Celtics should throw Antoine a bone.

[JSD]

Ex-NBA star Antoine Walker files for bankruptcy

MIAMI—Former NBA all-star Antoine Walker has filed for bankruptcy.

In Chapter 7 documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Florida last week, Walker reported having $4.3 million in assets and $12.7 million in liabilities.

Walker's 2006 NBA championship ring, valued at $6,000, is included in a list of assets.

It's not the first time Walker has faced financial trouble. In November 2009, he agreed to pay more than $900,000 to settle bad check charges at three Las Vegas casinos and avoid trial on felony criminal charges.

Walker was a three-time all-star with the Boston Celtics. He won the 2006 championship with the Miami Heat.

Walker's attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

I know the wounds are self inflicted, but I'd like to see the Celtics offer Walker a position that he can build off of. With Dwayne Wade's recent comments about the Bulls franchise not having loyalty, I think if the Celtics brought him in for some (non-playing) role it'd send a nice message throughout the league. Just killing time before tip-off...

[Frezz]

They threw him a hundred million bones.

[Roy Hobbs]

It would be a nice gesture, but as a PR move, I don't think the Celtics organization would want much to do with Antoine right now.  Off the court, his life has been a train wreck, and the financial portion is just a part of that.

[JSD]

It would be a nice gesture, but as a PR move, I don't think the Celtics organization would want much to do with Antoine right now.  Off the court, his life has been a train wreck, and the financial portion is just a part of that.

I think a "train wreck" is too harsh. The guy had a first offense OUI, that's not even a misdemeanor in some cases... His main issue's have been money management: Gambling, bad investments ect.

[reggie35]

If they have something, they should offer. One of the reasons I love the Celtics is that they've been a basketball family. They take care of their own and it reflects well on the team to new generations of players. It also helps pass on the values of the franchise.

[Who]

Wow, $12.7 million worth of debt ...

[RJ87]

They threw him a hundred million bones.

lol, exactly.

He got himself in this situation - he was given A LOT to succeed. He's in this position now solely because of himself. Let him dig himself out.

Sorry, but I have no sympathy for an athlete that's made as much $$ as he has and widdled it all away. At some point, you have to grow up and take responsibility for your own actions.

[reggie35]

They threw him a hundred million bones.

lol, exactly.

He got himself in this situation - he was given A LOT to succeed. He's in this position now solely because of himself. Let him dig himself out.

Sorry, but I have no sympathy for an athlete that's made as much $$ as he has and widdled it all away. At some point, you have to grow up and take responsibility for your own actions.

No one's saying pay him a huge salary, but he's gonna have zilch after bankruptcy. What harm is there in offering him a salaried job? Antoine probably wouldn't take it anyway.

[RJ87]

They threw him a hundred million bones.

lol, exactly.

He got himself in this situation - he was given A LOT to succeed. He's in this position now solely because of himself. Let him dig himself out.

Sorry, but I have no sympathy for an athlete that's made as much $$ as he has and widdled it all away. At some point, you have to grow up and take responsibility for your own actions.

No one's saying pay him a huge salary, but he's gonna have zilch after bankruptcy. What harm is there in offering him a salaried job? Antoine probably wouldn't take it anyway.

That's not true - depending on what type of bankruptcy he's filed for, he'll likely only be forced to give up items deemed valuable enough for auction to pay off some of his debts. Then he'll be put on debt management plan catered to whatever his current income is. So, he won't be left with "zilch" - he just needs to be compliant and do things intelligently from here on out. It's not that hard, like I said, he just needs to man up and do what he has to do.

[Roy Hobbs]

It would be a nice gesture, but as a PR move, I don't think the Celtics organization would want much to do with Antoine right now.  Off the court, his life has been a train wreck, and the financial portion is just a part of that.

I think a "train wreck" is too harsh. The guy had a first offense OUI, that's not even a misdemeanor in some cases... His main issue's have been money management: Gambling, bad investments ect.

It's mostly bad investments (although one of those was slum housing).  However, Antoine has also seemed to be in the wrong place, wrong time with a lot of criminal activity in his past, too (a shooting at his birthday party, an alleged rape at his house, etc., and he's been robbed twice).  I'm not saying that Antoine necessarily did anything wrong in those cases, but with a guy who has attracted trouble like that, do you really want him as part of your organization?

[Andy Jick]

Let's scale this down to proportion to you next door neighbor who make $45K a year...he has a debt ration similar to that of 'Toine's, obviously much smaller, but scaled to his life still very difficult to deal with.  He has all the flaws in his personal life that 'Toine has as well (noted in Roy's post above).  The only difference is that he's unknown and has no real skill that draws people to cheer for him in an arena...

Would you have the same understanding and support of him?  Highly doubtful...  As a matter of fact, because he is a neighbor of yours that you've probably tried to reach out to but has given you the proverbial middle finger, you'd probably write him off in life and have a sense of disdain for him.

That's how I feel about Walker.  He had EVERY privilege in life, and made MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of dollars and squandered it.  No one needs to throw him any bones or give him any kind gestures.  If he weren't famous and a basketball player (that we both loathed and loved) we would shake our heads in disbelief and call him for the fool he is...

[reggie35]

Let's scale this down to proportion to you next door neighbor who make $45K a year...he has a debt ration similar to that of 'Toine's, obviously much smaller, but scaled to his life still very difficult to deal with.  He has all the flaws in his personal life that 'Toine has as well (noted in Roy's post above).  The only difference is that he's unknown and has no real skill that draws people to cheer for him in an arena...

Would you have the same understanding and support of him?  Highly doubtful...  As a matter of fact, because he is a neighbor of yours that you've probably tried to reach out to but has given you the proverbial middle finger, you'd probably write him off in life and have a sense of disdain for him.

That's how I feel about Walker.  He had EVERY privilege in life, and made MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of dollars and squandered it.  No one needs to throw him any bones or give him any kind gestures.  If he weren't famous and a basketball player (that we both loathed and loved) we would shake our heads in disbelief and call him for the fool he is...

Fair enough, but let's say that neighbor is your brother or some other family member, is the story still the same? I realize it's not completely analogous, but part of the lasting success of this franchise has been treating former players like family.

I'm not saying go out of your way to help him out, just give him a job if he asks for one and there's one to be given.

[celtics2]

No bail out. Idiot. Give him a job as a Greeter and a debit card.