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Mavericks Get Walker From Celtics

Posted on: Monday, 20 October 2003, 06:00 CDT

All-Star forward Antoine Walker was traded by the Boston Celtics to the Dallas Mavericks in a five-player deal Monday.

Dallas is sending Raef LaFrentz to the Celtics along with Jiri Welsch and Chris Mills. Boston also will get Dallas' first-round pick in 2004. The Mavericks will get guard Tony Delk from Boston.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban confirmed the deal to The Associated Press, saying it was pending league approval. Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss would not confirm or deny the trade.

Walker, who averaged 17.3 points and 8.7 rebounds last season, will split time in Dallas with All-Star Dirk Nowitzki and Antawn Jamison.

Walker, 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds, has played all seven of his NBA seasons with the Celtics after being drafted out of Kentucky following his sophomore season.

A good dribbler and passer for his size, Walker often was Boston's primary ball handler in recent years because his team was weak at point guard. Walker led the Celtics in assists the past three seasons.

He and Paul Pierce combined for nearly half of Boston's points during each of the past three seasons - 51.1 percent in 2000-01, 49.8 percent in 2001-02 and 47.6 percent in 2002-2003.

Walker had been the subject of trade rumors immediately after Boston's second-round playoff loss to New Jersey. But Danny Ainge, who was hired as the Celtics' head of basketball operations in May, said he had no intention of trading Walker.

Delk, a part-time starter for the Celtics, will give the Mavericks more depth at point guard behind All-Star Steve Nash and Travis Best, another offseason acquisition.

LaFrentz signed a $69 million, five-year deal before last season. Welsch and Chris Mills were acquired by the Mavericks in an offseason trade that also brought Jamison from Golden State.

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