WILL CELTS HAVE A BIRD IN HAND IF CARR PUTTERS OUT?

     Former Celtic Larry Bird will "begin to emerge as a major
player in the Celtics' front office," according to Jackie
MacMullan in her "Ten Fearless Predictions" in SI's "PRO
BASKETBALL PRESENTS."  Bird has "wisely kept an arm's length from
the current struggling regime, preserving both his reputation and
his aura."  But MacMullan notes Bird is "getting itchy to do more
than just occasionally scout players and consult on the draft."
The plan for taking over as GM from M.L. Carr would be to "take a
club that has hit rock bottom, then step in and turn it around
when there's no place to go but up."  MacMullan has Bird taking
the GM job as early as next spring ("PRO BASKETBALL PRESENTS '96-
97").
     MALL RATS? The Celtics, in conjunction with mall developer
WellsPark Group, will display a traveling pavilion at various New
England malls to help celebrate the team's 50th anniversary
(Celtics)