| | NEW YORK -- Just a few questions as NBA teams go to training camps:
|  | | Tim Duncan and the Spurs try to make it two championships in three seasons. |
Q: What happens if Isaiah Rider starts acting up with the Lakers?
A: Unlike the Hawks, who put up with a lot of J.R.'s attitude before
finally showing him the door, the Lakers aren't going to be nearly as
patient. But L.A. can afford to be, since only $250,000 of his $700,000
deal is guaranteed.
Q: How is Rasheed Wallace going to react if Shawn Kemp sheds some
weight, returns to '96 form and takes charge in Portland?
A: Mount Rasheed figures to blow his volatile top, since he needs to be
the leader, in his own mind. But Kemp is a long way, conditioning-wise,
from his '96 form, when he led the Sonics to the Finals.
Q: What does Miami expect to get out of Tim Hardaway?
A: Even though he signed for $12 million, not a whole lot. The Heat
know that Hardaway has a bone-on-bone condition in his knee, but felt
it had to re-sign him since they lack another first-line point guard.
Q: How are the Heat going to jell, with all their changes?
A: According to Anthony Mason: "It's easier to jell as a defensive team.
In Charlotte, we had to come together offensively, and that took a long,
long time. At least here, we know if our shots aren't falling, we can
still win games with our defense." That's the best-case scenario. The
Heat still need a perimeter scorer.
| |  | |
| Jones |
Q: Do the Hornets have what it takes to adjust to life without Eddie
Jones?
A: They think so, because they didn't feel that Jones was a "maximum"
player who can lead a team. But their big concern now is that they don't
have a consistent perimeter scorer like they once did when Glen Rice
called Charlotte home.
Q: How are Jermaine O'Neal and Jonathan Bender going to fare as the
Pacers and Isiah Thomas go young up front?
A: They've been great in practices. But now we'll find out just how
great they are when it really counts -- in games.
| |  | |
| Anderson |
Q: Is Derek Anderson going to help the Spurs?
A: He's just what San Antonio needs, a young, athletic perimeter player
who should thrive with Tim Duncan and David Robinson. If he had a better
perimeter shot, the Spurs would be the favorites to win it all. If
Duncan stays healthy, they might be the favorites, anyway.
Q: Are the Knicks better off without Patrick Ewing?
A: Most of the Knicks privately made that ludicrous assessment last
season. In actuality, they were .500 without Ewing, their best rebounder
and their only frontcourt player opponents had to double team. Now,
Latrell Sprewell, Glen Rice and Allan Houston can go about proving
they're better without Ewing.
Q: Can Ewing take Seattle deep into the playoffs?
A: First, he has to stay healthy, which has been impossible since 1997.
But even if he manages to give the Sonics a full season, he's still 38
and has the daunting task of going up against the best big talent in the
game, on a nightly basis.
Q: How are the Magic going to use Grant Hill?
A: Orlando has Darrell Armstrong, but Doc Rivers is expected to look at
using Hill the way Doug Collins did in Detroit, when he ran the offense.
Q: Is Allen Iverson getting traded by the Sixers?
| |  | |
| Iverson |
A: Apparently not. The problem is, only one team, the Pistons, is
willing to take on Iverson. But since at least two potential trades with
Detroit fell through, the Pistons probably don't have what it takes
to land Iverson.
Q: Is that written in stone?
A: Not as long as Larry Brown is in Philadelphia.
Q: Who's a first-year coach under the gun?
A: Byron Scott in New Jersey. Now with the No. 1 overall pick, Kenyon
Martin, the Nets should be able to get at least eighth place in the
woeful East.
Q: Is Rick Pitino in his final season in Boston?
A: That's the feeling within the organization. They know that Larry Bird
is fronting an investment group that wants to buy the team for $300
million, and that has some in the Pitino camp worried that this will be
the last hurrah.
Q: What team in the East could be a surprise?
A: Scouts have liked the changes the Bucks have made up front, and figure
that they are better prepared to go deeper in the playoffs. We know the
East is lousy, but we'll see about that.
Rim Shots
Knicks doctors don't think Luc Longley will be out 8-10 weeks
due to a knee injury suffered in Olympics, as Australian doctors first
feared. If Longley misses all of November, he'll be out 16 games.
| |  | |
| Barros |
Detroit and Dallas are expected to pull off yet another trade in two
weeks, with Dana Barros going to the Pistons and Loy Vaught heading to
Dallas.
The Dream Team's bush-league actions at the Olympics -- from Vince
Carter blowing kisses to the crowd after dunks, to Alonzo Mourning and
Gary Payton mindlessly trash-talking -- are just one more reason to keep the
pros at home. David Stern wants to keep selling NBA merchandise,
however, so don't expect a change.
Chris Mullin only went to Golden
State at the last minute because he's been promised a position in the
Warriors organization after this season. Mullin, in fact, had accepted
the T-wolves offer of $1 mil until the Warriors offered a post down the
line.
Minnesota thinks it's going to wind up with LaPhonso Ellis. In
the meantime, Todd Day has accepted the T-wolves? offer of a make-good
contract.
Don't be surprised to see Matt Maloney heading to the Hawks.
Seattle worked out Chucky Brown. But the Sonics are still looking for bigger
help. Gary Payton and Patrick Ewing are pushing for the Sonics to sign
Brown.
Mitch Lawrence, who covers the NBA for the New York Daily News, writes a regular NBA column for ESPN.com.
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