http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/128619.html
NBA Beat: Trade inactivity might have hurt Nets most
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, February 25, 2007
And sometimes where there's a lot of smoke, there's just a lot of smoke.
The trade deadline uneventfully came and went Thursday, but the issues did not. The Kings and Nets simply put off inevitable decisions for another day, or in this case, another season.
At least that's only a biological clock ticking in Sacramento, where basketball president Geoff Petrie realized the need to break up the roster and get on with the future. In New Jersey, they're on an actual calendar, with the Nets planning to escalate the turf war with the Knicks by crossing the river and moving into a new arena in Brooklyn in 2009 and the possibility that the core of the current team will be gone long before.
The Nets were willing to deal Jason Kidd last week if the right offer had come along -- talks with the Lakers never got nearly as close to completion as some portrayed -- and Vince Carter was likewise available as New Jersey pushed against a timeline every bit as immovable as potential trade partners.
Kidd's trade value might never be this high again, and the Nets had already been increasing the minutes of his successor at point guard, Marcus Williams. And Carter will likely have made himself a free agent by then, meaning any move will have to come in a sign-and-trade, at which point New Jersey will be under much more pressure to get a deal done rather than lose an All-Star for nothing.
For now, though, the Nets are still together and, in the important consideration for the rest of this season, they're still in the weak East, so anything is possible. If Richard Jefferson returns from his ankle surgery by mid-March, as expected, and New Jersey takes off with their trio back together, as is realistic, the inevitable may at least be put off until deep in the playoffs.
Remembering DJ
It was one thing to lose patriarch Red Auerbach at age 89 in October after years of failing health and close calls, but the unexpected death of Dennis Johnson at 52 is a heartache for the Celtics that surpasses his typically understated role and prompts the question of whether any organization in league history has had a worse season than Boston in 2006-07.
Johnson was easy for the fan to overlook while playing on teams with legendary names, but all anyone needs to know is that Larry Bird and Bill Walton call him the best teammate they ever had. DJ became one of the most underrated players of his generation, contributing greatly to Celtics championships in 1984 and '86 with defense and clutch playoff showings, and former backcourt mate and current Boston personnel boss Danny Ainge extended that all the way to calling him one of the most underrated players ever.
For sure, he was a great success story. Johnson was a high school benchwarmer in Compton who grew in junior college, played at Pepperdine and spent 14 seasons in the NBA with the SuperSonics, Suns and Celtics. He won championships with Seattle and Boston and was named first-team All-Defense six times and second-team three times, a study in perseverance who eventually had his No. 3 retired by the Celtics. His place among the greats had been guaranteed.
Hand off
The decision by Doug Christie to bail on the Clippers before the end of a 10-day contract was strange even by Christie standards, with his publicist sending a note to the team during the All-Star break, one of the few times during the year the offices are empty.
"I missed that hand signal," coach Mike Dunleavy deadpanned to Los Angeles radio station KLAC.
Christie went from saying he wanted to come out of retirement, to getting the chance to play in the city where he previously played in college and the pros, to shooting 29.4 percent in seven games, to walking out of the deal and leaving the Clippers wondering if it was all pre-publicity for his next attempt at a reality show.
Even veteran NBA people could not remember the last time someone quit on a 10-day deal, especially, as in the case of Christie, with one practice and one game remaining.
Earning his stripes
Dick Bavetta was already respected -- successful and as personable as a referee can be -- from the days before officials were drilled to be robotic and show no emotion. Then he had the charity match race against Charles Barkley at All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas and he became more popular than ever.
In Sacramento, he accepted cheers from the crowd during a stop in play in typical good humor, clasping his hands above his head in mock celebration of a big moment. In Oakland, he smiled and listened as fans near the court told Bavetta what his strategy should be for a rematch.
His fun with Barkley brought new attention. It could not top his genuine accomplishments, though, as one of five officials in NBA history to work 2,000 games -- Joe Crawford is the only other active ref to reach the milestone -- while consistently being rated among the best in the league.
The Darko Ages
Darko Milicic has finally become a regular starter, a little more than 3 1/2 seasons after going No. 2 in the draft and languishing on the Pistons' bench before getting sprung in a 2006 trade to Orlando.
Teams still think enough of him that they inquired about him during trade talks with the Magic. But 11.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks while averaging 32 minutes the first six times in the opening lineup boosts Orlando's hopes that he could still develop into something special inside, especially with opponents having to concentrate on the growing interior dominance of Dwight Howard.
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
NBA Beat: Trade inactivity might have hurt Nets most
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, February 25, 2007
And sometimes where there's a lot of smoke, there's just a lot of smoke.
The trade deadline uneventfully came and went Thursday, but the issues did not. The Kings and Nets simply put off inevitable decisions for another day, or in this case, another season.
At least that's only a biological clock ticking in Sacramento, where basketball president Geoff Petrie realized the need to break up the roster and get on with the future. In New Jersey, they're on an actual calendar, with the Nets planning to escalate the turf war with the Knicks by crossing the river and moving into a new arena in Brooklyn in 2009 and the possibility that the core of the current team will be gone long before.
The Nets were willing to deal Jason Kidd last week if the right offer had come along -- talks with the Lakers never got nearly as close to completion as some portrayed -- and Vince Carter was likewise available as New Jersey pushed against a timeline every bit as immovable as potential trade partners.
Kidd's trade value might never be this high again, and the Nets had already been increasing the minutes of his successor at point guard, Marcus Williams. And Carter will likely have made himself a free agent by then, meaning any move will have to come in a sign-and-trade, at which point New Jersey will be under much more pressure to get a deal done rather than lose an All-Star for nothing.
For now, though, the Nets are still together and, in the important consideration for the rest of this season, they're still in the weak East, so anything is possible. If Richard Jefferson returns from his ankle surgery by mid-March, as expected, and New Jersey takes off with their trio back together, as is realistic, the inevitable may at least be put off until deep in the playoffs.
Remembering DJ
It was one thing to lose patriarch Red Auerbach at age 89 in October after years of failing health and close calls, but the unexpected death of Dennis Johnson at 52 is a heartache for the Celtics that surpasses his typically understated role and prompts the question of whether any organization in league history has had a worse season than Boston in 2006-07.
Johnson was easy for the fan to overlook while playing on teams with legendary names, but all anyone needs to know is that Larry Bird and Bill Walton call him the best teammate they ever had. DJ became one of the most underrated players of his generation, contributing greatly to Celtics championships in 1984 and '86 with defense and clutch playoff showings, and former backcourt mate and current Boston personnel boss Danny Ainge extended that all the way to calling him one of the most underrated players ever.
For sure, he was a great success story. Johnson was a high school benchwarmer in Compton who grew in junior college, played at Pepperdine and spent 14 seasons in the NBA with the SuperSonics, Suns and Celtics. He won championships with Seattle and Boston and was named first-team All-Defense six times and second-team three times, a study in perseverance who eventually had his No. 3 retired by the Celtics. His place among the greats had been guaranteed.
Hand off
The decision by Doug Christie to bail on the Clippers before the end of a 10-day contract was strange even by Christie standards, with his publicist sending a note to the team during the All-Star break, one of the few times during the year the offices are empty.
"I missed that hand signal," coach Mike Dunleavy deadpanned to Los Angeles radio station KLAC.
Christie went from saying he wanted to come out of retirement, to getting the chance to play in the city where he previously played in college and the pros, to shooting 29.4 percent in seven games, to walking out of the deal and leaving the Clippers wondering if it was all pre-publicity for his next attempt at a reality show.
Even veteran NBA people could not remember the last time someone quit on a 10-day deal, especially, as in the case of Christie, with one practice and one game remaining.
Earning his stripes
Dick Bavetta was already respected -- successful and as personable as a referee can be -- from the days before officials were drilled to be robotic and show no emotion. Then he had the charity match race against Charles Barkley at All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas and he became more popular than ever.
In Sacramento, he accepted cheers from the crowd during a stop in play in typical good humor, clasping his hands above his head in mock celebration of a big moment. In Oakland, he smiled and listened as fans near the court told Bavetta what his strategy should be for a rematch.
His fun with Barkley brought new attention. It could not top his genuine accomplishments, though, as one of five officials in NBA history to work 2,000 games -- Joe Crawford is the only other active ref to reach the milestone -- while consistently being rated among the best in the league.
The Darko Ages
Darko Milicic has finally become a regular starter, a little more than 3 1/2 seasons after going No. 2 in the draft and languishing on the Pistons' bench before getting sprung in a 2006 trade to Orlando.
Teams still think enough of him that they inquired about him during trade talks with the Magic. But 11.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks while averaging 32 minutes the first six times in the opening lineup boosts Orlando's hopes that he could still develop into something special inside, especially with opponents having to concentrate on the growing interior dominance of Dwight Howard.
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
