Maxwell Believes His Trade to Clippers for Walton Will Become a Reality Today

Cedric Maxwell, who represents half of a trade between the Clippers and the Boston Celtics, said Thursday he expects the deal for Bill Walton to be completed today.

In the trade that has been rumored on the verge of completion for a week, the Clippers would send Walton to the Celtics in exchange for Maxwell and a first-round draft choice.

“I think it’s gonna get done tomorrow,” Maxwell said from his hotel room near Los Angeles International Airport. “Strange things have happened, but I knew it was only a matter of time, anyway.”’

The deal, which was originally discussed in June, has run into snags that have delayed it several times. The problems reportedly involved league approval of Maxwell’s contract with the Clippers, Walton’s bonus money from his 1984-85 Clipper contract and some incentive bonuses he believed he was due from the Clippers.

Gary Vandeweghe, Walton’s adviser, said the deal could be finished today if the contracts are signed by all the parties involved and returned to the teams so they can get league verification. Everything else is done, Vandeweghe said.