Think we'll see Joe Smith on the court anytime soon?

	Smith

The union drags Smith before arbitrator Kenneth Dam on Thursday and says, give him back his Bird rights.

The arbitrator, who found against Smith and the cheatin' Minnesota Timberwolves last week, says let me think about it. I may need 30 days.

Suppose Dam rules in Smith's favor, what do you think happens?

Well, the NBA goes back to Dam and says, look, you already ruled against him once, the commissioner has these powers, we insist he forfeits his Bird rights. Dam says, give me 30 days to reconsider.

You do see where this is going?

David Stern figures he's going to win this one. He's a good lawyer and the NBA has a team of good lawyers behind him. They know what they're doing. They beat the union lawyers into mush during the lockout and they figure they're on the side of the angels in this dispute.

But even if Stern ultimately loses, this is going to take at least eight full weeks to resolve if the union and Smith get every break in the case. Insiders say Stern's got 12 weeks of legal wrangling in him.

So, now, we're a couple weeks from the All-Star break. Joe Smith hasn't earned a nickel. He's out of shape. Miami's already spent its $3.9 million medical exception and the Bulls could care less.

Dan Fegan, the agent, can anticipate this plot. "I'm waiting to hear from Joe," Fegan said. "As soon as he gives me the word, I'm going to find the best place for him, but the one criteria we have is that Joe go to a team that will be in a position to keep him."

Fegan, who already has two clients in Atlanta [DerMarr Johnson and Dion Glover] says the Hawks have a real shot at Smith, if he ever drops his appeal. Although the best they can do for Smith this season is the $2.25 million middle class exception, "they will have cap room next summer," Fegan noted. "They've been very careful and worked very hard to put themselves in this position and Joe will have to consider Atlanta."

By the way, Fegan does not deny that Smith signed the contracts [under the advice of much castigated Eric Fleisher], but he doubts Smith read the details. "I've been in this business 12 years and players trust their agents. That's why they hired us." He said of Smith, "Joe is accountable, but he isn't culpable."

Then there's McHale
Meanwhile, Kevin McHale denies he was in Glen Taylor's office when the deal got done and those who know of McHale's disdain for Fleisher say this is entirely possible. Last September McHale played innocence to the hilt.

"Did I know about a written agreement between Joe and Glen? No. Glen dealt with Eric in this thing. I knew Glen and Eric had discussed some things, but I didn't know the particulars of things."

And yet, those in the know say McHale signed the contracts and this is why he's going down with Taylor.

The simple truth is that McHale isn't much of a general manager. He certainly doesn't hang around the office and Wolves basketball people have to hustle him up whenever there's a decision to be made.

And McHale's blind hatred of the Lakers got the Wolves in this mess, anyway. Let's not forget that Jerry West offered him Eddie Jones, Elden Campbell and a No. 1 for Tom Gugliotta before Gugs signed with the Suns in Jan. 1999 and the talent-thin Wolves got nothing.

Around The League