When Celtics boss Danny Ainge was courting free agent forward Karl Malone, he offered him good money, tried to sell him on the storied Celtics tradition, and stressed that Boston could be a great fit for him.
Malone listened carefully, then asked only one question.
"He wanted to know if No. 32 was retired," Ainge said. "I reminded him [Kevin] McHale wore that number. He said, `Oh. How do you think he'd feel about me wearing it?' "
Malone, who wore No. 32 his entire career with the Utah Jazz, ended up signing with the Lakers. Before he did, he talked with Magic Johnson about wearing his retired No. 32 Lakers jersey. That won't happen. Although Magic publicly offered the number to him (what else is he supposed to do?), Malone will wear No. 11, his number when he played for the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
The number on a uniform may seem trivial, but it is often one of the most important details to athletes embarking on an NBA career, or players in their prime, mulling over a move to a new team.
"It's a recruiting tool," Ainge said. "And we're at a big disadvantage."
No kidding. Imagine the Celtics' pitch: We love you, we want you, you can have any number you want -- except 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 32, 33, 35, or 00. That's 20 jerseys -- and counting. Former Celtics forward Cedric Maxwell's No. 31 will be raised next.
"Athletes are superstitious," Ainge explained. "Numbers mean a lot. LeBron James has worn No. 23 his entire life, in honor of his idol, Michael Jordan. He's going to get to wear No. 23 in Cleveland, but if that number was retired, they might have had a problem."
Via Boston Globe
Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers
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Grant Long has a medical supplies business that more than fills his offseason time, but the itch is admittedly still there.
After playing for the Celtics for just over half a season, the 37-year-old power forward and veteran of 15 NBA seasons was told this summer to start investigating other options. In other words, it's been swell.
``I was looking forward to coming back,'' Long said this week from his home in Georgia. ``The guys were great. They have a no-lose attitude and I just think the world of coach (Jim) O'Brien.''
Unfortunately for Long - not to mention fellow free agents Mark Bryant and Bimbo Coles - the new numbers don't leave much space for last season's hired guns. With Tuesday's trade for forward Jumaine Jones and the signing of rookie forward Brandon Hunter to a two-year deal, the Celtics have 14 players under contract, with training camp two months away.
That doesn't even leave room for a player who, despite his short time as a Celtic, was valued as much for his classy locker room presence as for his game-time contributions.
``I had a great time,'' Long said. ``I only had one year with Boston and when I came home everyone was like, `Oh man, it was great to see you in a Celtics uniform.' There really is something special to being part of that organization.
Via Boston Herald
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Jumaine Jones was tossed into a kind of NBA limbo - the sort that no player who has experienced life at the top can appreciate - two years ago.
The 6-foot-8 forward went from starter on the Sixers team that reached the 2001 NBA Finals to an offseason trade that sent him to Cleveland, land of the doomed.
After averaging just under 10 points a game within the Cavs' anarchic system last season, he pushed out into free agent waters.
And the first exec to call was the Celtics' Danny Ainge, who had long appreciated Jones' athleticism and the forward's fluid game, from medium-range jumpers out to 3-point range.
Ainge and general manager Chris Wallace made good on that foray yesterday when they completed a sign-and-trade deal with Cleveland, sending guard JR Bremer and center Bruno Sundov to the Cavs in exchange for Jones.
Though terms of the deal weren't disclosed, Jones will reportedly earn approximately $4.1 million over three years. The deal was briefly delayed Monday when Jones attempted to have an option inserted into the contract, only to be told that under NBA contracts, options aren't allowed within the first three years of a sign-and-trade deal.
Via Boston Herald
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Celtics Jul 2003 Archive
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Akron Beacon-Journal | Jul 29, 2003
The Cavaliers failed to trade Jumaine Jones a year ago and didn't even plan to offer him a contract this summer.
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Boston Herald | Jul 29, 2003
The longer he was in a Celtics uniform this summer, the more one particular phrase was attached to second-round draft pick Brandon Hunter.
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nba.com | Jul 28, 2003
The Boston Celtics announced today that the club has signed its 2003 second round draft pick Brandon Hunter (56th overall) to a contract.
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Associated Press | Jul 28, 2003
The Cleveland Cavaliers say they have agreed to a three-player trade with the Boston Celtics.
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Boston Herald | Jul 27, 2003
You really don't have to ask Byron Scott if he's happy.
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Boston Herald | Jul 26, 2003
Mike James already has scored two points on the savvy scale.
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Boston Globe | Jul 25, 2003
The Celtics have struck a two-year deal for approximately $1 million with second-round pick (No.
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Boston Herald | Jul 25, 2003
Say this much about Danny Ainge: The Celtics director of basketball operations doesn't waste time.
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Boston Herald | Jul 24, 2003
Jim O'Brien arrived in Miami yesterday on an outreach mission that could go a long way toward defining the Celtics' frontcourt needs next season.
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Boston Herald | Jul 23, 2003
Travis Best left his meeting with the Celtics yesterday in a strong Boston frame of mind, though the free agent guard wants a greener future than the minimum-salary contract the team is presently offering.
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Boston Herald | Jul 22, 2003
These two ships have passed before.
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Boston Herald | Jul 20, 2003
Walter McCarty said he wouldn't sign with the Celtics for the veteran minimum.
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Boston Herald | Jul 19, 2003
The Celtics are prepared to make some moves in the frontcourt if Walter McCarty doesn't accept their offer, but the team also appears to be looking for a point guard - perhaps one who is familiar to Boston fans.
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Boston Globe | Jul 19, 2003
The Celtics made their final offer to Walter McCarty last night.
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Boston Herald | Jul 18, 2003
Someone pull Tommy Heinsohn in from the ledge.
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Boston Herald | Jul 18, 2003
Sources said yesterday the Celtics are one of 14 NBA teams below the luxury tax level for this past season.
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Boston Herald | Jul 17, 2003
He's a free agent scorer, he's willing to sign for the league's veteran minimum, and he sat next to Danny Ainge during the Celtics' 85-57 loss to San Antonio in the Reebok Pro Summer League last night.
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Boston Herald | Jul 17, 2003
No one handed a program to Walker last June and asked him to start eating better, or to start running mini-marathons on 90-degree days.
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Boston Herald | Jul 17, 2003
McCarty's market has only started to take shape.
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Boston Globe | Jul 17, 2003
Free agent Mark Blount knew he would return to Boston 10 days ago when general manager Chris Wallace and director of player personnel Leo Papile flew to Boca Raton, Fla.
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Boston Globe | Jul 17, 2003
He wants another chance.
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New York Post | Jul 17, 2003
As Kenyon Martin took his courtside seat here at U-Mass Boston for last night's Nets' summer-league game, the Beantown fans booed heartily.
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nba.com | Jul 16, 2003
The Boston Celtics announced today that the team has re-signed center Mark Blount to a multi-year contract.
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Boston Globe | Jul 16, 2003
Today marks the official start of free agency.
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New York Daily News | Jul 15, 2003
The proposed trade that would have brought Antoine Walker to New York would have included Mike Sweetney, the Knicks' first-round draft pick.
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Boston Globe | Jul 15, 2003
Celtics star Paul Pierce made a special trip East to see the Reebok Pro Summer League.
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Boston Herald | Jul 15, 2003
First touch, and Marcus Banks found himself facing a very famous person.
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Boston Herald | Jul 15, 2003
JR Bremer's entire family lives in the Cleveland area, but they don't give him LeBron James updates.
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Boston Herald | Jul 14, 2003
People toss the term around often when they're talking about LeBron James.
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New York Daily News | Jul 14, 2003
For Lenny Cooke, today is the day to put up or shut up.
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New York Daily News | Jul 14, 2003
The Knicks are still trying to pry Antoine Walker away from the Celtics.
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Boston Globe | Jul 13, 2003
It's all about opening the checkbook.
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Boston Herald | Jul 13, 2003
As the LeBron James Festival - otherwise known as the Reebok Pro Summer League - prepares to open tomorrow at UMass-Boston to a week of record crowds, the answer to your question is ``yes.
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Boston Herald | Jul 12, 2003
Brandon Hunter didn't think he made a good impression on the Celtics in his private workout here.
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Boston Herald | Jul 11, 2003
After getting their contracts out of the way - not a big deal since the NBA instituted its rookie wage scale for first-round picks - Marcus Banks and Kendrick Perkins got back to business at the Celtics minicamp yesterday.
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Boston Herald | Jul 11, 2003
Two years ago at this time, Lenny Cooke was the goods in amateur basketball.
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Boston Globe | Jul 10, 2003
Celtics head of basketball operations Danny Ainge, apprised of comments made by Celtics free agent Walter McCarty in yesterday's Boston Herald that he ''won't be here'' next year, said he was disappointed and still hopes McCarty will re-sign with the team.
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Boston Herald | Jul 9, 2003
You can still love Waltah.
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Boston Globe | Jul 6, 2003
Despite the best recruiting efforts of Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge, it appears free agent power forward Karl Malone will remain in the West.
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Cincinnati Enquirer | Jul 6, 2003
This summer Brandon Hunter has to prove he can play power forward - again.
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Boston Globe | Jul 6, 2003
The historically black Pear Orchard neighborhood feels more like proud, small-town Texas than part of a city indebted to the oil industry.
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Las Vegas Review-Journal | Jul 5, 2003
By Tuesday, Marcus Banks should be in a higher tax bracket.
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Deseret Morning News | Jul 5, 2003
Move over, Los Angeles Lakers.
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Boston Herald | Jul 5, 2003
While all indications from Danny Ainge were that this would be a quiet free agent time for the Celtics, the opposite was true this week.
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Salt Lake Tribune | Jul 5, 2003
Karl Malone may be headed to the Lakers, and no amount of green -- in his paycheck or on his uniform -- is likely to convince him otherwise.
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Newark Star-Ledger | Jul 2, 2003
The Nets will soon be approaching Lester Conner about their assistant coaching vacancy, according to a person who discussed the matter with coach Byron Scott yesterday.
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Boston Globe | Jul 1, 2003
With the futures game played out at last week's NBA draft, teams can start to pursue established talent through free agency.
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New York Daily News | Jul 1, 2003
A potential deal by the Knicks for Boston's Antoine Walker would include Kurt Thomas and would create more minutes for Mike Sweetney, their first-round draft pick, a league source said yesterday.
