BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics have reached agreement with a Yugoslavian basketball team that will free forward Dino Radja to play for the National Basketball Association team next season.
Under terms of the agreement with the Jugoplastika team, Radja will play for Yugoslavia during the 1989-90 season, but will be free to play with the Celtics beginning in the 1990-91 NBA season.
Terms of the agreement announced Tuesday -- a settlement of a lawsuit brought by Jugoplastika against the Celtics -- were not disclosed. The Celtics bought out a portion of Radja's contract with Jugoplastika for an unspecified amount.
'While we are disappointed that Dino will not be able to play with the Celtics for the upcoming season, nonetheless we are pleased that this matter has been resolved allowing Dino to begin his Celtics career next season,' Celtics General Manager Jan Volk said.
The Celtics signed Radja during the NBA draft only to learn his Yugoslavian team claimed he had signed an earlier contract with them that would have run until through the 1991-92 season.
Both teams went to court over the dispute and federal judge Douglas Woodlock ruled last week the Yugoslavian agreement was legally binding.
Radja, en route to Yugoslavia when the agreement was announced, said he would return to Boston for rookie camp next year.
