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Offseason Wrap: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

by Chad Ford

Send an Email to Chad Ford

Also Below: Payton bluffing in Seattle? | Wang, Redd get offer sheets | Cavs' woes starting early | Bonzi gets some love

2003 NBA Free Agent Sneak Peek

NBA position battles: Who's going to do the Magic's dirty work?

After an offseason that resembled a classic Knicks-Heat 58-57 barnburner, teams are finally in training camp and we can begin to tear the last three months apart.

Little has happened over the last few weeks. Rashard Lewis and Bonzi Wells came to their senses. Donald Sterling proved to Michael Olowokandi and Elton Brand that in real life, Scrooge rarely has that midnight epiphany, and a blockbuster trade elicited this response from a reader in Atlanta.

"Doesn't it feel terrible when you go on vacation and then the big Michael Stewart for Lamond Murray trade goes down? You think to yourself, 'Hey....this is a slow period in the offseason, just before training camp....perfect time to take a week off....'. Then, out of nowhere, the Cavs and Raptors put together a blockbuster like this that changes the face of the Eastern Conference. Now you're stuck playing catch-up the instant you return to work. Might as well have skipped the vacation all together huh? Just bad luck I guess." -- Jon Born

Here's a quick rundown of what happened this summer, if you, like Peter Vecsey, get to take three-month vacations during the offseason.

THE GOOD

Kings: Geoff Petrie locked up his playoff MVP with a long-term deal, then turned around and stole Keon Clark in what should be remembered as the coup of the summer. They're deep, they're versatile and they should finally have the experience it takes to topple the Lakers.

THE PRETTY GOOD

Pistons: Joe Dumars' team shocked everyone last year when it won the Central Division. Instead of resting on his laurels, he's built a better-shooting, more-versatile team while giving the Pistons cap flexibility for the future. Chauncey Billups is a big upgrade at the point. Richard Hamilton isn't Jerry Stackhouse, which is a good and bad thing. Rookie Mehmet Okur looks like he has the goods to come in and immediately contribute. Ditto for Tayshaun Prince. Had he not given away Rodney White to the Nuggets (he could've gotten more), they'd get an "A".

Spurs: R.C. Buford did nothing dramatic, but that's a good thing. They preserved their cap space for next summer and now seem like a lock to re-sign Tim Duncan AND another top-flight free agent next summer. If Jason Kidd decides to stay in New Jersey, look for Michael Olowokandi to be at the top of their list. What they did do this summer isn't too shabby either. Former second-round pick Emanuel Ginobili was the best non-NBA player at the World Championships this summer. They locked up solid supporting cast members Bruce Bowen and Malik Rose. And Speedy Claxton gives them a young, reliable backup for Tony Parker.

Clippers: Snagging Andre Miller for Darius Miles will go down as one of Elgin Baylor's all-time great coups. The Clipps also had a fantastic draft, nabbing two coveted frontcourt players in Chris Wilcox and Melvin Ely. They'd be next to the Kings at the top of the offseason class if Donald Sterling had done something, anything, to convince his team that he has any intention of paying his players.

Blazers: No, Bob Whitsitt didn't rid the team of some of his worst chemistry offenders. But he did manage, rather quietly for once, to shore up the team's two weakest positions. Jeff McInnis and Antonio Daniels came cheap and give the Blazers the size at the point that it's coveted for the last few years -- Damon Stoudamire be damned. And Arvydas Sabonis may be doing his fat Elvis impersonation all summer, but even at just 20 minutes a game, he's a big upgrade in the middle for Portland. Add in the Qyntel Woods draft-day steal, subtract Shawn Kemp and consider that for once, the Blazers are returning with their core team basically intact, and I think they'll be better.

Nets: No one is sure how much gas Dikembe Mutombo has left in his tank, but Rod Thorn obviously believes in addition by subtraction. Keith Van Horn had worn at his welcome and Richard Jefferson's improvement this summer warranted a starting job. Defensively, no one will be better. If Jefferson and Kenyon Martin continue the steep learning curve, the Nets will be even better this season. The addition of Chris Childs to back up Kidd is also huge. Byron Scott will now actually be able to watch when his MVP isn't on the floor.

Wizards: Quantity counts, I guess. I'm not really sure that I like the mix, but Michael Jordan's Wizards did add a lot of talent this summer. Jerry Stackhouse, in the short term, is an improvement over Richard Hamilton. Larry Hughes, if he ever gets his head on straight, oozes talent. Bryon Russell gives them veteran experience. And Jared Jeffries has the maturity to step right in and contribute. But let's not kid ourselves. The Wizards get here because a leaner, meaner Jordan has decided to lace them up again. I'm not sold that with no frontcourt to speak of and a shaky point guard the Wizards will go anywhere, but never bet against MJ.

Hawks: Pete Babcock pulled off one of the better deals of the summer when he snagged Glenn Robinson for Toni Kukoc and change. Dan Dickau was a steal with the No. 28 pick in the draft and a healthy Theo Ratliff will be huge for this team. But the loss of DerMarr Johnson to a terrible car crash and the uncertainty surrounding Jason Terry's ability to run the point make Atlanta's backcourt a huge question mark.

Hornets: Bob Bass stuck to his guns and Baron Davis blinked. After beginning the summer thumping his chest and demanding a trade, Davis quickly changed his mind after the Clippers traded for Andre Miller and signed a long-term deal with the Hornets. The addition of Courtney Alexander and the re-signing of Lee Nailon on the cheap should put New Orleans in position to challenge the Pistons and Nets for supremacy in the East.

Sonics: Rick Sund got Rashard Lewis at his price and found a sucker to take on the remainder of Vin Baker's contract -- that's one hell of a summer. If he can find a way to make Gary Payton happy, or better yet, a way to trade him for a young point guard and power forward, the Sonics should be in pretty good shape down the road.

THE STATUS QUO

Lakers: When you have Shaq and Kobe and three consecutive World Championships, the status quo will do. Locking up Devean George was key and a draft-day deal for Kareem Rush should pay dividends down the road. But the Lakers still haven't addressed some glaring weaknesses at the point and behind Shaq. If the Big Fella misses major time during the season with his sore toe, the Lakers will be abused up front.

Mavs: Mark Cuban made a spirited run at Rashard Lewis, but in the end Lewis came to his senses and took the Sonics' money. Popeye Jones gives them some much-needed toughness down low, but all in all, for once it was the status quo for Mavs. If they match Wang Zhizhi's offer from Clippers, figure out a way to keep the Bucks from matching an offer sheet to Michael Redd and steal enough minutes to keep Nick Van Exel quiet, the Mavs will make more noise in the playoffs this spring.

Rockets: It's hard to call nabbing the No. 1 pick and drafting Yao Ming status quo, but until Carroll Dawson actually signs the guy, gets him over here and shows us he can play the more physical NBA game, it's hard to pat him on the back. Bostjan Nachbar is a nice addition, but it felt like the Rockets missed a real opportunity to upgrade via free agency or trade this summer.

Pacers: Donnie Walsh really made his big move at the trading deadline in February when he snagged Ron Artest, Brad Miller and Ron Mercer for Jalen Rose. The Pacers tried to clear a logjam at small forward but couldn't get a reasonable offer for Austin Croshere. Walsh still hasn't sold me on drafting Freddie Jones at No. 14 and Erick Strickland won't be a huge help at point guard.

Raptors: The Raptors were upgraded from "ugly" to "status quo" with last week's trade for Lamond Murray. Glen Grunwald believes that Murray will give the Raptors that legitimate second scorer they were desperately searching for. But let's not get carried away. We're talking about Lamond Murray. Losing Keon Clark for nothing was unforgivable. Hakeem Olajuwon is ready to call it quits, which means Jerome Williams, Antonio Davis and Nate Huffman must somehow try to anchor a shaky frontline. And the draft-day trade that brought Lindsey Hunter and Chris Jefferies did little to upgrade their point guard woes.

Knicks: The draft-day deal for Antonio McDyess was a blockbuster. But the Knicks' inability to do anything more than sign Michael Doleac this summer means that at the end of the day, Scott Layden didn't do enough to move the team back into contention. The Knicks still don't have a real point guard to speak off, Kurt Thomas, an undersized four, is forced to play in the middle and Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston are still left bickering about who plays where.

Heat: Losing Zo was a major blow to a summer that seemed to be going in the right direction. Caron Butler was a steal at No. 10, and Travis Best was a nice addition at the point. But without Zo, and with the Heat unwilling to spend any money on free agency, the Heat will bludgeoned in the middle. You may not want to fault Pat Riley for Zo's illness, but the truth is he knew his status was always questionable. Failing to land a back up is inexcusable.

Suns: Bryan Colangelo continues to insist that the once-bright Suns are rebuilding, which is why the team made only a few subtle moves this summer. Drafting Amare Stoudemire was a huge plus and nabbing Scott Williams for the veteran's exception also looks like a winner. But as long as Penny Hardaway and Tom Gugliotta sit on the bench collecting disability, the team can't do much more than pray to the lottery gods.

Grizzlies: Jerry West is in the building, but until he finds the next Kobe or lures the next Shaq to Memphis we'll have to settle for the likes of Wesley Person, Earl Watson and Cezary Trybanski. Drew Gooden was the only big move the Grizzlies made this summer. Instead, West focused on giving the team some outside shooting and depth. Will it make a difference in the tough Western Conference this year? Doubt it.

Warriors: Garry St. Jean made his best move ever this summer when he decided to dump Brian Winters and bring in the young, energetic Eric Musselman. But St. Jean hasn't given Musselman much to work with. Larry Hughes just slipped away in the night. Mike Dunleavy is a nice pick, but isn't ready to make an immediate impact. Jiri Welsch, Rafer Alston and Steve Logan were the other big additions this summer, which means it's going to be rough going for Musselman. Until they can find a way to dump Danny Fortson and clear some cap room, it looks like the Warriors will be playing the lottery again next summer.

Bulls: Jerry Krause loves to take credit for dumb luck, and Jay Williams, the consensus No. 1 pick, falling into his lap at No. 2 qualifies. But the Bulls didn't do much more to improve upon the worst team in the NBA. Donyell Marshall is a nice player, but he doesn't fit at all into Chicago's youth movement. Roger Mason and Lonny Baxter were nice second-round picks, but second-round picks aren't what the Bulls need right now. Their inability to package some of their youth (read Jamal Crawford and Marcus Fizer) for a star-caliber small forward will haunt them later.

THE BAD

Nuggets: Kiki Vandeweghe knows what he's doing, but in the short term, it's OK to cringe at what the Nuggets did this summer. They traded away an all-star power forward, Antonio McDyess, for an unproven and largely unseen rookie from Brazil, Nene Hilario, and an injury-prone Marcus Camby. They also drafted another mystery forward in Nikoloz Tskitishvili, waived their two most veteran players, Tim Hardaway and Mark Jackson, and will be forced to start Kenny Satterfield at the point. Yikes. The good news is that the team is stocked full of young talent, has wads of cash in 2003 and will have the best shot at getting Lebron James in next summers draft. It's ugly now, but in three years, Vandeweghe will look like a genius.

Celtics: You could argue that swapping under-performing Vin Baker for Kenny Anderson was a bit of a wash. Anderson was a key player in the Celtics' playoff run last season, but Baker will give them the big low-post scoring presence the team has been searching for. Fair enough. But letting Rodney Rogers and Erick Strickland slip away hurts. As it stands, the Celtics don't have a point guard (though GM Chris Wallace insists you don't need one in the Celtics' system) and have very little depth across the board. It wasn't Wallace's fault former owner Paul Gaston refused to pay the luxury tax, but the Celtics may suffer a bit this year.

Jazz: Kevin O'Conner was smart to let Donyell Marshall and Bryon Russell slip away into the sunset, but he did little to fill their void. Matt Harpring held his own last season at small forward, but can he really play shooting guard? Injuries to Curtis Borchardt and Raul Lopez don't bode well for the future and despite all of the hopeful press, don't count on Mark Jackson turning it around for Utah.

76ers: Larry Brown got the six month itch and shipped off Dikembe Mutombo for Keith Van Horn and Todd MacCulloch. I'm not sure what Van Horn can do that Harpring, George Lynch and Toni Kukoc couldn't, but Brown believes he's the answer to the Sixers scoring woes. That's fine, but with Derrick Coleman aching, no legit backup to MacCulloch and a rookie backing up the fragile Eric Snow, you've got to wonder what direction the Sixers are going.

Bucks: George Karl lost control of the team last season and it was up to Ernie Grunfeld to clean up the mess. Grunfeld isn't under the illusion that Toni Kukoc is better than Glenn Robinson. For right now, different will have to do. Now, all of the pressure lies on Tim Thomas' shoulders and I'm not sure that's a great thing. The team also lost veterans Darvin Ham, Mark Pope and Rafer Alston. Now, with the Mavs pursuing Michael Redd, they could be in big trouble. Rookie Marcus Haslip looked promising in the summer leagues and second-round picks Dan Gadzurix and Ronald Murray were both steals. But did the Bucks really improve? The new chemistry has to be much better than the talent.

Magic: Jacque Vaughn, Shawn Kemp, Ryan Humphrey and Olumide Oyedeji don't really get the season tickets holders running to the phone. The truth is John Gabriel's five-year plan of clearing cap space for a free agent like Tim Duncan appears to have back fired. If Grant Hill stays healthy, the Magic will be competitive. But until they figure out something up front (or the Reign Man is resurrected) they won't be challengers.

THE JERRY KRAUSE UGLY

Timberwolves: Kevin McHale consistently seems paralyzed when it comes to offseason moves. He let Chauncey Billups slip away without a solid backup plan at point guard, couldn't get Rasho Nesterovic locked up to a long-term deal and then in frustration (he was spurned by every major free agent) spent his offseason cash on the likes of Troy Hudson and Kendall Gill. That's ugly folks.

Cavs: Jim Paxson's rebuilding plan has changed by the hour in Cleveland. His latest venture included trading away his best player, Andre Miller, for the Clippers' seventh man, Darius Miles, and then sending his second-leading scorer, Lamond Murray, for Michael "Yogi" Stewart, an overpaid center who's played in 37 games the last two seasons. Yes, Ricky Davis looked like he was emerging toward the end of the season and Dajuan Wagner should give them a spark, but owner Gordan Gund shouldn't put up with this nonsense.

Playing Catch-Up

Peter Vecsey / New York Post

Payton bluffing in Seattle?

Gary Payton's bluffing.

His no-show at the Sonics' media day wasn't a big surprise. His agent, Aaron Goodwin, has insinuated for weeks that Payton would stage a mini-holdout to send a message about what he believes is a lack of respect by the Sonics over a contract extension.

"He didn't even say why," coach Nate McMillan told the Tacoma Tribune. "When I talked to him this morning, he said he would not be here today, and that he would be here tomorrow. I was disappointed, but I said, 'OK, fine.' What can you do?"

Owner Howard Schultz was clearly miffed. "I am hurt by the situation, and I think it is disrespectful to the organization," Schultz said. "He is under contract and he did not report to work today."

However, here's the rub. Nothing will come of it unless Payton wants something to happen.

"I think if he comes tomorrow and he comes to play, we move on," Schultz said. "There is no grudge here. We are professionals."

Sonics sources told Insider that the ball is in Payton's court. If he wants a trade, the Sonics will try to accomodate him, but he has to publicly demand it. Schultz would prefer to keep Payton in Seattle, though much of the team management favors trading him. The Sonics have been worried for the last few years about the fallout of trading the team's most popular player. Sources insist there are plenty of suitors for Payton but they're unlikely to pull the trigger until Payton goes on the record with his trade demands.

Don't expect that to happen. For all of the posturing from Payton's camp the last few years, he's never been willing to publicly demand a trade. According to league sources, Payton prefers to retire a Sonic and doesn't really want to uproot and play somewhere else. Yes, he wants more money and more security . . . but he wants it in Seattle.

No love from the Glove at Sonics media day

Frank Hughes / Tacoma News Tribune

No-show by Payton: A 'glove' slap to Sonics brass

Danny O'Neil / Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Payton no-show upsets owner on media day

Percy Allen / Seattle Times

Wang, Redd get offer sheets

Wang Zhizhi's situation finally came to a head late Monday when the Clippers gave the Chinese center a three-year offer sheet, the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported.

Zhizhi is a restricted free agent, meaning that the Mavs now have 15 days to match the offer. They cannot, however, engage in any more sign-and-trade discussions for Zhizhi now that he's signed the offer sheet. Under CBA rules, the Mavs now have two choices. They can match the offer sheet or let Zhizhi remain with the Clippers. If they match, Zhizhi cannot be traded to the Clippers for one year. The Mavs will also be unable to trade Zhizhi, without his approval, to any team for one year.

While Dallas has maintained in the past that it would match any reasonable offer for Zhizhi, the Mavs may actually balk at matching the offer sheet. Why? A league source told Insider late Monday night that the Mavs are in hot pursuit of Bucks restricted free agent Michael Redd and may sign him to an offer sheet as early as today.

The Bucks have said all summer that they would match any offer for Redd, however, expect owner Herb Kohl to think twice at signing Redd up for a deal that should be near the $4.5 mid level exception.

Wang signs Clippers' offer, but Mavs hopeful

Art Garcia / Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Cavs' woes starting early

Speaking of mini-holdouts, newly signed swingman Ricky Davis was a no-show at the Cavs media day on Monday.

Davis, a restricted free agent, signed an offer sheet with the T-Wolves this summer only to see it matched by the Cavs. Davis' agent, Dan Fegan, warned at the time that Davis was unhappy with the Cavs' decision to match.

"I'm disappointed," GM Jim Paxson told the Morning Journal. "I assume Ricky will be in [last night] and be ready to go [today for the start of training camp]. That's what I anticipate him doing. I don't think this is something that was premeditated. I traded messages with his agent [Dan Fegan] last week and I talked to him the week before. From my standpoint, I don't know what other issues [are out there]."

Cavs coach John Lucas had little to say about Davis' no-show, other than he has a "$34 million headache."

"I love Ricky. Ricky and I will always have this love, father-and-son relationship. I'll deal with it when it comes through the door."

He wasn't the only one missing from Cavs camp. Nick Anderson stayed in Atlanta; Paxson said it was mutually agreed that Anderson not report to camp.

"It was in both our best interests not to have Nick here," he said. "We haven't officially released him. Based on the direction we're going, we both felt it was in our best interest for him not to come to camp at this time, if he was not going to be part of the team this year."

Then, why not just waive Anderson now?

"Part of the reason to not make a decision on Nick Anderson today is that he still is an asset in a possible trade," Paxson said. "I want to leave my options open. It's the right business decision. If we can't work out something before the season, then we'll release him."

Davis doesn't show at media day

Bob Finnan / Willoughby News-Herald

Headaches worth having

Terry Pluto / Akron Beacon-Journal

Bonzi gets some love

Bonzi Wells finally got the love he was looking for, and it was just in time.

The Blazers signed Wells, a restricted free agent, to a three-year, $20 million contract on Monday. The deal includes a team option for the 2005-06 season.

"It's definitely a relief," Wells told the Oregonian. "I've still got two fingernails left to bite, and you can take that for whatever you want. It was stressful, but this is a business, and my agent told me everyone goes through it and there was nothing new here with me.

"I wanted to get it done before today, but I had to understand that there were other things that the team had to do. I just waited my turn and it was my turn today."

Now, coach Mo Cheeks needs to figure out how to get minutes for everyone. He has three point guards, Damon Stoudamire, Jeff McInnis and Antonio Daniels, who all believe they should be starting. He has two starting-caliber shooting guards, Wells and Derek Anderson, two starting-caliber small forwards, Scottie Pippen and Ruben Patterson, and two good centers in Dale Davis and Arvydas Sabonis. Factor in Rasheed Wallace and second-year forward Zach Randolph and Cheeks has a legitimate 10- man rotation on his hands.

Once again Cheeks will ask his players to sacrifice their individual stats for the good of the team. Anderson says it's the only way the team will compete with the likes of the Lakers.

"We have all the talent in the world, now it's just attitude, seeing if guys can be unselfish and accept roles," guard Derek Anderson said. "That's the only problem we had last year.

"We are going to win games because of our talent, there is no question about that, but it is our attitude . . . that's the only problem we have right now. If we can forget about playing time, forget about everything else and work on our attitudes, then that will cure everything else."

Blazers open camp with Wells

Jim Beseda / Oregonian

Offseason Wrap: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

by Chad Ford

Send an Email to Chad Ford

Also Below: Payton bluffing in Seattle? | Wang, Redd get offer sheets | Cavs' woes starting early | Bonzi gets some love

2003 NBA Free Agent Sneak Peek

NBA position battles: Who's going to do the Magic's dirty work?

After an offseason that resembled a classic Knicks-Heat 58-57 barnburner, teams are finally in training camp and we can begin to tear the last three months apart.

Little has happened over the last few weeks. Rashard Lewis and Bonzi Wells came to their senses. Donald Sterling proved to Michael Olowokandi and Elton Brand that in real life, Scrooge rarely has that midnight epiphany, and a blockbuster trade elicited this response from a reader in Atlanta.

"Doesn't it feel terrible when you go on vacation and then the big Michael Stewart for Lamond Murray trade goes down? You think to yourself, 'Hey....this is a slow period in the offseason, just before training camp....perfect time to take a week off....'. Then, out of nowhere, the Cavs and Raptors put together a blockbuster like this that changes the face of the Eastern Conference. Now you're stuck playing catch-up the instant you return to work. Might as well have skipped the vacation all together huh? Just bad luck I guess." -- Jon Born

Here's a quick rundown of what happened this summer, if you, like Peter Vecsey, get to take three-month vacations during the offseason.

THE GOOD

Kings: Geoff Petrie locked up his playoff MVP with a long-term deal, then turned around and stole Keon Clark in what should be remembered as the coup of the summer. They're deep, they're versatile and they should finally have the experience it takes to topple the Lakers.

THE PRETTY GOOD

Pistons: Joe Dumars' team shocked everyone last year when it won the Central Division. Instead of resting on his laurels, he's built a better-shooting, more-versatile team while giving the Pistons cap flexibility for the future. Chauncey Billups is a big upgrade at the point. Richard Hamilton isn't Jerry Stackhouse, which is a good and bad thing. Rookie Mehmet Okur looks like he has the goods to come in and immediately contribute. Ditto for Tayshaun Prince. Had he not given away Rodney White to the Nuggets (he could've gotten more), they'd get an "A".

Spurs: R.C. Buford did nothing dramatic, but that's a good thing. They preserved their cap space for next summer and now seem like a lock to re-sign Tim Duncan AND another top-flight free agent next summer. If Jason Kidd decides to stay in New Jersey, look for Michael Olowokandi to be at the top of their list. What they did do this summer isn't too shabby either. Former second-round pick Emanuel Ginobili was the best non-NBA player at the World Championships this summer. They locked up solid supporting cast members Bruce Bowen and Malik Rose. And Speedy Claxton gives them a young, reliable backup for Tony Parker.

Clippers: Snagging Andre Miller for Darius Miles will go down as one of Elgin Baylor's all-time great coups. The Clipps also had a fantastic draft, nabbing two coveted frontcourt players in Chris Wilcox and Melvin Ely. They'd be next to the Kings at the top of the offseason class if Donald Sterling had done something, anything, to convince his team that he has any intention of paying his players.

Blazers: No, Bob Whitsitt didn't rid the team of some of his worst chemistry offenders. But he did manage, rather quietly for once, to shore up the team's two weakest positions. Jeff McInnis and Antonio Daniels came cheap and give the Blazers the size at the point that it's coveted for the last few years -- Damon Stoudamire be damned. And Arvydas Sabonis may be doing his fat Elvis impersonation all summer, but even at just 20 minutes a game, he's a big upgrade in the middle for Portland. Add in the Qyntel Woods draft-day steal, subtract Shawn Kemp and consider that for once, the Blazers are returning with their core team basically intact, and I think they'll be better.

Nets: No one is sure how much gas Dikembe Mutombo has left in his tank, but Rod Thorn obviously believes in addition by subtraction. Keith Van Horn had worn at his welcome and Richard Jefferson's improvement this summer warranted a starting job. Defensively, no one will be better. If Jefferson and Kenyon Martin continue the steep learning curve, the Nets will be even better this season. The addition of Chris Childs to back up Kidd is also huge. Byron Scott will now actually be able to watch when his MVP isn't on the floor.

Wizards: Quantity counts, I guess. I'm not really sure that I like the mix, but Michael Jordan's Wizards did add a lot of talent this summer. Jerry Stackhouse, in the short term, is an improvement over Richard Hamilton. Larry Hughes, if he ever gets his head on straight, oozes talent. Bryon Russell gives them veteran experience. And Jared Jeffries has the maturity to step right in and contribute. But let's not kid ourselves. The Wizards get here because a leaner, meaner Jordan has decided to lace them up again. I'm not sold that with no frontcourt to speak of and a shaky point guard the Wizards will go anywhere, but never bet against MJ.

Hawks: Pete Babcock pulled off one of the better deals of the summer when he snagged Glenn Robinson for Toni Kukoc and change. Dan Dickau was a steal with the No. 28 pick in the draft and a healthy Theo Ratliff will be huge for this team. But the loss of DerMarr Johnson to a terrible car crash and the uncertainty surrounding Jason Terry's ability to run the point make Atlanta's backcourt a huge question mark.

Hornets: Bob Bass stuck to his guns and Baron Davis blinked. After beginning the summer thumping his chest and demanding a trade, Davis quickly changed his mind after the Clippers traded for Andre Miller and signed a long-term deal with the Hornets. The addition of Courtney Alexander and the re-signing of Lee Nailon on the cheap should put New Orleans in position to challenge the Pistons and Nets for supremacy in the East.

Sonics: Rick Sund got Rashard Lewis at his price and found a sucker to take on the remainder of Vin Baker's contract -- that's one hell of a summer. If he can find a way to make Gary Payton happy, or better yet, a way to trade him for a young point guard and power forward, the Sonics should be in pretty good shape down the road.

THE STATUS QUO

Lakers: When you have Shaq and Kobe and three consecutive World Championships, the status quo will do. Locking up Devean George was key and a draft-day deal for Kareem Rush should pay dividends down the road. But the Lakers still haven't addressed some glaring weaknesses at the point and behind Shaq. If the Big Fella misses major time during the season with his sore toe, the Lakers will be abused up front.

Mavs: Mark Cuban made a spirited run at Rashard Lewis, but in the end Lewis came to his senses and took the Sonics' money. Popeye Jones gives them some much-needed toughness down low, but all in all, for once it was the status quo for Mavs. If they match Wang Zhizhi's offer from Clippers, figure out a way to keep the Bucks from matching an offer sheet to Michael Redd and steal enough minutes to keep Nick Van Exel quiet, the Mavs will make more noise in the playoffs this spring.

Rockets: It's hard to call nabbing the No. 1 pick and drafting Yao Ming status quo, but until Carroll Dawson actually signs the guy, gets him over here and shows us he can play the more physical NBA game, it's hard to pat him on the back. Bostjan Nachbar is a nice addition, but it felt like the Rockets missed a real opportunity to upgrade via free agency or trade this summer.

Pacers: Donnie Walsh really made his big move at the trading deadline in February when he snagged Ron Artest, Brad Miller and Ron Mercer for Jalen Rose. The Pacers tried to clear a logjam at small forward but couldn't get a reasonable offer for Austin Croshere. Walsh still hasn't sold me on drafting Freddie Jones at No. 14 and Erick Strickland won't be a huge help at point guard.

Raptors: The Raptors were upgraded from "ugly" to "status quo" with last week's trade for Lamond Murray. Glen Grunwald believes that Murray will give the Raptors that legitimate second scorer they were desperately searching for. But let's not get carried away. We're talking about Lamond Murray. Losing Keon Clark for nothing was unforgivable. Hakeem Olajuwon is ready to call it quits, which means Jerome Williams, Antonio Davis and Nate Huffman must somehow try to anchor a shaky frontline. And the draft-day trade that brought Lindsey Hunter and Chris Jefferies did little to upgrade their point guard woes.

Knicks: The draft-day deal for Antonio McDyess was a blockbuster. But the Knicks' inability to do anything more than sign Michael Doleac this summer means that at the end of the day, Scott Layden didn't do enough to move the team back into contention. The Knicks still don't have a real point guard to speak off, Kurt Thomas, an undersized four, is forced to play in the middle and Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston are still left bickering about who plays where.

Heat: Losing Zo was a major blow to a summer that seemed to be going in the right direction. Caron Butler was a steal at No. 10, and Travis Best was a nice addition at the point. But without Zo, and with the Heat unwilling to spend any money on free agency, the Heat will bludgeoned in the middle. You may not want to fault Pat Riley for Zo's illness, but the truth is he knew his status was always questionable. Failing to land a back up is inexcusable.

Suns: Bryan Colangelo continues to insist that the once-bright Suns are rebuilding, which is why the team made only a few subtle moves this summer. Drafting Amare Stoudemire was a huge plus and nabbing Scott Williams for the veteran's exception also looks like a winner. But as long as Penny Hardaway and Tom Gugliotta sit on the bench collecting disability, the team can't do much more than pray to the lottery gods.

Grizzlies: Jerry West is in the building, but until he finds the next Kobe or lures the next Shaq to Memphis we'll have to settle for the likes of Wesley Person, Earl Watson and Cezary Trybanski. Drew Gooden was the only big move the Grizzlies made this summer. Instead, West focused on giving the team some outside shooting and depth. Will it make a difference in the tough Western Conference this year? Doubt it.

Warriors: Garry St. Jean made his best move ever this summer when he decided to dump Brian Winters and bring in the young, energetic Eric Musselman. But St. Jean hasn't given Musselman much to work with. Larry Hughes just slipped away in the night. Mike Dunleavy is a nice pick, but isn't ready to make an immediate impact. Jiri Welsch, Rafer Alston and Steve Logan were the other big additions this summer, which means it's going to be rough going for Musselman. Until they can find a way to dump Danny Fortson and clear some cap room, it looks like the Warriors will be playing the lottery again next summer.

Bulls: Jerry Krause loves to take credit for dumb luck, and Jay Williams, the consensus No. 1 pick, falling into his lap at No. 2 qualifies. But the Bulls didn't do much more to improve upon the worst team in the NBA. Donyell Marshall is a nice player, but he doesn't fit at all into Chicago's youth movement. Roger Mason and Lonny Baxter were nice second-round picks, but second-round picks aren't what the Bulls need right now. Their inability to package some of their youth (read Jamal Crawford and Marcus Fizer) for a star-caliber small forward will haunt them later.

THE BAD

Nuggets: Kiki Vandeweghe knows what he's doing, but in the short term, it's OK to cringe at what the Nuggets did this summer. They traded away an all-star power forward, Antonio McDyess, for an unproven and largely unseen rookie from Brazil, Nene Hilario, and an injury-prone Marcus Camby. They also drafted another mystery forward in Nikoloz Tskitishvili, waived their two most veteran players, Tim Hardaway and Mark Jackson, and will be forced to start Kenny Satterfield at the point. Yikes. The good news is that the team is stocked full of young talent, has wads of cash in 2003 and will have the best shot at getting Lebron James in next summers draft. It's ugly now, but in three years, Vandeweghe will look like a genius.

Celtics: You could argue that swapping under-performing Vin Baker for Kenny Anderson was a bit of a wash. Anderson was a key player in the Celtics' playoff run last season, but Baker will give them the big low-post scoring presence the team has been searching for. Fair enough. But letting Rodney Rogers and Erick Strickland slip away hurts. As it stands, the Celtics don't have a point guard (though GM Chris Wallace insists you don't need one in the Celtics' system) and have very little depth across the board. It wasn't Wallace's fault former owner Paul Gaston refused to pay the luxury tax, but the Celtics may suffer a bit this year.

Jazz: Kevin O'Conner was smart to let Donyell Marshall and Bryon Russell slip away into the sunset, but he did little to fill their void. Matt Harpring held his own last season at small forward, but can he really play shooting guard? Injuries to Curtis Borchardt and Raul Lopez don't bode well for the future and despite all of the hopeful press, don't count on Mark Jackson turning it around for Utah.

76ers: Larry Brown got the six month itch and shipped off Dikembe Mutombo for Keith Van Horn and Todd MacCulloch. I'm not sure what Van Horn can do that Harpring, George Lynch and Toni Kukoc couldn't, but Brown believes he's the answer to the Sixers scoring woes. That's fine, but with Derrick Coleman aching, no legit backup to MacCulloch and a rookie backing up the fragile Eric Snow, you've got to wonder what direction the Sixers are going.

Bucks: George Karl lost control of the team last season and it was up to Ernie Grunfeld to clean up the mess. Grunfeld isn't under the illusion that Toni Kukoc is better than Glenn Robinson. For right now, different will have to do. Now, all of the pressure lies on Tim Thomas' shoulders and I'm not sure that's a great thing. The team also lost veterans Darvin Ham, Mark Pope and Rafer Alston. Now, with the Mavs pursuing Michael Redd, they could be in big trouble. Rookie Marcus Haslip looked promising in the summer leagues and second-round picks Dan Gadzurix and Ronald Murray were both steals. But did the Bucks really improve? The new chemistry has to be much better than the talent.

Magic: Jacque Vaughn, Shawn Kemp, Ryan Humphrey and Olumide Oyedeji don't really get the season tickets holders running to the phone. The truth is John Gabriel's five-year plan of clearing cap space for a free agent like Tim Duncan appears to have back fired. If Grant Hill stays healthy, the Magic will be competitive. But until they figure out something up front (or the Reign Man is resurrected) they won't be challengers.

THE JERRY KRAUSE UGLY

Timberwolves: Kevin McHale consistently seems paralyzed when it comes to offseason moves. He let Chauncey Billups slip away without a solid backup plan at point guard, couldn't get Rasho Nesterovic locked up to a long-term deal and then in frustration (he was spurned by every major free agent) spent his offseason cash on the likes of Troy Hudson and Kendall Gill. That's ugly folks.

Cavs: Jim Paxson's rebuilding plan has changed by the hour in Cleveland. His latest venture included trading away his best player, Andre Miller, for the Clippers' seventh man, Darius Miles, and then sending his second-leading scorer, Lamond Murray, for Michael "Yogi" Stewart, an overpaid center who's played in 37 games the last two seasons. Yes, Ricky Davis looked like he was emerging toward the end of the season and Dajuan Wagner should give them a spark, but owner Gordan Gund shouldn't put up with this nonsense.

Playing Catch-Up

Peter Vecsey / New York Post

Payton bluffing in Seattle?

Gary Payton's bluffing.

His no-show at the Sonics' media day wasn't a big surprise. His agent, Aaron Goodwin, has insinuated for weeks that Payton would stage a mini-holdout to send a message about what he believes is a lack of respect by the Sonics over a contract extension.

"He didn't even say why," coach Nate McMillan told the Tacoma Tribune. "When I talked to him this morning, he said he would not be here today, and that he would be here tomorrow. I was disappointed, but I said, 'OK, fine.' What can you do?"

Owner Howard Schultz was clearly miffed. "I am hurt by the situation, and I think it is disrespectful to the organization," Schultz said. "He is under contract and he did not report to work today."

However, here's the rub. Nothing will come of it unless Payton wants something to happen.

"I think if he comes tomorrow and he comes to play, we move on," Schultz said. "There is no grudge here. We are professionals."

Sonics sources told Insider that the ball is in Payton's court. If he wants a trade, the Sonics will try to accomodate him, but he has to publicly demand it. Schultz would prefer to keep Payton in Seattle, though much of the team management favors trading him. The Sonics have been worried for the last few years about the fallout of trading the team's most popular player. Sources insist there are plenty of suitors for Payton but they're unlikely to pull the trigger until Payton goes on the record with his trade demands.

Don't expect that to happen. For all of the posturing from Payton's camp the last few years, he's never been willing to publicly demand a trade. According to league sources, Payton prefers to retire a Sonic and doesn't really want to uproot and play somewhere else. Yes, he wants more money and more security . . . but he wants it in Seattle.

No love from the Glove at Sonics media day

Frank Hughes / Tacoma News Tribune

No-show by Payton: A 'glove' slap to Sonics brass

Danny O'Neil / Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Payton no-show upsets owner on media day

Percy Allen / Seattle Times

Wang, Redd get offer sheets

Wang Zhizhi's situation finally came to a head late Monday when the Clippers gave the Chinese center a three-year offer sheet, the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported.

Zhizhi is a restricted free agent, meaning that the Mavs now have 15 days to match the offer. They cannot, however, engage in any more sign-and-trade discussions for Zhizhi now that he's signed the offer sheet. Under CBA rules, the Mavs now have two choices. They can match the offer sheet or let Zhizhi remain with the Clippers. If they match, Zhizhi cannot be traded to the Clippers for one year. The Mavs will also be unable to trade Zhizhi, without his approval, to any team for one year.

While Dallas has maintained in the past that it would match any reasonable offer for Zhizhi, the Mavs may actually balk at matching the offer sheet. Why? A league source told Insider late Monday night that the Mavs are in hot pursuit of Bucks restricted free agent Michael Redd and may sign him to an offer sheet as early as today.

The Bucks have said all summer that they would match any offer for Redd, however, expect owner Herb Kohl to think twice at signing Redd up for a deal that should be near the $4.5 mid level exception.

Wang signs Clippers' offer, but Mavs hopeful

Art Garcia / Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Cavs' woes starting early

Speaking of mini-holdouts, newly signed swingman Ricky Davis was a no-show at the Cavs media day on Monday.

Davis, a restricted free agent, signed an offer sheet with the T-Wolves this summer only to see it matched by the Cavs. Davis' agent, Dan Fegan, warned at the time that Davis was unhappy with the Cavs' decision to match.

"I'm disappointed," GM Jim Paxson told the Morning Journal. "I assume Ricky will be in [last night] and be ready to go [today for the start of training camp]. That's what I anticipate him doing. I don't think this is something that was premeditated. I traded messages with his agent [Dan Fegan] last week and I talked to him the week before. From my standpoint, I don't know what other issues [are out there]."

Cavs coach John Lucas had little to say about Davis' no-show, other than he has a "$34 million headache."

"I love Ricky. Ricky and I will always have this love, father-and-son relationship. I'll deal with it when it comes through the door."

He wasn't the only one missing from Cavs camp. Nick Anderson stayed in Atlanta; Paxson said it was mutually agreed that Anderson not report to camp.

"It was in both our best interests not to have Nick here," he said. "We haven't officially released him. Based on the direction we're going, we both felt it was in our best interest for him not to come to camp at this time, if he was not going to be part of the team this year."

Then, why not just waive Anderson now?

"Part of the reason to not make a decision on Nick Anderson today is that he still is an asset in a possible trade," Paxson said. "I want to leave my options open. It's the right business decision. If we can't work out something before the season, then we'll release him."

Davis doesn't show at media day

Bob Finnan / Willoughby News-Herald

Headaches worth having

Terry Pluto / Akron Beacon-Journal

Bonzi gets some love

Bonzi Wells finally got the love he was looking for, and it was just in time.

The Blazers signed Wells, a restricted free agent, to a three-year, $20 million contract on Monday. The deal includes a team option for the 2005-06 season.

"It's definitely a relief," Wells told the Oregonian. "I've still got two fingernails left to bite, and you can take that for whatever you want. It was stressful, but this is a business, and my agent told me everyone goes through it and there was nothing new here with me.

"I wanted to get it done before today, but I had to understand that there were other things that the team had to do. I just waited my turn and it was my turn today."

Now, coach Mo Cheeks needs to figure out how to get minutes for everyone. He has three point guards, Damon Stoudamire, Jeff McInnis and Antonio Daniels, who all believe they should be starting. He has two starting-caliber shooting guards, Wells and Derek Anderson, two starting-caliber small forwards, Scottie Pippen and Ruben Patterson, and two good centers in Dale Davis and Arvydas Sabonis. Factor in Rasheed Wallace and second-year forward Zach Randolph and Cheeks has a legitimate 10- man rotation on his hands.

Once again Cheeks will ask his players to sacrifice their individual stats for the good of the team. Anderson says it's the only way the team will compete with the likes of the Lakers.

"We have all the talent in the world, now it's just attitude, seeing if guys can be unselfish and accept roles," guard Derek Anderson said. "That's the only problem we had last year.

"We are going to win games because of our talent, there is no question about that, but it is our attitude . . . that's the only problem we have right now. If we can forget about playing time, forget about everything else and work on our attitudes, then that will cure everything else."

Blazers open camp with Wells

Jim Beseda / Oregonian