At least James Posey doesn't seem to be taking it personally.
The Celtics opened the week with an offer that fell short of thefree agent swingman's demands both in terms of money and length, buthe understands the business.
With the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans and Cleveland all incontact with the former Celtic, he has business to tend to.
"James has been through free agency before, and he knows thatit's never easy," said his agent, Mark Bartelstein. "The one thingabout James is that he has great faith in himself. James justbelieves that wherever he goes, he's going to have an impact."
And right now the price for those services is a 4- to 5-yearcontract that starts at a midlevel salary of approximately $5.8million.
Thus far, the Celtics are reluctant to give their entire midlevelexception to one player. Bartelstein, however, doesn't believenegotiations have broken down or reached an impasse.
"I wouldn't say they have broken down, but of course you alwayshope that something gets done quickly," he said. "I don't know whatis going into their thinking right now. James just wants to knowwhere he is in all of this. But everything still has to progress."
Eddie House, who Bartelstein also represents, has been contactedby New York. The former Celtics guard played for new Knicks coachMike D'Antoni in Phoenix before being supplanted by, of all people,ex-Celtic Marcus Banks in the Suns rotation.
But D'Antoni, who favors high-energy, offensive-minded players,is said still to be a fan of House's relentless approach to thegame.
The Celtics also continued to look at other free agentsyesterday.
In addition to a visit from former Hornets center Chris Andersen,they worked out three vastly different players - center David Harrison, guard Kirk Snyder and forward Darius Miles.
Patrick O'Bryant, the former Golden State center who the Celticsworked out prior to the 2006 draft, is due in for a workout today.
