Although they're doing their free agent shopping mainly by phone, Danny Ainge visited Antonio McDyess in Houston.

``There's really nothing going on yet,'' director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said yesterday. ``We're just talking to a lot of people about filling out a roster spot with us.''

The club has not yet made an offer to any of the free agents on their list (Etan Thomas, Adonal Foyle and McDyess among them), and the Celts still are holding out hope that Mark Blount [news] can be convinced to stay.

Afterwards, Ainge visited McDyess, but that process still is in its early stages. McDyess is coming off a serious knee issue (bone grafting was involved), and the Celts are not yet sold on his prognosis. McDyess reportedly wants a three-year deal.