Cowens Dealt for Quinn Buckner

9/10/82

Cowens Dealt for Quinn Buckner

The long waited and much-discussed return to basketball of Dave Cowens, the 34-year-old former Celtics center, will become a reality as soon as the redhead and the Milwaukee Bucks agree on terms of a contract.

And when it becomes official, there's a bonus in it for the Celtics.



In exchange for the rights to Cowens, the Bucks will send six-year veteran Quinn Buckner to Boston. The 28-year-old guard is a K.C. Jones with a jump shot, a lifelong winner who is expected to lend stability to the Celtics in the areas of floor leadership and defense. In addition, Buckner is no longer the timid offensive player who broke into the NBA in 1976. He unveiled an improved jumper prior to the 1980-81 season, going on to average a solid 12-13 points a game while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor.

Thus will end a five-month scenario in which Cowens, after deciding he was still interested in playing basketball for a living, shopped around for a team that would take him on his terms. Phoenix exhibited serious interest, but he and the Suns were not able to come together. The Bucks were mentioned prominently from the start, since he would fill a definite hole on the Bucks' roster and since he is friendly with Milwaukee coach Don Nelson. But it was widely believed that Red Auerbach would not allow Cowens to go to a conference rival.

In the end, however, Milwaukee did become Cowens' destination. Milwaukee is in need of an adjunct to 34-year-old center Bob Lanier, as well as a backup forward behind Marques Johnson and Mickey Johnson.

Cowens last played in the NBA on the night of Sept. 30, 1980, during an exhibition game with the Indiana Pacers at the Market Square Arena. He stunned his teammates and the sports world in general with a retirement statement the following day, citing as his primary reason for quitting battered legs and feet that no longer allowed him to play the game at his accustomed level. Two years away from the pounding have apparently allowed Cowens to feel that his body has healed.

Celtics owner Harry Mangurian expressed great satisfaction in obtaining Buckner.

"We'll be thrilled to get Buckner," he said. "(Milwaukee president) Jim Fitzgerald told me he's one of the finest people you could ever want to meet. He is the player we wanted from Milwaukee."

Buckner, who has three years remaining on his contract, has made the second-team all-defensive squad, as voted by the coaches. He was a high school All-America in both football and basketball at Phoenix High in Dolton, Ill., and he was a starting defensive back in college and, of course, played basketball. He was captain of the 1976 NCAA basketball champion Indiana Hoosiers, as well as the floor general of the gold medal 1976 Olympic basketball team. He has performed much the same role in Milwaukee.