The Celtics, whose attempt to sign Vin Baker to a side agreement was hotly contested by the NBA Players Association last spring, have cleared an important hurdle in Baker's return to the team when training camp opens next month.

The players association recently approved the agreement, including provisions for in-season, alcohol-related testing for Baker.

``Vin and the team now have an agreement,'' managing partner Wyc Grousbeck said yesterday, while also declining to disclose terms of the agreement.

``It was redone over the summer to clarify it, and we went over some things to change. We had input on this from the players association and the league. Because of that, we were able to turn out a well worked out agreement.''

The players association had initially reacted strongly to the provisions last spring, arguing that matters like alcohol testing are not covered in the league's collective bargaining agreement with the players.

At the time, Baker also reportedly signed away much of the security under his present contract in exchange for working to recover from the alcohol abuse that fueled his departure from the Celtics last season.