Kori Ellis
07-08-2005, 12:31 AM
Scalabrine a Net gain for Celts
By Steve Bulpett
Friday, July 8, 2005
http://www.dailynewstribune.com/sportsNews/view.bg?articleid=58373
LAS VEGAS - Nothing can be official or even settled until free agent contracts are allowed to be signed on July 22, but barring any unforeseen events Brian Scalabrine will be a Celtic.
League sources indicated yesterday that the New Jersey Nets forward has reached an agreement in principle with the Celts on a five-year contract for something just short of $15 million.
Maintaining a measure of flexibility, the C's will use about half of their mid-level exception, which is expected to be set in the $5 million range when the new collective bargaining agreement parameters are calculated. The other half could be used on a veteran point guard, unless the club gets such a player in trade.
C's director of basketball operations Danny Ainge wouldn't elaborate on the Scalabrine reports.
``I don't comment on any free agent discussions,'' Ainge said yesterday at the Reebok Summer League. ``I don't want to jinx anything. I prefer nobody knowing my business.''
It is known that he is fond of the 6-foot-9, 235-pound Scalabrine's game, which is evident in the fairly sizable deal for someone of so modest stats (3.9 points in 14.8 minutes over 210 games). The four-year veteran out of USC is a physical player with a good mid-range touch. He is, however, just a 39.3 percent career shooter after hitting nearly 40 percent for the Nets last season. On the other hand, Scalabrine scored in double figures in six of Jersey's last eight regular-season games when he got significant minutes. He started those eight games, helping the Nets make the playoffs with a 7-1 run.
New Jersey, meanwhile, was focusing its attention yesterday on free agent Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
Scalabrine's presumed presence won't be the key factor if Antoine Walker doesn't return. Word is the Celts would still take him back at the right price, but there is reason to doubt that number is in sync with Walker's current expectation.
League sources say Walker's side has been looking into sign and trade options that would allow him to get more than the mid-level exception. The Celtics could be amenable to that type of deal only if it allowed them to trim their payroll in a year or two. Failing that, the C's aren't looking to take back anyone with a hefty long-term contract.
By Steve Bulpett
Friday, July 8, 2005
http://www.dailynewstribune.com/sportsNews/view.bg?articleid=58373
LAS VEGAS - Nothing can be official or even settled until free agent contracts are allowed to be signed on July 22, but barring any unforeseen events Brian Scalabrine will be a Celtic.
League sources indicated yesterday that the New Jersey Nets forward has reached an agreement in principle with the Celts on a five-year contract for something just short of $15 million.
Maintaining a measure of flexibility, the C's will use about half of their mid-level exception, which is expected to be set in the $5 million range when the new collective bargaining agreement parameters are calculated. The other half could be used on a veteran point guard, unless the club gets such a player in trade.
C's director of basketball operations Danny Ainge wouldn't elaborate on the Scalabrine reports.
``I don't comment on any free agent discussions,'' Ainge said yesterday at the Reebok Summer League. ``I don't want to jinx anything. I prefer nobody knowing my business.''
It is known that he is fond of the 6-foot-9, 235-pound Scalabrine's game, which is evident in the fairly sizable deal for someone of so modest stats (3.9 points in 14.8 minutes over 210 games). The four-year veteran out of USC is a physical player with a good mid-range touch. He is, however, just a 39.3 percent career shooter after hitting nearly 40 percent for the Nets last season. On the other hand, Scalabrine scored in double figures in six of Jersey's last eight regular-season games when he got significant minutes. He started those eight games, helping the Nets make the playoffs with a 7-1 run.
New Jersey, meanwhile, was focusing its attention yesterday on free agent Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
Scalabrine's presumed presence won't be the key factor if Antoine Walker doesn't return. Word is the Celts would still take him back at the right price, but there is reason to doubt that number is in sync with Walker's current expectation.
League sources say Walker's side has been looking into sign and trade options that would allow him to get more than the mid-level exception. The Celtics could be amenable to that type of deal only if it allowed them to trim their payroll in a year or two. Failing that, the C's aren't looking to take back anyone with a hefty long-term contract.