Despite what may have been, Antoine Walker and Boston Celtics were never a perfect match. No matter what milestones he achieved, no matter how much passion he showed and no matter how poorly the franchise was run while he was there, the emotional committment between this player and his town was more love|hate than long-term apologetic infatuation.

On Sunday, divorce proceedings were formally started, and were quickly completed. It was an act which, in hindsight, everyone saw coming.

It was a union which, in hindsight, was never going to end well.

It’s a story that began 7? years ago, when a brash young sophmore called Antoine Devon Walker stepped up and helped Rick Pitino win the 1996 NCAA Championship. This was before he was Employee Number 8, before he fell in love with the 3-point shot, before he stopped playing defense. He was young. He was strong. He was confident. He was, in ML Carr’s master plan of the day, the perfect teammate to help turn the moribund Boston Celtics franchise around when they, as deserved, would get enough lottery balls to rightfully add Tim Duncan in the 1997 draft.

But instead, just a little over a year after what may indeed end up being the high point of his basketball career, Walker was re-united with Pitino in Beantown in the dawn of a significantly less spectacular new era. No Duncan. No playoffs. No respect. Nothing but pressure and scrutiny and impatience as losses mounted and his legitimate frustrations became classified as petluence and, the ultimate insult, disrespect for the game. In front of a city’s eyes, Antoine Walker had grown from a bright-eyed enthusiastic wonderkind into what could be, and was, described as a moody, selfish problem child. And no matter how many times he tried to carry the team he had every right to believe was his, it was never enough.

Walker put up the numbers – 20+ points, 9+ rebounds, 3+ assists – over his first few years in the league, yet there was also enough numerical evidence in them for even his most shortsighted critics to see. Too many threes, too many turnovers, too many missed FTs. The fact the he set aside his ego when Paul Pierce hit the big time, the fact he banged with power fowards and still stuffed the stat sheet from outside, the fact he repeatedly fought off injuries to put up team- and league-high minutes played didn’t go un-noticed by everybody, but it didn’t please everybody either. For all the fans who adored, there were those who abhored. As the trade rumours surfaced, the criticism mounted, and the skin thickened.

And so after Pitino was dumped and a new coach called Jim O’Brien took over with a simple gameplan – let the shooters shoot – things didn’t change inside him. Sure, winning was a much better feeling than losing, and positive press so much better to read than negative, but in his heart he knew how temporary such relief from the barbed edges of fickle sportswriters was. Antoine Walker had grown up.

His is a story that could have ended happily. He was still an easy target for the team’s shortcomings, even when the Celtics were 2 wins away from the NBA Finals in what even he needs to remind himself was less than 18 months ago. It was an inspiring performance by all members of a proud franchise. But instead of celebrating his, and the team’s, honest and selfless performances in acheiving real postseason success, he wasn’t allowed to sleep easily. What should be have done? How must he improve? Would he be traded? It was a point where might have finally attained redemption in the hearts of those vocal few who refused to accept him, but here Antoine knew what he’d always known. They would never be satisfied.

Last season, as the Celtics chose to spurn their point guard for an injudicious flirtation with wasted interior assistance, Antoine took on the team’s struggles. They were Conference Finalists. They struggled. They were on national TV. They lost. They were a shadow of the team they had become the season before, but they never stopped trying. And, midway through the season, a change came over Antoine. Instead of being brash and outspoken, he shut up. Instead of heaving away from anyplace over midcourt, he passed. Instead of doing it all himself, he did everything else. He knew the magic of last season had gone, he knew he wasn’t feeling 100%, and he knew he couldn’t do anything to change anything. He didn’t quit. He didn’t bitch. He played on.

And yet when the 6th seeded Boston Celtics upset the infinitely more talented Indiana Pacers, it was only a temporary pause for breath by the pressure valve that was growing within and without. It took a week, 4 straight unhappy losses to the old tormentors from New Jersey sealed his fate as much as the appointment of public critic Danny Ainge as Celtics Head of Basketball Operations.

Many fans refused to accept what the immediate media wisdom were suggesting: “Walker Run Away” “Twon out of Town” “An easy target, but a warranted one”. Here was a loyal member of a great sporting city who had given his prime for his team and their fans, only to be once again the focus of high profile yet, once again, never unanimous, discontent. And, once again, only some of it was justified.

Still, throughout all the offseason, through Training Camp and into October, the unease continued. Should Ainge trade him? Would Ainge trade him? Who could he get in return? And now, less than 2 weeks before the season starts, the question has finally been answered.

Yes.

Antoine and fellow UK grad Tony Delk were shipped to Dallas for Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mills, Jiri Welsch and a #1 pick. Ainge had finally acted on a decision reached a long time before, and as admirable as his refusal to class back to back mid-40 win seasons as good enough is, this transaction still does not compute. It’s not an even exchange from a talent standpoint, a chemistry standpoint or a heart standpoint.

Antoine Walker remains the favourite player of many Celtics fans. Danny Ainge won championships in Boston. Raef played with Pierce at Kansas. It’s the Eastern Conference. The Salary Cap is better. Dallas only play twice a year. There are some positives.

He deserved a new start.

Maybe that’s the most signifciant.