NBA Franchise Notes: Celtics Looking OK In Off-Court Matters

Celtics Managing Partner Steve Pagliuca said the franchise is "in a solid position off the court, so we can just focus our attention on what we have to do on the court." Pagliuca: "I was concerned, because with the economy, many businesses are down [30-50%]. And we're hanging in there. We're still filling up the Garden every night, and sponsorships are good. So so far it's been extraordinary." In Boston, Steve Bulpett notes because of on-court success, the Celtics' "opportunities to grow the business side have been numerous even under tough economic circumstances" (BOSTON HERALD, 5/20).

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LAP OF LUXURY: Jazz CEO Greg Miller, in an interview with KSL-NBC, said the team "would not rule out paying luxury-tax money in order to keep" free agent F Carlos Boozer on the team. If a team violates the NBA's luxury-tax threshold, which has yet to be set for the '09-10 season, they also "lose their right to share in team-by-team distribution of tax proceeds." Miller said, "We're trying to look at things in a best-case and a worst-case scenario and make sure that we're able to handle things on both ends. And we feel that we will" (DESERET NEWS, 5/19).

PACE SETTER: An arbitrator on July 27 in N.Y. will hear the grievance case between the Pacers and G Jamaal Tinsley. The NBPA in February filed a grievance on Tinsley's behalf after the Pacers "hadn't traded him and wouldn't buy out his contract or release him." The arbitrator will hear "arguments from both parties and then take 30 to 45 days to issue a decision" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/20).

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