10.17.2019

Red has had Enough with Cornbread

August 30, 1985

The writings for Cedric Maxwell were in sand, subject to either wind or water. There was nothing written in cement until this week, when some sayings passed from the lips of Ron Grinker to the rest of the free world.



Grinker is the agent for Maxwell, who, he claimed in his advisories, wanted some respect, which he wasn't getting in Boston. He wanted someone to care, and nobody was in Boston. Poor Max. Sounds like Rodney Dangerfield has been writing his stuff.

Well, if Arnold (Red) Auerbach has his way, Cedric (Cornbread) Maxwell won't have to worry about being dumped on in Boston, for it is chiseled in stone that Auerbach and the Celtics are moving him out of town.

In fact, by the time you finish reading this, a trade that would send Maxwell to the Los Angeles Clippers could be a reality after months of jockeying.

One of the hang-ups in recent days is that Auerbach does not want to throw a draft choice back into the pot to relieve himself of Maxwell and obtain Bill Walton, who he covets very much.

The conversations between the Celtics and the Clippers resumed in earnest three days ago when both sides made some bright observations: the Clippers realized that Walton was not going to play for them and only wanted to play in Boston, while the Celtics realized that they no longer wanted to live with Maxwell.

"When I read that stuff in the paper, that was the end for me," said Auerbach. "I can't believe Max. Here is a guy we draft No. 1, bring him along, take care of him. I liked the guy. So last year I go to bat for him again with the owners. I give him more money than he deserved, but I felt it was the right thing to do.

"What does he do? He stops playing. The year before, when he was going for a new contract, his knee was just as sore and he had a hell of a year. Playing for the contract. Last season he stops playing. He has time after his operation to rehabilitate himself and come back to play, and he doesn't do it. When we could use him in the playoffs, he isn't around. He fooled me, he really did.

"But it's like the old saying goes: Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

Even though he was ripping at the end of the year when Maxwell didn't respond or perform, triggering the trade attempts for Walton, Auerbach wasn't that adamant.

However, the more the Clippers squeezed Walton for the money they owe him (getting him to forgive $150,000 of a larger sum), the more Auerbach questioned the deal, particularly having to throw in Boston's own draft choice on the first round next year.

Auerbach really likes Walton but felt the Clippers were excessive in trying to put the screws to the former UCLA star because he wanted so much to get away from their club and onto the Celtics. So when the squeeze play became a stranglehold, the Celtics walked away from the deal. It was revived only earlier this week.

The risk is great for Boston, given Walton's history of injuries, but the Celtics believe they would have beaten the Lakers in the championship finals last year if he was playing. Further, they think they'll prevail if they match up with the Lakers again and a healthy Walton is in a Boston uniform.

The Lakers toughened their club by trading for Maurice Lucas and dumping Bob McAdoo's $945,000 annual salary, thereby leaving themselves plenty of room under the salary cap. The Walton-Maxwell salaries will pretty much match, making the deal a wash financially. With M.L. Carr retired and Ray Williams moving on, Boston will have a few extra bucks to spend under the cap if the Celtics need to make an adjustment.

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