10.22.2019

Volk Announces Trade . . . not Involving Maxwell or Walton

9/4/85

Drained from another 12-hour day of negotiating, general manager Jan Volk emerged from a smoke-filled room with the announcement that the Celtics had traded Quinn Buckner to the Indiana Pacers for an option on a second-round pick to be exercised between now and 1990.

Huh?

"This is not the announcement you were expecting," admitted Volk.



Bingo. The Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers have been teasing the hoop world with their interminable talks on a Bill Walton-for-Cedric Maxwell deal. Yesterday marked the fifth consecutive day that the trade was supposed to be finalized. Instead we got news of Buckner. It's like waiting in line for four days for Springsteen tickets and then getting to the front and finding out that all they have left is the back row for Ricky Nelson.

After six seasons in Milwaukee, Buckner came to the Celtics as compensation for an unretiring Dave Cowens before the 1982-83 season. He started 55 games that year, but was displaced by Dennis Johnson after the Celtics folded in four against the Milwaukee Bucks. His role diminished in his final two seasons here. He was not used in Boston's final game against the Lakers. The 31-year- old defensive specialist will be right at home with the Pacers. He was an NCAA and Olympic celebrity in his days with the University of Indiana.

Buckner has one year left on a contract that pays him $286,000. His departure opens a spot for Pacer free agent guard Jerry Sichting. The Celtics are negotiating with Sichting, and it's possible that the Buckner trade might be Phase 1 of another deal between the teams.

Meanwhile, Volk reported no news on the Walton trade. All parties are waiting to see if Walton will waive $119,000 in deferred monies owed by the Clippers.

"It's his decision now," said Volk.

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