Clarence Weatherspoon & Michael Cage Almost Played for the Celtics?

Courtesy of EK

17 years ago today, the Celtics shipped Dino Radja to the Sixers for Clarence Weatherspoon and Michael Cage:



Evil Emperor continued:

Pitino said Radja was in excellent shape and a very good low-post scorer, but didn't fit into the up-tempo, pressing style he plans to implement.

Well guess what?  Maybe his up-tempo, pressing style was dumb and not meant for the pros.  C's fans took everything him and the Buffoon said, hook,line and sinker.  They were going to turn around the mighty and proud Boston Celtics, into being relevant again.

Looking back on it the Celtics should've kept Radja and David Wesley.  You could even make the argument for Mr Vanessa Williams, but I'll leave that for you to debate.  At the time the Evil Emperor convinced us all that he knew the right kinds of players for the Celtics.  He was dead wrong.

As for the trade, well, Dino who took his time getting the physical (prompting an extension from the league to allow it to go through) proceeded to fail his physical:



Some interesting things from that article.  Cage and Weatherspoon already passed their physicals with the Celtics, which means they probably even got to wear Celtics t-shirts and shorts.  Were they excited to come to Boston?  Did anyone ever interview them?

Secondly, and perhaps it was just lip service, but Dino seemed optimistic about joining Philly and Larry Brown.

Spoon

Imagine we would've gotten to see Cage in Green?  And same for Spoon?  Cage was a tenacious rebounder and at the time, had the league's second longest streak of consecutive games played going (behind AC Green).  Couldn't you see Evil Emperor not giving a shit and ruining it?

And what about Spoon?  It mentions how Dino didn't fit the role of the type of player Slick Rick was looking for.  Would Spoon have been more enthralled with pressing and trapping?

If you don't remember Clarence Weatherspoon he was a hell of a player, really a rich man's Brandon Bass.  Michael Cage, although older at that point, was still serviceable.  By Dino failing the physical we were deprived of their automatic entry into WTHHT.

Dino returned to the Celtics after the trade was voided and proceeded to be waived by Boston 2 weeks later.  It was his last stint in the NBA as he went back to Europe and signed with Panathinaikos AC in Greece.  Cage would be moved by Philly to the Nets along with first round pick Keith Van Horn for Jim Jackson, Eric Montross and first round pick Tim Thomas.  Meanwhile Spoon stuck around and played in Philly for another half-season until he'd get moved to the Warriors along with Jackson for Brian Shaw and Joe Smith (TB fun fact to know and tell: Spoon and Jim Jackson were teammates 4 different times during their careers: Philly, Golden State, Cleveland and Houston).  Always awkward going back to play for a team that didn't want you but Clarence seemed to take it in stride.

Trades in the past have been rescinded and guys have gone back to be productive.  Hell Robert Horry won a title.  Shows you the type of person the Evil Emperor really was.  He couldn't swallow his pride and instead paid Dino for the next 4 years.  That's right, Radja was still being paid by the Celtics in 2000:



All I know is that Clarence Weatherspoon and Michael Cage both almost played for the Celtics.  And now, you know that too.