Celtics Sign Derek Smith

1990-91 Boston Celtics
Remembering the 29-5 Start

The Celtics seem to have gotten their man. For unless Derek Smith pulls a Jimmye Laycock, the 29-year-old swingman should officially join the team this weekend. When he'll play is another matter.

Smith and the Celtics have agreed on a contract and an announcement could be forthcoming in the next day or two. All that remains is the rather delicate matter of roster maneuvering.

NBA regulations stipluate a player must be on the active roster before he can be placed on the injured list (which is where Smith will end up). Therefore, barring an injury to one of the current 12 active players, someone must be released to make room.

One possible scenario is the old 'Hellenic flu' routine, which the Celtics have resorted to time and again. Someone comes up with a mysterious injury and is placed on the injured list. Another body arrives to take his place.

However, the league claims to be cracking down on such subterfuge (the Celtics aren't the only ones who practice such shenanigans, they just perfected it), as evidenced by the NBA forcing the team to waive Charles Smith.

Another option would be to waive a player. On the surface, Dave Popson seems the most likely candidate, because he has a nonguaranteed contract. All contracts become guaranteed if a player is still on a team's roster Dec. 28.

That may well be the route the Celtics go, but they also would likely re-sign Popson after Smith serves his one-game stint on the active list (Sunday against Atlanta), because they like him. Smith then could be placed on the injured list.

Smith would not even have to be with the team to be activated; in fact, plans don't call for him to be in Boston until after Christmas.

Smith has said he is two weeks away from playing, but the Celtics feel he may need longer. He underwent surgery in early September to remove scar tissue from his left knee.

The surgery was successful, Smith said he is no longer in pain every time he takes a step and Celtics physician Arnold Scheller said the knee was "mechanically sound." And would the Celtics have gone through the trouble of showing Smith all the exercise and weight equipment if they weren't interested in having him on board?

Smith has been working out daily the past few weeks and was in town Tuesday to audition for basketball boss Dave Gavitt, coach Chris Ford, general manager Jan Volk and legend/gadfly Red Auerbach. That's when he got the tour of the weight facilities and, apparently, the imprimatur of the Boston brain trust as well.