C's Dangling 3 and 6 Picks

June 22, 1997

Assuming Dino Radja gets his mind - and left knee - straight and accepts the trade to Philadelphia, the Friday deal that brought Clarence Weatherspoon and Michael Cage from the 76ers may be simply the trigger for larger transactions.

With Texas Tech forward-center Tony Battie slipping a tad in the eyes of the NBA, Colorado point guard Chauncey Billups and Utah forward Keith Van Horn are now seen as the main prizes behind Tim Duncan in Wednesday's draft. And several clubs are speaking with the 76ers (at No.2) and Celtics (at No.3, as well as No.6) to move up.

New Jersey has reportedly talked to the Celtics about Jayson Williams and the seventh overall pick for No.3, but there may not be enough interest on the C's for Williams. Though he may be the league's best rebounder this side of Dennis Rodman, Williams has one year left on his contract (at around $ 2.8 million) and will be looking for a big score next summer.

Denver, coveting Van Horn and Billups (in that order), offered the Sixers Ervin Johnson and No.5 overall for Cage and No.2 before Friday's Philly-Boston move. The Nuggets know they need to get into either the second or third position to get a player they truly want, but it's unlikely they'll be able to pull that off unless they are willing to put Antonio McDyess in the envelope.

New Denver general manager Allan Bristow is saying he will talk about a contract extension with McDyess' agent (the same Arn Tellem whom Bristow tried to choke in Charlotte), but he knows McDyess could well choose to play out the year and become a free agent.

It's doubtful at this point that bothCeltic free agents - Rick Fox and David Wesley - will be back, though one may be retained (Fox if the C's get a point guard, and Wesley if they draft a forward).

Wesley, however, appears to have some strong options. Denver and Vancouver both need point guards, and depending on how they do Wednesday (the Nuggets are also willing to deal Johnson for No.9 or No.10), Wesley could have shots in those cities. But the present leader among outside clubs is Charlotte - a squad against whom Wesley has had his best games.

But in that the free agents don't officially enter the market until July 1, there is time for further maneuvering. And there is some very strong question of whether Radja, Weatherspoon and Cage will ever slip into the new uniforms dictated by the Friday dealing.

Philadelphia-Chicago talks could be restarted, with Radja (whom the Bulls like) going with Jerry Stackhouse as part of a package for Scottie Pippen.

Getting Pippen ("Anyone who isn't interested in Scottie Pippen doesn't know basketball" - Rick Pitino) would  explain Larry Brown's desire to draft Billups and may be enough to jolt Derrick Coleman into some measure of basketball dignity.

Meanwhile, though the C's like Weatherspoon's possibilities on the court and enjoy the fact his contract has just one more season left, he could easily be dealt to a contending club on draft night. If the C's select Van Horn next Wednesday, there will be a logjam at forward, necessitating the movement of at least one to allow Eric Williams, Antoine Walker and Van Horn to flower.

As for Cage, while he had longed to play in Boston earlier in his career, word is he has already requested a move toward his home in the Southwest.

The Celts explored the idea of switching draft positions with Philadelphia, and Pitino said the two clubs might not be done dealing.

The lingering issue as the weekend began was whether Radja could extricate himself from the Sixer plans because of his health.

He had talked about retiring unless he was traded to a team (and city) that interested him, and now questions are being raised about the physical he will need to take in Philadelphia.

"I have my doubts that Dino will pass," his agent, Marc Fleisher, said. "I do not want to comment on the trade because I suspect it will not take place."

Pitino assured that Radja would (pass the physical) and Brown said, "Our team doctor talked to their team doctor, and he said the knees are fine.

Pitino also cited the value of the contract Radja has remaining (a 15 percent kicker brings him to $ 6.1 million for each of the next three seasons) as incentive for Radja to go.