It's Official: Parish Wants More than McHale

1983-84 Boston Celtics

When Robert Parish didn't appear at Delta Air Lines Gate 31 for the Celtics' flight from Boston to Phoenix, the first inclination was to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the Chief got caught in the Friday afternoon Callahan Tunnel mess, or maybe he wanted to stay home and watch the Dodgers play the Phillies.

Before boarding the plane, Celtics trainer Ray Melchiorre called Parish. "Robert just told me he wasn't going to make it," Melchiorre reported. "That was about all he said." With that, it became official: Robert Parish is holding out. He has three years remaining on a contract that pays him $650,000 per year, but he is unhappy because the Celtics are paying Kevin McHale $1 million per year for four years.

Neither Parish nor his agent, Wayne Traynham, returned The Globe's phone calls Friday or yesterday, although Traynham did tell WRKO's Glen Ordway that they would release a statement today. Parish was much more verbal two weeks ago when he threatened to sit out training camp unless the Celtics renegotiatedhis contract. At that time, Parish said, "How can you pay a nonstarter more than a starter? That's an insult to me." Later that week, when the Celtics made it clear they would not do any talking under the threat of a holdout, Traynham said Parish believed in the "sanctity" of a contract and that he would seek a solution other than renegotiation. Everything quieted down when Parish reported to camp on schedule and the Celtics began talking with Traynham about an extension of Parish's contract.

Apparently things weren't moving quickly enough for Parish. "He gave them a week," said a teammate. "He said if nothing was done in a week, he'd sit out." Parish practiced Friday morning, and coach K.C. Jones had no inkling that the 7-foot center wouldn't be making the plane later in the day. When assistant general manager Jan Volk talked to Traynham Friday night, the Celtics were informed officially of Parish's holdout. Volk immediately took all contract extension offers off the table. Meanwhile, the Celtics are withholding Parish's salary and fining their center a standard sum for each day he misses.

"We (Volk and Traynham) met three times and had discussions every business day," a surprised Volk said yesterday. "It always was clear that we were not dealing under any threat of a walkout." Alan Cohen, one of the Celtics' three new owners, said, "This stunned us. Robert had said he was wrong before when we told him we wouldn't talk under a threat like this. We're certainly not going to negotiatiate under an ultimatum now. We felt we were making reasonable approaches toward what was bothering him and now this."

Unless Parish changes his mind and returns to the team, the Celtics are left with three options: 1. Accommodate Parish with more money; 2. Trade him to a team that will pay him what he wants; 3. Let him sit. GM Red Auerbach said, "I can only trade him if an exceptional deal comes through. We're not gonna give him away." "Let him sit," Auerbach added. "I'm tired of players giving ultimatums. It's a matter of nobody being bigger than the ballclub. "I can't understand this move, I really can't. I thought we presented a good situation to Robert."

When Cohen was asked if the Celtics would be bold enough to let Parish sit at home, the owner said, "I wouldn't rule that out entirely. "Let me say this," he added. "The Boston Celtics will survive Robert Parish. The Celtics were a great team before Robert Parish and will be a great team after he retires."