Ten things we learned this week in the NBA
By Mike Kahn
SportsLine.com Executive Editor
1. Item: Jason Kidd didn't show for practice Tuesday night for the New Jersey Nets and was fined $2,500. It happened again Wednesday night. And Thursday night.
What it really means: Obviously, Kidd has no intention of spending his evenings during training camp watching the Nets practice while he's rehabbing his surgically repaired knee. He said he has no problem paying the fine, and that was after he had made it clear there isn't enough talent to seriously compete in the Eastern Conference anyway, so what's the difference? When Alonzo Mourning echoed that sentiment, it showed how negative the Nets' attitude has become since the purchase by Bruce Ratner and the way they let Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles, Lucious Harris and Rodney Rogers walk. Tickets? Tickets anyone?
2. Item: It's his second season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, training camp began this week, and you know how Sam Cassell always reacts to that? Time to whine about a new contract.
What it really means: Let's begin by saying I adore Cassell's personality on and off the floor, but sorry Sam, while the little over $12 million you're getting over the next two years combined is considerably lower than your market value, it's nobody's fault but your own. Instead of showing the courage to become a free agent and take your show on the road, you sign an extension. Guess what? You can't have it both ways. You're turning 35 soon, and your career is winding down. The time for the eight-figure contracts is over.
3. Item: And speaking of traditions, it's training camp on the Duke University campus for the Philadelphia 76ers. To translate, this is the time Allen Iverson talks of all his experience and how this is the year he will become a leader in practice, during games and in the community for the Sixers. Time to stop talking and start acting, he said.
What it really means: We'll just have to see about that. It was really impressive the way A.I. and his battered body, which kept him out of 34 games, came back to live up to his bargain with the Olympic team. It proved he really did care about playing for his country and his commitment, and as always, he played hard. So this year, with new coach Jim O'Brien giving him the ball as point guard, we'll see if he can actually take it all a step further and get the Sixers back into contention. It would really be special for one of the most exciting players of this generation to finally grasp what it's all about.
4. Item: Chris Webber couldn't practice Tuesday or Wednesday with his Sacramento Kings teammates; his surgically repaired knee had swelled badly and he was in considerable pain.
What it really means: Once again, we see how significant this micro-fracture surgery is to the future of the best players in the game. Kidd won't play at least until December, Jamal Mashburn's career apparently is over, Allan Houston still is struggling in New York, and the list continues to grow. With all that has happened to this team, it's a crossroads season for Webber, Peja Stojakovic and coach Rick Adelman. And most of all, after three injury-riddled seasons in a row, we need to see what Webber really has left in his tank.
5. Item: Ah, training camp in Orlando, and there's that guy again -- running from the point to two and then three seamlessly; slipping into passing lanes for steals and dunks, converting no-look passes and draining jumpers from all over the floor. Yeah, the preseason, that must be the guy we used to know as superstar Grant Hill.
What it really means: Wouldn't it just be grand if he actually is healthy enough to play this season? In many ways, the rebirth of Hill would be just the tonic the NBA needs with all of the lingering negatives. Hill's return after four ankle surgeries and just 47 games the past four seasons would be a feel-good story in every city in which the Magic play. He's so bright, articulate and fun to be around -- and that's not even getting to his marvelous basketball ability. Sure, it's a conflict of interest -- not to mention a blow to my curmudgeon reputation -- to root for anybody, but in this case, who cares? At the age of 32, this is his last shot. So here's hoping we get 75 games of Hill and his own magic for the 2004-05 season.
6. Item: This week it was Jamaal Magloire's turn to spout off about the way the New Orleans Hornets didn't sign any significant free agents and how ownership didn't take care of the guys who are already there. It was essentially the same shtick Baron Davis let rip before training camp.
What it really means: The honeymoon in New Orleans didn't even last a year for the Hornets and owner George Shinn. Shinn spouted off about Davis being immature and a prima donna, which is amazing considering all the damage Shinn did to the franchise and the NBA while it was in Charlotte. Already, they are having trouble keeping attendance up. The Hornets have only a marginal chance of making the playoffs in their move to the Western Conference, and matters will only get worse. It's time for any other teams in transition to hit the Hornets hard with a slew of young talents and draft choices for Davis.
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It has been reported on numerous occasions the Webb had a little swelling in his knee, that he was in "no pain" whatsoever and as a precaution decided to miss a few days of practice in hope that the swelling would reduce. Where do these journalists get their sources from anyway. Anway I don't even know why I bother.
By Mike Kahn
SportsLine.com Executive Editor
1. Item: Jason Kidd didn't show for practice Tuesday night for the New Jersey Nets and was fined $2,500. It happened again Wednesday night. And Thursday night.
What it really means: Obviously, Kidd has no intention of spending his evenings during training camp watching the Nets practice while he's rehabbing his surgically repaired knee. He said he has no problem paying the fine, and that was after he had made it clear there isn't enough talent to seriously compete in the Eastern Conference anyway, so what's the difference? When Alonzo Mourning echoed that sentiment, it showed how negative the Nets' attitude has become since the purchase by Bruce Ratner and the way they let Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles, Lucious Harris and Rodney Rogers walk. Tickets? Tickets anyone?
2. Item: It's his second season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, training camp began this week, and you know how Sam Cassell always reacts to that? Time to whine about a new contract.
What it really means: Let's begin by saying I adore Cassell's personality on and off the floor, but sorry Sam, while the little over $12 million you're getting over the next two years combined is considerably lower than your market value, it's nobody's fault but your own. Instead of showing the courage to become a free agent and take your show on the road, you sign an extension. Guess what? You can't have it both ways. You're turning 35 soon, and your career is winding down. The time for the eight-figure contracts is over.
3. Item: And speaking of traditions, it's training camp on the Duke University campus for the Philadelphia 76ers. To translate, this is the time Allen Iverson talks of all his experience and how this is the year he will become a leader in practice, during games and in the community for the Sixers. Time to stop talking and start acting, he said.
What it really means: We'll just have to see about that. It was really impressive the way A.I. and his battered body, which kept him out of 34 games, came back to live up to his bargain with the Olympic team. It proved he really did care about playing for his country and his commitment, and as always, he played hard. So this year, with new coach Jim O'Brien giving him the ball as point guard, we'll see if he can actually take it all a step further and get the Sixers back into contention. It would really be special for one of the most exciting players of this generation to finally grasp what it's all about.
4. Item: Chris Webber couldn't practice Tuesday or Wednesday with his Sacramento Kings teammates; his surgically repaired knee had swelled badly and he was in considerable pain.
What it really means: Once again, we see how significant this micro-fracture surgery is to the future of the best players in the game. Kidd won't play at least until December, Jamal Mashburn's career apparently is over, Allan Houston still is struggling in New York, and the list continues to grow. With all that has happened to this team, it's a crossroads season for Webber, Peja Stojakovic and coach Rick Adelman. And most of all, after three injury-riddled seasons in a row, we need to see what Webber really has left in his tank.
5. Item: Ah, training camp in Orlando, and there's that guy again -- running from the point to two and then three seamlessly; slipping into passing lanes for steals and dunks, converting no-look passes and draining jumpers from all over the floor. Yeah, the preseason, that must be the guy we used to know as superstar Grant Hill.
What it really means: Wouldn't it just be grand if he actually is healthy enough to play this season? In many ways, the rebirth of Hill would be just the tonic the NBA needs with all of the lingering negatives. Hill's return after four ankle surgeries and just 47 games the past four seasons would be a feel-good story in every city in which the Magic play. He's so bright, articulate and fun to be around -- and that's not even getting to his marvelous basketball ability. Sure, it's a conflict of interest -- not to mention a blow to my curmudgeon reputation -- to root for anybody, but in this case, who cares? At the age of 32, this is his last shot. So here's hoping we get 75 games of Hill and his own magic for the 2004-05 season.
6. Item: This week it was Jamaal Magloire's turn to spout off about the way the New Orleans Hornets didn't sign any significant free agents and how ownership didn't take care of the guys who are already there. It was essentially the same shtick Baron Davis let rip before training camp.
What it really means: The honeymoon in New Orleans didn't even last a year for the Hornets and owner George Shinn. Shinn spouted off about Davis being immature and a prima donna, which is amazing considering all the damage Shinn did to the franchise and the NBA while it was in Charlotte. Already, they are having trouble keeping attendance up. The Hornets have only a marginal chance of making the playoffs in their move to the Western Conference, and matters will only get worse. It's time for any other teams in transition to hit the Hornets hard with a slew of young talents and draft choices for Davis.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
It has been reported on numerous occasions the Webb had a little swelling in his knee, that he was in "no pain" whatsoever and as a precaution decided to miss a few days of practice in hope that the swelling would reduce. Where do these journalists get their sources from anyway. Anway I don't even know why I bother.
