So what’s the formula for getting to the NBA Finals in the Eastern Conference? Besides trading for Jason Kidd? The old rough and rugged East is now the spread-them-out-and-shoot conference. At least that’s the way 76ers general manager Billy King sees it as the 76ers are talking about changes to match up with the Nets and Celtics.
“You do have to look at what Detroit and New Jersey and Boston have done,” King said. “The big guys now are out west, the power guys, the Shaqs, Tim Duncan. The East has gone a little bit in reverse. The East is more finesse.”
Which suggests to some that the 76ers may try to deal Dikembe Mutombo to a West team for a package of skilled players.
And to others that the Miami Heat will trade center Alonzo Mourning to the Dallas Mavericks. It’s a possibility that was explored in January between the teams, and it makes a lot of sense.
Mourning is going into the final year of his contract at $20.6 million. He’d want at least that much. But the suddenly cost-conscious Heat is uncertain about giving Mourning an extension considering his health problems.
“I have a good read on Zo’s health, and I think the read on his health is: Nobody knows,” Heat coach Pat Riley said.
At the same time, Riley and the Heat feel obligated to Mourning for all he has done for the franchise. The answer, of course, it to put him in a situation where he can win a championship. That place is Dallas, which played a great series against the Sacramento Kings but clearly was missing the interior defense a player like Mourning could provide. Mourning isn’t what he was, but he’s still a tough, hard worker, the kind of player the Mavericks are missing.
And who could better afford an extension than free-spending Mavs owner Mark Cuban?
“There comes a time with certain teams where you’re into the salary-dumping business,” Riley said. “We’re into the winning business here. Eddie Jones is going to help us win and Brian [Grant] the same thing. So, no, there’s not going to be any of those, `Give me a couple of stiffs and take a great player.'”
But Dallas wouldn’t be giving stiffs. With sign-and-trade issues factored in, the Mavericks could put together a package with Raef LaFrentz, Nick Van Exel, another first-round pick, one of their excess big guys like Shawn Bradley and the $3 million Cuban likes to add to deals. It would give the Heat missing scorers and players to spread the court and compete with Eastern teams. Plus, with their own lottery pick, perhaps two good youngsters to support the group.
“You think about everything,” Riley said. “I’ve never been afraid to pull triggers. I would listen to anything. Zo wants to stay in Miami, and I would love to have him finish his career here. [But] we are taking a risk because he’s free next summer.”
Exit time: It’s becoming more likely the Cavaliers will consider trading assists leader Andre Miller, but the Bulls should be careful. Even if the Cavs would take the Bulls’ draft pick, No. 2 overall, going for Miller would be a major risk since he can become an unrestricted free agent after next season, has expressed little enthusiasm for the Midwest and wants to be paid the maximum of more than $10 million per season.
If Tyson Chandler and/or Eddy Curry develop, they’d deserve maximum deals, and paying someone like Miller, whose teams never have won more than 32 games, would limit the Bulls’ chances to improve.
“I think that I am [a maximum player],” Miller told Cleveland reporters. “I would like to get it out of the way, and go ahead and play the season. But that might not happen.”
Miller is in Los Angeles and, like the Hornets’ Baron Davis, reportedly has been eyeing the Clippers. Cavs owner Gordon Gund has been quoted as saying the team doesn’t believe it has to pay Miller the maximum salary. The Cavs also canceled their annual draft night party for fans. Speculation is the team might want to avoid the negative reaction if they trade Miller on draft night.
Draft watch: The NBA comes to Chicago this week for the annual predraft camp at Moody Bible Institute. Most of the top players won’t participate but will be in for physicals. The draft talk of late has the Rockets still leaning toward taking Yao Ming with the No. 1 pick and the Bulls drafting Duke’s Jay Williams with No. 2.
Individual team workouts have been suspended this week to encourage more players to come to Chicago. As for the top prospects, it looks like those moving to the top are Connecticut’s Caron Butler, Kansas’ Drew Gooden and Maryland’s Chris Wilcox, whom one scout calls the draft’s best athlete. NBA teams are looking carefully at Butler, who went to high school in Racine and served a 15-month jail sentence for bringing a gun and cocaine into school. Butler spent six months in prison and nine months in a juvenile detention center.
Teams also are looking carefully at athletic Qyntel Woods of Northeast Mississippi Community College, who’s been impressive in workouts but has admitted drug use and had drawn some red flags over previous attitude problems. “It’s my past, and I can’t change it. But it’s not an issue anymore,” said Woods, who draws comparisons to Tracy McGrady.
Riley’s influence: Nets coach Byron Scott isn’t alone in the Pat Riley college of coaches. Former Laker Michael Cooper coaches the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA and has been Riley-like with a championship last season, a 60-8 career record and a preseason goal for his team to go undefeated. “He’s laid it out there,” Riley said. “He’s got a championship and now he’s playing for greatness.”
Tough luck: The tough times continue for Ousmane Cisse, who worked out for the Bulls late in the season. Cisse was drafted out of high school and cut by the Nuggets after knee problems last year. He showed up last week at the 76ers’ mini-camp and broke his nose, requiring surgery.
He doesn’t practice–not much, anyway–but Allen Iverson showed up at the mini-camp to hang around and shoot some. He also wanted to watch Tony Rutland, his former backcourt mate at Bethel High School. Wonder how Rutland got an invite? He says he’ll also talk to the Bucks and Rockets.
Iverson, meanwhile, says he needs help and noted he hasn’t had a teammate score 30 points in a game in four years, or since he ran Jerry Stackhouse out of town.
“When you look at that statistic right there, it kind of lets you know that you do need a scorer,” Iverson said. “I think it’d make it easier on everybody. It’d be hard for guys to double-team me.”
