| | NEW YORK -- Shaquille O'Neal wasn't too thrilled to hear that his team
had signed Isaiah Rider. That's right: The league's reigning MVP heard
the news.
|  | | Think this is how Shaq and Kobe reacted to the news that Rider was signed? |
The Lakers didn't even consult O'Neal about taking on Rider. That's not
very smart, but it's all Phil Jackson's show now.
And chalk it up as just another bad day during an offseason of downers
for the NBA champs.
First, the best GM in the game, Jerry West, left. That was inevitable.
Friends also say he was clearly annoyed that Jackson got all of the
credit for L.A.'s championship run.
Then the Spurs re-signed Tim Duncan, putting San Antonio back on an even
par with the Lakers, as long as Duncan and David Robinson can stay
healthy.
To make matters worse, the Lakers lost out on Christian Laettner, their
No. 1 priority this summer. Several potential deals fell through at the
last minute that would have given Jackson his top choice to replace Glen
Rice. Now, Laettner is on his way to Dallas.
"The Lakers really wanted Laettner," said one league executive who had
trade talks with L.A.
Jackson saw Laettner as a perfect fit for his triangle offense, not the
least of which was accepting the No. 3 scoring role. Jackson liked
Laettner's passing from the high post and considers him a huge upgrade
from A.C. Green in the jump-shooting department. Jackson realized that
Laettner would be a defensive liability, but L.A. figured Shaq would have
erased any of his mistakes with his shot-blocking. Now the Lakers will
be scrambling to get Shaq some help at power forward.
Rider, meanwhile, reportedly signed for $770,000. Shaq had several
choice words for the ex-Hawk when he heard about the move. Let's just
say Shaq isn't going to put up with any of Rider's antics.
Already, there are doubts if Rider can adapt to the triangle. "He'll
hate it," said one scout. "He's a post-up guard who likes isolation
plays, but in that system, there's not much room to operate."
So is there any good news for L.A.? Maybe. Shaq originally intended to
play only three more seasons. He figured if he won another title or two,
he could bow out having accomplished all there was to do by the ripe old
age of 31. But lately, he.s been seriously considering a new four-year
deal.
Rim Shots I
Before hiring Alvin Gentry, the Clippers made four runs at
Mike Fratello. But each time, Clips owner Donald Sterling reduced his
offer. He went from offering $3 million per year to $1.8 million.
Fratello asked for $6-7 mil per season to run the whole show. Wise move
by the Czar staying away from that mess.
With Isiah Thomas unable to
unload the CBA, there's serious talk of a merger with the IBL.
| |  | |
| Elie |
The T-Wolves want Mario Elie in the worst way. But Elie is looking for the
$2.25 mil exception and Minny wants no part of that.
Early reports
out of Dream Team's practices: Tim Hardaway limping (as usual) and Vince
Carter struggling.
Make no mistake, Detroit GM Joe Dumars had to be
talked out of making that mammoth four-way deal with N.Y., L.A. and Seattle.
Dumars was all for it in the early stages, but it wasn't fan outrage that
forced him to reconsider, since the Pistons haven't had enough fans to
cause that kind of negative backlash since the Bad Boys days. Rather,
insiders report that Rick Sund, Dumars' predecessor who's still with the
team, was the driving force behind killing the deal. Sund argued from
the get-go that it was a horrible deal for the Pistons. At one point,
the Knicks and Lakers each offered No. 1 picks -- but refused to take off
lottery protections.
Don't be surprised if Knicks GM Scott Layden
makes another run at Vin Baker and Rice and ships off Patrick Ewing in
the process. Some Garden execs feel their chances of landing Chris
Webber next summer in a sign-and-trade with the Kings would be greatly
enhanced if they could package Baker, along with Allan Houston, who has
early termination option after this season. Webber will come to N.Y., but
only if Latrell Sprewell is on the team.
Attention to Gary Payton: The Sonics
are still very interested in dealing Baker, not so much to add Ewing --
nobody trades a 28-year old for a 38-year center with
knee/Achilles/wrist woes who can't stay healthy -- but because they're
still intent on getting Baker's $77 million off their salary cap.
| |  | |
| Ewing |
As
if Ewing hasn't been crucified enough by N.Y. fans and segments of the
media, there's now this ridiculous theory floating around that he'll
"rebel" if the Knicks hang onto him. Garbage. As someone who knows
Ewing very well put it: "Patrick's first priority now isn't winning a
championship, as much as it is getting a new contract." So don't look
for Ewing to be rocking any boats, wherever he ends up. He'll still be
difficult at times, but who isn't? The biggest problem for Ewing:
Showing N.Y. and all other teams he can stay healthy for a full season to
merit an extension through his 40th birthday. Since signing that monster
$68-mil contract three years ago, he's missed 105 games.
We heard that
David Falk threatened the Pistons to do the four-way deal or else he wouldn't
send any more of his clients to Detroit in the future. Like he's been
sending them in droves, anyway.
There's talk of A.C. Green heading to the Heat,
but Miami is also looking to add veteran forward Chucky Brown to the
mix. Brown gets along with both Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason and could
make that uneasy alliance work.
The Hornets never wanted to pay Jones the
maximum, because they didn't see him as a guy who can carry a team in
playoff games. When you consider his body of work in the playoffs, you
can't argue.
Mitch Lawrence, who covers the NBA for the New York Daily News, writes a regular NBA column for ESPN.com.
| |
ALSO SEE
Rider pledges to behave himself in L.A.
Lawrence: Knicks would be better standing Pat
|
