Training camp on the road to Rhode Island

The Celtics will be leaving the Boston area for training camp again next season, but won't be traveling nearly as far.

General manager Danny Ainge confirmed yesterday that the defending NBA champions will hold camp at Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I. An NBA official said players must report Sept. 29, with practice beginning the next day. The Celtics had camp in London and Rome prior to last season and played two exhibition games there.

"It's closer and it's away," said Ainge in a telephone interview. "We looked at Vermont a couple of years ago."

Coach Doc Rivers and his players raved about holding camp in Europe last year and thought it helped a team with many new players bond quickly. Rivers had expressed hope that the Celtics would have training camp outside the Boston area again next season. Ainge, however, didn't feel as good about last year's camp, since there was a lot more on the team's plate than basketball while in Europe.

"I think there were distractions," he said. "It was great for the players to spend time together . . . but I think a training camp anywhere would have been special and the motivation would be special."

Erden plays US

Second-round pick Semih Erden scored 5 points on 1-of-7 shooting with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal in 22 minutes for Turkey in a 114-82 exhibition loss to Team USA yesterday in Macau, China.

Erden has one year left on his contract with Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul and could sign with the Celtics prior to the 2009-10 season.

"He's a versatile 7-foot player," Ainge said. "He has some toughness, attitude, and savviness. He can make shots. I've liked him for a few years."

Nothing doing

Ainge said he might sign another free agent "late in the summer, if someone doesn't get what they want. We are not chasing people right now."

Marc J. Spears can be reached at mspears@globe.com