003
Technically speaking, tonight will be Danny Ainge's first official draft as the Man in Charge.
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Boston Herald | Jun 26, 2003
How ironic that as the Celtics prepare to make a point guard a priority in tonight's NBA draft, the Basketball Hall of Fame yesterday established the annual Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard Award, honoring the ``Houdini of the Hardwood'' who led the C's to six NBA championships.
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Boston Herald | Jun 26, 2003
The Celtics will be gazing to the NBA sky tonight in search of falling objects of their desire.
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Boston Globe | Jun 25, 2003
Danny Ainge emerged from his bunker yesterday to offer his thoughts on tomorrow night's NBA draft.
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Boston Herald | Jun 25, 2003
There is an eternal list of qualities that separate the Celtics from New Jersey, the team directly responsible for their demise the last two years.
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Boston Herald | Jun 25, 2003
Danny Ainge didn't tip his hand on his plans for tomorrow night's NBA draft, but he opened a bay window into the way he'll run the Celtics when speaking about the trade rumors that have been circulating lately.
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Boston Herald | Jun 25, 2003
It's looking as if general manager Chris Wallace may have overplayed his hand with regard to the GM's job in Portland, according to sources out West.
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Boston Herald | Jun 25, 2003
Vin Baker won't be doing the Summer League thing with the Celtics, but the big man still hopes to rehab his basketball career with an aggressive series of road trips this offseason.
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Sacramento Bee | Jun 25, 2003
Last week, when trade rumors continued to top themselves in absurdity, Geoff Petrie said he had barely spoken to any team about any Kings player, much less discussed the possibility of dealing the likes of Mike Bibby, Hedo Turkoglu, Peja Stojakovic or Bobby Jackson.
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Boston Herald | Jun 24, 2003
One might think that the Celtics learned their lesson when it came to duplication.
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Boston Herald | Jun 24, 2003
While the Darius Songaila era was coming to an end yesterday, Celtics general manager Chris Wallace was riding a roller coaster in his candidacy for the same position in Portland.
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New York Times | Jun 24, 2003
Sofoklis Schortsanitis leaves major impressions wherever he goes.
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Boston Globe | Jun 23, 2003
Jim O'Brien needed soulful singer Sade to make his point about young NBA players perfectly clear.
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Hartford Courant | Jun 23, 2003
When Danny Ainge and coach Jim O'Brien met the media after O'Brien was given a three-year contract extension last month, the Celtics' new general manager could not have been more blunt.
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Boston Herald | Jun 23, 2003
Not surprisingly, the Celtics have run more playmakers through the doors of their practice facility in Waltham over the last two weeks than have played for the team in the last two years.
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Boston Herald | Jun 22, 2003
It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Pavel Podkolzine, the 300-pound, 7-foot-4 Siberian with the athleticism of someone half his size, sparked a brief but all-inclusive NBA feeding frenzy over the last three weeks.
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Boston Globe | Jun 22, 2003
We'll call them the Boys from Buducnost.
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Boston Herald | Jun 20, 2003
The Celtic basketball operation may soon be in a state of flux, with general manager Chris Wallace and assistant coach John Carroll possibly having opportunities to move on.
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Boston Globe | Jun 19, 2003
The Celtics have decided not to bring back strength and conditioning coach Shaun Brown, according to several team sources.
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Boston Herald | Jun 19, 2003
Priorities, priorities.
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Boston Globe | Jun 13, 2003
For Red Auerbach, who may need his own Smithsonian Museum wing to stash his rings, plaques, medals, and honorary degrees, last night's lifetime achievement award from The Sports Museum during a FleetCenter ceremony was the latest of half a century's worth of awards.
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Boston Herald | Jun 13, 2003
A week after departing the pre-draft camp in Chicago, the Celtics' band of traveling talent-testers will be in New Jersey today to check out a 6-foot-9 forward from Ukraine.
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Boston Herald | Jun 12, 2003
Paul Pierce is back in the running for the U.
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Boston Herald | Jun 11, 2003
The NHL season ended here Monday night, but that didn't stop Rodney Rogers from throwing a little hip check at the Celtics as he prepared for tonight's Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
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Boston Globe | Jun 11, 2003
Antoine Walker does not want Vin Baker to worry about being accepted back into the Celtics' fold.
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Boston Herald | Jun 10, 2003
Boston basketball fans may have a chance to be the first to see high school sensation LeBron James play in an NBA uniform.
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Boston Herald | Jun 10, 2003
The Celtics brass had players in for their first long day of workouts yesterday, but Danny Ainge was wise to curb his enthusiasm before the process started.
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Boston Herald | Jun 9, 2003
Danny Ainge will not be opening the Celtics' wallet for Antoine Walker this summer, despite the co-captain's desire for a contract extension.
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Boston Herald | Jun 9, 2003
After a week at the camp, the Celtics have discovered some interesting opportunities to trade one or both of their first-round picks.
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Boston Herald | Jun 9, 2003
While most all of the key players stayed out of the pre-draft camp workouts, the array of talent was among the most impressive in several years to the scouts.
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New York Post | Jun 9, 2003
There is nothing baby about him.
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Boston Globe | Jun 8, 2003
Technically, summer vacation ends tomorrow for Antoine Walker.
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Boston Globe | Jun 7, 2003
While Troy Bell distinguished himself in four seasons at Boston College, he faced a tougher task at the four-day NBA predraft camp that concluded last night.
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Boston Globe | Jun 7, 2003
Representatives for the Celtics and for Vin Baker met in Chicago yesterday to discuss the progress the center has made and his return to the team.
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Boston Herald | Jun 6, 2003
While Antoine Walker's body has been an off-limits topic around the Celtics since Rick Pitino left town, the co-captain's trainer is ready to show him some tough love when he gets back in earnest to his summer conditioning program.
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Boston Herald | Jun 6, 2003
The Celtics have the 16th and 20th overall picks in hand as they survey things at the NBA's pre-draft camp here, but there is a real question whether they'll be making those choices on June 26.
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Boston Herald | Jun 6, 2003
The Trail Blazers are taking their sweet time to decide on a new general manager (i.
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Boston Herald | Jun 6, 2003
Danny Ainge may have been a ``shoot first, ask questions later'' guy as a player, but he's taking a different road now that he's in the front office.
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Portland Oregonian | Jun 5, 2003
Chris Wallace has emerged as the early front-runner for the Blazers' general manager position.
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Boston Herald | Jun 5, 2003
With so many of the top players having chosen to skip the NBA's pre-draft camp, Boston College star Troy Bell is among the top-rated players performing for coaches and personnel people.
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Boston Herald | Jun 5, 2003
Vin Baker will be treated as much for a psychological condition as for alcoholism once a new agreement is completed regarding his situation, sources said yesterday.
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Boston Globe | Jun 5, 2003
According to Warren LeGarie, the agent for Chris Wallace, the Celtics' general manager should have a new job in another city sometime this summer.
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Boston Herald | Jun 3, 2003
As he prepared to head off to the NBA's pre-draft camp in Chicago in search of young talent, Danny Ainge had a more mature player on his mind yesterday.
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Washington Post | Jun 3, 2003
The Washington Wizards interviewed former Maryland star Len Elmore yesterday for their president of basketball operations vacancy and received clearance to interview Boston General Manager Chris Wallace, sources confirmed.
