Celtics Don’t Care For Advice
Around the NBA
Celtics chairman of the board Paul Gaston doesn’t always go with the flow when he meets with his fellow NBA governors, whether the topic is escalating salaries or revenue sharing.
This week, Gaston took his views further, in the form of a couple of rockets to two fellow governors: Suns boss Jerry Colangelo and Madison Square Garden president Dave Checketts. The subject: their comments in a Dec. 22 Globe article on how the Celtics can use their money to rebuild the team and make it attractive for free agents.
Both Colangelo and Checketts were quoted extensively about how to rebuild franchises, clear payrolls and bring in free agents. Both have track records of doing so. Colangelo pulled off the latest heist with not only the acquisition of Jason Kidd but also the jettisoning of overpaid, aged A.C. Green. Checketts and the Knicks unloaded the presumably untradeable Charles Smith 11 months ago and then went free-agent shopping, snaring Allan Houston and Chris Childs.
Colangelo also has, on at least two occasions, rebuilt the Suns from bottom to near-top and will attempt to do so again next summer, armed with Kidd as a drawing card and millions to spend on players. Checketts took over a virtually bankrupt Utah Jazz franchise and turned it around before moving on to New York, where he twice has presided over a dramatic rebuilding of the Knicks.
Gaston did not appreciate the comments of either one, and he let them know it. Neither Colangelo nor Checketts elected to comment on the missives. Sources indicated that the letters were strongly worded and that the men were advised to stay out of the Celtics’ business.
Asked about the letters, Gaston said, “I regard the NBA as a curious animal, and we survive based on mutual respect among owners. I try to instill that among my employees, and I think it’s reasonable to do likewise (around the league).”
Williams looks Dallas over
Free-agent Brian Williams, coveted by the Dallas Mavericks, reportedly visited the team Saturday as part of his NBA exploration tour.
The 6-foot-11 center flew to Dallas on Friday night, sources told The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Mavericks minority owner Frank Zaccanelli refused comment when asked about the visit. Last weekend, Zaccanelli, director of player development Mark Aguirre and soon-to-be minority investor Michael Johnson flew to the West Coast to meet Williams and his agent to try to broker a deal.
Williams has visited several NBA cities recently to talk to interested bidders, and his agent, Dwight Manley, said he has spoken to half the teams in the league.
Williams, a five-year veteran who averaged 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Los Angeles Clippers, has remained available through the first third of the season.
Mullin new ‘Comeback Kid’
Golden State’s Chris Mullin has missed 140 games in his previous four years. He is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-low 13.3 points.
But so far in 1996-97, Mullin hasn’t missed a game. He has averaged 15 points, 4.3 assists and is shooting 55.6 percent from the field. He’s deferred the scoring load to Latrell Sprewell and Joe Smith, but he’s who the Warriors like to run their offense through.
“He has tried to do everything we’ve asked him to do,” Golden State coach Rick Adelman said. “Whatever it takes, he’s tried to do it.”
Mullin’s resurgence, his age (33) and the Warriors’ mediocre record (11-18) make him a prime candidate for a trade to a contender. But Adelman said he hasn’t even thought along those lines.
Heat finally cool off in Utah
The Miami Heat’s road winning streak came to an end at 14 games - two short of the NBA record Saturday night as Tim Hardaway’s 3-point attempt fell short at the buzzer in an 83-80 loss to the Utah Jazz.
It was the first road loss since Nov. 15 for Miami, which was trying to match or beat the Los Angeles Lakers’ 16-game streak in 1971-72.