Eight things we learned this week in the NBA
Sept. 24, 2004
By Mike Kahn
www.sportsline.com/nba/story/7719682
1. Item: Continuing the transition from last season, the Miami Heat announced another contract this week. And no, it wasn't the fourth coming of Michael Jordan. Ronnie Rothstein, the franchise's first coach 16 years ago, was added to Stan Van Gundy's staff after a year with the Indiana Pacers.
What it really means: All together now, close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax. Now, will everybody puhleez stop going bananas every time Jordan picks up a basketball two days in a row in a city other than Chicago? He is finished playing in the NBA. Presumably, he will be part of an ownership group some day soon, but thinking of him as a player -- just give it a rest. He loves the game and as long as he can still get up and down the floor, he will play in pickup games. And yes, he will in all likelihood be the best player on the floor ... by a lot. But after the knee problems during his last stop in Washington, playing in the NBA is no longer an option. So it would behoove everyone to just drop the Jordan's coming back theme forever more. Thank you.
2. Item: Los Angeles Lakers center Vlade Divac, 36, herniated a disc in his back during informal drills this week and is expected to miss the beginning of training camp, at the very least. Divac signed a two-year deal with the Lakers after playing the previous six with the Sacramento Kings.
What it really means: For everyone who jumped all over astute Kings president Geoff Petrie, this is a good example of why he did not give in to Divac's multiyear contract demands and signed Greg Ostertag instead. There is no denying Divac's slick play and leadership qualities. But just as obvious has been his physical deterioration. He has never been one to exert himself conditioning-wise, and even before the injury, it was going to be interesting to see how many minutes Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich expected him to play. Now it's even more likely Brian Grant and Chris Mihm will get a lot more minutes at center than they might have expected.
3. Item: Philadelphia 76ers center Todd MacCulloch announced his retirement from the NBA because of a neurological disorder called foot neuropathy. MacCulloch has not played since Feb. 2, 2003, his 40th game of the 2002-03 season. He will continue with the organization, working in community relations and also serve as a color analyst on the radio broadcasts. The Winnipeg native was the 47th pick overall in the 1999 draft out of the University of Washington.
What it really means: Every once in a while, we are reminded professional athletes are vulnerable to the same unpredictable ailments the rest of society must cope with. Fortunately, this was not life threatening, and once neurologists got a handle on what was wrong, MacCulloch and the Sixers lost that fear. No longer playing the game is a minor issue for someone as bright and perceptive as MacCulloch, who will do well for the Sixers on the periphery, if they are so inclined in the long term.
4. Item: Houston Rockets guard Bobby Sura had surgery Tuesday to repair a herniated disc in his back and will likely be out through the first month of the regular season.
What it really means: Although Sura is a versatile talent and would have helped the Rockets' shaky point guard situation, it was a gamble expecting him to help. Over the past seven years, he has yet to put together back-to-back seasons without missing a significant number of games. With Charlie Ward, Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines, the Rockets look to be a point guard short of being serious contenders in the West, despite stars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. On the other hand, it could get interesting at some point if coach Jeff Van Gundy elects to go big and play McGrady and Jim Jackson in the backcourt together.
5. Item: As we noted last week, the whine cellar was being dominated by All-Stars Vince Carter and Baron Davis, both unhappy about the inability of their teams to improve their talent base significantly enough to be contenders this season. Since then, the inevitable buzz has begun that the Raptors have made overtures to the Hornets and would be willing to swap Carter for Davis.
What it really means: There's probably nothing to it, other than a few chuckles, but in a lot of respects that's what both players deserve. They have enormous long-term contracts that will keep their grandchildren in the lap of luxury, and yet they have both have expressed a desire to leave their situations for something better. Well, guess what guys? If it's really that bad, go to Europe and win. Or, better yet, go live where you want to live and get a real job. The lack of positive leadership shown by both players is clearly part of the problem on the Raptors and Hornets.
6. Item: NBA sources say aging star Scottie Pippen is discussing retirement options with Chicago Bulls general manager John Paxson.
What it really means: Pippen, 38 on Saturday, has been playing on borrowed time for the past three seasons. But last year, when he played in just 23 games, it was obvious his knees could no longer function well enough to be counted on for anything. Nonetheless, this marks the end for one of the best open-floor defenders the NBA has ever seen, and it's one more player from the hallowed 1992 "Dream Team" calling it quits. That will leave Karl Malone, who still has not committed to play this season, and the lone collegian on that squad, Christian Laettner, who signed with the Miami Heat last week.
7. Item: Speaking of retirement, two players who decided they were far enough over the hill to try and climb another with the Denver Nuggets are Clyde Drexler and Dennis Rodman. Drexler surprisingly did it just a week after he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and Rodman -- sans wedding dress -- showed up this week to give the Nuggets an eyeful as well.
What it really means: Nuggets president Kiki Vandeweghe has a soft heart for his contemporaries. Even though Vandeweghe, who retired in 1993, was game to take a look at both guys, at least he has enough sense not to play himself. Drexler, 42 and retired in 1997, has been desperately trying to land himself a cushy, high-paying NBA job for years. After an embarrassing attempt at coaching the University of Houston that sent the program reeling, it wasn't going to happen. But perhaps the Hall of Fame experience gave him a sense that maybe he could play one more year since the Nuggets could use a swingman ... and he'd gladly take the $1.1 million veteran minimum to try. As for Rodman, at 43 he's nothing more than a caricature of himself, with so many piercings and tattoos. Needless to say, more than a few people in attendance found it rather humorous when he prematurely ended his workout with the Nuggets to attend to an ingrown toenail.
8. Item: Free agent Keon Clark didn't show up for a tryout with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, ending their hopes that he would be the answer to their search for a backup center to Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
What it really means: It is more than a little odd that all of these players are attempting to come out of retirement because they miss the game so much, and a guy like Clark doesn't get it. A 6-11 string bean who is extremely agile and quick, a terrific shot-blocker and underrated scorer inside, he would be under great demand and making great money. He was the 13th pick overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1998 draft out of UNLV, but his rights were immediately swapped to Denver. And from the 2000-01 season on, he has managed to move from Denver to Houston to Toronto to Sacramento to Utah and Phoenix. And now he blows off a tryout? Even if he already had another preferred deal brewing, the 29-year-old continues to tarnish the remains of what could have been a very good NBA career.
He's such a loser.Free agent Keon Clark didn't show up for a tryout with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, ending their hopes that he would be the answer to their search for a backup center to Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
First, they couldn't find him to give him an offer because he doesn't have an agent or a cell phone. Then they find him and give him a tryout and he doesn't show up.
Someone needs to get him to drug rehab.
Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich
Damn, that sounds weird.
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