Shira Springer of the Boston Globe reports: With the official opening of free agent negotiations yesterday, optimism gave way to reality and practicality. Nowhere was that more apparent than in the guarded comments of Celtics general manager Chris Wallace and James ''Butch'' Williams, the agent for Rodney Rogers.

Following a 31/2-hour meeting in Durham, N.C., both parties agreed more work must be done before free agent forward Rogers can extend his stay in Boston. Wallace and Williams also added that the substance of the lengthy conversation was about what they expected for the first day of the free agent period, describing the re-signing of Rogers as an ''ongoing process.''

But Williams had said the Celtics would get the first shot and, if their opening bid was strong enough, the only shot at Rogers. Apparently, the Celtics' starting offer was not high enough to stop Williams from testing the market. Now, he will listen to offers from other teams, while continuing to talk with Boston.

''I not going to say whether I'm ecstatic or pleased,'' said Williams. ''We had a conversation. We covered what I thought we were going to cover. It's a process. I don't want to downplay what [the Celtics] have done, but we are going to listen to other offers. Then, I'm going to weigh everything out, sit down with Rodney, and make a decision close to the 15th. I still say Boston is where we want to be and I'm guardedly optimistic.''

When asked if he was optimistic after meeting face-to-face with Williams, Wallace paused and carefully considered his response. The GM knew from the beginning that free agent talks would be difficult because of luxury tax considerations, and that agreements seldom are reached in a day. Going the distance to Durham was, in some ways, a continuing recruitment of Rogers.

''How to classify it?'' said Wallace. ''There's obviously an interest from both sides and there's a good deal of work that remains to be done. I think that's a fair assessment. It's about what I expected. We just continue talking, that's all it is. There's no real sophisticated process. More of what the other teams are capable of doing will come out over the next few weeks.

''Most of the time I've spent with Butch Williams in the past has been convincing him that Boston is a good place for Rodney both on and off the floor, what our intentions were with Rodney basketball-wise, getting through those type of issues. Now, we're getting into the financial ramifications of the situation and that's basically just beginning. He is also looking at what the market holds for Rodney and there is interest in him, particularly from Miami and Philadelphia. Toronto is calling in. It's more of an Eastern Confernce interest, than a Western one, but there is interest.''

In other news: According to Erick Strickland's agent, Raymond Brothers, four teams are seriously interested in signing the guard.