Eager Walton Examined by the Celtics

SAN FRANCISCO — Clipper center Bill Walton met for an hour with the Boston Celtic team physician Tuesday, and, according to the doctor, expressed “a great, positive desire” to play for the Celtics.

The meeting between Walton and Dr. Thomas Silva occurred late in the afternoon in the doctor’s room at the Hyatt Regency. Walton asked not to meet with reporters and left. And Silva said the one-hour examination left no doubt in his mind as to Walton’s fitness.

“As far as I’m concerned, my recommendation is that he be brought in as a player for the Celtics,” Silva said. “He expressed a great, positive desire to play for the Celtics. It was very positive.”

Silva said Walton had called him earlier in the day and suggested the meeting. Walton happened to be in the area doing a basketball clinic. The meeting between the doctor and the center had been discussed last Friday in Los Angeles when Walton met with Celtic President Red Auerbach and General Manager Jan Volk.

Silva said Walton’s medical history was discussed in detail and that the free-agent pivotman is not on any medication at this time. Extensive surgery on Walton’s left foot has idled him for much of the last six years.

Walton is a free agent. The Celtics cannot sign him because of salary cap problems. Clipper General Manager Carl Scheer thinks Boston will have to trade Cedric Maxwell, and Scheer said he isn’t hot for a Maxwell-Walton swap.