Blount ready to go if trade winds blow

WALTHAM -- After workouts, Mark Blount usually leaves the Celtics training facility as soon as possible. With trade talk surrounding the 7-footer, yesterday seemed a perfect time to make a quick exit. According to two league sources, Blount could soon be headed to Minnesota or Memphis; the most likely deal at this point would be a swap, Blount for Michael Olowokandi of the Timberwolves, tonight's visitors at the TD Banknorth Garden.

But Blount was in no rush to go anywhere after practice yesterday. Instead, he discussed his situation. While he stayed away from any criticism of the Celtics organization, Blount spoke like a player who would not be terribly upset if dealt to another team. He almost sounded prepared to go.

''If I get traded, I get traded," said Blount. ''What can I do? There's nothing I can do about it. I just go, move on, get ready to play with my new team, my coaching staff, and just go from there."

Past friction between Blount and coach Doc Rivers has been well-documented. This season, Blount has been inconsistent -- and in and out of the starting lineup as a result. Rivers has been outspoken on a few occasions about wanting more effort on the glass from Blount, while Blount has wondered aloud on a few occasions why he does not get more touches.

Blount is averaging 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.2 turnovers in 29.3 minutes per contest. Since scoring just 4 points and failing to grab a rebound in a Jan. 6 loss to the Hawks, Blount has seen a slight increase in minutes and made the most of it by scoring in double digits each game.

''I just do my job," said Blount. ''I just go out there and do my thing. I ain't worrying about nothing.

''I just go out there and be an offensive threat down there in the post, go down there shoot my hooks, and my turnarounds and do my thing. If I play, I play. I start. I come off the bench. It's whatever."

Executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge, per his policy, declined to comment on the trade talk. But Blount's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said, ''A lot of teams are inquiring about Mark and he's playing great, but I don't know if anything will happen.

''Mark's focus is with the Celtics. He's trying to get them to the playoffs. He's happy. He enjoys his teammates, the coaching staff. He's trying to focus on getting wins."

But Blount did not sound entirely focused on the Celtics when asked what his preference was. In other words, if he had some say in the matter, would he choose to remain with the Celtics?

''The first thing for me is to sit down with [Bartelstein] and see what he has to say, see what my best option is and go from there," said Blount. ''It doesn't make sense to talk foolishly, and I don't know my options."

While team owner Wyc Grousbeck has said he does not anticipate any blockbuster deals and Rivers intimated yesterday that he thought Paul Pierce would remain with the team, the approach of the Feb. 23 trading deadline will naturally bring more trade talk. With the Celtics 14-23 and still hoping to make the playoffs, they will be a natural target for speculation.

''There's nothing you can do about it," said Rivers. ''I would say over half the time it's not true. Some of the time it is true.

''It does hurt your team, especially the guys that they're talking about. Some guys handle it pretty well. The only bogus one that I know of was the one where someone was talking about Paul a week ago. He has handled it so many times that he is a great example for the other guys whose names come up."

Pierce and Ricky Davis were not certain that changes in personnel would bring better results, and they vowed not to let trade talk become a distraction. With 10 of the next 15 games at home, Rivers hopes the team will know in the coming weeks whether it has a legitimate chance at a playoff spot, though whether it does or doesn't will not change the rotation much.

''I don't look at it as a distraction," said Pierce. ''It's something you've got to deal with. It happens every year at this time. It happens in the summer. It's a month away from the trading deadline, so things are going to thrown around.

''We've got a lot of young players. You expect us to be inconsistent being that we've still got guys developing, that we've still got guys trying to learn their roles.

''That's really not my job [to decide]. That's what management is up there to do. That's what the owners and all of them have to put their heads together and figure out what they want to do with the team."

Tony Allen complained of soreness in his right knee before practice, but went through a normal workout. His pretrial hearing scheduled for yesterday in Chicago was continued until today.