Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor. If this is true, someone in Atlanta needs a reality check, badly. Vescey and the NY Post deliver another doozy.
Despite denials out of Boston, the Celtics' intentions regarding rising free agent Antoine Walker are indeed honorable. They also can provide enough expiring and humble contracts to meet trade requirements. The snags? The Hawks demand rookie Al Jefferson or a first-round pick be included in the mix. It appears that's not going to happen. Ownership has expressed its unwillingness to re-sign Walker. As always, the Knicks are angling to turn this into a three-way affair where they wind up cuddling with Walker.
Should the Celtics fail to make any kind of a vivid addition or subtraction (Paul Pierce is liable to be relocated no matter what management mouths) by the Feb. 24 trading deadline, Danny Ainge, his trigger finger twitchin' like never before, is almost required to trade Gary Payton while he can still get something for his free agent-in-waiting.
Only potential news here is that C's and Knicks are indeed interested in Walker and his lovely expiring contract. Even that may be pure speculation on Peter's part. Everything else is fluff and rehashed garbage.