The other day we linked to a story in the Boston Globe with quotes from Sam Cassell about his unabashed desire to play in Boston this season.

The story caused a little furor because Sam is obviously still under contract with the Clippers and it no doubt caused some waves in the Clips’ locker room and front office. Today, the AP is running a denial from Cassell as well as a response from Marc Spear, the writer who published Sam’s quotes:

LOS ANGELES – Although Sam Cassell acknowledges he’s unhappy the Los Angeles Clippers are losing, the veteran point guard made it clear yesterday he’s not lobbying to play elsewhere.
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The Boston Globe reported Wednesday that Cassell was trying to buy out his contract so he could play for the Celtics. Cassell, averaging 13.1 points and a team-leading 4.5 assists in 34 games, is earning $6.1 million this season – the final year of his contract.

“There’s no truth to it,” Cassell said by telephone from Toronto, where the Clippers play tonight. “I never said I wanted to buy out my contract. There have been no negotiations, the team hasn’t come to me about that, I have not gone to them about that.”

The 38-year-old Cassell had 10 points and three assists in the Clippers’ 111-100 loss to the Celtics in Boston Wednesday night.

“It’s just not right for my teammates to hear I’d be a perfect fit in Boston,” Cassell said. “That’s not what I said.”

Said Globe reporter Marc J. Spears, who wrote the story, “I’ve really enjoyed covering Sam Cassell since I began as a beat reporter in the NBA in 1999, and I’ve always considered him fun and entertaining. But with all due respect to Sam, I stand by my story. I have the entire interview on tape and after talking to me on Wednesday morning, he was quoted saying similar things to other Boston media outlets prior to the game against the Celtics.”