Celtics Interested in Paxson

February 1988
The Jim Paxson Acquisition

How convenient for the Celtics to be in Portland. It will save them the expense of sending a scout to look at Jim Paxson.

The 30-year-old Dayton grad is available, and the Celtics are believed to be interested. Paxson, a two-time All-Star and a 16-points-a-game career scorer, is expendable because he is an off-guard, making about $875,000 a year playing behind Clyde Drexler, who has developed into one of the premier players in the league. Paxson has had recent surgery on a toe and is just now getting his game back.

Celtics general manager Jan Volk will neither confirm nor deny that Paxson is the No. 1 Boston quarry at the moment. "Lots of things are considered at this time of the year," Volk said. "Some things we take more seriously than others."

Volk believes the Celtics will soon be better off, trade or no trade. "We will soon acquire a player through action or inaction who will help us," he said, referring to the imminent reactivation of Jerry Sichting.