Friday Insider -- Magic interested in JV

[Admin]

In reply to:

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It's time to dig back into the Insider mailbag today. I've received over 1,000 e-mails since the draft and unfortunately, can't answer them all.

Obviously, the slow nature of the free-agency recruiting period has everyone a bit on edge. Why aren't more things happening? Teams are telling free agents to go out and find the best offer they can and then they'll see whether they want to match it. The problem is, of course, if all of the teams are doing that, free agents aren't really finding offers to bring back to the teams they want to play for.

The strategy backfired for the Heat when Chauncey Billups found someone, the Pistons, willing to commit to him right now. With the free-agent signing period beginning Wednesday, expect more teams to start coming to the plate with real offers.

The rest of you want to know when Rick Reilly will show up at my desk asking me to take a substance test . . .

Q: When you said that there was some good news for the Timberwolves I was hoping you'd have some thing to say about us getting creative and trying to work a three-way with Baron Davis. Instead, you say that we want Devean George here for our mid-level exception. Kevin McHale and Flip Saunders are becoming a Minnesota joke; they don't understand that this team doesn't have the talent to win a title. To overpay George would be another brilliant move that would actually accomplish nothing, just like signing Joe Smith last summer. I don't think the national media realize that we have been ousted from Round One six consecutive years, yet we continue to settle for second-tier free agents and no movement in trades. Maybe McHale and Flip are content to improve their golf games instead of their team. -- Cory Bemis, Milaca, Minn.

FORD: The problem is, when you have one guy on your roster who makes $25 million, another guy who lives on the injured list but pulls down $10 million a year, no first-round draft picks two years in a row and an owner who doesn't want to pay the luxury tax, you're going to have a problem. Something has to give. The T-Wolves either need to trade Garnett and get two or three good players in return or they need bite the luxury-tax bullet and add some talent around him. McHale has talked to teams this summer about trading KG, but the problem is that he can't get anything near his worth because of his salary. The only four teams that really have the assets to make a deal for Garnett are the Clippers, Blazers, Mavs and Bulls. You can throw the Clippers out of the picture because they would never pay KG that amount -- their whole payroll is just a little over $25 million. Here's the other deals the Wolves could get for KG. I know he's irreplaceable, but one guy can't do it alone.

The Blazers could pull off a deal that would send Rasheed Wallace and Dale Davis for Garnett, but that basically just turns the Wolves into the Blazers and the Blazers into the Wolves, and who wants to be the Blazers or the Wolves?

Dallas could send Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel and Avery Johnson, but would the T-Wolves be any better?

The Sixers could send Dikembe Mutombo and Allen Iverson, but again, would the T-Wolves honestly be any better?

The Bulls could send Jalen Rose, Jamal Crawford, Marcus Fizer and Eddie Robinson to the Wolves for Garnett. That may be the most intriguing prospect out there. All of those players combined don't quite equal the value of Garnett, but a move like this would infuse the Wolves with plenty of young, talented players to begin rebuilding. It would also keep them from paying the luxury tax. As for the Bulls, a frontline of Garnett, Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry could turn into a nightmare in a few years.

Look at the line-up, they aren't too bad:

Wolves: Crawford, Szczerbiak, Rose, Smith/Fizer, Nesterovic

Bulls: Jay Williams, Trenton Hassell, Garnett, Chandler, Curry

They Wolves could also work out a trade that doesn't include Garnett (see next question) but they'd basically be swapping parts. That's why they're pursuing George. He's inexpensive, has a big upside and may sell a ticket or two in his hometown. They can't afford to do much else.

Q: I've been following your column since well before your ESPN days. And I'd like to say up front that I appreciate your work. I love your writing style. However, I am wondering if somebody spiked your coffee this morning. The Wolves-Blazers trade you mentioned would probably qualify Trader Bob as Bone-Headed Executive of the Year. The Blazers may as well cut off their own (fill in favorite body part here) if they are going to make that hypothetical trade. Terrell Brandon's career may well be over and even if it is not he always misses key stretches of the season. He was ready to come off the bench last year. How is he going to be a better leader in Portland in place of Damon Stoudamire? Bonzi has way too much upside, fun, and flare for most Blazer fans to stay mad at. Bonzi is a far more versatile player than Wally and the best player in this proposed deal. Rasho is SOFT. That's all there is to it. I'd take Dale Davis playing out of position at center over Rasho any day and so would Mo Cheeks, I can guarantee it. And we aren't even talking chemistry yet. If you think they have bad chemistry now, wait until you see Sheed losing it and punching Wally in the mouth after one of his prolonged no-defense, ball-hogging stretches. -- Karl Frick, Davis, Calif.

FORD: I don't drink coffee Karl, but you're not the only one in Portland who thought I was crazy. Of course, we are talking about a team that has made a rap sheet part of its rotation qualifications so I can understand your confusion. To my knowledge, Brandon, Szczerbiak and Nesterovic have never been convicted of anything. I think the Blazers are more down on Stoudamire, Wells and Davis than you know. You're right, Brandon's career may be over and even if it isn't, you can't count on him, but he would be a salary throw in. Anything he contributes would be a bonus. The Blazers would use their mid-level to go after Jeff McInnis. The problem with Stoudamire is that he doesn't play the way Mo Cheeks wants his point guard to play and he's too small to have a significant impact on the defensive end. I think they'll go after McInnis whether they move Stoudemire or not, but it would make things a lot easier if he was out of the picture. Wally for Bonzi is a wash. Both are scorers who believe team is spelled "m-e". But Szczerbiak's long-distance shooting and desire to take the last shot is something that this team has been missing. You may be down on Nesterovic, he's certainly no Shaq, but he rebounds and blocks shots. Davis is tougher, but he's not a center and is another locker room cancer. I think the real question is, why would Minnesota do this? It would put the Wolves into the luxury tax, give them a reliable, if remarkably average point guard and a two guard who doesn't share.

Q: Your ignorance and following of "conventional wisdom" is "unexplainable." It is soooo easy to constantly rip the Warriors. They have deserved it. I am not a naive, foolishly optimistic Warriors fan. I have been just as hard on the franchise as any knowledgeable BB fan. But, unlike all of the pundits, I use objectivity, and recognize two GREAT drafts in a row when I see them. When everyone was questioning the selection of Jason Richardson last year because "shooting guard who can't shoot" Larry Hughes was already there, I was overjoyed with the selection. -- Jon Hanson, Albany, Calif.

FORD: Jon, my problem with the Warriors is that they don't seem to have a consistent rebuilding plan. Rebuilding takes twice as long when you draft and trade for players who play the same position as your best players year after year then play them out of position. Antawn Jamison is not a power forward but the Warriors will move him there (and displace the league's fourth-leading rebounder Danny Fortson) to make room for Mike Dunleavy, another small forward. Neither plays a lick of defense. Hughes is not a point guard, but the Warriors had to move him there (and in the process destroy his trade value) to make room for Richardson. Jiri Welsch isn't a point guard either. I've seen him play. He's very versatile and can swing to the point on occasion, but he isn't a starting point guard. Will he get any minutes behind Richardson and Bob Sura, a guy with a very similar game to Welsch? Gilbert Arenas isn't a point guard either. Yes, he's quick and has long arms, but he's not a good ball handler and isn't the leader a team like this needs. Can you name the last undersized college shooting guard who successfully made the transition to point guard? What is really "unexplainable" is why fans still come to see the Warriors. The team they put together is a mess. I like Richardson and Dunleavy too, but they are a few years away and both were duplicative. Given that the team hasn't been to the playoffs since the 1993-94 season, how much more rebuilding are you willing to do? Right now the team has four promising players, but they only play four positions? Why not, instead, draft a potential dominant power forward like Nene Hilario, Drew Gooden or Chris Wilcox at No. 3 and a real point guard like Dan Dickau at No. 16? As it stands now, the Warriors are way over the cap, have two players starting out of position and have no shot at making the playoffs again. Something drastic needs to be done in Golden State. With that said, (plug time) check out my Warriors Fixer-Upper piece, which will appear on ESPN.com later this afternoon. I'm sure the hate mail will really start rolling in then.

Q: Regarding your article on which players deserves the max, I found it quite disturbing that you did not mention Jason Kidd as a max player. He is younger than Shaq, and is one of the very few in the league who can dominate a game without scoring a point. Most important, JKidd puts a winning attitude in whichever team he plays for. OK, OK, so JKidd can't shoot it straight, but there's a reason why he made the All-NBA first teams three years in a row (1999-2002). Everybody else on the 2001-2002 team made the max list, so what is it with the snub then? Come, give a good explanation. -- Fei Ren, New Zealand

FORD: I think Kidd is worth the max. My list wasn't exhaustive (see below). But Kidd isn't as much of a lock as some of the others. I think his inability to hit the big shot with the game on the line is a big strike against him. If he was a better shooter, he'd be one of the Top 3 or 4 players in the NBA, but that Achilles' heel is a pretty big one.

Q: You're kidding about Chris Webber being the max player, right? Our definition of the max is slightly different I suppose, in all fairness. I think that a player is a max player if: 1) He dominates his position, 2) He changes the game and 3) He's the LAST piece of a championship contender. For instance, if I'm Sacramento, I feel like I've got to either pay the big money to keep Mike Bibby or obtain Andre Miller or Baron Davis in order to keep a general on the court to give me a chance against the Lakers. 4) He's got to be one of the two best on his team. In any of the options above, the max guy has to WANT THE BALL at the end of the game. If you're gonna make eight figures, you better at least want the last shot, even if it's going to go to a teammate because he's a better clutch shooter. This has been a great debate over our table in the local cafe in the past week. Those are our criteria. Using that criteria, I believe we had 15 or so players who warranted the max. -- David Gonzalez, Dallas

FORD: Fifteen players may be a little low. Here's my list of players I think are worth the max (in no particular order). I've excluded a few great players, like Alonzo Mourning or Grant Hill, who, due to illness or injuries just wouldn't command the max anymore. I came up with 23.

Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker, Jason Kidd, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Dikembe Mutombo, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Andre Miller, Jermaine O'Neal, Ray Allen, Baron Davis, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Francis, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Karl Malone, Michael Olowokandi, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Shawn Marion, Chris Webber, Gary Payton.

There are also a few guys I'm on the fence on.

Rasheed Wallace (has the talent, but not the head), Mike Bibby (another good year and he's in), Steve Nash (if he was a bit more durable), Michael Finley (he's very good, but not great), Antonio McDyess (if he could stay away from injuries), Pau Gasol (he's still young, but already has max potential), Elton Brand (he's consistent, but will he ever be a teams best player?) and Ben Wallace (maybe the only player other than Jason Kidd who can dominate a game without scoring a point).

Q: I want to look back at the NBA Draft and ask your opinion of the commentary of Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith during TNT's coverage. It seems like they were a little more than upset about the foreign invasion than was warranted and a local sports-talk station seems to feel the same. Do you believe that Americans discriminate regarding these foreign guys because they prefer "their" college guys or can we say they just don't appreciate these guys because they don't do the work to find out about them. I have yet to see a foreign player who was overrated, but I know plenty of college guys in that category -- James Hamlin, Charlotte, N.C.

FORD: I think it goes both ways, James. There is always prejudice against the unfamiliar. It's also hard for those who haven't seen the Euroleague to believe that players from other countries have surpassed our own. There's a reason why we had to move to NBA players in the Olympics. The players overseas are flat out better than our college kids. European players have been experiencing prejudice for years, but it also disturbs me to hear the differences between the characterizations of Europeans and African Americans. I think we are still mired in stereotypes that just don't seem to be going away. European players are described as intelligent, fundamentally sound and good players to have around in the clubhouse. African American players are often described as athletic, raw and lacking fundamental skills. Listen to the commentary on draft night, it's rampant. When you get a black European player, like Tony Parker or Boris Diaw, scouts will refer to those guys as having a more "NBA" game. When you get a white American player, like Mike Dunleavy and Dan Dickau, he's described the same way European players are. A few black players, like Shane Battier, Jay Williams or Grant Hill, seem to escape the stereotypes but too many still suffer from the blindness that has plagued our past for far too long.

Andre Miller and Baron Davis sticking around?

Andre Miller is just praying that the Cavs don't start rebuilding again. Baron Davis just wants to go home. Both players, subject of rampant trade rumors, talked about their status Thursday.

Miller, speaking to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, said he believes he'll be in Cleveland for at least one more season.

"They don't have to rebuild," Miller said. "At the start of every season, they say it's a rebuilding year. Everybody's tired of hearing that. Nobody wants to be in a rebuilding year every year. Every team has to add something different each year but not any drastic changes."

Miller was dismayed that the Cavs traded his close friend, Wesley Person, on draft night. But he doesn't see Dajuan Wagner as a threat.

"I know he can dribble and he can score," Miller said. "He has heart, and he can play. I'm not looking at Wagner as taking a spot. He's coming in to help the team. More than likely, we'll be on the court together because of the Wesley Person trade and not knowing if we're going to sign Ricky Davis."

So does that mean Miller wants to stay in Cleveland? "I'm not worried about it right now. Any person would like to be in one spot, on a good team and with good fan support; and Cleveland has some of that to a certain extent."

Meanwhile, Davis met with New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin and told him he's still thinking about signing an extension with the Hornets.

"I was working him hard," Nagin told the New Orleans Times Picayune. "I wouldn't be surprised if he stays here. He told me he's seriously considering signing the agreement."

Co-owner Ray Wooldridge wouldn't comment on specifics of the negotiations, but said it's likely Davis left the city with a new appreciation of its charms. "I guarantee," Wooldridge said, "Baron Davis has a favorable impression of New Orleans."

If Cavs keep him, Miller wants to play, not 'rebuild'

Branson Wright / Cleveland Plain Dealer

Mayor uses city charm to persuade Davis

Jimmy Smith / New Orleans Times-Picayune

Summer League Update

It's still a little early to hand out the who's hot and who's not awards for the summer league, but the early buzz seems to be coming from L.A., where Amare Stoudemire is quickly making people forget about Kwame Brown and the rest of his high school superfriends.

Stoudemire's aggressivness, athleticism and physical strength have allowed him to compete at a much higher level than most of the high school rookies who have come into the NBA the last few years. Teams wondered how he would respond to solid competition.

He's been, in a word, awesome.

"He's been a very mature kid," Suns coach Frank Johnson told the L.A. Daily News. "But he's very young in terms of basketball. What's impressed me is the look in his eyes. When you look in his eyes, you see his desire and intensity, and what it says to me is that he wants to be the best."

Stoudemire's overall basketball skills might be considered raw, but the Suns believe he has great potential.

"He has a gift that you can't teach -- creativity," said Suns assistant Marc Iavaron. "Another thing we like is his fight. When he's pushed or is up against something difficult, he wants to fight to overcome it."

Stoudemire, the only high school player drafted in the 2002 draft, had a stellar opening night performance (15 points and six rebounds) Monday against the Grizzlies and followed it up with 12 points (4-for-6 FG) and 10 rebounds versus the Clippers. On Thursday night he put up 19 points in the Suns' 149-126 victory over the Warriors.

The Suns' other first-rounder, Casey Jacobsen, also had a huge game, scoring 35 points, including hitting 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. Jacobsen also had five rebounds and five assists. The Warriors got big games from Troy Murphy (29 pts, 9 rebs), Jason Richardson (22 pts, 5 asts) and Mike Dunleavy Jr. (22 points on 7 of 11 shooting).

In Orlando, Marcus Haislip led all scorers with 24 points as the Bucks defeated Orlando, 92-73. Haislip also nailed 4 of 5 from downtown. Orlando was led by William "Smush" Parker, who finished with 17 points. Ryan Humphrey added 15 in the losing effort.

In Game 2, Indiana's Fred Jones led five Indiana players in double figures with a game-high 21 points as the Pacers defeated the Hornets, 83-72. Jerome Moiso recorded 14 points, had a game-high 11 rebounds and three blocked shots for New Orleans.

In Game 3, Luke Recker led the way for Miami with 13 points as the Heat grabbed a 63-55 victory over the Pistons. Ratko Varda paced the Pistons with 13 points. Rodney White ended his string of strong performance with a miserable 1-10 shooting performance.

Check out Insider's Pro Summer League and Orlando Summer Pro League pages for rosters, leaders and box scores.

Suns forward shows promise

Joe Stevens / Los Angeles Daily News

Pistons' Prince, White are contrasts

Chris McCosky / Detroit News

Hornets want more from Moiso, Haston

John Reid / New Orleans Times-Picayune

Brezec's right thumb re-injured

Mark Montieth / Indianapolis Star

James states point - Put me in, coach

Ira Winderman / South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Writers Bloc: Is Allen Iverson out of Answers?

For the last few years, Allen Iverson has spent as much time keeping it real as he has playing basketball. A rap CD here, a rap sheet there. An Eastern Conference championship and an MVP trophy. It's all good. Or, at least it used to be.

The good news for Iverson is that his street cred seems to have remained intact despite a brief dip into the mainstream. That bad news is that keeping that street cred may finally plunk Iverson down in jail -- just where his detractors have suspected he belonged all along.

So with Iverson now basically under house arrest and facing several felony charges, the haters are out in force and Iverson's support crew is wondering just how long it can keep saying he's misunderstood.

"He's family," coach Larry Brown said about Iverson during Thursday night's brief news conference. "We're all concerned about it, and we want to be supportive. There are a lot of people hurting in this situation right now. He's a teammate and a friend, and we want to get this resolved the right way. And fortunately we have a legal system that handles matters like this."

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Stephen Smith wonders why Iverson continues to give his detractors ammunition.

"Perceived as prone to controversy, trouble and, in some people's eyes, violence, Iverson has now provided ample ammunition to his detractors, regardless of the outcome of his case. The kid that had trouble in Virginia in 1993, and again in 1997, is the same individual they'll see now. Any hope of persuading the public to buy into the notion that he has matured, the way many people did during his MVP season, has now evaporated. At least for a long while. How it all came to this is anyone's guess."

Scott Fowler, a Charlotte Observer columnist and Iverson detractor, says Iverson's troubles is the least surprising news of the offseason.

"Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Iverson. It's not worth it. For every crossover dribble, you get another controversy. For every trip to the NBA Finals, another rap record that demeans just about everyone. For every 50-point game, another Mercedes impounded and searched for evidence."

The Indianapolis Star's Phil Anastasia says it's not easy to be an AI fan these day.

"It's not easy to be a fan of Allen Iverson. If you're a Philadelphian, it's not like cheering for Donovan McNabb, or throwing your support behind Jeremy Roenick, or giving your heart to Jimmy Rollins. With those guys, it's simple. It's standard. It's Being a Fan 101. You hang their posters on your wall. You wear their replica jerseys. You live and die a little on the basis of their play on the football field, the hockey rink, the baseball field. Iverson makes it hard work. He makes you shake your head in wonder -- at his performance on the hardwood, and his words and actions off the court. Iverson demands an increasingly-uncomfortable compromise on the part of everyone who admires his athletic ability, his competitive fire, his will to win. He puts his fans in a bad spot."

Iverson gives detractors ammunition

Stephen A. Smith / Philadelphia Inquirer

Iverson's off-court woes overshadow his ability

Scott Fowler / Charlotte Observer

Iverson makes it difficult for his fans

Phil Anastasia / Indianapolis Star

Peep Show

Magic: The Magic are pursuing free agent Jacque Vaughn, hoping that he can provide a steady veteran presence at point guard. Vaughn's agent, Jeff Austin, confirmed the Magic's interest in his client. But when reached earlier this week, Austin also said that no deal is imminent and serious negotiations have yet to begin. "The bottom line is it's too early," Austin told the Orlando Sentinel. Point guard isn't the only area the Magic need help at It looks like their frontcourt woes won't be solved by last year's first-round pick, Stephen Hunter, anytime soon. Hunter is struggling with his game and a sore knee in the summer league. "This is a crazy start," Hunter said. "Very disappointing. Very frustrating. Hopefully, I can get all these jinks and kinks out soon. I'm thinking a lot out there. I really want to show what I'm capable of doing. The first few days I've been pressing."

Knicks: Sonics free agent Jerome James will visit the Knicks on a recruiting trip today and Saturday. Knicks GM Scott Layden and coach Don Chaney will give him the tour of Manhattan, the Garden and the Westchester/Greenwich, Conn. neighborhoods where the players live. According to the N.Y. Post, Layden might sign James to an offer sheet

Heat: Rock Newman, the boxing manager, has taken over as Rod Strickland's agent. He's confident that he can exceed the $1 million veteran's minimum the point guard received last season from the Heat. "We're in pretty good position," he told the Sun Sentinel. Travis Best and Jeff McInnis the only other starting-caliber point guards left on the free-agent market.

Jazz: Owner Larry Miller expects to learn in the next week or so whether Raul Lopez can finalize a buyout from his Spanish League contract and join Utah's roster this fall. And he believes the answer will be yes. "The odds are, he'll be here," Miller told the Salt Lake Tribune. "We'll know one way or the other in a short time. We hope to have an announcement in five to seven days." While Miller had no updates on the status of John Stockton he said negotations with free agent Donyell Marshall are going well. "It's been back and forth every day this week, a little bit like a tennis match," Miller said. "We're waiting to hear back."

Sixers: Add Chris Gatling and Charles Oakley to the Sixers' summer shopping list. Both players are on the list somewhere behind Rodney Rogers, Greg Buckner and their own free agent, Matt Harpring, the Daily News reproted.

Celtics: The team brought in Pacers free agent Bruno Sundov for a recruiting visit. The 7-foot-3 center should come on the cheap. "Bruno is someone we've had our eye on for quite some time," Celtics general manager Chris Wallace told the Boston Globe. "We tried to swing a deal to draft him in the year that Paul Pierce came out, but we couldn't obtain a first-round pick at the later end of the round ... He hasn't played a great deal at Indiana, but he's benefited from practicing against some very good players at his position."

Knicks, Wizards: Pondering retirement, Magic center Patrick Ewing has begun exploring the possibility of a coaching career. In the past two days, Ewing has had conversations with NBA teams, including the Knicks and the Wizards, about becoming an assistant coach, the Orlando Sentinel reported

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[Hawksfreak]

he will have to play with mr. Cupcake T-mac

[DJ_Money]

There we go...Nazr/JV (SNT) for Miller/BU C (Hunter?)

And, I guess saying 'Reef deserves the max is respect. I guess...

[Hawksfreak]

Reef defently deserves the Max.