It was the day before the 1996 NBA draft and Boston Celtics general manager/head coach M.L. Carr had a tough time determining who he was less enamored with: Eric Montross, M.L.’s 1994 first-round draft pick for the Celtics, or the prospects available with Boston’s No. 9 pick in the 1996 draft.

The guys at No. 6, though.

“We believe there’s a quantum leap from six to nine,” said M.L. Carr, Boston’s coach and director of player personnel.

So Carr dangled each his undesirables at Dallas, who held the No. 6 pick, and the Mavericks slapped at ‘em, offering No. 6 plus Dallas’ 1997’s unprotected first-rounder in exchange for the No. 9, and Montross. Boston agreed.

“Montross gives us a 7-foot, 270-pound presence in the middle who plays hard every night,” said first-[week] Maverick Coach Jim Cleamons.

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The Second Arrangement

Boston and Dallas have a past

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