Sometimes I feel like I’m in that old British spy spoof TV series, “The Avengers,” playing the dapper John Steed. I’ve been begging the Tribune to use a column picture with a bowler hat. The shows begin with a horrific event, like the Bulls’ current road trip, and an appeal to Steed’s partner, “Mrs. Peel, we’re needed.”
Yes, I gave the Bulls three weeks. Now it seems I may be needed.
And, no, Kevin Garnett isn’t going to be my answer, even though it seems clear to everyone except Minnesota management that Garnett’s condemnation of general manager Kevin McHale and upper management last week was a cry for help.
Garnett essentially accused McHale of trying to coach from his desk and being too lazy to complete the job. It’s the harshest criticism one can make of a GM.
“I think Kevin McHale, in his heart, wanted to coach,” Garnett said. “He wanted to coach, but he didn’t want the responsibility of being a coach. He wanted to come in and say, `Hey, you two run pick-and-roll, you duck in on the weak side, you be ready to shoot.’ He wanted to do that, but he didn’t want to manage those guys. He didn’t want to manage those egos.”
Of course, Garnett also forgets how he said he’d never learned so much just a week into McHale’s coaching stint last season after Flip Saunders’ firing. Ah, but that was then.
The belief around the NBA is Garnett doesn’t want to provoke one of those Shaquille O’Neal/Alonzo Mourning/Charles Barkley-type embarrassing public episodes, so he won’t demand a trade. But he’s hoping the Timberwolves will come to him and say they’re looking to rebuild and ask where can they trade him to make him happy after all he’s done for the franchise.
Garnett isn’t going to want to come to a developing Bulls team–even if he can save airfare attending Farragut High reunions. I’ve suggested a Garnett-Dirk Nowitzki deal, but perhaps a better one would be with Indiana for Jermaine O’Neal and Jamaal Tinsley. The Pacers seem to miss Reggie Miller’s quiet leadership.
As Austin Croshere said last week after a loss to the Hornets: “This team needs to step up and find some leadership. It’s not coaching, it’s effort and taking responsibility for what’s happening on the court.”
No names were mentioned, but insiders knew it was aimed at O’Neal, regarded as a bigger talker than worker. Without prompting, O’Neal answered the comments not specifically aimed at him.
“It’s unfair for it to be said we need to step up and find leadership,” O’Neal said. “I’m the one that’s been calling guys in the summer, during the season, trying to keep guys motivated. We shouldn’t be questioning the leadership. We should have been questioning why we got beat amongst each other.”
Another option is that the Timberwolves could try to rebuild around Garnett. There would be a gentle irony in a trade with the Knicks for Stephon Marbury, who predictably has been at odds with Larry Brown. Marbury forced his way out of Minnesota after saying he couldn’t play with Garnett knowing Garnett always would make more money. Wally Szczerbiak has been dying to return to his native New York. Add point guard Marko Jaric and the package would match up. This should occupy my time this season like trading Eddy Curry did last year.
What about Bulls?
Yes, the Bulls. I’m working on that too. So here’s the deal. There have been rumors the Bulls want to make a run at the Kings’ Peja Stojakovic, a free agent after this season. Stojakovic is a good shooter, which the Bulls need, but he’ll be 29 next season. That’s not a good age to be giving a shooter a long-term deal.
The Bulls need post play and a big defensive guard. One GM said he has heard the Bulls remain interested in Atlanta’s Al Harrington, a post-up frontcourt player who also can rebound. He was the player the Bulls tried to get by trading for Phoenix’s No. 1 draft pick in 2004. But the Pacers pulled back on the deal and the Bulls selected Luol Deng.
Harrington is with the hopeless Hawks and says he’ll leave as a free agent after this season. Atlanta needs a point guard, given that Tyron Lue plays there now. So how about Chris Duhon and an expiring contract, like Eric Piatkowski’s? Otherwise, the Hawks could lose Harrington for nothing. And Kirk Hinrich could return to his natural position, point guard.
In the other part of the deal, how about making a run at Golden State’s Mickael Pietrus to play with Hinrich? It would cost the Warriors a fortune in luxury tax to re-sign Pietrus after they re-signed Mike Dunleavy. The Bulls looked hard at Pietrus before drafting Hinrich, and he’s the kind of big, defensive shooting guard they need. Certainly, either the Bulls’ or Knicks’ No. 1 picks the Bulls own will be in the lottery. Wouldn’t one help the Warriors’ pursuit for a big man with another expiring contract thrown in?
It’s after this that Steed and Mrs. Peel usually clink champagne glasses. Where’s John Paxson? What vintage does he have around?
Struggling ex-Huskies
Former Connecticut stars Ben Gordon of the Bulls and Emeka Okafor of the Bobcats, who battled for last season’s rookie-of-the-year award, are both in sophomore slumps, shooting under 40 percent and behind last season’s averages. Third-place finisher Dwight Howard of the Magic, meanwhile, became the youngest player ever with a 20-20 game and is averaging 15.7 points and 12.7 rebounds (second in the NBA) and shooting 51 percent. “Obviously you garner respect, and life’s about living up to expectations,” Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. “The difficulty is living up to it.” . . .
The Celtics are expected to try to revoke the contract of Chicagoan Tony Allen with about $2 million remaining if he is convicted in an alleged fight last summer. . . . It doesn’t look like Shaquille O’Neal will be ready when the Heat is in Chicago on Dec. 13.
The `D’ in Philly
The 76ers have been a surprise after an 0-3 start. It was thought their fate would rest with the Allen Iverson-Chris Webber duo–combining for more than 50 points per game, a league best–but the key has been a new defensive stopper, Andre Iguodala. In successive games last week, he held Kobe Bryant to 7-for-27 shooting, Sam Cassell to 1-for-10 and Jalen Rose scoreless for the first time in more than 500 games. Iguodala, picked ninth after Toronto bust Rafael Araujo, also ranks among the league leaders in steals, three-point shooting and field-goal percentage.
New York stories
Jazz owner Larry Miller, during his team’s poor effort against the Knicks last week, stood by the bench in the second half and stared angrily at the players. It probably didn’t help his mood that expensive free agent Carlos Boozer is out until at least January and that attendance that night was the lowest in arena history. . . .
George Karl’s dream job too? The Denver coach told New York media last week, “I would love to coach the Knicks someday. I don’t know if that’s in my future, my desire, or not.” It wasn’t Phil Jackson’s. He said one reason he didn’t seriously consider the Knicks this season was the “snakes and nastiness and innuendoes” of the New York sports media. . . .
Channing Frye is having a good rookie start with the Knicks. Frye has scored at least 20 points in each of the last three games. . . . It’s unclear when it will be senior day, but Brown stuck by tradition by starting Trevor Ariza and Matt Barnes on recent road trips to their hometowns. . . . Brown has been typically critical of his players. Naming no one in particular (Marbury?), Brown said of his team, “If it is about one person, I think he should run track.”
Last shots
Good for Minnesota coach Dwane Casey. After rookie Rashad McCants was ejected for taunting after dunks, Casey said: “I told him he will not play in a Minnesota Timberwolves uniform if he wants to be in theatrics.” . . . Wonderful piece on Marvin “Bad News” Barnes last week on Bob Costas’ HBO show. Barnes talked about using cocaine while on the bench in Boston. So, no, nowadays isn’t the worst players ever have been. Barnes, once homeless, is rehabbed and working in the community now. . . . Former Purdue coach Gene Keady is working with the Raptors and could become an assistant. . . . Big men getting buried on their teams and becoming available include Kelvin Cato and Jerome James. Erick Dampier responded with a big game as Dallas dealt the Pistons their first loss Saturday night. Also moving to the bench have been Jim Jackson in Phoenix and Voshon Lenard in Denver. . . . Illinois’ Luther Head, getting the full-fledged rookie treatment in Houston, is being made to sing at team parties. Said Tracy McGrady: “He doesn’t complain. If we say, `Luther, go jump off a bridge,’ he’ll say, `Right now?'” . . . Vlade Divac was excused from Serbian military service back home. The government said he’d done his time in other ways, plus there was a fear that his flopping would result in too many costly ambulance runs.
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sasmith@tribune.com
