The second was the signing of former UConn standout Travis Knight, a 7-foot center signed as a free agent by team president and head coach Rick Pitino.
The signing was controversial, as his $22 million, seven-year deal required giving up the rights to all of the Celtics’ pending free agents, including Frank Brickowski, Marty Conlon, Todd Day, Nate Driggers, Rick Fox, Steve Hamer, Michael Hawkins, Alton Lister, and Brett Szabo.
Read about the #Celtics epic Summer 1997 #freeagency pursuit of Travis Knight >>https://t.co/tfYr76s4RS<< #nba #basketball #90s #20yearsago pic.twitter.com/doJQ1ePu8Z
— In Hindsight (@inhindsight20) July 15, 2017
He would play just one season with Boston, having been dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for big man Tony Battie. He put up 6.5 points and 4.9 boards while in the green and white.