Antonie Walker planned to play his first round of offseason golf this morning, joined by the Celtics' travel and equipment manager, John Connor, and ''the boys.''

The group affectionately referred to as ''the boys'' usually includes a few members of the Celtics' staff who work at the team's Merrimac Street offices, showing just how thoroughly invested Walker has become in the organization. The Celtics' cocaptain has become good friends with guys in sales and marketing, operations and team services.

So, it was with understandable relief that he learned from new executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge that he would not be shopped around this summer as part of a trade. Ainge gave Walker the news Tuesday after a team meeting.