Celtics Make Offer to Ray

February 12, 1985

CELTICS MAKE OFFER...IS WILLIAMS WORTH IT?

General manager Jan Volk said last night that the Celtics have been negotiating with guard Ray Williams and his agent, Fred Slaughter, and that "they've got the parameters of an offer."

The Globe also has learned that due to the timing of the Gerald Henderson trade the Celtics have $110,000 that does not affect their salary cap. This would allow them to sign Williams without having to make a trade.



The Celtics expect Williams to make a decision soon.

"I'm not going to make a career out of negotiating this deal," Volk said last night. "It's either going to happen, or it's not."

According to Volk, Slaughter and Williams met over the weekend to discuss Boston's proposition. Slaughter returned to his Los Angeles home last night but has not returned The Globe's telephone calls. Williams denied any knowledge of the offer and said he had not talked to his agent.

"I ain't got no commment," the 30-year-old guard said from his home in New Jersey. "I don't know nothing about it. I just got back in town and I don't want to talk about it."

A seven-year veteran who has played with the Knicks, Nets and Kings, Williams has been a free agent since the completion of last season. He made $500,000 in his final year with the Knicks, but New York offered him only $220,000 this year. Williams chose to sit out and hasn't come to terms with any other teams.

"Nobody bothered to talk to me all year," said Williams. "I've been trying to relax and keep my head together."

Folks who have seen Williams claim he is a little heavy, and there were reports that he couldn't get a contract in Italy because of a knee problem. But Williams said, "I'm in shape. I don't know what I could do, but I'm in shape."

Meanwhile, people like Scott Wedman and Quinn Buckner must be wondering how the Celtics plan to make room for a 13th player.

It has been rumored that they might try to deal a player to make room for Williams, but Volk said, "We're not going to make a trade for this." The general manager also indicated that the Celtics would not hide a player on the injured list.

The salary cap presents a problem, but here's how the Celtics can circumvent it: Due to the timing of the Henderson deal, Boston has $110,000 (Henderson's 1983-84 salary) to play with. The Celtics can offer Williams that amount (plus playoff shares and a chance to showcase his game) without going over the cap or trading a player. If they sign Williams, it brings their roster to 13 players and they would have to release someone and pay him his full salary for the rest of the season. Wedman makes $700,000, Buckner $246,000, Greg Kite $120,000 and Rick Carlisle $65,000. Meanwhile, Williams would become a free agent again at the end of this season.

If Williams signs with the Celtics, the Knicks can match the offer and keep Williams, or try to work out a deal with the Celtics. Knicks coach Hubie Brown is not a Williams fan, but Knick management would be reluctant to let Boston make any move without compensation. Feelings between the two teams haven't been good since Celtics guru Red Auerbach signed Sly Williams, Marvin Webster and Rory Sparrow to offer sheets to prevent the Knicks from signing Kevin McHale two years ago.

When the Celtics convened in the Pacific Northwest last night (Boston plays Portland tonight), everybody was talking about Williams.

"It was Red's idea," said coach K.C. Jones. "He talked about going after Ray and (Chicago's Ennis) Whatley and some other players.

Jones said he wasn't bothered by Williams' reputation. "He could be trouble, that's what I hear, but that's not something I'd really be overly concerned about. A coach has a certain amount of control."

"I like him as a player," said Larry Bird. "But he's been out for so long, if we're gonna make a move we'd better do it now so he can learn our game.

"He's never played on a team like ours. On this team, if he's got a bad attitude, we'll kick his ass. On our team, you can be up and down a little and get away with it."

McHale, who teamed with Williams at Minnesota, said, "He's a great player and a great guy, but I don't think it will ever happen. It's too complicated."

So it now appears that the ball is in the hands of Williams and Slaughter.